With Egypt setting up a ‘Nile Basin Tournament’ for countries across the region, Chambi Chachage considers football’s political role and the broader diplomatic stakes surrounding the tournament.

TrustAfrica is an established African foundation set up to work on the continental level ‘explicitly on issues with regional and continental dimensions’. Bhekinkosi Moyo discusses the organisation’s background and strategy.

IkamvaYouth, a township-based volunteer programme that gets learners out of poverty and into university has once again shown that transformation is possible, despite the odds.

Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan is working hard to convince people that he will ‘deliver credible elections’, with the appointment of electoral commissioner Attahiru Jega. But, writes Uche Igwe, ‘a functional system rather than an individual is what is needed’ to sanitise a process that has become ‘a vehicle for electoral fraud’.

With Nigeria not yet compliant with the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), Uche Igwe calls for greater transparency in the country’s extractive industry.

Drawing on the history of Alfred Nobel’s legacy and the administration in Norway of his prizes, Annar Cassam considers the role of the head of the Norwegian Nobel Committee Thorbjorn Jagland in the selection of peace prize winners.

African countries should look at the post-Cold War experiences of China, Japan, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore ‘to produce our own intellectual infrastructure for development and progress with freedom and dignity’, writes Okello Oculi.

Reflecting on the words of former Kenyan president Daniel arap Moi, Isaac Newton Kinity considers a slogan – ‘Watajikaanga na mafuta yao’ (‘They will fry themselves with their own fat’) – that has puzzled Kenyans up to the present day.

‘African leaders must learn to accept defeat with equanimity and put national interest and continental prosperity above selfish quest for power,’ writes Uche Igwe.

Uche Igwe travels to Nigeria’s Bayelsa State and, despite an influx of oil dollars, finds appalling poverty, lack of infrastructure and a volatile pre-2011 election period.

While the UN nears the beginning of the celebration of the International Year of Afro-Descendents, the Brazilian state should face fierce criticism for its willingness to distribute a ‘classic’ children’s book featuring stereotyped black characters in schools, writes Eliane Cavalleiro.

Despite high levels of sexual violence against women, South African society is curiously complacent about tackling the issue, writes Glenda Muzenda.

It’s time to say no to carbon emissions reduction schemes that prioritise the economic interests of the West over the development needs of the South, writes Maurice O. Odhiambo.

Like Chief Nanga in Chinua Achebe’s ‘A Man of the People’, today’s politicians in Zimbabwe ‘preach one thing and practice another’, writes Levi Kabwato.

Uganda’s government departments would do better to listen to the internal voices of staff and citizens than to the advice of external consultants if they want to develop policies that benefit the people, writes Norah Owaraga.

UK loans to low-income countries will make the poor pay twice for climate change, writes Nick Dearden.

As the world marks Human Rights Day on 10 December, Henning Melber argues that it is time for people across the globe to take back the meaning of human rights.

Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga showed scant knowledge of homosexuality in recent statements on the subject. Now is the time for full apology, says Rasna Warah.

Admitting his ‘staggering disappointment’, Samuel Abonyo reports that while ‘occupation’ influences funeral announcements in Kenya, ‘tribe’ is the primary determinant.

Economic growth that fails to take into account social and environmental impacts will not allow us to tackle critical global issues such as climate change and poverty reduction. The focus should be on quality not quantity, writes Muna Lakhani.