• Apparently, the US treasury now favours a total write-off of the multilateral debt of the 27 poorest countries.

    First, let's celebrate... Those countries are still giving away 800 Millions $ of principal and interests, money which is missing for education, health and infrastructures.

    Now, questions...

    i) Why 27??? why not 29, 32, 12... CRITERIAS!!!

    ii) Why now? My proposal: the US are facing stiff opposition from France and others about the debt relief program for Irak. The main argument of the opponents? Well, how can we erase 90% of Irak's multilateral debt and refuse to do so to other countries that do not have the world's 4th oil reserves...
    So be it... my dear friend "W" seems to be answering... Let's cut it all!

    iii) Is it really positive?
    YES if the money is re-invested in the above mentioned areas: education, health, infrastructures...
    NO if, as too often, it goes in the already wealthy pockets of "dear Leaders"
    NO, if, as it may seem, the loss for organizations like the world bank, the IMF... is not compensated at the same level! Otherwise, it will be: "OK, no reimboursment anymore, but no money anymore as well..."

    But finally, why not? let's take the challenge: Let us be NORMAL countries!


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  • The ban on assault weapons, established by Bill Clinton in 1994 and voted by a then Democrat congress, has expired today without generating much tears amongst proeminent American politicians...

    This ban has cost their seats in Congress to many democrats back in 1994, and I guess the ability to put 15 bullets into your neighbour's chest rather than 2 or 3 does make a difference in US politics...

    Why starting a blog with such a subject? And especially one called "Journal Africain"! It's a question of atmosphere: it helps me understand why an armored US helicopter shoots 2 missile in the middle of an unarmed crowd, to prevent them from stealing powder from an empty military vehicle.

    Well, I had to start somewhere: I have not yet identified my potential audience, so I'll write in English (sorry fellow French and Ivorian, and sorry for the probable mistakes in my English writting), and it also gives an indication of what I want to do with this blog: free thoughts on an endangered world, and more thoughts on what lays ahead for Africa (seen from a cosy office in Paris...)


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