Some people wonder why africa is poor and there is a wide variety of reasons why it is. But we cant underestimate the criminal acts of international institutions and corporations :bash:

link: http://allafrica.com/stories/200706300046.html

- Starbucks had to almost get its arms twisted off just to give Ethiopia what is rightly hers. How the hell is ethiopia supposed to go anywhere with these types of trade praactices. An ethiopian farmer barely makes a living from this "black gold" while starbucks sells his beans for 900% its original value.
:ohno: Ethiopians want fair trade and not so called "aid' and Charity.

:banana: The new agreement will bring in over a hundred millions dollers to the farmers and that will improve thier lives and help us develop.
The ethiopian government and Oxfam get my respect in supporting our farmers but i condemn starbucks for making an issue out of this in the first place.
:bash:

ETHIOPIA LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!

LETS DRINK THE OTHER BLACK GOLD

:cheers::banana:

I'VE BEEN FOLLOWING THAT STORY ...GREAT NEWS.....:banana:

great story indeed. time for justice and fair trade. hope more African
countries can follow this example and stop being raped by these
multi-nationals for peanuts!!

Good news.

i recently discussed a similar situation in Botswana with Matthias regarding De Beers, the world's largest diamond mining company. The Botswana government had a 25 year lease on two of its largest diamond mines Jwaneng and Orapa (among the largest diamond mines in the world). Now since 1930 the Diamond Trading Company (DTC), a De Beers company had been controlling the sale of diamonds as well as roughly 60% of the diamond market from London.

The Botswana government decided when the 25 year lease with De Beers came to an end that in addition to being a 50:50 shareholder with De Beers on its operations in Botswana, they would like to share in the profits that accrues to De Beers through the marketing of their diamonds and insisted on the Diamond Trading Company being relocated from London to Gaborone where most of the world's diamonds come from as well as having more say in the diamond market (a fair demand considering Botswana's role in the global diamond market). They also insisted that De Beers help develop Botswana's fledgling diamond cutting industry and other related diamond manufacturing businesses in Botswana as part of the total package to renew the lease on the 2 mines that had expired. De Beers refused and Botswana decided well, no deal and anyway there were numerous big players that were ready to snap the lease on these mines.

To cut the long story short, Diamond Trading Company has now relocated to Gaborone where it is now selling and marketing Botswana's diamonds from while it is also now helping to develop its diamond manufacturing and cutting industries. It is this type of assertiveness that i think African countries need to adopt and stop being raped by foreign players who do not have Africa's interest at heart. Why are we allowing our selves to be treated like puppets by foreign corporations who sometimes need us more than we need them!!!