News & Events

On the occasion of the retirement of ASC researcher Wijnand Klaver, the ASCL is organizing the seminar 'Nutrition in Sustainable Development – Africa on its way from undernutrition to obesity?' on 15 December. Invited speakers are Thom Achterbosch (Wageningen University) on 'Pathways towards sustainable food systems for healthier African diets', and Patrick Kolsteren (Ghent University) on 'Sustainabe nutrition research for Africa in the years to come'. Plus: read the interview we did with Wijand! 

Since March 2013 the Central African Republic (CAR) has been the stage of violence. Accounts of genocide, interreligious conflict and cannibalism have coloured what has been called the ‘most forgotten conflict on earth’. Elections are due 27 December 2015. Will elections help the country out of the impasse? What are the roots of the violence? And how do citizens navigate through insecurity? Two guests from CAR, cartoonist Didier Kassaï and journalist Pacôme Pabandji, will participate in the debate, that is to be followed by the launch of kassaï's comic book ‘Tempête sur Bangui’.

With the prolific expansion of cities and the growth of a more affluent middle class, alcohol consumption patterns are changing across Africa. This is, for example, reflected in the increased consumption of wine in oil-producing states such as Angola. Find book titles, articles and electronic documents in our latest web dossier 'Alcohol in Africa', with an introduction by Paul Nugent, Centre of African Studies, Edinburgh.

A new ASC working paper reviews Dutch development policies for the years 1949-2015, with particular attention for private sector development (PSD). Since the beginning, Dutch government has strongly supported policies stimulating private sector and economic development in the Netherlands and in developing countries. PSD took a central role as it was assumed that poverty could only be alleviated when a country’s economy is stimulated. The long history of Dutch development cooperation shows continuity in its approach towards development policy as a way of promoting Dutch businesses and export in developing countries.