Window on Africa

Here’s a look back at some of the continent’s big moments.

Africa was the birthplace of the now-iconic Arab Spring movement. A Tunisian fruit vendor named Mohamed Bouazizi self-immolated in December 2010, sparking a wave of protests that led to the ouster of then-president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. The ripples spread through the Arab world, and Egyptians ended the three-decade reign of Hosni Mubarak just weeks later.

But there was more to come in North Africa. Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi faced a widespread and violent rebellion too. Thousands of lives were lost – an estimated 30, 000 according to the National Transitional Council – that led the rebels. Gaddafi remained defiant until his dying breath, but the National Transitional Government gained international recognition as the country’s the interim leaders.

The turbulence wasn’t limited to North Africa. In Ivory Coast, people took to the streets demanding president Laurent Gbagbo step down after his refusal to cede power following disputed polls. Aid groups estimated that 3,000 people were killed and 500,000 displaced in the unrest. Gbagbo’s rival, Alassane Ouattara took power in April after a four-month stand off while Gbagbo was later charged with war crimes. He is currently on trial at the Hague. Forces loyal to both men have been accused of committing atrocities.

Smaller protests took place in Uganda, Zimbabwe, Gabon, Djibouti, Malawi and Togo, but in those nations, those in power remained in power and the protesters were threatened into silence. 

It wasn’t all oppression, though. More than 25 elections were held in 2011. The legitimacy of many of them is under question, but the attempts at democracy are a positive sign.

South Sudan was welcomed into the international community when it became independent in July. Africa’s 54th state, and the 193rd country in the world was born after two civil wars over five decades that left some 1.5 million people dead. The South Sudanese waited six years for their moment, since a deal for their independence was signed with the north in 2005. Tensions between north and south remain high, and there are still no official borders between the two countries.

East Africa suffered deep and ongoing tragedy in 2011. The United Nations declared famine in parts of Somalia, with an estimated 750,000 still near death there. Across the Horn of Africa, 12 million are in need of humanitarian assistance.

Aid efforts haven’t been enough to provide basic necessities to four million Somalis, three million of whom are in the south, which is controlled by militant group al-Shabaab.

It’s been widely reported that Al-Shabaab have banned some aid agencies from operating in those areas, where 250,000 people are thought to be famine-struck.

It was a big year for the al-Qaeda-linked group. It was accused of kidnapping foreigners and aid workers in Kenya – a charge it denies, but which prompted a military incursion. It also embraced social media and joined Twitter.

In Nigeria, a sect known as Boko Haram claimed responsibility for a spate of attacks in the north, including the bombing of UN headquarters in the capital Abuja that left 21 dead. In November, a series of coordinated attacks killed at least 67 people.

Amid the violence, 2011 was a surprisingly good year for the African economy. The IMF projected 5 per cent growth despite fears of a looming global recession. Ghana had the world’s fastest growing economy, beating even China and India, as it began oil production. The question for 2012 will be how governments can manage the boom, and translate it into job creation.
 

The Nobel peace prize was jointly-awarded to two African women and a Yemeni peace activist. Liberia’s president Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and her counterpart Leymah Gbowee were recognised for ‘their non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women’s rights to full participation in peace-building work’.

That same week, Africa’s first woman Nobel peace prize winner, Kenyan environmentalist Wangari Mathaai, was laid to rest.

A UN’s summit on climate change in Durban, South Africa, rounded off the year. The meet delivered a roadmap on how to deal with climate change, and attendees agreed to help developing nations implement it in the coming years. Many developing nations are in Africa. Getting support to tackle climate change will make a significant difference, as well as fostering innovation in their communities.

In the new year, polls are slated to take place in Zimbabwe and Kenya and Libya. The continent and the world will be watching.

Here’s to an even better 2012 for Africa.