Reply to: Why do China and Russia like Zimbabwe so?

[DimPrawn]

I don't think we should be criticising other countries when our own "dear" government has made an utter shambles of the economy, public services, law and order etc.
In many ways we are now a second world country - and the trend unfortunately is downwards ...

WHS++

[sasguru]

I don't think we should be criticising other countries when our own "dear" government has made an utter shambles of the economy, public services, law and order etc.
In many ways we are now a second world country - and the trend unfortunately is downwards ...

[Churchill]

That's apart from 45% of the population being HIV+ then is it?

At least they're positive, that's the main thing...

Churchill - In "running for coat as fast as little legs will carry him" mode!

[skelm]

I doubt any country does well in every area now.

[Churchill]

Ladies and Gentlemen of the forum, my question regarding African countries "Doing alright" was a genuine one. I didn't know of any. I do now.

Google wouldn't do too well with the question but you chaps did admirably.

Aye thenk you!

Whoa slow down....

They're not doing so well in certain areas...

What problems do they face?
When David Livingstone visited the Wayeyi in 1857, the people were subjugated as serfs of the ruling Tswana-speaking Batawana tribe. Within the current Botswana constitution, the Wayeyi are still discriminated against, along with over 20 other cultural groups who are outside of the eight main tribes. These ëminor' tribes can be removed from their ancestral land without compensation, cannot elect a leader from their own community and cannot educate their children in their mother-tongue. The Botswana government continues to pursue a policy of assimilating the ëminor' tribes into Setswana culture, denying these peoples equal rights in law. The suspicious death of the Wayeyi Chief Shikati Kamanakao was ënegligently' investigated, according to the forensic report. This caused great distress among the Wayeyi who had taken legal proceedings to get their chief elected and respected on a similar level to the chiefs of the eight major tribes of Botswana. The Wayeyi people still have rulers imposed by a non-Wayeyi chief and their language is still banned from use on radio, education, and other fora. Their history and culture is excluded from the school curriculum.

Another serious problem is that the Botswana government has been trying to convince the Wayeyi to move from the Okavango Delta. The government has given various reasons for the move, but the Wayeyi are determined to stay in their ancestral lands.


'Relocation is a silent genocide on the culture of the people and their economic activities; it ushers them into poverty and dependence.' Lydia Nyati Ramahobo.

Taken from Tribal Genocide?

[sasguru]

Please can someone point out an African country that is "Doing alright thank you very much for asking"?

From the wikipedia entry on Botswana:

"Since independence, Botswana has had one of the fastest growth rates in per capita income in the world.[2] Botswana has transformed itself from one of the poorest countries in the world to a middle-income country with a per capita GDP of $16,450 in 2007.[3] Economic growth averaged over 9% per year from 1966 to 1999. The government has maintained a sound fiscal policy, despite consecutive budget deficits in 2002 and 2003, and a negligible level of foreign debt. It earned the highest sovereign credit rating in Africa and has stockpiled foreign exchange reserves (over $7 billion in 2005/2006) amounting to almost two and a half years of current imports."

They've got $7 billion in the bank, we've got a massive deficit.
Gordon Brown is really a laughing stock, when GB is poorer than an African country

[DaveB]

It's partially because they are looking for ways to gain favour with the african nations and thus get preferential tratment when it comes to oil and mineral development; partially because they want to flex their muscles at the UN - Russia trying to maintain it's lost superpower status, China trying to establish it's own; and partially becasue as they rightly pointed out, there is no threat to "the maintenance of international peace and security" from Zimbabwe for the UN Security Council to address.

[skelm]

Botswana

Thank you.

[Churchill]

Seemed to do OK when there was a white government?

Please can someone point out an African country that is "Doing alright thank you very much for asking"?

[Diver]

Minerals.

"The geology of Zimbabwe is very richly endowed. Of the 40 known metals and minerals that it is home to – gold, platinum and chrome form the principal endowments. The country's gold reserves are among the largest in the African region while it hosts the second-largest platinum reserves in the world. Another segment that has caught the attention of miners in Zimbabwe is diamonds after the discovery of a number of significant kimberlites. For a country long saddled with severe economic problems, the mining industry underscores its importance by earning over 40% of the total export revenues for the nation. Like its African peers, Zimbabwe has not been able to derive the full benefits of its myriad resource base."

http://www.businessmonitor.com/mining/zimbabwe.html

Seemed to do OK when there was a white government?

[bobsmithldn]

Er, I don't know the answer, I just thought I'd pose the question.

Minerals.

"The geology of Zimbabwe is very richly endowed. Of the 40 known metals and minerals that it is home to – gold, platinum and chrome form the principal endowments. The country's gold reserves are among the largest in the African region while it hosts the second-largest platinum reserves in the world. Another segment that has caught the attention of miners in Zimbabwe is diamonds after the discovery of a number of significant kimberlites. For a country long saddled with severe economic problems, the mining industry underscores its importance by earning over 40% of the total export revenues for the nation. Like its African peers, Zimbabwe has not been able to derive the full benefits of its myriad resource base."

http://www.businessmonitor.com/mining/zimbabwe.html

[Diver]

You are most probably younger than me but you are behind the times.
The Russian Rouble is one of the worlds strongest currencies (since 2001). It has been stronger than sterling and dollar since then. The RR is now convertible and can be bought and sold in the UK. Russians who kept their US dollars under the mattress have long since sold them adding to the weakness of the dollar.

The Chinese currency is undervalued and it would help the West if it was re-valued.

Sanctions do three things; they hit the poorest in a country; they make the clever very inventive just like how SA became world leaders in some technologies; … and thirdly as soon as there are sanctions, governments and businesses find ways to break the sanctions. I remember when sanctions were brought in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) It was UK government owned companies that were braking the sanctions and making a fortune while other countries were upholding the sanctions.

While I was in Cuba I was surprised that Coca-Cola along with other Amercian goods were on open sale, brought in via Mexico. You could even pay with US credit cards, the US credit card machines were directed connected to Mexico, Canada or the UK.

Oh God!

It was a !!!Joke!!!

[Paddy]

Coz it's the only country in the world where the currency is worth less than theirs?

You are most probably younger than me but you are behind the times.
The Russian Rouble is one of the worlds strongest currencies (since 2001). It has been stronger than sterling and dollar since then. The RR is now convertible and can be bought and sold in the UK. Russians who kept their US dollars under the mattress have long since sold them adding to the weakness of the dollar.

The Chinese currency is undervalued and it would help the West if it was re-valued.

Sanctions do three things; they hit the poorest in a country; they make the clever very inventive just like how SA became world leaders in some technologies; … and thirdly as soon as there are sanctions, governments and businesses find ways to break the sanctions. I remember when sanctions were brought in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) It was UK government owned companies that were braking the sanctions and making a fortune while other countries were upholding the sanctions.

While I was in Cuba I was surprised that Coca-Cola along with other Amercian goods were on open sale, brought in via Mexico. You could even pay with US credit cards, the US credit card machines were directed connected to Mexico, Canada or the UK.

[BrilloPad]

Given that Mugabe & those behind him probably will be out within a decade, about as sensible as US/UK support of the Shah of Iran.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/a...abe/article.do

The Dirty Half-Dozen: The generals who are even more ruthless and bloodthirsty than Mugabe

His Excellency was perspiring, even though there was frost on the ground. In the palatial gardens of State House, the oak-panelled home of former British colonial rulers, Robert Mugabe's face glistened with sweat as he was declared President of the Republic of Zimbabwe. He pulled at his cuffs and glanced over his shoulder.


After 28 years of bloody rule - and two hours before the election results were announced 'live' on state-controlled TV - Mugabe appeared anxious as he was sworn in for a record sixth term this week. His opponents had been killed or forced at gunpoint to vote in rigged elections.


Yet it wasn't the international outcry over this that worried him. No, beneath the megalomania, what he must know is that he has already lost power, not to the persecuted opposition Movement for Democrat Change (MDC), but to a bloody - and secret - cabal.


========================================

Though this does come from the daily mail stable of papers so I doubt its veracity...

[xoggoth]

Given that Mugabe & those behind him probably will be out within a decade, about as sensible as US/UK support of the Shah of Iran.