advertorial:

New Swedish-Namibian book

06 October, 2008

JOHANNESBURG. 'In the Footsteps of Mr Andersson: Milestones in Swedish-Namibia Relations' tells the story of the extraordinary relationship between Sweden and Namibia. The book, authored by Swedish journalist and Africascan publisher Christer L. Pettersson, is the first title to appear under David Krut Publishing’s new imprint ULWAZI .

The story begins in the middle of the nineteenth century, when a Swedish explorer, adventurer, entrepreneur and arms dealer drew the earliest known maps of the areas now known as Namibia, northern Botswana and southern Zimbabwe. The story follows the fortunes of a handful of Namibian students and their Swedish counterparts who met in Stockholm in the 1950s and went on to help pave the way to the independence of Namibia in 1989. It is a tale filled with drama and courage, of serendipity and coincidence, of meetings conducted behind the backs of the superpowers and of political manoeuvring to bring about a country’s transition to freedom and democracy.

Pettersson has spent many years writing about southern Africa, both as the Africa correspondent for two Swedish newspapers and as the editor of the online newspaper Africascan. Drawing on his many interviews with some of the most important players in the field of Swedish-Namibia relations, as well as on newspaper articles and other sources, Pettersson brings to life some key events that have shaped the history of Namibia since the 1850s.

In the Footsteps of Mr Andersson, Petersson’s third book, was commissioned by the Swedish Embassy in Namibia and the Swedish International Development Cooperation agency (Sida). It is an important contribution to the history of modern Namibia and Sweden’s longstanding relationship with southern Africa.

In South Africa, the book launch will take place at David Krut Arts and Bookstore at 140 Jan Smuts Avenue, Parkwood, October 11, at 12:00. Tel +27 (0)11 880 4242