Pambazuka's failure to mention ten years of sanctions against Zimbabwe with a is a crime against the country's people and humanity, writes Mike.

None of the arguments in Funmi Feyide's support the title, writes Beauty.

'I couldn't agree more with the assertions made' in Jason Hickel's , writes Michael.

Dambisa Moyo's 'Dead Aid' fails in its attempt to provide a radical critique of ‘aid’, because of Moyo's unwilingess to conduct it within the framework of political economy, says Samir Amin. ‘The politics of aid, the choice of its beneficiaries, the forms of intervention and its immediate objectives are inextricably linked to geopolitical considerations’, says Samir Amin, yet Moyo does not speak to or critique ‘the central role of aid in the strategy of domination, pillage and exploitation by imperialist capital. Neither does she address the need for a “different aid” based on the solidarity of peoples.’

Savo Heleta analyses Sudan’s current political situation and asks how suitable and feasible the planned April 2010 elections are. He argues that the Sudan’s current state, with so many unresolved issues, would complicate an election and ‘would not lead to pluralism and democracy, but rather to instability, further polarisation and post-election chaos’. Furthermore, Heleta holds that the current election plan is so complex that its success is questionable, particularly given the extent of illiteracy in the voting population: ‘As currently planned, the elections would be a logistical nightmare for any country, let alone Sudan, leaving too much room for post-election manipulation of votes.’ Heleta colncludes that elections in Sudan need to be either postponed until after the 2011 people’s referendum or simplified and focused on executive positions only.

International pressure on Uganda as the country attempts to pass an anti-homosexuality bill is important, but other nations remain havens of anti-LGBT oppression. Cary Alan Johnson and Ryan Thoreson call for an end to the criminalisation of same-sex relationships that is fuelling homophobia in Senegal and elsewhere.

Zimbabwe's power-sharing government has made no real progress in implementing political reforms and ending human rights abuses after a year in office, Human Rights Watch has said. The government has demonstrated little political will or capacity to enact meaningful changes to improve the lives of Zimbabweans.

CSDG, King's College London/ALC, is pleased to announce a call for applications for the Peace, Security and Development Fellowships for African Scholars starting September 2010. The Fellowships are over 18-month period and comprise a rigorous training programme on peace, security and development, which includes a 12-Month Master's (M.A) programme at King's College London and an attachment to an African University.

Cary Alan Johnson et Ryan Thoreson

Serge Onyumbe Wedi

Impunity in Kenya is ‘so deeply entrenched that it has become a sort of public office entitlement or perk’, writes L. Muthoni Wanyeki. But as yet another corruption scandal rears its head, Wanyeki calls for a more ethical response from the government, which demonstrates concern for how the public’s money is used.

No human being is going to be perfect when it comes to always aligning their personal principles with their public words and actions, writes Dale T. McKinley, but we should ‘expect those who are in positions of political and societal leadership to be what they claim to be – leaders’.

Ben Amunwa looks at how the settlement of the Wiwa v Shell case affects the ongoing Niger Delta crisis, and the settlement's implications for human rights, environmental justice and the control of resources in the region.

While Ghana appears to be taking steps to make its natural resources sector transparent, accountable and open to public scrutiny, Alemayehu G. Mariam sees Ethiopia slipping further the other way. Mariam understands Ghana’s background in the sector is by no means clean, but he believes the very different attitudes of its new presidency should be an example to Ethiopia and the rest of Africa. He finds Ethiopia instead shrouded in secrecy over its farmland and borderland deals with Sudan.

In this week's review of the African blogosphere, there's debate over the constitutionality of Goodluck Jonathan’s appointment as the interim president of Nigeria, amid fears that the country could become the next Pakistan. Meanwhile legendary Cameroonian swindler Donatien Koagne dies in a Yemeni prison, and there are calls for South Africa's ruling elite to go beyond the euphoria of the 'Mandela Moment'.

While Jeffrey Sachs has done well to highlight the roles of colonialism, the Cold War and the ‘ongoing political and economic plunder’ in creating Africa’s poverty, Jason Hickel argues that Sachs’ ‘Big Five’ solutions are rooted in the same system that he seeks to criticise: ‘The problem here is that Sachs calls on us to think within a paradigm of aid when we should be thinking within a paradigm of justice.’ Instead, then, Hickel proposes an alternative big five based on this ‘paradigm of justice’: Forgiving debt, protecting resource commons, installing an international minimum wage, democratisation of international institutions and reducing the greenhouse emissions of the West and China. Hickel notes, however, that ‘Implementing these changes would require enormous political will and moral courage… [these solutions] would run up against Western economic interests, and would most likely cut into the profits of those who presently pride themselves on their philanthropy.’

Major routes in Sudan have been cleared of landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXOs) but there are still areas where the devices threaten civilians, as well as affecting aid and development efforts, say officials.

After 18 years of successful multi-party democracy, Ghanaians are bracing themselves to review the Fourth Republican Constitution. Following cabinet’s approval of a memorandum on the consultative review, government has established an independent body to spearhead the process.

The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) with the aim of enhancing private sector development in the two regions.

The Ministry of Trade has moved to allay fears that Kenya may break ranks with the East African Community because of the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) trade deal with Europe.

Corruption scandals are piling up in Algeria, with allegations of nepotism and kickbacks connected to lucrative contracts reaching high-ranking officials. Mammoth state-run energy company Sonatrach still has more secrets to reveal. The courts confirmed on January 28th that two senior managers are being held along with two sons of the CEO, Mohamed Meziane, who himself is being probed for alleged corruption, bribery and criminal conspiracy