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! 

Absence due to extensive travel schedule

THIS BLOG WILL BE "ABSENT" UP TO 21 MAY.

PUBLICATION WILL RESUME ON 22 MAY.

Thanks. 

Mali needs a much longer political transition

There will be a second donor conference for Mali on 15 May in Brussels. I am afraid it will be another game of smoke and mirrors. Promises, promises, and further promises. The first one, at the end of January in Addis Ababa produced over 450 million dollars of pledges but little –only about a quarter of that amount –has effectively been made available. The humanitarian needs are far from being met. Food vulnerability is widespread in the North. Money for the reform of the armed forces and the security sector has not materialised. The dialogue and reconciliation process is not supported. Public administration is starved of funds and paralysed 

And I am also afraid there will additional pressure on the Transitional Government to move faster on the preparations for the July elections –presidential and legislative –when everybody knows that elections at this early stage are not a solution. The transition phase requires a much longer period of time. 

Italian politics: some good news

Seen from where I sit, the new Italian government looks good. It has a broad basis, its outlook is modern and it seems to be able to have a strong voice in the affairs of Europe. One should be a little optimistic about its future performance and also about its contribution to balancing power within the EU.

I am also convinced the markets will react positively to the composition of this cabinet. 

Brussels lunches and dinners

Brussels is a lobbyists’ paradise. I am told there are close to 30,000 living around the European institutions and other entities. One can imagine how many invitations for lunch and dinner the big shots in the EU Commission, Council, Parliament, and elsewhere get every week…One should also imagine the flow of gifts and favours that is taking place on a daily basis…

It is also a spies’ heaven. Nobody knows exactly how many they are. The head of the Belgian secret service talks about many hundreds but who knows? In any case, their presence means plenty of lunch and dinner invitations too. That’s the most classical way of getting information.

It is also said the city houses the largest press corps in the world. It is true that the number of journos  has decreased during the last few years, because of the crisis and its impact on the resources made available to the media. But it is still a large number, close to a thousand people accredited with the EU alone. That is also a lot of invitations for a good meal…At least, as far as the largest papers and TV stations are concerned, because the scribblers from smaller outfits are more interested in being invited that anything else. They are always looking for a free meal…

Taking all this into account, maybe I should envisage opening a classy restaurant in the international district of Brussels. I am sure it is good business…