Muldays Mondays: China's Waterplomacy "The OMFG, The Ugly and the Bad.......

Waterplomacy: China's Water Woes

“To understand the politricks behind water security and related topics, simply pay attention to these terms: Economic Activities and Development, Peace and Political Stability, Financing (Remember W.A.S.H?), Ecosystems, Drinking Water, Water Pollution, Climate Change, Good Governance and Transboundary Cooperation”

— Water & Cassava

.... OMFG- The Case of The Gambia  

On May 22 2017, The Bolong Fenyo Wild Life Reserve in Gambia was poisoned by the Chinese owned company Golden Lead Factory. The color of water ranges from pink to red, because of the dead animals discovered in the reserve and surrounding areas. After an investigation, it was discovered the pipelines were dumping toxins to the reserve. The company blamed the local fishermen for killing every single fish in the reserve.
I am sure you can imagine, the local people and government had some difficulty believing this formal response. The Gambia National Environment Agency sued The Golden Lead Factory for violating environmental regulations and for the pollution of the sea. 

Bolong Fenyo Wild Life Reserve after poison

Please click below to learn more:

Now after this, you will think Gambia will be singing this to China:

But in the words of the young boyz from Philadelphia:

As of August of this year, Gambia decided to work with China on supporting and building on infrastructure, agriculture, and tourism. China in return will have unrestricted access to the Gambian market and about the  T word....

“China: Gambia you understand there is only one China
Gambia: We understand that Taiwan is not a country, Please don’t go away”

— Imagined by Water & Cassava

To read more on Gambia not wanting China to go away:

 

...The UGLY-The Case of Cameroon 

Meanwhile down south from Gambia, we have the country of Cameroon. A country that has had the same president for the last 30 years, home to 5 separate groups that wish to take their independence from the country and ninth country to benefit from Chinese loans and aid. 

“The Cameroonian Ministry of Economy signed multiple technical and economic agreements with China worth FCFA 49.4 billion (594 million yuan) for a drinking water supply project”

To get the brief gist of this project:

SPEAKING OF HELL AROUND THE CORNER..

Cameroon is the walking definition of the song above.  

“...Cameroon owes China $1 billion dollars in loans”

— Water & Cassava

....The Bad: The Case of China's Water Security Issues

China has a host of water security issues internally and with neighboring countries. Home to 1.3 billion people, that is roughly 20% of our planet's population. China struggles with access to fresh water but in order to understand the role of agriculture in China's water woes, read this article: 

“Birth Control OR Control of Birth ”

— Water & Cassava

The answer from the China government to water security concerns, is the South-North Water Transfer Project that will cost the government $62 billion dollars. There are some serious concerns on the role of pollution in the building of such a massive project including serious risk to the population. Read below to understand why such concerns are alarming:

CHINA AND INDIA WATER WARS: BUDDAH BE A FENCE

China's attempt to deal with water scarcity has been to build more dams to divert water in regions of the country that lack water. This diversion has cost India lives and over $30 million in damages. Read this article to understand the growing tensions between India and China that stem from water manipulation

Until next Mulday!

Public Health Wednesdays(PHW): Rural Women & Breast Cancer

The third week of October is quite busy, so let's start with Breast Cancer Awareness. Do you know the proper way to examine yourself?  It is important to have a conversation with your physician, if you have family history of breast cancer or any cancer. Men and Women are equally vulnerable to breast cancer, so please incorporate self check as part of your self care.  

I choose these videos for the following reasons:

• Women of color are more vulnerable to breast cancer because of the language and culture surrounding education of health and lack of access
• I need you to see real women not a mannequin
• Representation matters, read that twice. 

Special thank you to Provenance Medical Limited

Queer Sex Educator Ericka Hart, M. Ed.
 

International Day of Rural Women- October 15th 

“ 43 % of Rural women make up over a quarter the world population and the global agricultural labor force”

— UN Women

To understand more of the disparities that rural women throughout the globe face:

World Food Day- October 16th

 This year’s theme was a focus on Change the future of migration and the importance of investing in Food Security and Rural Development. 

“ About 80% of the world’s extreme poor live in rural areas and their livelihood is on agriculture”

— Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Musician Pap

See you next PHW!

Friday Ramblings, Realities and -Isms- The one about Restlessness

Rambling is defined by Webster as:

• passing from one topic to another

• using or containing more words than necessary to express an idea

Reality is defined by Webster as:

• the quality or state of being real

• a real event, entity, or state of affairs

• totality of real things and events

• something that is neither derivative nor dependent but exists necessarily

-Isms are just my own colloquialisms .

This week was in this order:
Shit
Shit
Damn
Damn
Stress
Meetings
Shit
Shit
Meetings
Conference
Reading
Researching
Shit
Exhausted

The start up was chosen by the Africa Lab to attend their 1st Asian Africanist Camp a two day camp event. They fed me, yup pescatarian food! I learned a lot and I was impressed and moved by the interest in Africa! 95% of the room were polyglots. The conference was two hours away from my apartment, so on the bus I just crashed going and coming back. I won second place for our short oral presentation competition. 

Beautiful Pen

Our gear 

I had a meeting from 2am-3:somethinga.m by an individual that I can see will be part of this entrepreneur path. I was encouraged tremendously.

Exhausted ….

I feel defeated and sometimes I feel so behind the curve. There is this feeling of grind, grind, grind and nothing is happening. My dream is to fight for a narrative about Africa but I might just tell everyone I am going to Jupiter. It is the dream and drive to change this narrative that keeps me going, but I feel so defeated at times. It feels like this restless battle of fighting and fighting. 

Me everyday ...

The drinking culture here is breathtaking and Ijust don't know If I can take anyone seriously that finds courage in fermented grains.

I wish so bad that this can happen, I know it can work. I can cry just been so close to my dream and nothing. I am trying so hard and it shows physically as I am a size 0/1. I was a 2/4 arriving the last week of April.
 

“Man shall not leave on bread alone? But shall thrive on coffee. My diet has consisted of coffee, coffee, coffee and water. If I am lucky 1 hot meal.”

— The one about Restlessness

Agent Orange and My Dreams

Despite the outside perception, I really wish to be on this side on the planet. I get restless at times worried that I might wake up and just like that: No Kimchi Land, No Sushi Land and Goodbye Alaska. I am beyond unease that Agent Orange has yet to speak on Africa and some of the leaders not understanding he doesn't have the patience they are spoiled too. 

What am I doing with the stress?
I am afraid nothing really!! I mean I try to meditate but I have to literally go and go. This is my dream and I don’t know how not to feel every feeling that I am feeling about my company. I don't half, ass, I never half ass. 

I know my relevance to the universe is no more or less than the particles that make up my Planet Jupiter. However from the water,  I am the Giraffe, I am the Elephant and the hand. My legacy and dynasty from the past to the present will not be forgotten. I will offer the silk road Cassava Diplomacy!

Cassava Tuesdays: The Soft Power of Ghana "Home of Culture & Hospitality"

Ghana is home to over 24 million people but to anyone that has ever had the pleasure of visiting two adjectives describe the country: Culture & Hospitality.

Capital: Accra
Official Language Spoken: English
Religion: Christianity and Islam
Currency: Ghana CEDI
President: William (Nana)Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo
Vice President: Mahamudu Bawumia

Ghana

I am sure by now, you know our term to describe African Soft Power is Cassava Diplomacy! You also understand the application of Soft power right? For a refresher on Soft Power, just look at the last Cassava Tuesday Entry. 

In 1957, Ghana was the wealthiest country in Sub-Sahara Africa and the first to get its independence in West Africa. 

“Did you know that in the late 1950’s, Ghana and South Korea had similar per capita income??”

Ghana focused on socialist protectionist trade policies, in the name of Pan African Socialism. This type of policy is known as imported substitution policy.

“A trade and economic policy which advocates replacing foreign imports with domestic production.
In order words: SAY NO or greatly reduce foreign dependency by focusing on local production of industrialized products.”

— What is Import Substitution Policy? Water & Cassava

This is what your chocolate looks like fresh, Cocoa Fruit. 

Cocoa Beans

“So where did things go South for Ghana and North for South Korea?”

— Water & Cassava

Chocolate became the downfall of Ghana. The Ghanaian government used tax revenues from the export of cocoa to subsidize the development of other industries in the country. Their entire hope was on cocoa with the belief that this would support the domestic market and lead to self-sufficiency within the manufactured goods sector. They would be able to export these "Ghanaian made goods" but more importantly, this will allow for sophisticated manufactured goods. 

 But the reality looked more like this: 

 Cocoa farmers in Ghana suffered from the government’s policy of import substitution and price control as it made them poorer. All productive resources because of ISP (Import Substitution Policy) moved away from goods that had an advantage (like cocoa :(..) and into goods that had much higher production costs. Local people in Ghana were forced to pay higher prices for inferior goods and the available productive resources that were available, the government did not put it to good use.
 

“An inferior good is a type of good for which demand declines as the level of income or real GDP in the economy increases. ”

— The Guys and Girls in Investopedia

Farmers needing to survive turned to self-sufficiency farming on land designated for growing cocoa. These inefficiencies and lack of diversity in development will put a brake on the economic development of Ghana. 

“The case of Kimchi Land and Survival ”

— Water & Cassava

South Korea was successful because it focused on open free trade policies. They took all their resources not just a particular sector but EVERYTHING to make this work. South Korea shifted from agriculture to intensive manufactured goods such as footwear and textiles. Open free trade policies led to Koreans getting most of their Won ( Korean currency) and earning more in wages. 
Combine such efforts, country branding in the name of soft power, technologies made in Korea by Koreans, you have Kimchi Diplomacy.  Unfortunately, Ghana never saw country branding as a tool for country development in the past, but it appears a change is coming. 

... BACK TO GHANA & SOFT POWER

Ghana is working on understanding and applying the importance of country branding and the application of this process in their diplomacy.
 

“To the Ghana Diaspora: You share responsibility in country branding and patronizing ”

— Water & Cassava

It appears Ghana will focus on forms of Gastronomy and Tourism as a soft power tool. Soft Power tools in Ghana also include Sports (football). I touched on the role of China and Stadium Diplomacy in Africa in the past. Ghana played an important role with the genesis of this relationship. Read about that here:

So let's watch, the GHANAIAN GOVERNMENT on soft power 

Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia invites visitors to Ghana to try various Ghanaian cuisine, especially the country's 'world famous jollof rice'

Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Catherine Afeku says Ghana's heritage, culture, democratic credentials, respect for rule of law and friendliness makes the country the preferred tourism destination in West Africa

Meanwhile in Seoul, South Korea....

Asian Boss

Ghana has strong ties to South Korea already through popular culture with Ghanaian born actor Sam Okyere. He is very popular in Seoul and is fluent in the language. We will keep tabs on how the Ghana government applies soft power through him. In addition, we will monitor just how Ghana will use soft power tools in the African region and in other Asian Spaces 

Until next Cassava Tuesday!

Muldays Mondays The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam: Egypt, Oh Egypt! Isn't Sharing Caring?

Just how it works

What is Hydropower?
Simply, it is electricity generated from moving water. It is also one of the oldest power sources, we have on our big blue planet. Watch this video below to learn more!

Africa's Largest Hydro Power Plant. 

The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam at completion will be the largest hydro-power source in Africa. The Dam will be powered by the Blue Nile River.

“Sharing is caring...”

— But Who Said I Cared? Egypt are you there?

.....About Egypt and The Nile.......

The Blue Nile River for Egypt is a vital organ and part of the country's identity. I mean honestly, would Egypt be EGYPT without the Blue Nile River? Ancient Egypt thrived on rich fertile vegetation because of the Nile and this allowed for Egypt to be a major key player in not just North Africa but througout the entire continent.

However, this is not quite the case today. 

“Arab Spring calling President Hosni Mubarak .... To soon??”

— Water & Cassava

The Egyptian government has very strong reservations and concerns about the development of the dam. Their reservations must be rightfully considered, as over 90% of all water supply for Egyptians comes from the Nile. They do not envision this creation by the Ethiopians as a tool that can stimulate development and advancement for all Nile Basin Countries.

Egypt points out to signed agreements with all Nile Basin Countries that guarantee them the amount of 55 billion cubic meters of Nile Water per year including veto power on any matters that concern the damn.  Did I forget to mention Egypt wants to honor agreements signed in 1902, 1906, 1929 and 1959.

 

refresher course on african colonialism 101

Egypt gained full independence in 1953 from Great Britain, I mean to argue 1922 would really be insulting to the fact that in 1922, Egypt was still controlled by the British and they lacked full autonomy.  

The other Nile Basin Countries and year of independence:  

Rwanda(62)
Burundi(62)
 Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)(60)
Tanzania(61)
Kenya(63)
Uganda(62),
Sudan(56)
Ethiopia(Independent since year 0). 

“Can you appreciate, why the other nations might think Egypt is full of Sugar Honey Ice Tea?”

— Water & Cassava ... Wondering, Why the colonial past won't stay in the past?

Now let us be honest, the last three Egyptian presidents were not exactly focused on Africa or Water security laws. 

Hosni Mubarak, Oh Where do I begin with you papa? Oh wait you are Arab right? I mean, how dare I call you an African?

Mohamed Morsi, you actually considered attacking Ethiopia with weapons!! So to stop her ambition from building the dam. I am not to sure if there are enough profane words to describe that situation. 

Ah yes, current President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi ! I will give you credit for understanding the tact in diplomacy. Readers this one here has started a "River Nile" is ours campaign throughout the continent. He traveled to Tanzania, Gabon, Chad and Rwanda to complain. So the next move will be someone from the west. Then the final straw, pleading your case to powerful global north spaces, as the the entire global community pleads with you. Well played Sir, well played...

To understand his campaign efforts, go here

 

“Did you know 60% of the Nile comes from Ethiopia?”

— Petty, yup we all are

The population of Egypt is growing very fast and a huge majority stay in the Nile but you would think an investment in the public health sector would come in handy right now. Even with the colonialist agreement, Egypt currently receives only 660 cubic meters a person.  Clearly with a population of 95 + million, we can conclude there are people clearly lacking access to water. Egypt must admit dropping the ball with the Nile due to widespread inefficiency, pollution and waste.

There is also Lake Nasser that has more than enough of water for the people of Egypt in addition to Nile. 

 EGYPT NO LONGER A RESPECTED REGIONAL PLAYER

Egypt no longer enjoys a strong regional influence as it once did in North Africa or the continent. Egypt is still dealing with the aftermath of the Arab Spring and there are a host of other pressing concerns. The current President of Egypt is working on building regional power throughout Africa. However it faces fierce competition with next door neighbor Morocco. If you would like to know, just how Morocco is using soft power and influence, please read our last entry. 

BUT FROM ETHIOPIA'S POINT OF VIEW?

The country has invested over $4 billion in this project, Did I mention that employees took a slice in their paycheck, just to make this possible?

“Colonial Law: Hello Ethiopia, can we talk?
Ethiopia: $%^@ you and your talk
Colonial Law: Okay, let’s catch up say in 2017?
Ethiopia: $%^@ you today, tomorrow and another century from now

”

— Water & Cassava

SUDAN, THE PEACEMAKER?

Sudanese President Umar al-Bashir is a very smart man. Instead of barking and the other b word, he is now the peacemaker of this wonderful example of Africa Corporation in the dialogue of Water Security.

Yes, I forgot to mention, he wants to create a free economic zone which does not really include the other basin countries. 

He is also not willing to share the details of just how this would work. Continuously, all three players say the following after every meeting to the media, "The talks were great and The talks were productive". 

There is a positive note to all of this bickering. What B word did you think I was referring to? The countries that surround the Nile River are part of the Nile Basin Initiative. On October 23rd- 25th 2017, all of these countries shall meet and discuss moving forward on the dam and also for the the sake of International Corporation.  To learn more on the NBI:

“We forgot to mention, Egypt has been absent from the NBI for about 7 years. It is fair to say talks will be tense”

— Water & Cassava

Read the article below to understand more on Egypt's absence. 

Until next Mulday!

.