Today, 15 September 2020, is the United Nations International Day of Democracy. A day to celebrate the ideas and principles of democracy that should be the framework for how we develop our societies in a peaceful manner, recognizing that we disagree on many issues. ...
Envoys from South Africa have visited President Mnangagwa to find ways of bringing normalcy to the situation. And former finance minister Tendai Biti from the opposition has offered his views. Is Covid-19 the worst threat to the future of Zimbabwe?...
The 2019 Annual Report from the Danish Institute for Parties and Democracy [DIPD] offers an interesting insight into efforts by the institute and the involved Danish political parties to contribute to democratization in various parts of the global South....
A few days ago, I received a copy of a letter in my inbox, sent on 2 April 2020 from the Minister of Finance and Economic Development of Zimbabwe, Prof. M. Ncube, to the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund. The letter paints a dramatic picture of the Zimbabwean economy. It looks like it could collapse, if Zimbabwe receives no help....
Numbers can be confusing. How we use or misuse the numbers equally so. Still, I think we can talk about the number of people dying from COVID-19 without forgetting the number of people dying from malaria, every year, year after year. Let us at least not forget how the world works....
During the Covid-19 lockdown, Zimbabwe on 18 April celebrated its 40th Independence Anniversary. This normally involves a lot of festivity, but not this year. And to be honest, there is not a lot for ordinary Zimbabweans to celebrate. ...
Bhutan is a tiny landlocked country in the Himalaya mountains, bordering China to the north and India to the south. Leadership to manage the Corona challenge comes both from the King and from the government....
It seems like a year ago, but it has actually just been one month since I met with Botswana's former President, Festus Mogae, in his office in Gaborone. One issue was his leadership during the time when Botswana had the highest percentage of HIV-positive citizens in the world - close to one in five. ...
Zimbabwe's President Mnangagwa has decided on a 21-day lockdown. How will a country and a people having to manage multiple crises manage such a situation? Human rights activist Thandekile Moyo takes us through the options in this article first published in "Maverick Zitizen"....
The corona virus has finally also reached the city of Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. Streets that are normally overflowing with cars and motorcycles are now deserted, empty. My close friend, Shrishti Rana, has kindly sent me a report, putting the virus into perspective....