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Adventurer

Joined: 28 Jan 2006
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Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 9:38 pm Post subject: Benin becomes unlikely democracy leader |
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Benin becomes unlikely democracy leader By KATHARINE HOURELD, Associated Press Writer
Sat Jan 27, 3:04 PM ET
COTONOU, Benin - When this West African nation ran short of funds to finance its election machinery, voters raised cash, loaned computers, and lit up vote-counting centers with their motorcycle headlights.
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The unusual display of people power demonstrated how a Marxist dictatorship once nicknamed "Africa's Cuba" has become an unlikely leader of Africa's checkered path to democracy.
Oscar Zinzindohoue, a cloth vendor, said the sight of those sputtering motorbikes gave him hope for democracy.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070127/ap_on_re_af/african_example
[Let's have more posts not related to the Middle East i.e. Africa, Asia, and Europe. ] |
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Woland
Joined: 10 May 2006 Location: Seoul
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Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2007 5:38 am Post subject: |
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Saw this today. Very interesting. Makes me want to visit and see what's going on there. |
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Adventurer

Joined: 28 Jan 2006
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Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2007 7:41 am Post subject: |
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It goes to show that what I was saying earlier about Africans have to have a chance to develop and simply condemning Africans as backwards as one poster did because they are not at the same stage in every country is unfair. Also, Africa contains many countries. The article mentioned several countries in Africa becoming democratic. Transparent African governments could encourage investment. I think the EU, Canada, and the U.S. should forge more links with developing African democracies before China does. |
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mithridates

Joined: 03 Mar 2003 Location: President's office, Korean Space Agency
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bucheon bum
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2007 12:31 pm Post subject: |
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I saw that article as well on yahoo yesterday. Thanks for posting it. I think there are a lot of promising areas in Africa. |
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Adventurer

Joined: 28 Jan 2006
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Posted: Mon Jan 29, 2007 2:23 am Post subject: |
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bucheon bum wrote: |
I saw that article as well on yahoo yesterday. Thanks for posting it. I think there are a lot of promising areas in Africa. |
I would like to see more people commenting on democratic development in places like Benin and Liberia. In order for African states to progress economically, they need a stable political order. Investment should come into those countries and I think prominent African Americans or black Canadians should reach out to some areas of Africa to help those places and encourage a cultural exchange and to help people see that Africans are capable of development of progress.
You are welcome, Bucheon. I think we need to look for good news in the world and how we can help each other and build bridges including economic ones. |
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