· July, 2008

Stories about Development from July, 2008

Angola: Goodbye to Kinaxixe Market in Luanda

  31 July 2008

Anabela Quelhas [pt] is extremely sad to have witnessed Luanda's Kinaxixe Market being demolished. She lists 10 reasons was this 50's market was an important building for Angolan architecture and people, concluding: “Once more, cultural asset is outweighed by the language of money and speculation”. A modern shopping center is...

Ukraine: “No Place in the EU”?

A Fistful of Euros critiques a “wince-inducingly stupid article” on Ukraine written by “Richard Wagner, a Transylvanian German writer. (Well, former Transylvanian. Like most T-Germans, he emigrated from Romania as soon as he could get out.)”

Haiti: Quest for Freedom

  29 July 2008

The Haitian Blogger publishes an article from the Haiti Action Committee Website that “expresses…the aspirations of many Haitian activists who are endeavoring to see Haiti regain its sovereignty and ability to be a self-sustaining, viable and thriving democracy.”

Cuba: July 26th

  28 July 2008

This past weekend, on July 26th, Cuba marked the 55th anniversary of the attack on the Moncada Barracks in Santiago that came to be recognised as the start of the Cuban Revolution. Bloggers react to President Raul Castro's much-anticipated speech at the event.

Mozambique: Why our leaders never use our hospitals?

  28 July 2008

Custódio Duma [pt] comments on the news that Mozambique's Defence Minister Filipe Nyussi was evacuated to South Africa after having his arm injured in a traffic accident. “Last week I heard the Health Minister say at the RDP Africa that Maputo Central Hospital has now world-class wards… So: Why is...

Zambia: Most owned ICT assets

  28 July 2008

What are the most owned ICT assets in Zambia?: “The Central Statistics Office (CSO) 2006 Living Conditions Monitoring Survey (LCMS IV) results in Zambia indicate that the most owned assets were the radio at 55.6 percent, Cell phones at 24.2 percent and Television at 24 .1 percent while the least...

China: Turbulent

  28 July 2008

Buxi from Fool's mountain translated a blog post from Tianya “China feels very turbulent” part I and part II.

Serbia: New Instructions and Law Regulations on Online Privacy

On July 21, Serbia’s Republican Agency for Telecommunications posted a Document of Instructions for Technical Requirements for Subsystems, Devices, Hardware and Installation of Internet Networks on their official web site. This news didn’t go unnoticed yesterday in Serbian blogosphere and internet community, as many bloggers expressed various opinions as well as disapproval because of the potential abuse of users’ privacy.

Sierra Leone: Fashion designer Adama Kargbo

  25 July 2008

Naijagal comments on the work of Sierra Leonan designer Adama Kargbo, who returned to her country after studying in the US to create a fashion line called Aschobi (photos included in the post). She says: “Sierra Leone isn't the first place you'd think of finding couture, but the country is...

Africa: Failed States Index

  25 July 2008

Codrin Arsene of the African Politics blog comments on the recently released Failed States Index for 2008, noting that “seven out of the ten most failed states in the world are from Africa, namely Somalia (1st), Sudan (2nd), Zimbabwe (3rd), Chad (4th), the Democratic Republic of Congo (6th), Cote D’Ivoire...

Cuba: July 26

  25 July 2008

Raul Castro is scheduled to address his fellow Cubans this weekend and speculation is rife about what he might say. Child of the Revolution: “I hope Castro II announces for instance, that free and fair multi-party elections will be held in Cuba within the next 12 months.” Generation Y: “The...

Cuba: Glorious Future?

  24 July 2008

Both Child of the Revolution and Ninety miles away…in another country take issue with a series of articles in the Christian Science Monitor speculating about Cuba's economic future: “It is particularly galling that the resourcefulness they all laud as the sign of a changing Cuba is a harsh expedient forced...

Africa: Until when the white man's burden?

  24 July 2008

Sam O. Okello, guestblogging at Kumekucha, wonders for how long Africa “will remain the white man's burden”. In his post, that caused quite a debate in the comments section, he urges: “The time for Africa to rise up is now”.

Mozambique: On nationalization and its impact nowadays

  23 July 2008

On July 24 1976 the Mozambican government nationalized all privately owned industries. “After 32 years, what do we make of the process of nationalization and its impact nowadays? Do buildings and business still belong to the Mozambican state? Were they returned to their owners? If not, who are the new...

Nigeria: On the Sovereign Wealth Fund

  23 July 2008

Solomonsydelle of Nigerian Curiosity writes about the country's Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF), which is “a state-owned investment fund composed of financial assets such as stocks, bonds, property or other financial instruments.” And she wonders: “Will the SWF be maintained and its funds used in a means that advances Nigeria's interests...