#ghana almost made the list instead of ethiopia

[cinematicnomad]

top 5 countries you visited?

ok, so to preface this, obviously i am going to base this on my personal experiences in the countries. i traveled to 14 countries in 2023 and some were for as short as 24 hours while others were for 2.5 weeks, so there's a really big range to choose from. but here's my list in no particular order:

001. south africa—i was born in cape town and my family moved away when i was about 18 months old which means i had no memories of my birthplace. i got to go back in may for the first time since we left and it lived up to all of my expectations. it was so beautiful and the people were lovely and i had so much fun with my colleagues and the new friends i made on the trip. i also got to go to johannesburg which was super pleasant. i got to spend a whole week in my birth country and i hope to return again in the future.

002. portugal—i went with my brother, sister, brother-in-law, and niece on a european adventure this summer and we spent a good chunk of the trip in lisbon. the city was GORGEOUS and so different from other cities i've been to before. we ate great food and drank amazing wine and had new experiences together. this was one of the first big trips my siblings and i have taken as adults and i hope we do it again in the future.

003. nepal—i lived in kathmandu for 2 years as a teenager from the time i was 14 until just after i turned 16. returning this fall for the first time since 2007 was a wild experience and so different from cape town bc i DO have so many memories from my time there. my years in kathmandu helped to shape me into the person i am today, and it was so weird to walk some of the same streets i did as a teen, to eat the same food, to smell the same air...the scent memories were insane on this trip. it felt like i'd traveled back in time.

004. ethiopia—what a wild experience! i was only in addis for about 72 hours and had some lows and highs on this trip, from spending my first night in a sketch hotel on my own before switching over to the one all my colleagues were staying in. but this trip really showed me what's possible when on these trips for work. i really bonded with one of the people in cape town, a woman named soha, and we stuck together all through the tour—normally on these trips, especially the short ones like this, i'll stick closer to the hotel and maybe go out to dinner with some people. but soha led the charge and found a cultural dance show for us to go to, and coordinated between me and another woman to do a tour around the city grabbing coffee at a famous coffee shop, visiting a church we'd driven by, going to see lucy at the national museum of ethiopia, witnessing an authentic coffee ceremony, and getting massages before my 18+ hour flight home.

005. taiwan—learning from my experience in ethiopia in the spring, this fall i took soha's lessons and put them into practice. i was in the city for maybe...48 hours? if that? but i got a bunch of recommendations from the driver who picked me up at the airport and organized a small group of us to walk to a night market and try a bunch of new food. it was such a wonderful experience in a new country and i just loved my time there.

ask me my top 5 or 20 anything of 2023

[toldnews-blog]

New Post has been published on https://toldnews.com/world/is-africa-going-backwards-on-democracy/

Is Africa going backwards on democracy?

Image copyright AFP

Image caption The recent election in DR Congo was widely condemned

More and more elections are being held in Africa however analysts dismiss many as being “lawful but illegitimate”. Although studies show that a majority of Africans still want to live in democracies, an increasing number are looking to alternative, autocratic models, reports the BBC’s Dickens Olewe.

In the last three years African countries have registered an overall decline in the quality of political participation and rule of law, analysts say.

“Today there are almost the same number of defective democracies (15) as there are hard-line autocracies (16), among the continent’s 54 states,” Nic Cheeseman, Professor of Democracy at Birmingham University, concludes from his analysis of the last three years.

Nigeria, which will hold its postponed election on Saturday, is among those listed as a “defective democracy”.

Despite the challenges, at least 68% of Africans prefer to live in open and freer societies, according to a recent poll conducted by Afrobarometer in 34 countries.

That figure, however, is down slightly from 72% in 2012.

Image copyright AFP

Image caption Music legend Salif Keita says democracy has failed in Africa

“[Africans] just want more dividends from democracy. They want less corruption, more transparency, less impunity, more economic opportunity,” Emmanuel Gyimah-Boadi, executive director and co-founder of Afrobarometer, says.

“It is in the interest of external partners to push for and to support this quest – lest non-liberal democratic models of national development become more alluring,” he adds.

Malian music legend Salif Keita has, however, given up on democracy. He recently suggested that the continent needs a “benevolent dictator like China”.

“To have a democracy, people have to understand democracy, and how can people understand when 85% of the people in the country cannot read or write,” he asks.

‘I love Trump’

The US, which has traditionally been a major influence in promoting democracy in Africa, has had a seemingly hands-off approach since President Donald Trump came to office in 2017.

When his administration’s long-delayed policy on Africa was finally unveiled at the close of 2018, many observers of the continent were quick to point out that it did not include the favoured American staples: promotion of democracy, free and fair elections, political and civil rights.

These elements were key policy components of previous administrations.

Image copyright Getty Images

Image caption Donald Trump’s Africa policy does not include plans to champion democracy

The policy instead focused on the war on terror, slashing spending on the United Nations missions on the continent, and lambasting the activities of Russia and China.

“If [African leaders] see leaders like Trump. who seems very happy to shake hands with autocrats, it gives them the signal that they can manipulate elections and not face consequences,” Mr Cheeseman says.

Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni, who plans to run for a sixth term in 2021, has been notably effusive in his praise of the American president, once declaring, “I love Trump,” who he described as the best president the US has had.

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In 1991, Benin and Zambia became the first former one-party states to hold multiparty elections in Africa – which were won by opposition parties – kicking off a decade of democratic gains on the continent after the end of the Cold War.

Almost 30 years later, the West African country is rated as one of just nine “free” countries out of the 54 on the continent, while Zambia has regressed to being “partly free”, according to the 2019 Freedom House report.

The number of free countries remains the same as a decade ago.

Eight countries – Senegal, Ghana, Benin, Namibia, Botswana, South Africa, Lesotho and Mauritius – have maintained their position, with Tunisia changing places with Mali, which is now ranked as “partly free”.

Angola and Ethiopia, though listed as “not free”, are noted to have made “surprising improvements” after new leaders came into office in the past year.

Technology and elections

Political transition through regular elections is among the criteria for judging whether a country is a democracy or not.

Some countries have even adopted technology to make the polls credible and accountable but in most cases this has done little to dispel concerns.

“Many African countries are trying to use technology to manufacture trust in elections and that’s not going to work,” Nanjala Nyabola, author of Digital Democracy, Analogue Politics, told the BBC.

She gave the example of Kenya’s 2017 elections which, despite the use of biometric technology to verify voters as way of eliminating ghost voters and ballot stuffing, and also using an electronic results transmission system, failed to win voters’ confidence.

“Another problem is that we have countries conducting elections that are legal but are illegitimate,” Godwin Murunga from the University of Nairobi, told the BBC.

“There’s this notion that democracy in Africa should have different standards,” he adds, pointing at the international community’s acceptance of the recent elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Image copyright AFP

Image caption Several countries have been using technology in elections to make them credible

Former DR Congo President Joseph Kabila oversaw one of the most controversial elections on the continent. An outright fraud, some have called it.

Martin Fayulu, who came second in the presidential election, still disputes Felix Tshisekedi’s victory.

“It was a coup d’etat,” he told the BBC.

He says, with the backing of the influential Catholic Church – which said it had 40,00 electoral monitors – that he won the election.

Mr Fayulu has since appealed to the African Union to set up a commission to recount the votes cast on 30 December or call for a repeat election in six months.

“We have to respect the will of the Congolese. Democracy has to be the same everywhere,” he told the BBC.

Rwandan model?

His call is backed by Sudanese billionaire Mo Ibrahim, founder of the Ibrahim Index of African Governance, and Alan Doss, president of the Kofi Annan Foundation, who in a joint article said that Mr Tshisekedi’s election lacks genuine legitimacy and risks repeated challenges to its authority.

They also accused the international community, including the US, of failing the Congolese people in the “name of stability” of the country and called on the publication of detailed results for both the presidential and parliamentary elections.

This year, some 15 countries are set to hold elections at different levels, but the credibility of these polls is likely to again conjure up questions about whether democracy is working for Africa.

Image copyright AFP

Image caption People across Africa are prepared to queue for hours in order to cast their votes

The US policy on Africa is a significant influence but it is not a major factor in the decline of democracy on the continent, Jon Temin, Director of Africa at Freedom House, told the BBC.

The organisation’s latest report says democracy globally has been on the decline for the last 13 years. Some African countries have contributed to the negative slide.

Democracy cynics like Salif Keita propose a benevolent autocracy as an alternative.

Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame has been used as an example of a leader who is running an effective and efficient government that is unencumbered by democratic structures, which can be slow and rigid.

Image copyright AFP

Image caption President Kagame has been hailed as an example of a leader who has managed to achieve economic development without being unencumbered by democracy

However, extending the control of the governing party, as in Rwanda, over a country’s economy is more likely to increase corruption and waste than to spur economic activity, Mr Cheeseman says.

“What this means is that if other countries on the continent try to implement the Rwandan model, the chances are that they will experience all of its costs while realising few of its benefits,” he adds.

Ghanaian democracy activist Nansata Yakubu says that despite setbacks in countries like DR Congo, the work of defending democracy should not stop with elections.

“We have to improve the voting system and continue engaging the public,” she told the BBC.

The focus should be on giving more and more people a say over more and more issues – instead of comparing how each country’s governance structure measures against Western democracies, says Steven Friedman, Professor of Political Studies in University of Johannesburg.

The good news is that support for democracy remains high, the worry is that this is not guaranteed unless Africans start enjoying the dividends of living in free and open societies, and participating in elections that are credible and accountable.

[newssplashy]

Is a good adventure story worth risking your life? Let's leave you to decide from a list of beautiful tourist attractions in Africa that can actually kill you.

You wouldn't believe it, but Africa is home to some of the most dangerous attractions in the world. It is best to be careful when visiting these sites.

Dangerous tourist attractions are guilty pleasures, especially for adrenaline junkies. It's all fun and games though, until someone gets hurt. These destinations will excite and terrify you!

1. Devil's Pool at Victoria's Falls, Zambia

They don't call it the Devil's Pool for no reason! This naturally formed rock pool is located at the very edge of the majestic Victoria Falls on the Zambia side (the other side of the falls is in Zimbabwe). Some tourists are daring enough to swim in it. Some go even further and dangle their legs off the side. Swimming can only take place between September and December when a natural rock barrier forms, but it is still extremely dangerous. Several people have plunged to their death from the Devil's Pool, including one famous tour guide, who managed to save one of his charges who had started to fall. Unfortunately, he slipped during the rescue and lost his own life instead. You can marvel at the beauty of Victoria Falls without risking your life, so why not do that?

2. Lake Natron, Tanzania

 Most people who visit Lake Natron in Tanzania can barely believe their eyes - it's almost totally pink! Home to matching pink flamingos, it's obvious why so many people want to see this amazing salt and soda lake for themselves. But it's not all pretty in pink - Lake Natron has an unusually high alkaline content and a pH level of 10.5, which is the same as ammonia. To put it simply, Lake Natron will burn the skin off humans and most animals.In addition to the whole skin burning thing, temperatures around the lake can reach a whopping 60 degrees Celsius (140 Fahrenheit). Basically, the only thing that can survive here are the flamingos. The lake is made up of both hydrogen and sulfide, so most animals will die as soon as they touch its waters. And yes, that includes human travelers, too!

3. Danakil desrt, Ethopia

 Stretching from north eastern Ethiopia to southern parts of Eritrea, the Danakil Desert is one of the most dangerous places you could ever visit. So dangerous, in fact, that it's well known as 'Hell on Earth'. This salt wasteland is exactly the kind of place we should be avoiding, but of course, nothing of the sort is happening. Tourists are still showing up to experience the blazing hot temperatures and risking their lives in the process. Active volcanos, gassy geysers, a lack of oxygen, and temperatures of around 120 degrees Fahrenheit are all the things you can look forward to if you decide to visit 'Hell on Earth'. If you manage to survive all of this, there are also the hostile rebels to look out for. Basically, don't go here if you value your life.

4. Zambezi River, Zambia

 Long considered one of the most extreme locations for whitewater rafting in the world, the Zambezi River is not one to take lightly. The stones and trenches that often leave boats unturned are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the dangers you'll face. Each section of rapids has its own name, which you might think is cute until you hear what they're called. Would you raft anywhere named 'Devil's Toilet Bowl', 'Boiling Pot', 'Gnashing Jaws of Death' or 'Overland Truck Eater'? If not, then you can give Zambezi a miss.In addition to all this, you've also got the river's natives to worry about - crocodiles and hippos are common in the Zambezi, and they're not exactly considered friendly locals. We know we won't be able to hold any adrenalin junkies back, but at least you have all the facts now!

5. Erta Ale Volcano, Ethopia

Would you really want to visit somewhere that the locals refer to as the 'Gateway to Hell'? Erta Ale Volcano is just one of the terrifying features within the Danakil Desert in Ethiopia. At more than 2000 feet high and 120 degrees Fahrenheit, Erta Ale is one hot spot you don't want to visit. It's one of the few active volcanoes in the world, but it's the only volcano in the world with two active lava lakes, making it one of a kind. It's no surprise that people want to view this phenomenon for themselves, but it does come with risks. It's so dangerous due to the heat (and lava!) that the only way to view it is by helicopter. So, as you can imagine, this is an activity for those of us with plenty of cash to spare!

6. Lake Kivu, Rwanda And Democratic Republic Of The Congo

Situated on the border of both Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lake Kivu is one of Africa's largest and most important lakes. 'Majestic' seems like an understatement when you're trying to find the words to describe it. But tales of swimmers being swallowed whole and dead fish mysteriously appearing on the surface give us a different picture of what lies beneath. Lake Kivu has fascinated scientists in every field due to the methane gas trapped in its depths. If the gas is ever released, it would spell untold disaster for everyone and everything in the vicinity. All it would take is one volcanic eruption to pop this lake like a bottle of champagne, which exactly why the experts refer to this possibility as the 'champagne effect'. We'd advise steering clear if you value your life.

7. Lake Nyos, Cameroon

We're not sure why all of the killer lakes of the world seem to be located in Africa, but here's another one to add to the list. Lake Nyos in Cameroon, West Africa, contains a large amount of carbon dioxide within its depths. For many years, no harm was done, until 1986 when the carbon dioxide exploded upwards. This caused a huge carbon dioxide 'cloud' to form and it resulted in extreme destruction and death. The cloud traveled downhill and effectively suffocated 1,700 people and many more animals. Basically, nothing survived for 15 miles. Today, things aren't as precarious as they once were, as pipes exist to siphon the carbon dioxide from the lake. The risk still hasn't been completely eradicated, but for the most part it's considered safe. We still wouldn't be booking our flights in a hurry.

8. Tatouine, Tunisia

 This one is for all the Star Wars fans out there planning a visit to Tunisia. You may be familiar with Tatouine as the fictional village of Tatooine in George Lucas's Star Wars films. The Skywalker farm buildings were left there after filming and have since attracted thousands of Star Wars fans to the area. Unfortunately, it appears that the region is no longer safe for tourists to visit, so you may have to put your tour on hold for now. Recent terrorist activity in nearby Libya has made the area of Tatouine unstable, as it is in the path of traveling jihadists hoping to join infamous terrorist group, ISIS. Tourists have already perished in Tunisia, after an attack on the Bardo Museum in Tunis left 19 dead. Best to leave it until there's no further risk of attacks, we think.

9. Port Moresby, New Guinea

The port city of Port Moresby is located in the eastern part of New Guinea. It is the capital of the state and at the same time one of the most dangerous cities in the world. If you look at the city from a bird's-eye view, it won’t seem scary and dangerous. It is unlikely to return back from the port town, as the lower strata of the population consumes human flesh. A casual visitor can be killed with a natural purpose, just to provide food for locals and their families.

10. Andohahela National Park, Madagascar

The island of Madagascar houses Andohahela National Park that may be called one of the most beautiful places in the world. Rare endemic plants are growing there. The park territory is home to 12 species of lemurs, as well as more than 120 species of birds. Though a huge tourist attraction, it is now considered to be extremely dangerous. The reason for this is a high level of crime. Despite the high level of danger and inaccessibility of the reserve, every year it is visited by about 1 500 travelers.

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