Ethiopia Seeks an Alternative Sea Route A Complex Scenario
Ethiopian dependence on Djibouti Major investment in Berbera Port, Somaliland Ethiopia’s sea route options The Berbera ‘sticking point’
Sudan: The Tragedy of the Forgotten Conflict When There Was Once Hope
The forgotten conflict Africa and the world have seen so many major conflicts in recent years, which have held the attention of the international media. The suffering in Palestine, and the Russia-Ukraine war. In Africa, the insurgency attacks in northern Mozambique and the Sahel. The fighting between armed groups in eastern DR Congo. Ongoing strife […]
Sao Tome and Principe: An Island Paradise Looking for Oil
A scary landing It was December 2003 and I was on a night flight from Libreville, Gabon to the island of Sao Tome. The Twin Otter was small, and my seat just behind the two pilots offered a good view. We began to descend. On our left were the dark waters of the Atlantic Ocean […]
ROC: The Key Role of Pointe-Noire Port in the Development of Logistics Operations in Central Africa
When I first heard of Pointe Noire Port The least-known African economic region? Central Africa is probably the least known of all the continent’s regions. It comprises the Republic of the Congo, Cameroon, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Chad and the Central African Republic. All but the last-mentioned are endowed with oil resources. The regional economic organisation […]
Nairobi: A Major Centre for Regional Relief Aid
Sound advice from an experienced ‘old hand’ in United Nations relief aid… “Paul, you must tell your clients loud and clear that if we don’t get the right stuff to the right place in the right time, people die! In this business, we can’t play games.” These were the words of a good friend who […]
Namibia: Dimensions of the Lithium Opportunity
So much attention on Namibia The relatively recent oil finds off the coast of Namibia have drawn considerable global attention to this country. Namibia has a population of only around 2,6 million but its territory is vast – spanning nearly 826 000 square kilometres. Another reason for increased focus on this country is the reports of […]
The Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo: What Can be Done to Lessen the Minerals-Fuelled Conflict Situation?
On the border of a conflict region… It was 2018 and I was visiting the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda to fulfil my long-standing, priority ‘bucket list’ aspiration – getting up close to the famed mountain gorillas. Just a few kilometres across the border in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, lay the much larger […]
Unlocking the Zambian and DR Congo Copperbelts Major Bilateral Logistics Initiatives
africa mining employer of record First-hand experience of a major border crossing… The client’s instructions were very clear. My colleague, Duncan and I were to walk through the Zambia–DR Congo border crossing at Kasumbalesa, and report on the problems we encountered. The client wanted an account of the “real” situation. Kasumbalesa is the main border […]
Cape Verde: A Little-Known but Model African State
Two years in a country I knew so little about… For two years in the late 1980’s, I was tasked with coordinating technical assistance to the desalination and power generation plant situated on Sal Island in the Cape Verde archipelago. Up to that time, I only knew the country from my flights between South Africa […]
South Sudan: Africa’s Newest Baby Faces Its Birth Pains
An unusual arrival Whenever an aircraft begins its descent to a new city destination, and the announcement to fasten seat belts is made, I peer out the window to get an idea of the environment I will soon be experiencing. My first, (and to date, only) trip to Juba, capital of South Sudan in 2011, […]
