Operating in Brazil comes with inherent risks; yes we’re talking about a nation on the rise, strong economic potential and a major boost in infrastructure that will raise the collective eyebrows of the international community. However, when mining a precious metal, one must heed caution. Many times, risks include corruption and political unrest. In some [...]

Opposition parties in Ivory Coast staged protests today as the west African country awaited the annoucement of a new government after President Laurent Gbagbo scrapped the previous one. The protests are growing in volatility as a nation awaits a government in flux.
The head of the former rebel New Forces (FN), Guillaume Soro, whom Gbagbo reappointed as [...]

ENI SpA’s chief executive said yesterday that the Italian energy company will pull out of Iran after current contracts to develop two gas fields there run out, amidst international pressure to isolate the country over its highly controversial nuclear program.
Paolo Scaroni also said the company plans to raise around euro1.5 billion from selling off shares [...]

Lifting the many sanctions burdening Zimbabwe is clearly essential for the nation’s growth. Importers would be able to re-develop their once bountiful export market, private enterprise would be promoted to flourish, the agricultural and mining sectors can regroup and work diligently without threat of corruption and communities can be given the resources to fight the [...]

After a six-year trial, the former Zambian President Frederick Chiluba was acquitted on corruption charges on Aug. 17th. A few days later, the Zambian government decided not to renew the contract of the Corruption Task Force chairman, Maxwell Nkole.
We’ve previously documented the great victory for political corruption which has taken place following the acquittal of [...]

All enlightened governments should consider Venezuela a “no-go” zone. This is because the country, under Hugo Chavez, has descended into a kleptocracy. Industries, like coffee and rice, have just been nationalized and confiscations without compensation are underway.
Two Canadian mining companies are victims, as are Venezuelan business interests, and there are gross human rights abuses, says [...]

Nigeria’s security forces have arrested scores of members of an Islamic sect loosely modelled on Afghanistan’s Taliban movement, freeing women and children after violent clashes which have killed more than 150 people.
Members of the group — known as Boko Haram — have attacked police stations and government buildings as well as rampaging through residential areas [...]

Newly-elected South African President Jacob Zuma, from the offset, knew he could not expect much of a honeymoon, despite the landslide victory of his ruling African National Congress (ANC) party in April’s general election. His campaign pledges had raised expectations too high, unfortunately coinciding with South Africa sinking into its first recession in nearly two [...]

Claire Berlinski, from the Hoover Institute and author of Menace in Europe: Why the Continent’s Crisis is America’s, Too, has written a thoughtful piece which discusses the controversial debate behind foreign aid, (it usually being a prelude only to further political corruption) and genuinely shows concern as to how one can measure political corruption, for future use [...]

Foreign aid to a country embroiled in political corruption was a major catalyst behind Dambisa Moyo’s insightful book entitled ‘Dead Aid’, a piece we reference often when dealing with political development in Africa. On that note, please see below for a video provided by CNN, featuring an interview with Kenyan Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, who [...]