Can You Have Democracy Without Democrats? By Cameron Duodu Democracy is not a concept that is too difficult to understand. It allows for what can be put in the Ghanaian language, Twi, as ‘ka-bi-ma-me-nka bi’: (literally, “You say your piece — and let me too say mine”.) But “saying one’s piece” throws up several …
Tag: AU
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Jan 21
A MEMO TO ECOWAS LEADERS ON THEIR INTENTION TO INTERVENE IN NIGERIA’S MILITARY CAMPAIGN AGAINST BOKO HARAM
However, Excellencies, your own external intelligence agencies operating in Nigeria will no doubt have briefed you on how difficult it is to assist the current Nigerian Government in this noble task of seeking to help it return the country into the safe place for ALL its citizens that its government is duty-bound to ensure. The reasons for this difficulty are complex, but the principal one is that Nigeria sees herself as not lacking in either manpower or fire-power when it comes to defending itself. So the country may actually resent assistance from abroad.
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I suggest to you, Excellencies, that it is because of such complexities that the United States and Great Britain, for instance, find themselves unable to render as much military assistance to Nigeria to fight Boko Haram as they would normally, be only too willing to provide. The London missions of Your Excellencies may have reported to you that there was a mini-debate, arising from a Question in the British House of Commons in London, on the Nigerian situation on 12 January 2015. I trust Your Excellencies will find time to acquaint yourselves with some of the things the British MPs had to say. The point was made again and again in the debate that no-one could assist a person who did not seem to want assistance.
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In other words, if you must go, do candidly make clear to President Goodluck Jonathan that – as a Ghanaian proverb has it – “it is only when you try to climb a tree with adequate proficiency that those on the ground may feel inspired enough to push you up it!”
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Aug 25
WIKILEAKS: HOW THE US VIEWS GHANA
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ACCRA 000483 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: BR CH ECON GH IN PGOV PHUM PREL RS SUBJECT: GHANA AT 50: A WORLD VIEW REF: A. ACCRA 285 ¶B. ACCRA 286 ¶C. ACCRA 314 ¶D. ACCRA 321 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: This is the seventh and final in a series …
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Dec 09
UN SECURITY COUNCIL RECOGNISES OUATTARA AS PRESIDENT-ELECT OF COTE D’IVOIRE
After a protracted debate, during which Russia tried to prevent the acceptance of the election result in Cote d’Ivoire, on the ground that a Securuty Council statement would “interfere” with the internal affairs of a UN member state, the Security Council finally issued a clear statement backing Ouattara’s election. Here is the full text of …
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Dec 07
LAURENT GBAGBO MUST NOT BE GIVEN ANOTHER CHANCE TO BURN COTE D’IVOIRE DOWN!
More important, once when my little 8-year-old son was separated momentarily from the rest of the family during a shopping spree in Abidjan, and found himself lost, he was able to take a taxi to where the family’s host worked — a huge international bank– and get him to come down, while the taxi driver waited patiently! Not a hair on his young head was harmed, and he did it all without being able to speak a word of French.
I’ve often wondered, in retrospective terror, how the taxi driver had the goodness of heart not to worry about getting paid?
That was the wonderful country that Cote d’Ivoire that was. Its people were generally friendly and open; and its ability to attract tourists was unbeatable.
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