Mobile Radio Station - Central Africa

In 1997, UN approached the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs with regards to a very particular form of aid.

UN has peacekeeping mission (MINURCA) stationed in the Republic of Central Africa, which is an unstable corner of Africa. In the autumn of 1997, a general election was to take place in the country and UN wanted a mobile radio station, which could broadcast impartial information about the general election to the population and educate the citizens in voting procedures. Approximately 60 percent are illiterate, so the radio would be just the right source of information.

It was aid for such a mobile radio station, UN wanted from Denmark. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs accorded approx. DKK 3 million to the project, and DaniCom, DR (Denmark's Radio), which has specialised in the communication in developing countries assigned a couple of technicians to develop a radio station, a studio, control room, and an FM transmitter, which was to be assembled in the airport by the capitol Banqui. It was all packed in flight cases, shipped to the Republic of Central Africa and assembled over the summer.

Together with the station came two radio technicians from DR, who helped with the instalment of the radio station and with training of the staff.

Later on a short wave transmitter was put up, so the messages of the radio could reach further into the country.

The mobile radio, which was also to spread knowledge of MINURCA's work to the country, immediately became the most listened to radio station.

The intention was to move it on to other fire points when the mission was completed, but it still stands in Banqui.

During the Kosovo conflict, the establishment of another mobile radio station was discussed, but the crisis had ended before the radio became reality.

Protest against the FAO

The British government has announced that Great Britain has reserved the right to leave the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the UN in two years, unless fast reforms of strategy and management are implemented. This sharp reaction comes after the re-election in November of Senegalese Jacques Diouf, for another six years, to the post of Director General for UN's largest specialised agency. He beat his rival, the Argentine Juan Carlos Vignaud, by a 137 votes against 26 on the FAO conference in Rome.

Vignaud candidated on a reform programme and believed to have the majority within reach, but this proved to be idle talk. The British are the fifth largest donators to FAO budget and the largest bilateral donor to specific programmes.

A few years ago, Denmark took action against the re-election of the then FAO Director, but to no use. The rival was Moise Mensah from Benin.

News on Norbert Zongo

International media organisations have once again criticised the government of Burkina Faso for not doing enough to persecute the persons guilty of the murder of the journalist and writer Norbert Zongo in December 1998.

The organisations have also asked aid suppliers to coerce the Bourkinate government to take action in the case.

Reporters Sans Frontièrs has organised a media campaign in several Western African states, including Benin, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Mali, Niger, and Togo, where about 20 newspapers have run an advertisement with a photo of Zongo's burned-out car and the text “For the President of Burkina Faso. You gave promises of the guilty in the murder of Norbert Zongo”.

Several demonstrations have been held in the capital of Ougadougou on account of Zongo's death, and on December 14, 1999, the day after his death a year ago, a general strike was once again arranged because of the lack of progress in the authorities' examinations of the murder, writes the Pan-African News Agency. (See Udvikling issue 7/99 on Burkina Faso).

On the contrary, the proposal for a new Constitution, which has now been presented by a predominantly Mugabe-loyal commission, gives Mugabe the opportunity to run for additional presidential terms instead of limiting his time in office (he has been the uninterrupted leader of Zimbabwe since the sovereignty of 1980).

In addition, widespread martial law will continue, independent and neutrally supervised elections are not secured, basic civil rights are mentioned only in vague terms, and the possibility of brutal assaults on the press continues to be present.

The Constitution proposal is taken to the national polls in January 2000, and a forum of opposition, “The National Constitutional Assembly” (NCA) has prepared an alternative proposal stating that it wants to be on the ballot as well so that the Zimbabweans can choose between what the NCA calls “the President's Constitution” and “the people's Constitution”. However, that is unlikely to happen.

Meanwhile, the economic crisis is growing ever worse. According to an assessment from the British government, the remaining reserves of accessible foreign currency in the central bank of Zimbabwe covers only the imports of a few days.

CG for Ghana

Foreign supporters congratulated Ghana on the progress toward stabilising its economy at the so-called CG conference with the government in Accra in November 1999 and reacted by promising aggregate support of 1.7 billion dollars for the years 2000-2001.

The Western African country certainly needs the money after significant drops in currency revenues due to decreasing world market prices on the most important export goods, gold and cocoa. The supporters encouraged Ghana to maintain a tight fiscal policy and present realistic savings plans, but no real effort has been made because of the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections in 2000.

However anti-poverty efforts are paying off. A new report shows that the segment of poor people has dropped from 51 percent in 1991-1992 to 43 percent in 1998-1999. Similarly the percentage of people living in absolute poverty has decreased from 36 to 29 percent during the same period.

CG for Vietnam

The willingness of the Vietnamese to discuss important and amply delayed economic reforms gave rise to confidence among foreign supporters at the annual so-called CG conference taking place in Hanoi in December 1999.

The donors reacted by promising aggregate support of 2.1 billion dollars for year 2000, slightly more than 1999, of which 540 million are grants and the rest are low-interest loans. Another 700 million dollars will be available as an extra bonus if the speed of the reforms progress increases.

In addition, the government in Hanoi was praised on this occasion for its committed anti-poverty efforts, which has caused a remarkable drop in the number of Vietnamese citizens living under the official poverty line. While 58 percent were under the limit in 1993, the percentage was down to 37 percent in 1998.

However approximately one million new jobs must be created each year to keep unemployment down and economic growth up, and that can only be accomplished through a strengthening of the private sector that is way too small and weak. But this is where the conservative stalwarts in the governing Communist Party continue to show resistance.

Above document provided as background for The Drum Beat #57

DANIDA, the Danish International Development Agency, supports communication for development. There is currently a policy revision taking place. These articles and activities indicate pathways for future activities relatingto communication for development. Not all activities are supported by DANIDA.

Inge Estvad (journalist, est@image.dk), Finn Rasmussen (Communication Adviser, IBIS Ecuador, frasmussen@andinanet.net) and Thomas Tufte, Ph.D. (Professor, Roskilde University ttufte@ruc.dk) gathered the material that provides comprehensive insight into the policies and programmes selected.