One of the greatest picture ever taken of me. Etafemi center, Cape Town, South Africa, March 2009
My name is Codrin Arsene; I’m a 22 year-old young man living in Chicago, Illinois. I study at the University of Chicago, where I’m majoring in Political Science and International Studies, with a focus on African Politics, trade policies and the impact of international organizations on the world’s governments. I have traveled extensively throughout the world, having visited more then 60 countries so far. I have lived in Romania, the United States of America, and Argentina. I’ve also spent several months in Africa, with return trips there every single year. My passion for Africa is rooted in my travels across the continent. From Cairo to Cape Town, Dakar to Mombasa, from Tripoli to Lilongwe, I have visited 24 African countries so far.
My main areas of interest in African politics are the impact of Chinese investment in Africa and political failure in Central Africa (the DRC, Sudan, and Somalia). In the past, I have worked with different international organizations (Amnesty International, Peace Child International, the Global Youth Action Network, TIGlobal etc) in areas such as youth advocacy, the involvement of the youth in the process of decision-making and youth diplomacy. I’m currently the administrator of the African Politics Portal where I comment upon the newest political developments on the continent, post news links, and provide my visitors with “briefing news”, “movie reviews”, a “Chinese monitor” and many other options that will help them navigate more easily the current African political scene.
I am a strong critic of both African leaders and International Organizations. While I believe that the World Bank, the IMF and other development agencies carry the significant blame for the current political turmoil in Africa, many other African statesmen should also be held responsible for their actions. Kwame, one of my best African friends once said I was the most “practical dreamer” he had ever met. I don’t yet know exactly what I am now, since one sentence or paragraph is hardly enough to describe a person. But I know the two words I always whisper to myself, every year, when I return to Africa: simply surprising…
Besides A Romanian in Africa I’m also blogging on:
For my resume, please click here.
