Afghanistan: more coherence within the international community

One of my friends called my attention to the recent attacks against international organisations in Afghanistan. In both cases –International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) – the Taliban targeted organisations that had signed a memorandum of understanding with the NATO-led force ISAF.

This coincidence sounds very much like a message being sent by the extremists. The message back should then be very clear: it should be about a greater degree of coherence and unity within the international community, around a shared political agenda. That’s actual the only way forward in Afghanistan. Now and after 2014. 

France and Mali

France is placing undue pressure on the UN Secretariat regarding the deployment of peacekeepers to the recently approved mission in Mali. It shows very little respect for the UN’s independence when it comes to the selection of the Troop Contributing Countries. For instance, the French want the Chadians to be part of the UN force at any cost, even if N’Djaména does not meet some of the criteria. This is creating, once again, an anti-French wave within the UN Headquarters. Such malaise is being aptly used by some older hands at DPKO and in other departments, who never miss an opportunity to attack the French. 

Peacekeeping by the UN

We celebrate today the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers. This is a core UN function and one of best known signatures of the UN.

As a former UN Peacekeeper, my wish on the occasion of this year’s commemoration is to see a greater deployment of EU troops and Police to peacekeeping operations led by the UN.

A view of Chechnya

I participated in a discussion about financing development co-operation this morning. Friends of Europe, an NGO close to the European Commission, sponsored the discussion.

As it is often the case, these discussions are too ambitious in terms of the scope and the number of speakers and too light when it comes to depth and substance. The organisers tend to invite a large number of panellists. That leaves little time for each one of them and even less for an exchange with the participants. It would be much better to have just a couple of keynote speakers, who could then speak extensively about their ideas and experience.

I ended up talking to the fellow seated next to me. I found out he has been in Belgium for about ten years, after fleeing civil conflict in Chechnya. And also that he and his community feel much stressed after the events of Boston.  Many people look at them now as potential terrorists. There is suspicion in the air. And all over the place the secret polices have decided to spend a bit of their free time monitoring these refugees. It is, he told me, as if they had found a pretty good reason to keep themselves busy.

Well, image is everything, as some people like to say. But image can be deeply unfair. 

Supporting international operations

I spent the last couple of days in Lisbon. I had been invited to go back to Portugal to deliver a lecture about the logistics of aid projects at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.

I ended up by focussing the audience’s attention on the support required by emergency operations, large-scale humanitarian assistance and peacekeeping. These are the civilian areas where logistics are major challenges. Aid projects are now more and more focussed on soft matters, like good governance, and they call for little logistical support.

And I also told them that a good logistician needs to develop a rhinoceros hide. A very deep skin indeed. My experience has shown that when everything is going smoothly, nobody says that the chief logistician is an excellent professional. As soon as something goes wrong, like a generator that stops abruptly or the fuel that runs low, everyone starts blaming the incompetence of the logistics fellows. 

Dilma in Africa

Dilma Roussef, the President of Brazil, is back in Africa, to attend the AU Summit. This is her third visit to the Continent this year.

Brazil, which is ranked the seventh economy in the world, has understood that a stronger footing in Africa is good for its long term interests. More and more Brazilian corporations are looking for new investment opportunities in Africa, particularly in minerals and other natural resources. In many ways, Brazil sees itself competing with fellow BRICS countries –China and South Africa –, which are also deeply keen to expand their economic ties with many African states.

During her current visit, Dilma announced that Brazil will cancel or restructure almost $900m worth of debt with Africa. This is a wise decision, with a wide political impact, and little financial costs for an economy as big as the Brazilian. It serves her country’s interests well and helps the 12 African countries concerned. 

Africa's Day

Today is Africa’s Day! This blog wants to associate itself to the celebrations. Having spent 29 years working in many corners of Africa, I feel I have shared a good part of my life with many people in the Continent –I worked in some many countries. I felt the distress that came out of conflicts, oppression and corruption. But I have also celebrated a number of times, when progress took roots, democracy and human rights were put in place, or when cooperation between neighbouring states gained ground.

Africa is diverse. Some regions have done better than others. Central Africa remains behind and requires special attention. But, in general terms, 50 years on there is plenty to be happy about.

There are also major challenges. The most daunting one is very often ignored. It has to do with the extremely rapid rate of population growth. Africa needs to address its demographic transition without further delays. And that goes through a number of avenues, the most important of which is the empowerment of the African women. 

The Nordic model in flames

Riots for five consecutive nights in Stockholm, Sweden, are raising many question marks about the so-called Nordic social model. This is now a hotly debated theme in Brussels and other cities of Europe. People are just coming to the conclusion that the model only worked when such societies remained closed to the outside world, ethnically homogeneous, small in numbers and rich in natural resources.

The “Nanny States” they have created led to a citizenry that is over-protected, mild in their ambitions and alien to the rest of the planet. They only feel comfortable among themselves.

But, these are also very generous societies. They have accepted large number of refugees coming from Somalia, Iraq, Afghanistan and other troubled parts of the world. The problem is that they and specially their children do not fit in societies that have always been based on blond hair and light eyes. 

Rio de Janeiro is now a safer place

Rio de Janeiro is today a much safer place than in the past. The city and state authorities have invested heavily of public security: police is pretty visible in key areas of Rio, the favelas have gone through a “pacification” programme that has shown results, informal means of transportation such as those known as “vans” are better monitored and gang leaders have been either arrested or killed in police operations and others have migrated to other cities. The subway system is also better controlled, including during the rush hours, when the practice of “Women only” carriages is implement with a great degree of success. One feels more tranquil when walking the streets or taking public transportation.

Outside Rio, in many other states, security remains a serious issue.  

In small towns, close to beaches and resorts patronised by the very rich, the police seems to be very “responsive” to the needs of the millionaires. Unorthodox ways are used to make sure that law and order is undisturbed. Local rogues learn very quickly that they better move fast to large urban centres, such as Sao Paulo. Slow learners might not get a second chance…

Brazil

Back home, after a three-week trek across Brazil. I should actually say, after visiting a couple of places because the country is so vast and diverse that in a few weeks one can only get a light grasp of a very rich, intense and dynamic nation such as Brazil. Three weeks is just enough to get a break off the pessimism and self-destruction that is gaining ground in Europe and breath a bit of the optimism and confidence in the future. And feel the sense of opportunity that is now so strong in that country. Were I young, I would move there, I thought, on my way back to “little” Europe!