The Frontline Club

October 30, 2012

Join us for the launch of Why Poverty? A ground-breaking series of international documentaries looking at contemporary poverty screening on the BBC in November. The global cross-media event produced in partnership with The Open University will see the same eight films screened in 180 countries by more than 70 broadcasters to explore why, in the 21st Century, a billion people still live in poverty.

From a behind-the-scenes look at Bob Geldof and Bono’s 30 year campaign and the moving story of illiterate women becoming solar engineers, to films exploring the impact of multinationals in Zambia and the privatisation of education in China, the series will give expression to a diverse range of voices from around the world and kick-start a new debate about contemporary poverty.

BBC Four will be the home of Why Poverty?, screening seven documentaries over two weeks, while the series will launch on BBC One with Four Born Every Second (w/t) – a lyrical and sobering look at childbirth and infant mortality around the world.

Nick Fraser, editor of BBC Storyville and Mette Hoffman Meyer, executive producer of Why Poverty? will present this initiative to create a global debate. As part of the evening we will be showing SOLAR MAMAS – the remarkable story of a Jordanian mother who travels to India to train as a solar engineer and bring light and electricity back to her village.

Oct 18th 2012

The Marikana miners' strike in South Africa which resulted in the shooting dead of 34 workers by police is becoming a pivotal moment in South Africa's post-apartheid history. We will be joined by a panel of experts to discuss the root causes in society and politics in South Africa that lead to the Marikana massacre.

As doubt is cast over governing authorities in the country, ANC leadership elections will take place in December which Jacob Zuma must win to guarantee a second term at presidential elections to be held in 2014. We will be examining how the Marikana massacre reflects on politics in the country and how it may effect Jacob Zuma's chances of re - election.

Eighteen years after attaining democracy, South Africa is rife with corruption and unemployment is at crippling levels. With more and more miners joining the strike action we will be looking at the root causes of these social problems.

Chaired by Richard Dowden, director of the Royal African Society. He was Africa editor of The Independent from 1986 to 1994 before being appointed Diplomatic Editor, and then joining The Economist as their Africa Editor. He is author of Africa: Altered States, Ordinary Miracles.

With:

Terry Bell, a journalist, commentator and author based in Cape Town, South Africa, he specialises in political and economic analysis and labour matters.

Audrey Brown, a producer and presenter on BBC Focus on Africa and Network Africa.

Andrew Feinstein a former ANC Member of Parliament in South Africa, a writer, campaigner and broadcaster. He is the author of The Shadow World: Inside the Global Arms Trade and the political memoir After the Party: A Personal and Political Journey Inside the ANC.

Jonny Steinberg, a South African writer and scholar. He is the author of several books including Midlands and The Number, which won South Africa's premier nonfiction award, the Sunday Times Alan Paton Prize. He is currently a lecturer in African Studies at Oxford.

Natznet Tesfay, head of Africa Forecasting at Exclusive Analysis Ltd. Prior to joining Exclusive Analysis she worked in the field of urban development, consulting for municipal governments in the Middle East, Asia and Latin America.

Oct 18th 2012

The Marikana miners' strike in South Africa which resulted in the shooting dead of 34 workers by police is becoming a pivotal moment in South Africa's post-apartheid history. We will be joined by a panel of experts to discuss the root causes in society and politics in South Africa that lead to the Marikana massacre.

As doubt is cast over governing authorities in the country, ANC leadership elections will take place in December which Jacob Zuma must win to guarantee a second term at presidential elections to be held in 2014. We will be examining how the Marikana massacre reflects on politics in the country and how it may effect Jacob Zuma's chances of re - election.

Eighteen years after attaining democracy, South Africa is rife with corruption and unemployment is at crippling levels. With more and more miners joining the strike action we will be looking at the root causes of these social problems.

Chaired by Richard Dowden, director of the Royal African Society. He was Africa editor of The Independent from 1986 to 1994 before being appointed Diplomatic Editor, and then joining The Economist as their Africa Editor. He is author of Africa: Altered States, Ordinary Miracles.

With:

Terry Bell, a journalist, commentator and author based in Cape Town, South Africa, he specialises in political and economic analysis and labour matters.

Audrey Brown, a producer and presenter on BBC Focus on Africa and Network Africa.

Andrew Feinstein a former ANC Member of Parliament in South Africa, a writer, campaigner and broadcaster. He is the author of The Shadow World: Inside the Global Arms Trade and the political memoir After the Party: A Personal and Political Journey Inside the ANC.

Jonny Steinberg, a South African writer and scholar. He is the author of several books including Midlands and The Number, which won South Africa's premier nonfiction award, the Sunday Times Alan Paton Prize. He is currently a lecturer in African Studies at Oxford.

Natznet Tesfay, head of Africa Forecasting at Exclusive Analysis Ltd. Prior to joining Exclusive Analysis she worked in the field of urban development, consulting for municipal governments in the Middle East, Asia and Latin America.

March 28, 2012

From Senegal in the West to Somalia in the East runs a fault line, ‘the knife edge where Islam and Christianity meet’. This area of land separates the continent’s 400 million Muslims from its 500 million Christians.

In her New York Times bestseller The Tenth Parallel: Dispatches from the Fault Line Between Christianity and Islam, award-winning journalist and poet Eliza Griswold spent seven years exploring the relationship between religion and conflict along this circle of latitude 10 degrees north of the equator.

Religious beliefs are deep rooted and in areas such as Northern Nigeria this fault line has seen violent clashes between Muslims and Christians. But many believe this fault line presents a chance to develop peace and prosperity between faiths.

Join us to discuss Africa’s fault line with:

Eliza Griswold, award-winning journalist, poet and author of New York Times Bestselling and 2011 Anthony J. Lukas prize winning The Tenth Parallel. She is currently senior fellow at the New America Foundation and former Nieman Fellow at Harvard University. She reports on religion, conflict and human rights. Her reportage and poetry has appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic Monthly, The New York Times Magazine, Harpers, The New Republic, among many others.

Chaired by Solomon Mugera, the BBC’s Africa Editor.

March 28, 2012

From Senegal in the West to Somalia in the East runs a fault line, ‘the knife edge where Islam and Christianity meet’. This area of land separates the continent’s 400 million Muslims from its 500 million Christians.

In her New York Times bestseller The Tenth Parallel: Dispatches from the Fault Line Between Christianity and Islam, award-winning journalist and poet Eliza Griswold spent seven years exploring the relationship between religion and conflict along this circle of latitude 10 degrees north of the equator.

Religious beliefs are deep rooted and in areas such as Northern Nigeria this fault line has seen violent clashes between Muslims and Christians. But many believe this fault line presents a chance to develop peace and prosperity between faiths.

Join us to discuss Africa’s fault line with:

Eliza Griswold, award-winning journalist, poet and author of New York Times Bestselling and 2011 Anthony J. Lukas prize winning The Tenth Parallel. She is currently senior fellow at the New America Foundation and former Nieman Fellow at Harvard University. She reports on religion, conflict and human rights. Her reportage and poetry has appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic Monthly, The New York Times Magazine, Harpers, The New Republic, among many others.

Chaired by Solomon Mugera, the BBC’s Africa Editor.

March 28, 2012

From Senegal in the West to Somalia in the East runs a fault line, ‘the knife edge where Islam and Christianity meet’. This area of land separates the continent’s 400 million Muslims from its 500 million Christians.

In her New York Times bestseller The Tenth Parallel: Dispatches from the Fault Line Between Christianity and Islam, award-winning journalist and poet Eliza Griswold spent seven years exploring the relationship between religion and conflict along this circle of latitude 10 degrees north of the equator.

Religious beliefs are deep rooted and in areas such as Northern Nigeria this fault line has seen violent clashes between Muslims and Christians. But many believe this fault line presents a chance to develop peace and prosperity between faiths.

Join us to discuss Africa’s fault line with:

Eliza Griswold, award-winning journalist, poet and author of New York Times Bestselling and 2011 Anthony J. Lukas prize winning The Tenth Parallel. She is currently senior fellow at the New America Foundation and former Nieman Fellow at Harvard University. She reports on religion, conflict and human rights. Her reportage and poetry has appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic Monthly, The New York Times Magazine, Harpers, The New Republic, among many others.

Chaired by Solomon Mugera, the BBC’s Africa Editor.

March 21, 2012

Since the start of the 2003 conflict in Darfur, questions have been raised about the role played by the United Nations and the viability of its mandate.

With the recent expulsion from Chad of the former UN head in Sudan during the original outbreak of violence in Darfur, and the crisis edging towards its first decade, is there any more that the UN can do? Or has the situation reached a level that is beyond resolution?

After the UN came under fire for not having done enough to help civilians during recent attacks, we will be discussing how the enduring situation in Darfur reflects on the UN.

Join us at the Frontline Club to discuss the actions of the UN and whether they are still failing Darfur. What could be done to reduce the possibility of future failures?

Chaired by Patrick Smith, editor of Africa Confidential.

With:

Dr. Mukesh Kapila CBE, former Under Secretary General, National Society and Knowledge Development for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies based in Geneva. He has worked extensively in the Sudan where he was previously UN Humanitarian Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative. He is Special Representative for The Aegis Trust.

Sir John Holmes, a British diplomat for over 30 years, serving as the UK’s Ambassador to France and Portugal, and as Overseas Adviser to both Tony Blair and John Major when Prime Minister. He was Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator at the United Nations in New York from 2007-2010, and visited Sudan five times during that period. He is now the Director of The Ditchley Foundation.

Dr Ahmed Al-Shahi, Research Fellow and Co-founder of the Sudanese Programme at St Antony’s College, Oxford University.

In association with the Aegis Trust.

March 21, 2012

Since the start of the 2003 conflict in Darfur, questions have been raised about the role played by the United Nations and the viability of its mandate.

With the recent expulsion from Chad of the former UN head in Sudan during the original outbreak of violence in Darfur, and the crisis edging towards its first decade, is there any more that the UN can do? Or has the situation reached a level that is beyond resolution?

After the UN came under fire for not having done enough to help civilians during recent attacks, we will be discussing how the enduring situation in Darfur reflects on the UN.

Join us at the Frontline Club to discuss the actions of the UN and whether they are still failing Darfur. What could be done to reduce the possibility of future failures?

Chaired by Patrick Smith, editor of Africa Confidential.

With:

Dr. Mukesh Kapila CBE, former Under Secretary General, National Society and Knowledge Development for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies based in Geneva. He has worked extensively in the Sudan where he was previously UN Humanitarian Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative. He is Special Representative for The Aegis Trust.

Sir John Holmes, a British diplomat for over 30 years, serving as the UK’s Ambassador to France and Portugal, and as Overseas Adviser to both Tony Blair and John Major when Prime Minister. He was Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator at the United Nations in New York from 2007-2010, and visited Sudan five times during that period. He is now the Director of The Ditchley Foundation.

Dr Ahmed Al-Shahi, Research Fellow and Co-founder of the Sudanese Programme at St Antony’s College, Oxford University.

In association with the Aegis Trust.

July 13, 2011

Salva Kir is to lead South Sudan into independence on the 9 July after a landslide referendum earlier this year where 99% of the South voted to secede from the North. But with relations still tense over disputed border regions of Abyei and the surrounding area, what does the future hold for North and South alike?

With Northern Sudan’s President Omar al Bashir wanted by the ICC for war crimes and the vast majorities of NGO’s being based in the south, will the North even recognize its legitimacy? Will this be the real start of peace, or will it merely be the start of another land grab explosion by the North?

Analysts fear that the South will become a failed state before it has even had a chance at success. With little to no public services and foreign aid being the main source of food, the South stands in a precarious position and faces an up hill struggle.

Join us at the Frontline club with a panel of experts to discuss what the future holds for North and South Sudan – will this be the start of peaceful beginnings and economic prosperity for both? Or will fraught relations win out again?

Chaired by Richard Dowden, director of the Royal African Society. He was Africa editor of The Independent from 1986 to 1994 before being appointed Diplomatic Editor, and then joining The Economist as their Africa Editor. Author of Africa: Altered States, Ordinary Miracles.

With:

Lindsey Hilsum, Channel 4 News’ International Editor.

Dr Ahmed Al-Shahi, Research Fellow and Co-founder of the Sudan Programme at St Antony’s College, Oxford University.

Natznet Tesfay, head of Africa Forecasting at Exclusive Analysis Ltd. Prior to joining Exclusive Analysis she worked in the field of urban development, consulting for municipal governments in the Middle East, Asia and Latin America.

Mohamed Abdalla Ali Eltom, Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of the Republic of Sudan in London.

July 13, 2011

Salva Kir is to lead South Sudan into independence on the 9 July after a landslide referendum earlier this year where 99% of the South voted to secede from the North. But with relations still tense over disputed border regions of Abyei and the surrounding area, what does the future hold for North and South alike?

With Northern Sudan’s President Omar al Bashir wanted by the ICC for war crimes and the vast majorities of NGO’s being based in the south, will the North even recognize its legitimacy? Will this be the real start of peace, or will it merely be the start of another land grab explosion by the North?

Analysts fear that the South will become a failed state before it has even had a chance at success. With little to no public services and foreign aid being the main source of food, the South stands in a precarious position and faces an up hill struggle.

Join us at the Frontline club with a panel of experts to discuss what the future holds for North and South Sudan – will this be the start of peaceful beginnings and economic prosperity for both? Or will fraught relations win out again?

Chaired by Richard Dowden, director of the Royal African Society. He was Africa editor of The Independent from 1986 to 1994 before being appointed Diplomatic Editor, and then joining The Economist as their Africa Editor. Author of Africa: Altered States, Ordinary Miracles.

With:

Lindsey Hilsum, Channel 4 News’ International Editor.

Dr Ahmed Al-Shahi, Research Fellow and Co-founder of the Sudan Programme at St Antony’s College, Oxford University.

Natznet Tesfay, head of Africa Forecasting at Exclusive Analysis Ltd. Prior to joining Exclusive Analysis she worked in the field of urban development, consulting for municipal governments in the Middle East, Asia and Latin America.

Mohamed Abdalla Ali Eltom, Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of the Republic of Sudan in London.