* Editorial: 2004 marks the 120th anniversary of the Berlin conference that tore up Africa into balkanised zones for the benefit of imperial exploitation - Rotimi Sankore highlights the consequences on Africa
* Comment and Analysis: Conflict is like a fire: It can keep you warm and can cook your food, but if it gets out of control, it can burn your house down, warns Yav Katshung Joseph in relation to the DRC
- Many thought Ghana would never recover from 1980s turmoil, but recent elections show there is hope for the rest of West Africa, writes Kayode Fayemi
- Separating the good guys from the bad guys in Côte d'Ivoire might not be as easy as the international community would like, says Véronique Tadjo
* Letters: Readers share their thoughts on food security, FGM and the future of Africa
* Conflict and Emergencies: As conflict flares in the east, a new report says the death toll in the DRC is approaching four million
* Refugees and Forced Migration: Child Protection in the context of displacement in Uganda
* Elections and Governance: Zimbabwean human rights groups respond to the passing of the NGO bill
* Development: The African Social Forum in Zambia demands full debt cancellation
* Environment: Rich countries spend billions subsidising industries that cause climate change, but a fraction of this amount goes to those in developing countries who suffer the most from pollution, states a new report
* Books and Art: Pambazuka News reviews Blind Moon by Chenjerai Hove

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Dear Reader,

Although we will be sending out a short message next week, this will be our last full edition for 2004. The weekly Pambazuka Newsletter will be released once again on 06 January 2005. May everyone go in peace during the break!

The Editors

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