CAMEROON
The country鈥檚 massive forests 鈥� second only in size to Zaire鈥檚 鈥� are the latest battleground for multinational companies. According to one English-language daily, The Messenger, there were 119 companies in Cameroon exploiting timber last time there was a survey, in 1990. Of these, 68 were owned by foreign companies. Cameroon鈥檚 timber accounts for 17 per cent of the total supplied to countries in the EU. Only neighbouring Gabon sells more. 鈥淭he massive presence of foreign companies in forestry exploitation is very disturbing,鈥� says the paper, 鈥渂ecause most expatriates are reluctant to transform the exploited timber on the spot.鈥�
The government gets only a 鈥渟ymbolic franc鈥� for the timber. It accounted for only 3 per cent of GNP in 1990. But in Scandinavia, the paper claims, forestry accounts for 40 per cent of GNP.
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KENYA
We has a glossy cover and sells itself as 鈥渢he complete magazine for today鈥檚 woman鈥�. It contains articles about women鈥檚 lack of political representation in Kenya, investment opportunities, a reprinted article from the Chronicle of Higher Education on America鈥檚 First Ladies. There鈥檚 a full-page ad for condoms, another for computer training, an article on how the contraceptive pill works, and one on Kenya鈥檚 female volleyball team, champions in Africa, who 鈥渢ook black Africa to the world volleyball stage鈥� in Brazil this year.
BOTSWANA
The traditional and modern worlds exist alongside each other, as the front page of an issue of the Okavanga Observer makes clear. The lead story is headlined: 鈥淎dvance booking for park entry鈥�. The story explains how the Parks and Reserves Reservation Office (PARRO) will be opening in the town of Maun, 鈥渋ts specially designated office situated in an exclusively fenced area within the Regional Wildlife Complex鈥�. The government wants to regulate ecotourism in the area. 鈥淎nyone wishing to stay in the public camping ground will have to make an advance reservation. PARRO will have its own telephone and fax line.鈥�
And on the same page, the second lead story is headlined 鈥淲itchcraft Act attacked鈥�. It reads: 鈥淭he Witchcraft Act of 1927 came under scathing attack from the Headmen attending the ongoing Chiefs Workshop.鈥� According to the act, says the paper, 鈥渢here is no such thing as witchcraft and anybody who calls another a witch will be guilty of an offence of defamation鈥�. The article says that the Headmen wanted the law amended so that people who practise witchcraft can be tried. The Headmen believe that the act was the work of 鈥渢he colonial masters鈥� who failed to take into account the 鈥渃ulture of the indigenous people鈥�
COTE D鈥橧VOIRE
The self-proclaimed economic 鈥渢iger鈥� of West Africa is serious about marketing itself as a tourist destination. According to a claim in Visions de C么te d鈥橧voire, a hotel-room glossy magazine replete with pictures of poolside bars and palm-fringed beaches, there are currently just 11 000 hotel beds in the country, but the number of tourists is expected to reach 600 000 in five years鈥� time.
Charter flights have been running to the country since October 1994, operated by Air Afrique and Corsair, and Air France鈥檚 chiefs have reportedly also visited the prime minister, Daniel Kablan Duncan. A new coast road, the magazine expects, will lead to 鈥渉igher quality seaside tourism鈥�.