April 23, 2008
The World Food Crisis and Burkina Faso
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon arrived in Burkina Faso yesterday, at a time when the country is feeling the heat of the world crisis in food price rises.
According to the World Food Programme (WFP), the price of essential agricultural staples has gone up by more than 50% over the last six months. Seydou says a 50kg sack of rice in Gorom-Gorom now costs 18,000cfa (about £20).
The Effect on Poorer Nations
As Relief Web explains, when you are already spending between 50 and 80 percent of your income on food, you don't have much room for manoeuver. Poor nations like Burkina Faso have been feeling the effect worst, with price rises in many countries bringing hunger and sparking riots. Kofi Annan warns of increasing instability if the issue is not addressed: "The doubling and tripling of staple food prices in some countries has put many poor people in a desperate situation."
This month, a two-day national strike in Burkina Faso protesting high food prices remained peaceful, following criticism of violence during the protests earlier in the year. VOA reports: "Union leaders in Burkino (sic) Faso acknowledge that the government has taken measures to curb the high cost of living, including a continued suspension of import taxes and a reduction in water and electricity prices. But they say those measures are not enough." They are demanding a 25 percent increase in salaries and pensions backdated to January 2001. But the government says salaries had increased in 2005 and 2007 and increasing them again would fuel inflation.
Causes of the Food Crisis
Grain stocks are at their lowest in 30 years, and we are consuming more than we are producing. Causes of the food price rises have been identified as:
- Weather. Erratic weather and climate change, leading to crop failures.
- Population and Diet. The growth in middle-class population (especially in India and China), who then want a richer, meat-rich diet (as in the west), that uses more land. We probably need to eat less meat.
- Biofuel. An increased focus on biofuel is taking crops meant for poor people's food, and putting them in rich people's cars.
- Oil prices. High oil prices have increased production, fertiliser, and transport costs.
- Speculation in Commodities. Following the collapse of financial markets, dealers have been taking money out of equities and mortgage bonds and ploughing them into food and raw materials.
Nancy Roman of the UN World Food Program says: "In the near- and medium-term food prices will be going up, which will bring more hunger. It will be a different kind of hunger. Food shortages in developing countries used to be caused by drought or other similar factors. That’s why people had nothing to eat. Nowadays, most countries have enough food. But it’s so expensive that people cannot afford it."
Please pray for Burkina Faso and our friends there, especially as they try to make ends meet in the run-up to the hardest time of year before the next rainy season starts in July. Thank you.
Tags: africa sahel burkina burkina faso food crisis
March 01, 2008
Riots in Ouagadougou
Recent demonstrations in Burkina Faso have developed into riots. Rioters attacked government buildings and set up road blocks with burning tyres in the capital. The problems started in the second city of Bobo-Dioulasso and in Ouahigouya, and spread to the capital, Ouagadougou, on Thursday, the day I left to come back to Gorom.
The riots appear at first glance to be a popular uprising, the spark for which was recent increases in prices. We have all noticed these price rises and the word on the street accuses the new prime minister, Tertus Zongo of being behind them.
Is all as it seems...?
However, while steep price rises have indeed occurred recently, and the government should probably have acted earlier, all may not be as it seems. Zongo has been trying to crack down on corruption, and insisting that import taxes owed to the government – often avoided by “special arrangements”- be properly paid. This is one factor that apparently has been behind the rises.
Taxes on the wealthy are supposed to help the government pay for education and development and decrease dependence upon external aid. However, powerful and wealthy traders who offer bribes to avoid paying heavy taxes are not happy that their scams are being scuppered.
Further, in another town the potential riots were extinguished by careful handling of the main provocateurs, many of whom appear to be people kicked out of previous positions of local political power. Are the genuine needs of people and the gullibility of the press being manipulated by powerful people with their own agenda?
The government has announced a 3-month ban on import taxes on basic staples such as rice, milk, flour and salt, while it looks at the situation and pursues negotiations.
Tags: africa burkina burkina faso riots prices tax trade corruption
December 22, 2007
I love Burkina Faso, but…
I love Burkina Faso and her people. Any regular reader of this blog will know that I always try to present the often unseen face of the beauty and wealth of this country.
However…
There are times that certain things here get me really riled. And one of them happened this week in Dori, just 40 miles from Gorom-Gorom.
It apparently started with a fight over a woman. So far, so predictable. What made this particular fight unusual was that it was a fight between a local man and a soldier – and the local man won, putting the soldier in need of medical treatment.
The soldier’s friends then apparently decided to take revenge, who then went on a wrecking spree in Dori. Any man they found on the street, they beat up, regardless of who he was, and without asking any questions. Two local pastors, friends of mine, who happened to be in town at that time, were among those who got beaten up.
The incident brings to mind the spat between the police and army in Ouaga earlier in the year. At that time, the soldiers reacted in a similar way, attacking indiscriminately the Burkinabé police, following an incident between a policeman and a soldier.
Burkina is generally a peaceful country, and has been free of the kind of conflict so often seen elsewhere in West Africa. However, the willingness of young soldiers (and they do seem mostly to be ill-disciplined young soldiers) to take the law into their own hands, and to do so with such indiscrimination, is a worrying precedent. They must not be allowed to continue in the belief that they can do as they please with impunity, free from the justice of Burkinabé law.
A couple of days of high tension followed, with nightly curfews, and mutual threats of further revenge, and the possibility even that Tabaski would be cancelled in Dori. But now, following an “agreement” between the military chief and the local authorities, Dori is apparently peaceful again.
The soldiers are currently keeping a very low profile. Please pray for peace.
November 15, 2007
An American In Ouagadougou
I'm stuck in Ouaga for a couple of extra days while my friends who should have arrived last night are stuck in New York for a couple of days, having missed their flight to Burkina Faso. (Through no fault of their own, I should say).
It turns out that another American, John Negroponte, the US deputy secretary of state, did make it to Ouaga, and has been making waves, talking of Cotton again, and of an American Military HQ in Africa.
COTTON AGAIN
Firstly, he has been defending America's illegal cotton subsidies. America will apparently only deal with them when Europe deals with its own subsidies. Now certainly, European subsidies also need to be dealt with. But someone found guilty in court of breaking the law does not normally say "I'll stop breaking the law when they do."
At the same time, even when America gives in to the inevitable and scraps its subsidies, the Burkina Faso cotton industry will not make as much progress as it should until there is re-stucturing of the industry within the country, and the virtual monopoly by Sofitex. Afrika Flak, writing from Ouagadougou, does an excellent critique of the cotton situation in Burkina. He also shows how Burkina needs to avoid becoming ever more dependant on cotton. And in an interview with journalist Na Eng, John Liebhardt explores the human stories of the issue.
While the US, Europe, and Sofitex each fight their corner, the Burkinabe cotton farmers continue to struggle to make ends meet. But regardless of what Europe or the Burkina cotton industry does, America needs to get rid of its cotton subsidies.
AMERICAN MILITARY HQ IN AFRICA
But John Negroponte's main purpose was to talk about U.S. plans for a new "military command for Africa" called Africom.
The US wants to establish a command headquarters on the continent to co-ordinate U.S. military operations in all of Africa except Egypt. African countries however don't seem to want such a presence. They are concerned that it could force them into conflicts that are nothing to do with them, that it would give Washington greater influence in the continent, and that this would undermine efforts to build regional solidarity and autonomy. Of all 53 countries, only Liberia has welcomed the idea.
Africa Loft has an open debate about whether Africom is a good idea or not.
Tags: africa burkina burkina faso us cotton africom trade subsidies military
October 16, 2007
Burkina Faso on the UN Security Council !
It's true, Burkina Faso has been endorsed for one of the 10 non-permanent seats on the 15 seat UN Security Council - for a year, anyway.
Each year, 5 of the 10 non-permanent seats change hands to give every country a chance to be on the UN' most important decision-making body. Burkina Faso has been endorsed by the Africa group, along with Libya, apparently - back in the international fold after paying compensation for Lockerbie and for giving up its nuclear programme. So, from 1 Jan 2008, Burkina will sit alongside the permanent members (the United States, Britain, China, France and Russia) at top table for a year.
Playing with the big boys? Or swimming with sharks?
Tags: africa burkina burkina faso un united nations libya security council
US cotton subsidies declared illegal - again
The United States has failed to scrap a series of illegal subsidies paid to American cotton growers, the World Trade Organisation has announced. Such subsidies undermine the economy of countries like Burkina Faso, whose cotton industries are weakened by the unjust American policies.
The US paid $12.5 billion in government subsidies to American farmers between August 1999 and July 2003. Although some subsidies were scrapped, continued subsidies to American cotton producers produced artificially high production and export levels, hurting Brazilian and African producers. Burkina Faso is Africa's leading African cotton producer.
The WTO supported calls by the West African "Group of Four" (Burkina Faso, Benin, Chad and Mali) on the U.S. to make an 82 percent cut in trade-distorting handouts to American cotton farmers as part of a new global trade pact. These four cotton-growing countries are thought to be those most harmed by the U.S. subsidies: But Washington has rejected the cuts.
The impact of US subsidies, low cotton prices, and a weak dollar have brought the efficient Burkina Faso cotton industry to its knees. And this year, Burkina Faso's economic growth rate is set to drop further to 4.25 percent from last year's 5.7 percent due to sharply lower cotton output, because of late rains and flooding.
The WTO ruling could open the door to billions of dollars' in Brazilian trade sanctions against the U.S.
Tags: africa burkina burkina faso us cotton wto trade subsidies
October 15, 2007
Celebration and Commemoration
Today, the 15th October 2007, is the 20th anniversary of two related events: the coup that brought the current president of Burkina Faso, Blaise Compaore to power; and the death of Thomas Sankara, the former president and Compaore's long-time friend and right-hand man, killed in that coup.
Today's anniversary is a tale of two Burkina Faso presidents, a celebration of one, and a commemoration of the other.
Celebrating 20 years of Compaore's Presidency
The current administration, will be hosting celebrations of its 20 years in power, with marches, concerts, and a conference on "democracy and development in Africa" to which several heads of state are expected. Compaore is one of Africa's longest ruling heads of state now, and is beginning to take a role of elder statesman, intervening for example to host the peace talks for Cote d'Ivoire.
Certainly, after a spate of coups up to 1987, Burkina Faso has since experienced stability, peace, growth, and the introduction of multi-party democracy and press freedom. Despite scandals over the death of Norbert Zongo, support for Charles Taylor, and allegations of alleged interference in the civil war in Cote d'Ivoire, and of providing Joseph Savimbi with fuel and weapons in exchange for diamonds, there has still been no successful co-ordinated opposition to Campaore. As commentators observed after the last elections: "yes, they were free and fair - the opposition was so divided, and Campaore so well-known and well-financed, he didn't need to cheat." Compared with most of its surrounding neighbours, Burkina Faso has done well, and is now interesting potential investors, especially gold mining companies, who see Burkina as the future gold-producing capital of West Africa.
So, supporters of the government may well consider they have much to celebrate from 20 years of Compaore rule.
Commemorating 20 years since Sankara' Death
By comparison, as I wrote earlier, "Thomas Sankara headed a revolution that forged the country's modern identity. He was strongly ideological, anti-corruption, and a supporter of women's equality. He banned female circumsision and prostitution, condemned polygamy, and introduced a campaign that in 15 days vaccinated 3 million children against yellow fever, measles, and meningitis. However, his attempts to radicalise the population made him enemies and led to extremes, including the thuggery of his "shock troops" the CDR, and the execution of enemies." Yet his initiatives to help Burkina develop made a huge impact, and today he is remembered by many as a hero who stood with and for the Burkinabe people. His death will be commemorated passionately by many today.
They will have their own conference, to "conceptualise Sankarism", their own concert, and there will be a procession to Sankara's tomb. The caravan "Mémoires de Braises et Futurs, Tom Sank 2007" will also arrive in Ouaga. Composed of 22 artists, musicians, technicians and lecturers, the caravan uses music, drama, poetry, photo exhibition, film projections, conferences-debates to make the thought and action of Thomas Sankara better known. It started on 8 Sep in Mexico, and will have crossed 10 countries to arrive in Ouagadougou on 15 October.
Sankara's supporters today will view today's anniversary with different eyes.
So, one anniversary, two different perspectives. Let us hope it all goes off peacefully.
Tags: africa burkina burkina faso sahel compaore thomas sankara blaise compaore sankara anniversary coup
October 12, 2007
Essakane Gold - Breaking News!
Well, I had almost finished writing about the gold mining company Gold Fields, and their investment of $346 million at Essakane, when I read this on today's news:
"Transforming itself from explorer to intermediate gold producer, Orezone Resources Inc. (TSX:OZN) is paying US$200 million in cash and shares to acquire partner Gold Fields Ltd.'s 60 per cent interest in the Essakane project in Burkina Faso, West Africa." (the Canadian Press)
So we will now be looking at Orezone instead of Gold Fields...
More soon.
Tags: africa burkina burkina faso sahel gold essakane gold mine mining gold fields orezone
October 09, 2007
Burkina Faso "more successful than New Zealand" at Rugby...
So as everyone has been enthusiastically following the Rugby World Cup, you may be interested to know some facts about the Burkina Faso Rugby team:
This site (which sadly seems to need updating), claims that Burkina Faso has a higher win rate than New Zealand! I should add that this is because the site only records 4 of Burkina's games, 3 of which they won, giving them a 75% win rate, placing them the 8th most successful rugby team. This puts them just above New Zealand at 9th with 74%. Burkina Faso magnificently beat Mali, Mauritania, and Togo, but sadly lost to Mauritius 108-3...
It seems that in the Confederation of African Rugby there are two levels of international rugby. Burkina Faso is a member of the, erm... second level. They play in the Castel Beer rugby cup, which has a northern league and a southern league. The winner of each league play in the final. Burkina won the northern league in 2005, then lost to Mauritius in the final (yes, that one).
Apparently Burkina have won their group this year, and were due to play Nigeria in the northern league final in August, but I can't find the results anywhere. (Help anyone?)
Tags: africa burkina burkina faso rugby rugby world cup
August 05, 2007
Happy Birthday, Burkina Faso !
Today is Burkina Faso's Independance Day!
On Aug. 5, 1960, the country (then called Upper Volta) achieved full independence from France.
Colonisation
France had colonised Upper Volta in 1897 as a carve-up of West Africa between herself and Britain, despite opposition from the powerful Mossi kingdoms. The French took the country, not for any riches of the land, but simply as a bridge to link its territories of Cote d'Ivoire, Dahomey (Benin), Niger, and Mali. France never invested in the country as it did in its other West African colonies. The population was seen as a giant labour pool, and the country was divided up several times between its richer neighbours.
Following WW2 there was a growing regional West African movement for independence. Fearing the growth of support for the movement based in Cote d'Ivoire, France re-created Upper Volta in 1947. This move had been resisted by the Fulani, Lobi, Samo, Gourounsi, and other populations, who feared Mossi subjugation, now that they were grouped within one border with its capital in the Mossi home of Ouagadougou.
Representation of the French colonies in the French parliament in Paris eventually forced the issue of independence. Each colony was given its own Governmental Council, and in Dec 1958 Maurice Yaméogo of the Voltaic Democratic Union (UDV) became the first president of Upper Volta. In 1960, he signed the accord for independence.
Independence
Following independence, Yaméogo reduced the power of the traditional Mossi rulers, but his authority was weakened by internal conflicts and the poor economy. In late 1965, he was overwhelmingly reelected president, unsurprisingly, since all other parties had been banned. But in Jan 1966, he was overthrown in a bloodless coup by group of army officers headed by Lt. Col. Sangoulé Lamizana, who then became head of state.
Since then, Upper Volta has undergone several coups.
In 1983, the remarkable Thomas Sankara headed a revolution that forged the country's modern identity. He was strongly ideological, anti-corruption, and a supporter of women's equality. He banned female circumsision and prostitution, condemned polygamy, and introduced a campaign that in 15 days vaccinated 3 million children against yellow fever, measles, and meningitis. However, his attempts to radicalise the population made him enemies and led to extremes, including the thuggery of his "shock troops" the CDR, and the execution of enemies.
In 1987, Sankara was himself killed in a coup that brought Blaise Compaore to power. That was the last of the coups. 20 years later, and despite scandal and oppositon, Compaore is still president. He has embraced free market reforms and introduced mult-party democracy. Elections in 1991, 1998, and 2005 have returned him to power. The 2005 elections were declared "free and fair". (General opinion is that Compaore did not need to cheat to win - the opposition was divided and unable to match his financial resources.)
And so we reach the 47th birthday of Burkina Faso (nee Upper Volta). She has come a long way in 47 years in establishing her own identity. The country is still poor economically, but is showing regular growth of about 5%. The 60+ ethnic groups and different religions live generably peacefully side-by-side. Coups seem to be a thing of the past. Hopefully things will continue to get better.
Happy Birthday, Burkina!
Other National Holidays
Tags: burkina faso africa burkina independence holiday upper volta west africa
April 09, 2007
Feeding the 3-headed monster
The Times has more on the iniquities of US cotton subsidies and their impact on the poor of Burkina Faso:
Burkina Faso's cotton market has been brought to its knees by “the monster with three heads”: a weak dollar, low world prices and US cotton subsidies. The Times makes the following points:
- America’s 25,000 cotton farmers receive about $4bn in subsidies, allowing them to undercut their developing competitors.
- The same year, farmers in Burkina Faso produced a bumper crop of cotton more efficiently, and yet made a loss of $81 million
- The US subsidies were ruled illegal by the World Trade Organisation three years ago, yet only 10 per cent have been dropped so far.
- Washington still pays many times more in subsidies to these farmers than it gives in aid to Africa each year.
- As a result, world cotton prices are now at the lowest since the Great Depression of the 1930s.
- Burkina Faso depends on cotton for 70 per cent of its cash exports, and income for a quarter of its 13 million people.
The Bush Administration has said it will consider increasing aid to boost African farmers’ productivity, but that has been dismissed by developing nations, which would rather have a “fair playing field”.
One Burkinabe cotton farmer, Mr Outtara, is in despair, saying: “Cotton production is meant to be a way out of poverty, not a means of keeping us there.”
François Traoré, president of the Association of African Cotton Producers, says “Families who don’t even know where America is are being punished by their policies. We are not their enemies. Why are they destroying us with their riches? One day, when we face the same God, how will they explain themselves?”
Tags: burkina faso africa burkina cotton subsidies farm bill justice sahel poverty
April 02, 2007
Burkina Faso News
News from Burkina Faso: March
- 800 die from meningitis
- Ezra wins Film Prize at FESPACO
- Stallions in African Nations Cup qualifiers
- Continued frustration at US cotton subsidies
- Economy and corruption improve
- Monsanto say Burkina Farmers want GM crops
- Burkina President oversees peace talks
- Calls for an end to EPAs
- World Bank $74m credit for rural development
- Women making a difference
- Workers get pay rise
Continue reading "Burkina Faso News"
December 21, 2006
The Lion and the Elephant
In Ouagadougou yesterday, there was a conflict between the police and the army, which led to several policemen killed. Apparently shooting was heard throughout the day and into the night.
Today seems calmer. Here in Gorom all is quiet and there is no sign of the problems, which is an encouraging sign that the problems seem unlikely to spread.
The Mossi say that when the elephant and the lion fight, the other animals in the jungle run for cover. Please pray for calm to be fully restored quickly and for security and peace for the Burkina population.
December 08, 2006
Brief Update
Flood Response - Phase 2
We are now starting Phase 2 of our response to the flood that destroyed half the houses in Gorom-Gorom. Phase 1 was emergency relief for those affected. Phase 2 is helping people rebuild their homes. I will write more about this shortly – we appreciate your prayers. Thank you.
Deou
I have just come back from 3 days in Deou, visiting the pastor and his family there. They are a lovely family, and very committed to serving God in an isolated and difficult place. I hope to be able to find ways to encourage them and further equip them in their ministry there.
Deou is an interesting place, a small Islamic market town with Mossi and Fulani, surrounded by rocky outcrops sitting on an otherwise flat plain. The pastor was telling me about the hyena that lives in one of those outcrops and comes and seizes his goats from time to time.
The name Deou sounds like the Fulani word for “up high” (“dow”), which can also mean “up in heaven”. This once led, in my early days learning Fulfulde, to an embarrassing discussion when one of my staunchly Muslim friends was trying to convince me that Jesus is alive up in heaven, and I was confusedly denying it, because I thought he was saying “Jesus lives in Deou!”
A Baobab Falls
But did anyone outside Burkina hear it? The baobab, according to lefaso.net, is Professor Joseph Ki-Zerbo, who died this week, aged 84. He was a historian and political activist who campaigned for African independance in the 1950's, and who remained active in the Burkinabe opposition until August of this year. He taught also in universities in France and Africa, and published a tome on the history of Africa. In 1997, he won the "Alternative Nobel Peace Prize".
His name might not mean much to you. But for Burkina Faso he was a part of recent history.
Tags: burkina faso africa burkina deou flood hyena goats gorom-gorom ki-zerbo joseph ki-zerbo
October 14, 2006
News from Burkina Faso
* Football: Burkina beat Senegal. Burkina beat Senegal 1-0 in the African Nations Cup qualifier last week. Burkina have a good, but inconsistent team. In the World Cup qualifiers, they defeated South Africa, but lost to Cape Verde, to lose out on their chance for glory. Burkina is 89th in the FIFA world rankings - a full 12 places below Wales!
* Planes and Trains. Burkina is to get a new international airport 35km north-east of the capital Ouagadougou - which will probably put it near the president's home town of Ziniare. There are also plans to build new railways to Ghana and Mali, and possibly even Niger and Togo. These would open up transport in the region and reduce Burkina's dependancy on the sole line at present which runs through troubled Cote d'Ivoire.
* The Growth and Collapse of Gold Mines. Gold is the third largest export of Burkina Faso. However, most gold is hand-mined by locals (artisanal mining), who sell the gold at 5p/gram to the government. It is a dangerous and unhealthy process, which nevertheless provides much needed income for up to 200,000 Burkinabe. The dangers were highlighted by the collapse of a mine at Poura in August, killing 10 people. The government is now trying to privatise the mines, in an attempt to manage them better for the alleviation of poverty and boost employment, and Canadian and Australian companies in particular are moving into the country. Reuters reports: "This year, the government expects to receive 1.3 billion CFA (US $2.5 million) in annual taxes from mining companies, and foresees the creation of 800 new jobs every year for the next eight years. It also stipulated in its new mining code that companies must invest in community development projects, such as the building of schools, housing and wells." However, critics say that many more people will lose out by being driven from their traditional mining, and that the companies are unlikely to uphold their social responsibilities.
* French help Burkina Cotton IRIN report that France has stepped in to help boost Burkina Faso's beleaguered cotton sector with a grant of $13.4m. Cotton is Burkina's main export, and it has one of the most efficient cotton industries in the world. However, there has been loss of motivation to grown cotton, especially because of low world prices for the commodity, which have been driven down by US cotton subsidies.
Tags: burkina faso africa burkina gold football soccer cotton airport railway
October 13, 2006
Gorom-Gorom Flood Relief Update : 12 October
Background
Update
• Stories and Pictures. Steve has some stories and photos from Gorom at his blog, including the photo above of Pastor Pascal’s church, which was destroyed by the flood.
• Blankets and mats. Thank you for your prayers for the problem with the blankets and mats. We finally managed to get 1000 blankets and 1000 mats up to Gorom, and Seydou and Daniel are getting ready to distribute these. With the cold season coming up, the blankets will be very much needed – especially as most people will not have been able to rebuild their homes before the cold starts.
• The food situation. Seydou and Daniel are saying that we should do one more food distribution, as people are still in need. In addition, although the rainy season is just about finished, and people are getting ready to harvest, the harvest looks likely to be very poor this year. We are likely therefore to need to do follow-up food aid around May/June next year.
• My travels. I am heading out to Burkina on the 20th, and will arrive in Gorom about 5 days later, so am looking forward to seeing for myself the situation on the ground.
Tags: burkina faso africa burkina gorom flood emergency aid crisis gorom-gorom
September 06, 2006
Telephone Communication with Burkina Faso
While I was in Burkina Faso this year, I bought a copy of the national telephone directory to bring home to the UK with me. This is a photo of it - containing all the land-line telephone numbers in the whole country - lying on top of the phone book for my home town of Cardiff in Wales...
The phone book has been very useful during this time of trying to organise the relief aid for Gorom-Gorom, as I have been able to find people and organisations to call to try and get help. I usually call Burkina from my computer using Skype. Although there is a slight delay, it is an excellent way of keeping in contact. I was talking to the pastor in Gorom-Gorom a couple of days ago about Friday's food distribution, and he asked me to pass on thanks to everyone for their prayers and help. Thank you.
Broadband and Mobile Phones
Apparently a few of my friends in parts of Ouagadougou now have Broadband! (Although I'm not sure that translates into quite the same speeds as the broadband we have here...).
Mobile telephone coverage is also expanding rapidly, and I am trying to get hold of a few second-hand mobile phones as people upgrade to newer models, to give to my friends and key contacts around Gorom-Gorom. Gorom is covered by a mobile network, and being able to get hold of Seydou or one of the pastors without having to leave a message and call back several hours later will be so helpful in co-ordinating relief efforts like this.
Tags: burkina faso africa burkina telephone gorom phone book communication telecommunication gorom-gorom mobiles
September 04, 2006
Brief Update on Gorom-Gorom Flood Relief
Background
Update
The second food aid distribution on Friday again went very well, and we have been asked to pass on the appreciation of the people of Gorom-Gorom for the help given. This is the hungriest time of year anyway, and the losses from the flood have added to people's hardship as they were still struggling to recover from the food crisis of 2004-5. The food aid at this time is a huge help for people. Thus the team on the ground have decided to do another distribution this coming Friday.
A new and more accurate assessment has increased the figure for the number of families affected to about 800. We have found about 600 "two-place" mosquito nets, and are hoping to find more so that we will be able to give at least one net per family. Daniel, Andy, and team are meeting this afternoon together with Red Cross and local authority representatives to look at the priorities for the coming weeks.
We are still looking for plastic sheets or similar to bring up to Gorom, before people have to leave the classroooms at the start of the school year in two weeks time. It looks like we may now have someone in Ouaga to help us find these and other needs, which will be a huge help - and a relief for me, as I have been trying to track them down from here in the UK, which is not easy!
In the News
In weeks where Lebanon, Ethiopian, and other crises have been at the centre of media attention, Gorom-Gorom has not of course been in the news. I did a press release here in the UK, which got picked up by some of the local news and Christian media. Inspire magazine picked up on it, and you can read their article online.
Travels
I am off to the US tomorrow for two weeks to meet up with the World Horizons people there as well as the good people of Hatteras Island Christian Fellowship, who have been supporting our work for the past few years. I think these are important meetings as I move into this new phase of life and ministry for the coming years.
But I will also need to be keeping a hand on developments in Gorom, which will be less easy while travelling. Please pray that God blesses this time and helps me accomplish all I need to do.
Many thanks
Tags: burkina faso africa burkina gorom flood emergency aid crisis gorom-gorom
September 01, 2006
Gorom-Gorom Food Aid Distribution
Following the floods in Gorom-Gorom that destroyed half the town and made thousands homeless, we have begun our relief effort for the local population.
Background
Update
These are photos from last Friday's food aid distribution. The top photo shows the distribution happening at one of the five selected sites, at the bus station. The bottom photo shows the grain being collected. Each family received 13kg of grain, and people came with their own bowls, sacks, buckets, or cloth to collect it.
The second distribution is happening today. Please pray for Andy, Daniel, and team as they continue to seek to respond to this situation with the love and wisdom of God.
Our previous food aid distribution was sorghum, which is eaten locally, but we are responding to requests from the local population to bring millet instead, as this is more useful to them.
Please pray for today's distribution, that it goes as well as last week's, and that this helps vulnerable people to find some stability in the crisis.
Next Steps
We are trying to find a good quantity of mosquito nets at reasonable prices to purchase in Ouagadougou and bring up. Malaria is a big problem at this time of year.
IRIN reports that, as well as mosquito nets, temporary shelter is a big need. People currently sheltering in schools will need to move out shortly to make way for the new school year. Tents are hard to find - Red Cross have only been able to provide 15 of an estimated 330 needed. We want to investigate other possibilities too.
Please pray as we try to respond to the most urgent needs, that we can identify those needs and respond appropriately.
Tags: burkina faso africa burkina photos gorom flood emergency aid crisis gorom-gorom
August 28, 2006
Gorom-Gorom Food Distribution
Background
Update
Our first food aid distribution was completed on Friday, and was a success, thanks to the hard work, forethought, and effectiveness of our team on the ground.
We were able to distribute 107 sacks of sorghum, giving 800 families food for a few days. The distribution was carried out in each of the five sectors of town, overseen by Daniel, Andy, Altine, and others from the church, working through representatives of the sector where the distribution was being carried out. Representatives of local authorities and the Red Cross were also present, and the whole operation has run smoothly and with good co-operation between the various groups.
We are now preparing for a second distribution this Friday, and are looking at purchasing mosquito nets as the next phase. Because of the water, there are a lot of malaria mosquitos around, and many people are suffering. We are therefore also looking at how to help people with essential medical treatment for malaria and other needs.
I want to thank Daniel, Andy and Laura, Altine, and the others of our team on the ground for the great work they are doing. Please pray for them as they continue to work at the sharp end of this work. Pray that people will retain dignity as well as being helped in their suffering. And please also pray that God will be honoured and that people will give thanks to him and recognise him as their rock and source of help.
Thank you
More photos of the flood damage, taken by Andy and Laura, the Gorom Peace Corps workers, can be found here
Tags: burkina faso africa burkina photos gorom flood emergency aid crisis gorom-gorom
August 23, 2006
Gorom-Gorom Flooding Update - 23 August
Background
The pictures show Gorom-Gorom before and after the flood.
Update
Things are happening quite quickly, now thankfully. Because of the delay in being able to collect the money, our distribution has been put back to Friday. But this will work well, as we are co-ordinating with Christian Aid and others who are doing similar distributions on Monday and today, Wednesday, to ensure that everyone in need is covered.
Members of my home church, Glenwood Church, have made a very generous contribution to the work, and Samartian's Purse and Food for the Hungry are also supporting us in our efforts.
Personal stories from Gorom-Gorom
Via Andy in Gorom:
"Everybody says thank God that this flood happened during the day. It seems like most people were able to get their family and belongings out of the houses before they fell in. But some weren't able to save anything, "not even a spoon," as my neighbor Ibrahim said. These would include people who were out of town during the catastrophe, including our Mossi neighbors, and the owner of the corner store, Adrouhaman (called "Alfa"), who lost everything in his store, including an expensive stock of cement and paint."
"Amadou the mason... worked all morning to protect his courtyard and his neighbors' by digging channels and building bulwarks of earth. In the end, the water levels raised too high... by which time he was too exhausted to get anything out of the house, even a change of clothes. He spent the following week wearing the same pair of shorts and torn shirt--here it's important to note that grown men don't wear shorts in public here, and people take pride in their clothing being clean and in good shape. His baby died two days after the flood, "still on his mother's back." He says it was malaria, but he thinks that being exposed to the cold and wet may of brought on the illness. "I don't understand why God would do this," he said."
More photos of the flood damage, taken by Andy and Laura, the Gorom Peace Corps workers, can be found here
Tags: burkina faso africa burkina photos gorom flood emergency aid crisis gorom-gorom
August 21, 2006
Gorom-Gorom Flooding Update
Background
Update
A very busy day today, and it's getting late, so I'll write more tomorrow. We have had a number of significant gifts today through my home church and through an aid agency, which I will tell you about very soon.
The guys were finally able to collect the £4000 I sent out, and the first part of this will be used for a grain distribution this coming Friday.
Please pray for good collaboration with the authorities, for the right help to reach the right people, for us to be able to steward these gifts well, and for God to touch the hearts of people.
Thank you
Photos of the flood damage, taken by Andy and Laura, the Gorom Peace Corps workers, can be found here
Tags: burkina faso africa burkina photos gorom flood emergency aid crisis gorom-gorom
Burkina Faso News in Brief
Latest News on the Gorom-Gorom Floods.
Gold Mine Collapses: A gold mine in Poura the south of Burkina Faso has collapsed, killing at least 5 people, and trapping up to 50 others, more than 30m down. It seems that dynamite, used to break apart rock in which gold nuggets are found, was at the cause of the collapse.
Isaac Sawadogo, one of those working on the mine at the time said : "on the day of the collapse, people exploded detonators. A short time afterwards, we went down again to dig using pickaxes and chisels. Around 10 a.m., the top suddenly collapsed, causing a deafening noise. Two colleagues and I, only half-buried, were pulled out without great problem, six were found wounded and three were pulled out already dead." The rescue effort continues. It is not known how many people are still trapped but, 3 days later, not much hope is being held out for their survival. The mining has been unauthorised since the mine was officially closed down in 1999, but local people using traditional mining methods continue to search the site.
President Compaore hosts Togo talks. Burkina Faso President Blaise Compaore continues to develop his role on the international stage in the region by hosting talks that led to an accord in Togo. This agreement between Togo's government and six political parties is aimed at ending years of turmoil in the country.
Tags: burkina faso africa burkina mining gorom flood emergency aid crisis gorom-gorom togo politics gold
August 19, 2006
Gorom-Gorom Flooding Update: 19 August
Background
Update
We have come up with an initial budget for the immediate response to the crisis in Gorom-Gorom and area. We estimate we need about $170,000 (about £90,000) for everything for 700 households in Gorom-Gorom, and 200 in the surrounding area. This is for food, temporary shelter (tents), and household provisions (blankets, medicines, mats, mosquito nets, clothes etc). We are looking for all the help we can get.
Now that food distribution will be starting, we are beginning to think of shelter, other provisions, and to mosquito nets. As it is the rainy season, there are lots of malaria-carrying mosquitos breeding in the water. Malaria kills 1 million people a year, 90% of the victims being in Africa - see this series on malaria I did last year.
So mosquito nets are a major need. As Andy says:
"We sure could use them. Lots of water. Lots of mosquitos. Lots of sick, unhappy people."
The most expensive and difficult part of this is the tents. We don't know where to get hold of these, and certainly don't have the money for them. We are in discussion with several aid agencies to see whether they might be able to help us with this. Please pray for this. Thank you.
Update
* Red Cross have just announced that they are allocating $47,941 (about £25000) from the Federation’s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) to respond to the needs in Gorom-Gorom, "or to replenish disaster preparedness stocks distributed to the affected population." Pray still for a good link-up. I have contacted them to try and co-ordinate.
* We have been told that "plastic sheets", rather than tents may be a more readily available solution for temporary shelter, so need to look into this.
More photos of the flood damage, taken by Andy and Laura, the Gorom Peace Corps workers, can be found here
Tags: burkina faso africa burkina photos gorom flood emergency aid crisis gorom-gorom
August 18, 2006
Gorom-Gorom Flooding Update - 18 August
Background
Update
The latest figures for those affected by the flood, following a more accurate census by local authorities gives the following figures for the town of Gorom-Gorom (not including villages outside the town):
- 697 households have been displaced by the flood, consisting of 5514 people
- 943 houses, 7 shops, and 20 grain stores have been destroyed by the rain
Our £4000 has not yet been collected, since the post-office at Gorom-Gorom did not have enough cash. The road from the capital is now open however, so Andy and Pastor Daniel hope to get the money on Monday morning. I spoke to the head of the post-office, and he assures me this should be possible.
Christian Aid are also starting a relief effort through their partner in Gorom-Gorom, UCEC-Sahel. Andy and Daniel will be co-ordinating with them. I am in contact with Peace Corps workers Andy and Laura's parents in the US, and we are also in touch with a number of other agencies to look at different possibilities. Andy is working on an estimate of the needs and budget for us to present an action plan to possible partners. Please pray for good communication and co-ordination between us all.
More photos of the flood damage, taken by Andy and Laura, the Gorom Peace Corps workers, can be found here
Tags: burkina faso africa burkina photos gorom flood emergency aid crisis gorom-gorom
August 16, 2006
Gorom-Gorom Flooding Update
Background
Update
Thank you to those of you who have already responded. We have just sent out £4000 ($7500) to help with food aid in the immediate aftermath of the flooding. Andy, Daniel and team are planning a food distribution on Monday. That money will help buy food for maybe 200 families for a month, or 400 families for 2 weeks.
Andy and Daniel and team are doing a great job, and we trust them to decide the best way to use the money. Food is the immediate need, as it was already the hungriest time of the year, before the floods hit, destroying the little reserve people had, and taking many away from work they could do to provide for their families.
We are trying to co-ordinate now for finding mosquito nets, tents, blankets, medicines, and clothes. We are also contacting aid agencies in the hope that they may come and help. Please pray as we seek to find the best response. Any financial help you can give us will also be well-received.
Pastor Pascal
This photo shows Pascal and his wife before the flood, with their home on the left, and their church on the right. This has now all disappeared, washed away by the rain. I spoke to Pascal yesterday - he has found somewhere to stay, and was more concerned about the people sleeping under the stars with no shelter in the middle of rainy season. He asks for your prayers for everyone.
At the same time, people still need rain - the rains started late this year, and so need to continue until the end of September for any hope of a reasonable harvest. Please pray for this, but also that everyone can find shelter quickly. Thank you.
More photos of the flood damage, taken by Andy and Laura, the Gorom Peace Corps workers, can be found here
Background information on Gorom-Gorom here
Tags: burkina faso africa burkina photos gorom flood emergency aid crisis gorom-gorom
August 15, 2006
Update on Gorom-Gorom floods
Update
Background
The floods in Gorom have finally made the news - even if it is only in the African media - a week after they happened. You can read more here (English) and here (in French).
Local press in Burkina reports the number of households affected as 877 in Gorom-Gorom. The UN reports the number of people made homeless as 6000 in Gorom, and 4000 in 15 villages to the north of the town.
Injuries and deaths have remained very low, which is a cause for thanks - had the rains come at night when people were asleep inside, these would have been much higher.
Aid Situation
Andy Kostrub of Peace Corps in Gorom-Gorom says: "So far, 10 metric tons of grain, 100 mats, and 100 blankets have been distributed by CONASUR, a government food security agency, to people staying at the shelters. The grain was exhausted within one day." Contributions have also from religious and other organisations, but the total being inadequate to the need. "Action Sociale could not specify any other aid that was on the way, though he said he was in contact with Christian Aid and had received a call from UNICEF. We gather that they are waiting for the international community to act."
"The immediate needs are for food, medicine, mosquito nets, and tents."
Impact of the floods
This photo shows how the water erodes the base of the mud-brick house, causing it eventually to collapse.
"This time of year is normally the hungry season and the peak time for malaria and bronchitis. We expect that disease and hunger will be exacerbated by the displacement and loss of wealth and livelihood brought by the flood. One nurse at the health district is concerned that there has not been a coordinated effort to look after health and hygiene conditions at the places of refuge."
"Electricity, water pumps, telephone, and cell phone service are all functional."
The effect on fields and this year's harvest is not yet clear. Andy is not aware of great problems, but the UN says: "Local authorities reckon the floods will have wiped out harvests affecting thousands of farmers in and around Gorom-Gorom."
Response
I am liaising with Andy and the local pastor, Daniel Kabore of Gorom-Gorom Assemblies of God. Andy says: "We plan on coordinating with the Assembly of God church to do our part in the relief effort. We would like to help assure that emergency supplies reach those in need. Therefore, we’re asking those who are in Ouaga to let us know about the current availability of tents, mosquito nets, blankets, mats, bidons, buckets, clothing, soap, bleach, and medicine for sale or donation, or where we might go looking for them. We are soliciting donations of medicines for treating malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhea, and basic medical supplies such as alcohol, cotton swabs, syringes, antiseptic and antibiotics. We anticipate that the church will soon be able to accept money donations to purchase and transport food and supplies."
You can send donations through World Horizons (see here ), the organisation I work with, and we will make sure they arrive promptly.
This photo shows how, with typical sahelian resilience, Gorom people carry on normal life and business as they, at the same time, clear up the mess.
The photos here were taken by Andy and Laura, the Gorom Peace Corps workers - more photos of the flood damage can be found here
Background information on Gorom-Gorom here
Tags: burkina faso africa burkina photos gorom flood emergency aid crisis gorom-gorom
August 13, 2006
ALERT - Flooding Makes Thousands Homeless In Gorom-Gorom
This page is being updated regularly.
Three people have died, and thousands made homeless following flooding around my "second home" of Gorom-Gorom.
What Happened
About 8 000 people in the region of Gorom-Gorom in northern Burkina Faso have lost their homes because of severe flooding. In Gorom itself, about 700 households were lost, affecting about half of the 12 000 population of the town. Roughly another 200 households in villages outside of Gorom were also destroyed. Many of the people affected are now sheltering in schools or with nearby family.
The disaster struck following a large rain, when 136cm (5.5")of rain fell (nearly half the normal year's rainfall) in 6 hours. A dam broke about 5 miles away, and a tide of water waist-high swept through the region. Several nearby villages were completely destroyed, as well as about half of the houses in Gorom-Gorom. Most houses are built of mud, and would have been simply washed away by the onslaught of water.
Only 3 people have died that we are aware of, fortunately. This is largely because the disaster happened during the day. If it had happened at night, when people were asleep in their houses, the losses would have been much higher.
The water largely flowed away from Gorom within the first two days, but the main road is still virtually impassable, and will remain difficult for the rest of the rainy season. Although health risks have been exacerbated, these are not extreme. It seems that fields and animals have not been badly impacted, but that many small businesses may have lost their stock.
Immediate needs
The immediate need is for food, mosquito nets, soap, buckets, clothing, medicines, mats, tents, and blankets. Mosquito nets are very important as the rains bring mosquitos, which carry malaria. Malaria kills nearly 1 million people in Africa each year.
An initial budget estimate for the immediate response to the crisis in Gorom-Gorom and area is about $170,000 (about £90,000) for everything for 700 households in Gorom-Gorom, and 200 in the surrounding area. This is for food, temporary shelter, and household provisions (blankets, medicines, mats, mosquito nets, clothes etc). We are looking for all the help we can get.
Food can be bought in Gorom-Gorom, and most of the rest of these items can be bought in the capital, Ouagadoudou. The tents or plastic sheets for shelter are the most difficult to get hold of, but are very necessary as the rains continue.
Getting help there is a problem: The only road to Gorom from the capital city remains very difficult throughout the rainy season, but supplies were initially being trucked as far as possible, and food hand carried through chest deep water to the other side, where it was picked up and brought to Gorom.
The village water wells appear to be safe. Sanitation and health risks have been exacerbated but do not appear to be extreme at this time, as the water disperses fairly quickly, and there are dry days often between the rains, allowing the ground to dry out.
Longer-term Needs
The main needs will start after the end of the rainy season, helping people re-build not only their homes, but also their livelihoods:
* Food Aid. If fields and crops will have been affected, food aid may be needed throughout the year. The rains started late this year, and the rains need to carry on until the end of Sep for a reasonable harvest.
* Housing. A simple mud-brick house costs about £100 ($200). However, this is not possible immediately, as it is virtually impossible to build mud-brick houses in the rainy season, which runs from July-Sep. There is also the question as to whether people should build in mud again. Certainly local people will not be able to afford to build for themselves, and even if they could, building in cement would be beyond their means.
* Livelihood. I suspect that people will have lost not only possessions and homes and fields, but possibly their businesses too, and there will be need to help people re-build their lives and communities.
Response
I am liaising with a small group composed of the local pastor (Daniel), an American volunteer worker (Andy), and a local nurse (Altine), who are looking at the best way to respond.
Our initial help has been in Food Aid Distribution, on the 25 August and 1 September, through the local church. We are also looking at finding mosquito nets, soap, tents etc for the next phase, and are trying to contact aid agencies who might be able to help. Members of my home church, Glenwood Church, have made a very generous contribution to the work, and Samartian's Purse and Food for the Hungry are also supporting us in our efforts.
A Gorom-Gorom Crisis Committee with village leaders has been organised, to identify priority needs and resources, gather data, get information to the country's government and to public and private aid organizations, and to request needed assistance.
The initial response of local authorities was impressive. The military and police apparently did a great job in bringing food aid in, but circumstances have made consistent distribution difficult. An initial distribution of 10 metric tons of grain, 100 mats, and 100 blankets was made by CONASUR, a government food security agency to those staying in shelters, but this was finished in one day.
We are co-ordinating with the Crisis Committee, but are unaware of any other response at present by local authorities. Christian Aid and the Red Cross are now also responding, and we are liasing with them.
How to Help APPEAL CLOSING
Update: 24 Oct 2006: The appeal for help for the flood relief effort is closing from 31 Oct 2006. If more help is needed for future developments, I will keep you informed.
If you are wish to support other the rest of our work in Gorom-Gorom, please send cheques made payable to World Horizons to:
USA
Burkina Faso Sahel Account
World Horizons
PO Box 17721,
Richmond,
VA 23226
USA
UK
Burkina Faso Sahel Account
World Horizons
North Dock
Llanelli
Carms SA15 2LF
UK
Thank you.
I will keep you updated as I get news. Please pray. Thank you.
Tags: burkina faso africa burkina photos gorom flood emergency aid crisis gorom-gorom
August 12, 2006
My local butcher
Just what it says - my local butcher in Gorom-Gorom. In the villages people rarely eat meat, because it would mean killing one of your own precious animals, which are your security and stock for the future. They are usually only killed on special occasions, such as the arrival of visitors or a religious festival.
In the towns, such as Gorom-Gorom, a few animals are killed - usually goats and sheep, but occasionally a bull or camel - at the slaughter-house each morning, depending on who has animals to sell and is in need of money. Town people can then - if they have the money - buy a handful of meat for the evening meal. On market day, when people come in from the villages, if the market goes well for them, they too may then treat themselves and their children.
Tags: burkina faso africa burkina photos work market meat butcher food
August 06, 2006
What a difference a week makes in Burkina Faso
The death of Joseph Sankara, father of former president Thomas Sankara,this week has added to a week already full of emotive memories for Burkina Faso.
Yesterday, August 5th, was Burkina Faso's Independance Day. On Aug. 5, 1960, Upper Volta, as it was then called, achieved full independence from France, and the country is therefore just 68 days older than me! The new president Maurice Yameogo inherited an impoverished country that had lacked the kind of investment France had given to neighbouring Cote d'Ivoire, and he was later deposed in a coup in 1966.
The day before, Friday August 4th, was the anniversary of the "Popular Revolution" that brought the remarkable Thomas Sankara to power in 1983, and of the changing of the country's name to Burkina Faso ("Land of Honourable Men") in 1984. Thomas Sankara, "Africa's Che Guevara", was committed to social welfare, women's rights, and eradicating corruption. His rule was however at times somewhat extreme, and he was eventually deposed himself by the current president, Blaise Compaore. He was killed during that coup.
Thomas Sankara is today remembered with popular affection, and the death of his father Joseph, aged 85, on Friday August 4th, the same day as the anniversary of the revolution, must have been particularly poignant for the population. The death of Joseph Sankara has been noted in several of the country's newspapers, including Sidwaya , and l'Observateur.
Tags: africa burkina burkina faso thomas sankara independance coup upper volta
July 29, 2006
Burkina Faso could sue the US!
Apparently, Burkina Faso and other West African cotton-growing countries are considering taking legal action against the US and its cotton subsidies, which are undermining the economies of poorer countries like Burkina.
Africast reports:
"African countries on Thursday warned they may launch a legal challenge over subsidies to cotton producers in rich countries, notably the United States, after the collapse of talks aimed at making global commerce fairer."
The countries are talking with Brazil, which won an earlier legal challenge to America's illegal cotton subsidies.
Tags: burkina faso africa burkina trade wto cotton justice poverty development subsidies farming agriculture
July 26, 2006
More on Cotton in Burkina. And re-thinking emergency Aid
Cotton
Following my posting on cotton a few days ago, the BBC have just filed this report on the struggles faced by cotton farmers in Burkina Faso, and the temptation to protectionism as a response to the inequities of American subsidies. Meanwhile, the US and EU continue to blame each other for the failure of the latest WTO talks, for which - as always - the poorer countries will be the ones to suffer in the fall-out of richer nations' bickering.
Aid
The BBC also reports on Oxfam's call for a re-examination of the approach to emergency aid. Oxfam say that recent emergencies have focused attention on immediate aid without enough attention to longer-term development strategies, and that aid is often late and expensive. They recommend buying aid locally and focusin on small-scale, low-tech development strategies such as livestock purchase deals as ways to break the cycle of dependance.
Tags: burkina faso africa burkina aid trade wto cotton justice poverty development subsidies farming agriculture
July 22, 2006
Murder suspect freed in the Zongo case
The BBC and UN report that the former head of Burkina's presidential guard, Marcel Kafaondo, has had charges dropped against him for the murder of journalist Norbert Zongo (pictured), due to lack of evidence.
Kafando had already been convicted for the murder of David Ouedraogo, the chauffeur of the president's brother. It was this murder that Zongo was investigating when he was killed in 1998. He and three others were found burned and bullet-ridden in Zongo's car, 100km from Ouaga. The official investigation in 1999 into Zongo's murder concluded that Zongo's death was for political reasons linked to his research, and six presidential bodyguards were identified as suspects.
Zongo was the country's most well-known and outspoken journalist, and publishing manager of the Burkina national newspaper l'Independant. His murder, and the apparent impunity of those behind it, sparked country-wide protests with street demonstrations by students, and vocal criticism by the press. After an initial official crackdown on the demonstrations, a more conciliatory approach was tried by the presidency, and the long-term benefit of the case has been a response of the government to public pressure to increase democracy and transparency in the country's institutions.
The "Zongo case" has continued, 8 years later, to stir people's emotions in Burkina. Especially in his home town of Koudougou, the anniversary of his death is remembered and marked, and this has kept a degree of pressure for justice. The latest ruling is being noted with disappointment and frustration, and leaves a lack of closure on a key wound for a country wanting to move forward into a new future.
Tags: burkina faso africa burkina norbert zongo journalism justice
July 19, 2006
US cotton farmers see the effects of American subsidies on Africa
A poor man's field may produce abundant food, but injustice sweeps it away."
(Prov 13:23)
A while ago, I wrote about the US cotton subsidies, how they depress world prices and harm the economy of poor cotton-producing countries such as Burkina Faso. Burkina loses more money through the effect of US cotton subsidies than it receives through US aid. These subsidies have been declared illegal by the WTO.
Then, to the hope of millions, the US announced it was scrapping its cotton subsidies.
US farmers see the reality for themselves
But it seems there is still a problem. US cotton farmers have recently visited Burkina's neighbour, Mali, and said themselves that US cotton subsidies are hurting Africans and "worsening hardship in the world's poorest region". In 2004-05, $4.2 billion in government subsidies was given to just 25 000 US cotton producers, affecting between 15 and 20 million people in Africa who depend on the crop.
In addition, a paper produced by TCS observes: "The vast majority of these and other commodity subsidies go to the largest and most profitable farm operations. ... one farm in Arkansas received $23 million in cotton subsidies between fiscal years 1996 and 2001."
The situation as it stands
So what happened to that "scrapping" of the subsidies?
Well, in fact, Congress only agreed to scrap one part of the subsidies (the the Step 2 cotton export subsidy program if you are interested), and that only comes into effect as from next month. Oxfam does a good analysis of that decision here.
It was a good start, but leaves $3.2 billion in annual cotton subsidies and $1.6 billion in export credits untouched - all equally illegal and unjust.
West Africa have seen a 14% increase in their cotton yields, but the absence of an equitable price, caused by the western subsidies, meant a 31% loss in the income they received from it. While the price of imports such as oil are rising, the price Burkina can receive for its key export is falling due to western subsidies. So we keep Burkina poor by our unjust trade rules, and then appease our consciences by giving a few million in aid.
International deliberations
Ahead of the WTO, the leaders of Burkina Faso, Mali, Chad and Benin have been continuing their fight for the elimination of cotton subsidies worldwide. President Blaise Compaore of Burkina Faso spoke to the Trade Negotiating Committee of the WTO in June, and, with the president of Mali, has written a letter to the New York Times condemning the subsidies.
One year after the climax of the Make Poverty History campaign at the G8 summit in Edinburgh, the EU and US are still arguing over who needs to make more cuts to their subsidies and tariffs. The Middle East crisis then inevitably kicked concern for Africa onto the sidelines. Yesterday, there was more hope as trade ministers have been sent to meet at the WTO with a principle of "more flexibility" in the aim of resolving the issues of trade subsidies and tariffs.
Parallel to the G8 summit in Russia, there is another summit in Gao in Mali, trying to bring attention to the region's issues. With immigration from Africa to Europe a major concern for the "rich nations", the gathering in Mali observes that "working to improve the standard of living in sub-Saharan Africa is the only way to stem the tide of immigration".
Justice and common sense
The obvious injustice of the vast discrepency of wealth between the rich and poor world is also a cause for international social disruption - whether that be immigration or terrorism.
Justice in trade rules for the poor, giving a fair income for their work, is not only right on its own merit, but is beneficial to all. It gives dignity to people, allowing them to work to improve their lives rather than being so dependant on aid. And it takes away one of the main incentives to the international social unrest that so threatens our world today.
Please pray and campaign for trade justice for the poor:
UK:
Tear Fund
US: ONE
A good paper by Oxfam on the cotton issue is available here.
Tags: burkina faso africa burkina aid trade wto cotton justice poverty g8 subsidies farming agriculture
July 17, 2006
What do Burkina Faso, the Vatican, and Afghanistan have in common?
None of them, along with 95 other countries have McDonalds.
In fact only three countries in Africa - the three wealthiest - have the Golden Arches.
Blessed are the poor, for they shall not have a Big Mac.
Tags: burkina burkina faso africa mdconalds big mac
July 11, 2006
Osama bin Laden in Burkina Faso
The face of Osama bin Laden glared down at me from his camel, a kalashnikov gun in his hand.
Fortunately, he was only on the front of a t-shirt of a young boy, who was standing listening as I chatted at Gorom-Gorom market with some friends. Bin Laden is not physically in Burkina Faso, of course - in spite of the occasional local rumour he was hiding out it Deou, a remote market town north of Gorom-Gorom. However, t-shirts with his face are widespread - although not as widely seen now as in 2002. But what does this mean - does he really have so much support here?
"Ada anndi mo, naa?" I asked the boy. "Do you know who he is?"
"Samma Biladden" the boy replied knowledgably.
"Uh-huh, and who is he?"
The boy shrugged. No idea. I asked my friends, who also didn't know. I reminded them of the events of 9-11, which they had heard of on the radio, and they looked with renewed concern at the boy's t-shirt, the boy now squirming with the sudden attention directed at his chest.
"Robel mawdo!" I heard them say with alarm and awe. "He is a major bad guy!"
Wahhabiya Islam and a bit of dress sense
In the period after 9/11, ObL t-shirts were to be seen everywhere, worn around Gorom-Gorom and sold at the market, with ObL in various heroic poses. Like the boy I met, many people who have no idea who ObL is, and who certainly would not support his cause, were trotting round Gorom with his face adorning their chests. If you have no money to buy new clothes, and someone offers you a free t-shirt, what will you say...?
I can only imagine that someone with a lot of money had them made and shipped in, and then distributed or sold very cheaply through the network of Wahhabiya Muslims there. This is the Islamic sect to which ObL belongs. It doesn't imply that the Wahhabiya in Gorom support ObL of course, anymore than the Gorom church receiving t-shirts for distribution with David Beckham on should be seen as England football supporters.
The Wahhabiya are a Sunni sect, a more conservative, and revivalist group than the other Muslim sects in Gorom. (We have 4 altogether, including the Tijaniyya, the Ahmadiyya, and the Qadiriyya). However, the Wahhabiya in Gorom are generally peacable - certainly not extremist or terrorist. But they are fairly new arrivals in Gorom - in the last 10 years - and their particular form of Islam (traditional dress, rejection of the use of charms, way of praying etc) has set them apart and caused some tensions - even arguments - with the other sects.
They are not wealthy, but they do get money from somewhere - for example, to build their mosque (another cause for fall-out with the other Muslims, who claimed there should only be one "Friday mosque" in town). Maybe the same source provided the ObL t-shirts. Maybe they were surplus to requirement - after all, Wahhibiya Muslims don't generally wear t-shirts...
By their clothes shall you know them...?
In any case, most people wearing the t-shirts, like the boy at market, have no idea who ObL is. This is higlighted by this picture of a sweet young mother and friend of ours in Gorom. It might not be obvious, but she is wearing an Osama bin Laden t-shirt, and an Assemblies of God skirt - and with no idea what either of them are! Both were probably given to her.
Sometimes dress can tell you something about the person wearing the clothes. And - whether that is an ObL t-shirt, or a "hoody", that can initially be frightening. But sometimes the reason for what the person is wearing is not what we think, and we can wrongly judge them. Sometimes, the only way to find out is to get past our fear, and to get to know the person and their story.
Clothing doesn't last long here. The ObL t-shirts have by now mostly been worn too thin to last. They have been replaced by ones with President Blaise Compaore (after last year's elections), which will no doubt soon be supplanted by the cast-offs from this year's World Cup. Expect to see Zidane and Beckham and co in Gorom soon. But don't read too much into their popularity...
Tags: burkina burkina faso africa osama bin laden clothes islam wahibiya 9-11 hoodies
July 04, 2006
Ouagadougou taxi-drivers gambling on international markets
Three in the front and four in the back is the legal limit for taxis in Ouagadougou.
Ouaga's ubiquitous lime-green taxis are an assortment of mostly run-down old Peugeots, Toyotas and even Mercedes, mostly with little in the way of suspension, and often with a suspicious lack of steering or brakes. The taxi-driver rarely owns his own vehicle, usually renting it from some enterprising and presumably wealthy patron.
A fare wage...?
The going rate is 200cfa (20p) for a single journey - that is, a journey in or out of town on one of the main tarmac roads. If you want to be dropped off at your door, needing a diversion from the main road, be prepared to pay extra. Or, if you want to cross the centre of town to a suburb on the other side, you will either need to take a second taxi, or negotiate for the fu