Author Archives: mkevane

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About mkevane

Economist at Santa Clara University and Director of Friends of African Village Libraries.

Four basic scenarios for Mali

OK, pure speculation ensures, but it seems worthwhile to ask, what’s the two year scenario now that France has entered what for Francois Hollande is a place where he has no idea where he is going…. I think France could … Continue reading

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Strong words on the French intervention and Malian military from Jean-Pierre Bejot

Arc-boutés sur une position offensive dont ils n’ont pas les moyens (ni l’ambition, les « va-t-en guerre » vont rentrer dans leur coquille : « ça tue dehors » comme on disait en Côte d’Ivoire en octobre 2000), les militaires … Continue reading

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France enters the war in Mali

Les Mirages français basés au Tchad ont effectué des raids aériens dans la région Konna pour faire reculer les troupes jihadites. Les avions de chasse ont pris pour cible des colonnes de véhicules et un bâtiment servant de quartier général … Continue reading

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Oh man after reading Barefoot Gen I am seriously depressed… Raina, you ruined my life!

Posted in Burkina Faso | Comments Off on Oh man after reading Barefoot Gen I am seriously depressed… Raina, you ruined my life!

Trouble possibly at boiling point in northern Mali

via BBC News – Mali Islamists ‘enter’ Konna after clashes with army. Militants Islamist in Mali say they have entered the key central town of Konna, advancing further into government-held territory. This is the most serious fighting since Islamist groups … Continue reading

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Local politics alive and well in province of Tuy in Burkina Faso

Most of the action is within the CDP, as local factions vie for power.  I wish I had time to do quantitative analysis on voting patterns and local commune efficacy. Conformément à la directive du Ministère de l’administration territoriale et … Continue reading

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Wisdom from Mo Yan

I’m not saying our retreat leaders in high school couldn’t have benefited a little (a lot?) from this hard-won humility…. but boy I sure would have appreciated it: When I was a third-grade student in the 1960s, my school organized … Continue reading

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The junior American diplomat’s nightmare: Cheick Modibo Diarra preventing from leaving Mali, maybe

Pour être plus précis, des militaires l’attendraient à l’aéroport. Il décide, tête baissée, de foncer à l’aéroport de Bamako-Sénou, mais fini par renoncer. Il faut dire, toujours selon la famille de l’ancien Premier ministre, qu’entre temps, un diplomate de l’ambassade … Continue reading

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Profile of Soungalo Ouattara, new president of National Assembly in Burkina Faso

Aux collectivités locales, il militera pour la « voie de l’élargissement des libertés locales portées par le processus de décentralisation » afin de mieux prendre en compte « les cultures et les savoirs locaux afin de donner un visage africain … Continue reading

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And one last one from DJ Arafat I promise!

Posted in Burkina Faso | Comments Off on And one last one from DJ Arafat I promise!

Great profile of Gilbert Diendéré army chief of staff in Burkina Faso, from Jeune Afrique

Le 18 septembre 1989, il déjoue une tentative de coup d’État qui – selon la version officielle – aurait été fomentée par Lingani et Zongo, ses deux vieux compagnons d’armes. Lingani lui aurait fait part de leur plan et Diendéré … Continue reading

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More from DJ Arafat

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Burkina’s accomplishments according to Pres. Blaise Compaoré

West African tradition has it that Presidents (and every chef) has to present the veoux and sum up the year etc.  So Blaise did that, and I thought it would be a good occasion to see what he and his … Continue reading

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“structured analytical product”

Somewhere in the White House people use this phrase every day.  I heard it recently from a former White House staffer, and it stuck, and for good reason: a Google search comes up completely empty.  This blog entry should help … Continue reading

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Speechless.

Religious people have a hard time explaining what part of religion isn’t… dumb.  In the exact same way non-religious people have a hard time explaining why they…. keep at it… We’re dumb, OK?  And according to my etymology search, that … Continue reading

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DJ Arafat from Cote d’Ivoire

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Chidinma – Kedike

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Elie Justin Ouédraogo on the EITI process in Burkina Faso

A classic EITI obfuscation: the issue is what the government does with the money, and not whether the mining sector is being taxed too lightly. S : La transparence est très recommandée dans le secteur minier. Où en est-on avec … Continue reading

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Zéphirin Diabré on gold mining in Burkina Faso

Somewhat disappointing that he appears unprepared (he doesn’t seem to know that Burkina already has a 10% ownership stake in industrial mines according to the mining code).  And he seems not to have read the EITI reports (which show an … Continue reading

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Soungalo Ouattara élu président de la 5e législature

The big fear was that somehow the president’s brother Francois would be elected president of the National Assembly right away.  The post is important because it is next in line to the President of the Republic.  But Ouattara is definitely … Continue reading

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