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ROAPE interviews Mark Duffield about his life and work. For decades Mark has worked on the political philosophy of the permanent emergency, the current global crisis in capitalism, the war economy, and the political and economic situation in the Horn of Africa. From his early days growing up in the West Midlands, to his research in Sudan, and later examining the militant struggles of Indian workers in the UK, Duffield has spent a lifetime examining at the central dynamics underpinning our interconnected world of genocide and imperialism.   

One hundred years since the birth of the Mozambican revolutionary-intellectual Aquino de Bragança on 6 April 1924, his friend and comrade, Colin Darch, writes about this “man of anguish” – constantly battling to understand what it meant to be a Marxist in the twentieth century. Darch writes how Aquino spent his adult life committed to the struggle for the liberation of Mozambique and for the rest of southern Africa. In 1986 he died in the plane disaster alongside President Samora Machel.

We republish a widely read article in commemoration of the 120th anniversary of the Ovaherero and Nama genocide in Namibia (1904-1908) by the German empire. Heike Becker discussed the 2021 agreement between the German and Namibian governments for special: reconciliation and reconstruction” projects benefiting the affected Ovaherero and Nama communities. Becker brilliantly delved into the issues of the agreement, highlighting the popular protests in Windhoek. The German-imposed agreement was criticized for excluding genocide victims and the Namibian people. Today, Namibian victims continue to struggle for adequate recognition and reparations, as Germany's 1.1 billion pledge over 30 years pales in comparison to the 80 billion given to Israel, facing its own accusations of genocide against the Palestinians.

As COP28 approaches, Mozambique's efforts for continued extraction of natural gas amid global energy transition discussions become significant. Holding Africa's third-largest natural gas reserves, Mozambique negotiated its interests at COP27 through new alliances amidst growing controversy around natural gas's role in climate change. With a bigger focus on exports, it faces socio-political complexities and the urgent need for an energy transition to mitigate climate change effects.

Mark Duffield and Nicholas Stockton write about the spectacular growth in livestock exports from the Horn of Africa to the urbanising Gulf states, and argue that neoliberalism has transformed the former reciprocity between ‘farmers’ and ‘herders’ into a relation of permanent war. Based on their article in ROAPE - freely available to read below - they argue that the crisis in the Horn is rooted in how the wealth of its peoples is being internationally plundered.

Kola Ibrahim argues that Africa is being tricked by global climate change politics, the same people who claim to be fighting climate change are the ones promoting fossil fuels. The reality is that Africa has become a new frontier for fossil fuel development. This is being carried out by global finance capital, multinational corporations, governments of developed economies, and worse still multilateral organizations that claim to be spearheading the funding for climate actions. Ibrahim exposes the reality of the green transition in Africa.

Robtel Neajai Pailey writes that after six years in power, President George Weah has proven he is not up to the job. For the sake of Liberia’s future, he must be removed in next week’s elections. There is a hunger and need for change across the country. As Pailey explains,"there is little doubt that 10 October will be a referendum on the president. [Weah] boasts of his ‘pro-poor agenda for prosperity and development’, yet ... consistently evaded public debates about his overall record in office."

Andy Higginbottom summarises his report on corporate profits in South Africa. He asks a number of vital questions - who are the main corporate players in South African mining? Who profits from mining in South Africa? The principal data source is thirteen company annual reports for 2022, supplemented by relevant reporting and more analytical literature. Higginbottom argues that we must fight the latest chapter in imperialist neo-colonialism to ensure that Cecil Rhodes’ structural legacy must fall.

Abdoulie Kurang shares original insights into the practice known as “Bumsing” in Gambia, whereby youngster receives material gains from western tourists in exchange of sexual favours. He argues that this practice is a function of the rising precarity among Gambian workers in the tourism industry following successive socio-economic crises in the last decade. Although tourism is one of Gambia’s important industries, it has failed to alleviate poverty, leaving low-skilled workers to scrap for crumbs.

In July this year the Dutch King apologised for the country's historical role in slavery. Large numbers of young people were present to hear King Willem Alexander apologise for the crimes of his family and kingdom. Yet, there are many questions that remain unanswered in ongoing public debates. For ROAPE, Sayra van den Berg, Emmanuel Akwasi Adu-Ampong and David Mwambari argue that the past of slavery and (neo-)colonialism is not over.