Daily Archives: September 23, 2008

Environment

Eau de victory

New Internationalist

For in interactive map and more information visit
www.remunicipalisation.org

Water privatization has been high on the globalizers’ agenda for the last decade. But privatizers haven’t all found it easy to get their way. Vibrant campaigns by residents, trade unionists and environmental activists have been so successful – and privatization experiments so disastrous – that a push towards the de-privatization of water services is gathering a head of steam. A new website – www.remunicipalisation.org – highlights and celebrates the growing trend of returning failing privately managed water services to public management, which is manifesting itself in parts of South America, North America and Africa. Continue reading Eau de victory →

Zimbabwe

three-legged race

Africa Confidential

After months of tense negotiations, Morgan Tsvangirai has settled for much less than his supporters voted for

The agreement reached in Harare on 15 September may not be what Zimbabweans wanted, but it was the best the negotiators could get after various governments had tried to prod President Robert Mugabe into making more concessions. Now Mugabe remains President, with opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai as Prime Minister and his former colleague Arthur Mutambara as his Deputy. Mugabe’s powers will be whittled down but not radically altered in the new arrangement. It is a weak and ambiguous agreement whose terms include many discretionary provisions – an ideal arena for political obstruction. Continue reading three-legged race →