Ethiopia in the Press

A week ago, CNN and BBC were plastered with news of escalating conflict in the Horn of Africa, with Ethiopia’s troops still in Somalia and the United States’ attempts to catch terrorists with bombs. But what have you heard about the county I currently call my home this week? Nothing. Yet, this week, a story just as news worthy has stormed the city of Addis Ababa: the African Union Summit. All weekend, roads have been closed off and police line the streets to ensure safe arrival to the likes of Ban Ki Moon (the new UN Secretary General), African presidents such as Bashir or Mugabe, and, perhaps with slightly less security, the continent’s policy makers.

I crave a mainstream media source that will give the same type of coverage and attention to this meeting as they have to the World Economic Forum in Davos this past week. I know it’s been said before- Africa is sidelined and pigeon holed in the media, where only stories of conflict and disaster grab the global spotlight- but it wasn’t until I arrived here that I realized just how much action is happening on the ground. I feel that without media attention, the outcomes of this type of meeting will not be supported to successful action. Put the spotlight on Africa, not just for more aid and new initiatives run by Western donors, but for support of sophisticated indigenous action that is already taking place.

nukes, terrorists and US hegemony, OH MY!

While this is a fairly useless post, as it has no recommendations for action and only big unanswerable questions, I will post it nonetheless to let you into my current view of things international.

We live in a very interesting time. Look at the democratic election of a so-called terroris group in Palestine, the purchase of nuclear capabilities by Iran, and the emerging power of China if you don't believe me. At points in my young life I'd thought that we were coming to an era, or even a permanent future, of peace and international cooperation. But as I study more and become more aware of international dynamics (especially in relation to US hegemony) I see more chaos and negative action than order. The question is if we see it this way, and there seem to be many that see it this way, why is the world continuing on this trajectory?

Please respond to my slightly pessamistic, but not opressive, view.