Give Peace a Chance

The African Union (AU) has put forward a four-point formula to end the civil war in Libya. These points are: an immediate ceasefire by all military actions; continued humanitarian aid to those in need; protection of foreigners, including African expatriates living in Libya; and creation of a necessary political reforms agenda to eliminate the causes of the present crisis. This is all a clear indication that the AU is calling for peace. It also calls into question the way the international community goes about approaching conflict in North Africa and other countries around the world. The approach needs to be impartial but seldom is. Using force and counter-violence cannot be an option when seeking a peaceful resolution. The concept of an eye for an eye in North Africa, or elsewhere, is outdated and counter-productive. And more importantly is the tragedy that falls on innocent people during these conflicts, most notably the millions of refugees who bear the brunt of international intervention. We often hear the rhetoric of leaders from the West saying "never and never again must this happen" when conflict occurs in Africa, but they perpetuate this with their own intervention. Examples are many, such as Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia where foreign intervention has not had the desired effect. The AU should be allowed to follow its agenda in Libya and foreign forces need to leave as soon as possible. African needs to be allowed to resolve its own problems and be responsible for the consequence of its own peoples' problems.

Jacob Puli, Kenya

Women in Politics

We certainly are living in changing times. South African local government elections in May made news in areas other than the political fight going on between the ANC ruling party and the DA opposition. A DA promotion poster showed the faces of three women, the top hierarchy of the party in the Western Cape region, is something unusual in these parts. Seeing the poster, voters and even those who don't vote must be wondering if this is a feminist party and whether a vote for the party means that it will be to the advantage of women. What is encouraging is that it at least shows women belong in politics and women no longer need to take a back seat in decision making. It's good news for women in South Africa and we need to take advantage of our time in the spotlight. But as analysts have said that a poster of three women means little unless it is supported by effective policies that benefit all women.

Alice Manderai, South Africa

Keeping It Real

Discovering your magazine has been a wonderful experience. I admire your efforts and now can't miss a copy of your publication. This magazine gives us a real picture of various developments and relationships that exist between China and Africa.

It is undisputable that China has taken over as the leading development partner in Africa as far as infrastructure is concerned. The most important thing is that the friendly Chinese people are also providing technical, as well as academic support so that Africans can become more self-reliant in various fields. I wish I had the chance to meet and interact with the Chinese people to learn their culture and different skills.

Allan Kachisa, Malawi

President Tweeter

Social media has definitely taken on a new direction. We recently saw the heated exchange on Twitter between a journalist Ian Birrell and the President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, in what must be a first for a head of state. This shows now how anyone with a Twitter account can respond to comments across different continents and cultures. It also brings into play the fact that a head of state can personally respond to criticism about him or his country without political protocol. And all this was done in full view of anyone with a Twitter account. I wonder if this will set a trend for other African leaders and perhaps bring a new meaning to the concept of transparency. From the view of a Rwandan I think it is great that our president replied to this journalist's comments, who is a regular critic of Rwanda and seems to have little facts to back up his statement. We want our leader to stand up for our country's image and if this means doing that on Twitter then we applaud him. It also shows our leader is a modern man who follows new technology and media trends. This exchange may herald a ground-breaking shift in how interviews and other media information is responded to and accepted.

Forest Hakizimana, Rwanda