PART #2 Africans forgotten continent
A worrying aspect of this current fad of globalisation is the lack of historical context and political responsibility in discussing the Third world and especially Africa. We are seen as the "problem continent", "forgotten continent", and "poor cousins of the rich north".

These are the dominant imagery of Africa in the West. Without contextualising the various conflicts on the continent, Africans have popularly become a bunch of hopeless people who cannot do anything for themselves; a continent and a people needing help, charity cases and humanitarian junkies. Yet these countries and the perennial conflicts did not just come out of the blues.

What is Somalia, Liberia or Nigeria? These are artificial states created by European colonialism. They are the result of a previous globalising mission: Globalisation of Colonialism. That was why the infamous Berlin Conference of 1884/85 was convened to rationalise European imperial greed. It was a global attempt by the dominant European powers of that time to settle the Colonial question in Africa, to reduce competition by parceling out exclusive markets and labour reserves for those powers, namely Britain, Germany, France, Portugal, Belgium and Spain.

That is why today we have 54 odd and ugly countries with arbitrary borders that should course nightmare to any sensible Cartographer. Some of the borders are straight lines drawn up by drunken colonialists and their cohorts marooned together in a do-or-die conference in Berlin with different wines competing with the odd assembly of maps, rulers and compasses.

Where straight lines won't do they compromised around principles like natural boundaries (i.e. rivers, mountains and lakes!). There are many anecdotes about the whimsical ways in which European globalising colonialists decided the borders and therefore subsequent history, culture and politics, of the colonial peoples.

Take for instance the Kilimanjaro Mountain (the highest mountain in Africa) and about one million people who live around it. It used to be part of colonial Kenya until a British Monarch who was stuck about what gift to give to a German Kaiser for a birthday celebration decided on a 'cute little mountain in Africa'. And with that the fate of the people was determined. A decision that has a permanent socio-economic and political consequence for them. For instance, education which had till then been in English had to change to German who were then the Colonial powers in Tanganyika (since 1965 called Tanzania).

Thus you cannot talk about the problems of nation building in Africa today without understanding or focusing on the way in which these borders were created for the convenience, greed and vanity of Europe's rulers.

What is new?

We do not see this globalisation as a new thing. There may indeed be a new context. But we have seen globalisation before. We have also gone through New World Orders before.

The order that has now become old that we are supposed to be burying and replacing with a newly declared World order was only declared 50 years ago. It was the result of the balance of power after the defeat of fascism in Europe in 1945, the outcome of genocide in Europe. Again, almost 50 years later (in April 1994) in the throes of another New World order we had genocide in Rwanda.

There is a wide concern that this new globalisation, as in the past, is almost inseparable from Westernisation and Americanisation.

The collapse of Eastern Europe has helped to popularise this new orthodoxy that, there is no alternative (TINA) to Western capitalism, as a new global religion. Tough regime of the market and the sanctity of capitalism are the preferred mantra. In Africa the record of capitalism does not match this myth. While people in Eastern Europe may claim that they are running away from socialism/communism (even though current developments there have tempered earlier capitalist optimism with realism), the majority of African states have never been socialist. Therefore our people cannot be running away from it.

If we are running away from anything it is the brutality and mass poverty that continue to dominate our lives our lives under global capitalism.

The majority of our states remained loyal servants of the West and its markets and yet the majority of them cannot show the growth, let alone substantial development that their romance with the capitalist wolf has bought to the majority of their peoples in even the richer countries like Nigeria, Zaire, South Africa, Senegal, Ivory Coast, etc. So this newly received wisdom about the market rings hollow in Africa's ears because the record of capitalism in our countries has neither been democratic or developmental.

However the reality is that the West/America control our economies and have politico-military hegemony over global political economy. Our subordination is supervised and guaranteed under the tight leash of allegedly multilateral institutions (controlled by the West/USA) of which we are technically and theoretically equal members such as the UN. System, the Breton Woods Institutions, World Trade Organisation, etc.

The IMF/WB are in direct control of most of the African States and spread Western economic gospels to states that cannot afford to say no. They have global solutions to all problems regardless of local specificities.

Their solutions are like the ever present quack pharmacists and doctors found in our cities peddling concoctions that can cure 1000 diseases, from ant bites to high blood pressure! So the Structural Adjustment Programmes proposed by these institutions call for deregulation (read devaluation) of currency markets and the monetary system; privatisation of public enterprises; retrenchment of public employees; liberalisation of the economy; cut backs in welfare Programmes and generally a return to an atmosphere of Hobesian state of nature where human beings become predators on fellow human beings in the name of "free competition" and "survival of the fittest".

Africa and Europe have had a continuous contact of more than 400 years. It has been a relationship of domination, exploitation and oppression. Whatever happens in Europe tends to have ripple effects in Africa. Therefore any idea that has become fashionable in Europe trickles down into intellectual and political discussions/battles in Africa.


One of the key aspects of this globalisation is information. There is a sense in which the world has become a village. Thanks to CNN and the radical transformation in Satellite broadcasting, many places in Africa where it may be difficult to get a clean cup of water, you can still watch CNN. One of the ironies of this technological advancement is that while Europeans and Americans are struggling for supremacy in space, struggling to hoist their flags and competing about who makes it in the shortest time and highest orbit, in Africa as, in many parts of the Third World, "We are still trying to get to the Village" .

Thus, while people in Europe, and USA may be obsessed by Globalisation, In Africa we are still talking of Villagisation, getting to the village where the majority of our people work and live.

The discussion on globalisation has a particular context - i.e. the collapse of the previously existing socialist block (U.S.S.R and Eastern Europe). This discourse has been ushered in by various intellectual ideas and Political conclusions drawn from them such as Samuel Huntington's CLASH OF CIVILISATION and Francis Fukuyama's END OF HISTORY.

The theory of end of Ideology has of course been with us before Fukuyama's annihilation of history and the triumphalism about the hegemony of western values, ideas and civilisation. In short, a celebration of the assumed victory of capitalism over socialism. The collapse of Eastern Europe has bought about a new arrogance by Euro-American imperialist powers, with no check from a countervailing force.

Thus there is a drive to homogenize the world at all levels (economic, ideological and political) but more perniciously, at the cultural level. Its ideologists insist that we must think the same way, organise society in the same way, not allowing any alternatives to Western values and systems of organising society.

In this hegemonic scheme, the rest of us, who are actually the vast majority of humanity, are supposed to be non-starters or at best, late comers whose only destiny is to follow the lead and paths already trodden by the West. To put it more crudely: America won the cold war and the prize of that victory is for the rest of us to Americanise.

There is a saying." if two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers". But it is also true that even if two elephants make love, the grass still suffers. That is the conclusion we in the Third World can draw from Soviet collaboration with the West and the collapse of Eastern Europe.

When the USSR and the USA were at each other's throats during the Cold War, we were victims. Our political groups and movements, our governments and states were judged whether they were pro-west or pro-east. The tragic consequences of that experience can be seen today in places like Angola, Ethiopia, Somalia and Mozambique, just as they are evident in Vietnam and Cambodia or Nicaragua.

UK, US worried by China's growing African presence
Chinese companies are pouring billions of dollars into major infrastructural development projects in Africa in a move which has officials in Washington
and London worried, according to the Guardian.

From the Cape to Cairo, China has been investing in massive engineering projects such as the Nairobi to Mombasa road, a luxury resort in Sierra Leone, a conference centre in Madagascar, repairing rail lines in Angola, a national stadium in Rwanda and a myriad oil-related projects.

The common theme in these projects is oil, and it is this which is reported to be worrying some western governments. In Sudan in particular, China has been at the forefront of oil exploration which is expected to see a new oil pipeline pumping 500,000 barrels a day by the end of the year.

China holds a 41 per cent stake in the national oil consortium as part of total investments of around £8 billion ($12.8 billion). China firms are also building the 200-km pipeline and are rehabilitating electricity stations, building a bridge over the River Nile and constructing the £1 billion ($1.6 billion) Merowe hydroelectric dam.

Moreover, Chinese firms are being welcomed with open arms by African governments as they don’t ask questions over issues like transparency, human rights or conflict.
"Where Western companies shy away because of corruption, conflict or the risk of losing their shirt, Chinese firms are plunging in," the Guardian said. "President Hu has dispatched diplomats to dangle large, low-interest loans before impoverished countries with the sole stipulation that work is done by Chinese contractors.

"African governments appreciate China’s tendency to keep its nose out of domestic affairs in contrast with the demands for transparency that accompany loans from bodies such as the IMF."

 Straight talk is the Game

I think the Western powers as one of my teachers would call them still have a way of tapping into Africa since they actually have the Colonial remainders with them, ofcourse they haven't left the poor continent alone even after giving them freedom and thats really the cause of the grip loose.

The UK and US are busy picking into the different governments in Africa and trying to resolve(did I say create?) diplomatic Issues for African countries while the Chinese have recognised where the real power in Africa is and are really tapping into all check a long list of their investments; Food, Clothing, Mobile phone petty shops and finally oil. these are really the Basic things that africa need, and their key as I will always say is "Talk Straight" as they only come in to do their business and get what they want without trying to know or correct your pattern of living or leadership.


Competittion Galore!

We live in a world where those with greater economic powers try to bully who have less.As e result, each country is trying hard to ensure greater influence on other territories.
CHina,as a friend told me seems likely to be the next world super power and they are not leaving anything to chance in achieving that.
I only pray that Africa does not continue to suffer the basket of double standards and discrimination metted out to her by the powers that be.Africa will surely rise again-time will surely tell!

US war costs 'could hit $811bn'

The US is spending more than ever on the conflict in Iraq
The cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan has soared and may now reach $811bn (£445bn), says a report by the Congressional Research Service.
It estimates that Congress has appropriated $368bn for the global war on terror, including both conflicts.

It says that if the current spending bill is approved, US war costs will reach $439bn, and it estimates that an extra $371bn may be needed by 2016.

On that basis, the two wars would cost more than the $579bn spent in Vietnam.

The future costing assumes that US troop levels will drop from the 258,000 currently engaged in all operations to 74,000 by 2010.

Budget gap

The rising cost of the war is leading to growing concerns in Congress, where attempts to control the budget deficit have been hindered by the "supplementary" requests received each year for war spending.

The CRS estimates that the US Department of Defense's annual war funding has risen from $73bn in 2004 to $120bn in 2006, with an increase of 17% this year alone.


Monthly war costs have doubled since the fall of Saddam

There have also been concerns that extra non-related appropriations are often tucked inside the war funding bill.

On Thursday Senators deleted funding for a $15m seafood promotion programme that had been tucked away in the current bill.

Earlier, Senators diverted $1.9bn in war funds to pay for increased immigration controls at US borders.

Troop levels

The cost of the war in Iraq has been increasing since US troops have become bogged down in the conflict.

The CRS says the real cost of the conflict in Iraq has risen to $8bn monthly,
nearly double the cost in 2003.

It points out that it is difficult to estimate the exact cost of individual operations, such as the Iraq conflict, because the Defense Department does not break down the figures for individual operations.

And it says that the Defense Department has also minimised the cost of the war by not including other costs, including intelligence and the training of Iraqi and Afghan security forces, in its estimates.

Overall, 71% of the total war costs have been spent in Iraq, 21% in Afghanistan,
and 7% on increased protection for US forces worldwide.

The main reason for the rapidly escalating costs is increased spending on ammunition, equipment and operational materials such as petrol.

Over $60bn has been spent on procurement, including improved armour, replacement of damaged vehicles, and the building of a more extensive infrastructure to support the troops on the ground.

The CRS says that "if the global war is likely to become the long war as some administration spokesman have suggested, Congress may want to consider requiring that the Department of Defense request a full year's war funds concurrently with its regular budget".

The estimates do not include the costs of reconstruction, which the US originally estimated at $56bn.

A recent report from the General Accounting Office suggested these costs would be much higher, but also said much of the money disbursed so far had been spent on security, not rebuilding.

Developing countries losing out in cultural trade

Three countries - the United Kingdom, United States and China - produced 40 percent of the world’s cultural trade products in 2002, while Latin America and Africa together accounted for less than four percent according to a new report by the UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Entitled, International Flows of Selected Cultural Goods and Services, 1994-2003, the report analyses cross-border trade data from about 120 countries on selected products, such as books, CDs, videogames and sculptures. It presents new methodology to better reflect cultural trade flows, contributing to UNESCO’s effort to collect and analyse data that clearly illustrate the central role of culture in economic, social and human development.

The global market value of cultural and creative industries has been estimated at USD 1.3 trillion and is rapidly expanding. According to the report, between 1994 and 2002, international trade in cultural goods increased from USD 38 billion to USD 60 bn.

However, “while globalization offers great potential for countries to share their cultures and creative talents, it is clear that not all nations are able to take advantage of this opportunity,” said UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura. “Without support to help these countries participate in this trade, their cultural voices will remain marginalized and isolated.”

According to the report, Latin America and the Caribbean accounted for only three percent of the total trade of cultural goods in 2002, one point more than in 1992, though far behind other world regions. Oceania and Africa have not shown any progress, with a combined share of less than one percent in 2002.

The UK was the biggest single exporter of cultural goods in that year (USD 8.5 billion) followed by the USA (USD 7.6 bn) and China (USD 5.2 bn).

The USA was the biggest importer of cultural goods in 2002 (USD 15.3 bn), followed by the UK (USD 7.8 bn), and Germany (USD 4.1 bn). It is important to note that the data presented are based mainly upon customs declarations, and do not reflect foreign sales.

The report analyses these trade flows by dividing cultural goods into categories, such as printed media, recorded media, visual arts and audiovisual media.

Printed media –books as well as newspapers, periodicals and other printed matter – accounted for 31 percent of cultural trade in 2002. The world’s largest book exporters are: the USA (18 percent), UK (17 percent), Germany (12 percent), Spain (6 percent) and France (5 percent). The main destinations for books were the USA, UK, Canada, Germany and France.

Recorded media - primarily consisting of music, sound recordings and related software - represented 32 percent of global cultural trade in 2002. The five main exporters are: the USA (17 percent); Germany* (12 percent); Ireland* (12 percent); the UK (9 percent); and Singapore (8 percent). The largest importers of recorded media are the UK, Germany, France, USA and Canada.

In the visual arts, including paintings, engravings, prints, original sculptures and statuary, the UK, China, USA, Germany and Switzerland accounted for 60 percent of all exports in 2002. With the exception of China, they are also the world’s largest importers. The UK is the single largest importer (42 percent) and exporter (23 percent) of the global trade.

The trade in audiovisual media** is dominated by video games. The top five exporters are: China (32 percent), Japan (17 percent), Mexico (11 percent), Hungary (9 percent) and Germany (just under 9 percent). The USA alone imported 42 percent of these products, followed by Germany, the UK, Hong Kong (China)*** and France.

This study is a step forward in measuring the nature and direction of international cultural trade flows. However the lack of data, particularly for cultural services, together with the complex nature of cultural products, means that the Report offers only a partial picture. In line with the recent adoption by UNESCO of the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (October 2005), the Organization will pursue its efforts to identify new ways to measure culture and its manifold expressions.

Five case studies are presented in the following charts, identifying each country’s top five trade partners, their respective shares (expressed in percentages) for 2003 and 1994, and the main products traded.

* Exports primarily consist of CDs and related software.
**Exports and imports associated with the film and broadcasting industries are not accurately reflected by customs data that only reflects the declared customs value of a master copy.

*** Data from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China are shown separately since handover took place in 1997 and data collection began in 1994.
Editorial Contact: Amy Otchet, UNESCO Institute for Statistics, tel: 1 514 343 7933, fax: 1 514 343 6882 - Email
Source Press Release N°2005-153
Author(s) UNESCOPRESS
Keywords Culture,Cultural Industries,Cultural Diversity