Tendai Biti , Former Zimbabwe Finance Minister (2009-2013)

SIDEBAR ON SOFT POWER

Mr. Biti was generous with his time to discuss soft power and Africa. Limited time and choppy but I think you can appreciate it.

Mauritius piece was a tad bit problematic….The somersault on which African state got a proper flogging…..

Panel Members

Alain Antil , Director of Ifri's Sub-Saharan Africa Center, Moderator

Greg Mills , Director, Brenthurst Foundation

Tendai Biti , Former Zimbabwe Finance Minister

Thierry Vircoulon , Research Associate at Ifri

Olusegun Obasanjo , Former President of Nigeria

Where is Democracy in Africa?

This was the theme for the Ifri Conference on June 7th. We were invited to the conference and also fortunate to ask the former president a question on the current state of Nigeria. The conference touched on elections, political freedoms, authoritarianism and the “strong man/dominant parties” problem. This conference was quite in depth with the occurrences of democracy, election fraud in all 54 states of Africa.

“The process from dictatorship to Democracy is bloody...
For Africa, it is bloody, complicated, corrupt and sometimes rest in ambiguity. ...Kagame anyone??
”

— Democracy in Africa

To learn more about IFRI

Learn more

The recording is in French and English but very easy to follow. Apologies for the recording quality.

Subscribe to our Youtube Channel : http://bit.ly/29r5pOQ An interview with Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of Nigeria. Visit our website : http://www.ifri.org Follow us on the social media : - Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/Ifri.Paris - Twitter : http://twitter.com/IFRI_ - LinkedIn : http://www.linkedin.com/company/ifri - Soundcloud : https://soundcloud.com/ifri - Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/ifri_paris/

See you next Cassava Monday

TURKEY'S SOFT POWER IN AFRICA:- WATERPLOMACY AND SO MUCH MORE

“Waterplomacy: The use of water as a tool in diplomacy. ”

— Water & Cassava

“Santa Clause, Father Christmas or St. Nicholas is not from the North Pole. Our Brother is from Turkey.
Stop leaving him cookies, leave him some Turkish Delights or Keebabs
HO! HO! HO! ”

— Water & Cassava is here to decolonize your mind.

Get a Turk in your life so you can find an Auntie. All shall be right in your life.

“Turkish Delight also known as DRUGS, you cannot stop with just one. On a Turkish Airlines heading to Morocco, I asked four times for just a bit more. The flight attendant gave me the whole box, and everyone laughed at me. Listen, I ate that whole box from London to Morocco and I did not share with my neighbors that found my addiction to be funny. #Haters ”

— Baraka allahu bika

“Did you know in 2016, Turkey ranked second for donor countries providing humanitarian assistance?”

TURKEY MAKING THE WORLD GREAT AGAIN!!! SOMEONE SHOULD TELL THE FOLKS IN D.C WITHOUT THE STATES, THESE STATES IN THE GLOBAL SYSTEM WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD.

President Erdoğan of Turkey made more visits to Africa in 2017, than any other head of state. The relationship between Turkey and Africa goes back to the Ottoman Empire Era. Turkey’s IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation has dug drinking water wells in Somalia for the consumption of 20,000 people daily. In addition to water, Turkey has built schools, hospitals and roads in the country of Somalia.

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“The Ottoman Empire ruled parts of North Africa for over five centuries”

President Erdogan is very vocal of the exploitation of Africa and the role colonialism played in destabilizing African states. This is the seduction of Soft Power, you must have policies and a culture that is attractive to folk. On that culture piece, never forget that Intercultural Relations is the thread that holds the cloth of International Relations.

““We see that the future is in Africa. We cannot put this future aside, we cannot miss it. We didn’t come here with colonial plans. Our history does not have any trace of imperialism. Our sole aim, which I also told the Chadian President, is to ensure that Africa can stand on its own two feet.””

— President Erdogan of Turkey

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what does turkey get for such SOFT efforts AND BOLD STATEMENTS?

The Jeopardy Theme.

somalia (MILITARY POLICIES)

Turkey will be joining the United States, U.A.E in having its biggest overseas military base in Mogadishu, Somalia. This base cost our Turk friends a delightful $50 million.

CHAD (ECONOMIC POLICIES)

Several trade deals and agreements are signed between Turkey and Chad, including technical development, investment and the fight against terror. TRT World's Kim Vinnell reports.

TURKEY & SUDAN WATERPLOMACY
(6 YEARS AGO-"CULTURAL VALUES")

Turkey supports Sudan's water development projects. The Turkish government has donated over US$3.5 million for implementing more modern water technologies to help provide drinking water to the people of Sudan. With the funds going toward the construction of over 40 wells throughout eight states, the project is being implemented by the Africa City of Technology together with the Turkish Development and Cooperation Foundation and Turkish Development Bank.

TURKEY & SUDAN (PRESENT)

-SOFT POWER FROM TURKEY TO AFRICA

Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erodogan, is in Sudan. He arrived in Khartoum on Sunday. It's the first time a Turkish leader is visiting the country. He's accompanied by an impressive business delegation, and has been focusing on investment opportunities.

WATER SCARCITY IN SOUTHERN AFRICA

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA

What happens when a city runs out of municipal water? Models are clear on the severity: the tanking of the economy, the destruction of sewerage infrastructure, outbreaks of violence, the spreading of disease. As Day Zero threatens to approach the City of Cape Town, public consumption isn't the only problem.

Officially, as of yesterday, in Cape Town the water crisis has been upgraded to Level 6 restrictions. This translates to a reduction of over 60% water use of agricultural operations and 45% in the urban business sector. The drought in South Africa is concerning since it appears to be getting worse and if you pay attention to the graphs below, it looks quite grim.

Meteorologist can calculate rainfalls by looking at El Nino and La Nina patterns. The norm is El-Niño brings drought to South Africa, while La Niña brings wet conditions. The rain patterns are so inconsistent in SA, that both Nina and Nino are quite weak, so you do not get the expected rainfall.

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STRICTLY INFROMATIONAL, REMEMBER SPARADIC IS THE WEATHER TODAY

THE AMOUNT OF RAINFALL AND DAM STORAGE

NO CLEAN WATER IN HARARE, ZIMBABWE???

“The chemicals needed to make water clean are no longer available in the city or are extremely low in quantity: Activated Carbon, Chlorine, Sulphuric Acid and
Aluminium Sulphate”

— The more you know??

Mayor Bernard Manyenyeni of Harare, capital of Zimbabwe has released official statements on the consumption of water in the city.

““We think we are providing you with water that is good for you and your family to drink,” he said. “We have seen experiences of water that does not look good, water that looks greenish and brownish, water that froths or foams. Let’s share the responsibility. While we assume and claim that our water is clean and safe to drink; we ask you to exercise caution wherever you are and make your own personal decisions about what you see, what you smell. Is it good enough for you to drink?”

— Mayor Bernard Manyenyeni of Harare, Zimbabwe

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Let’s hope the new President of Zimbabwe, Bernard Manyenyeni will do something on the Public Health sector. Preferabbly starting with firing Mayor Bernard Manyenyeni immediately.

See you next Mulday!

Cassava Tuesdays: Democracy & Africa at the Institut français des relations internationales with Former Nigerian President Obasanjo, Biti & Friends