Africa In The News
Zuma calls time on afro-pessimism, SAPA, 11 April 2012
Read More...
Oil explorers now piling into Africa, Business Day, 11 April 2012
Read More...
“Light for Africa” creates opportunity – president, Focus Taiwan, 11 April 2012
Read More...
Africa investment banking fees fall, Reuters, 10 April 2012
Read More...
Upcoming Events
May 2012
| | | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 |
| 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | | |
WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM ON AFRICA 2012
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
9 - 11 May
Read More...
STANDARDS IN EDUCATION AND TRAINING: THE CHALLENGE
Johannesburg, South Africa
10 - 12 May
Read More...
eLEARNING AFRICA 2012
Cotonou, Benin
23 - 25 May
Read More...
INNOVATE RWANDA: OPEN SUMMIT ON 21st CENTURY LEARNING FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
Musanze, Rwanda
24 - 26 May
Read More...
VALUE 2012 (VALUE IN SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS PRACTICES)
Drakensberg, South Africa
27 - 30 May
Read More...
13th SOUTHERN AFRICA OIL, GAS & ENERGY
Johannesburg, South Africa
28 - 30 May
Read More...
FOCUS ON WEST AFRICA
Toronto, Canada
31 - 31 May
Read More...
Brand Africa FOCUS
16 April 2012
New Leader for Malawi
When Liberia’s Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was elected president of the West African nation in 2006 she assumed the mantel of Africa’s first elected female head of state. Now, some six years later, the death of Malawi’s Bingu wa Mutharika has seen the swearing in of another female president, Joyce Banda; the first woman to rule a Southern African nation.
Since taking the oath of office on April 7th, Banda has already made decisive and telling moves which reinforce her background as a champion of women’s rights and democracy. Already her succession has been hailed by Malawians – and indeed commentators around the continent and abroad – as a triumph for democracy in the nation of some 15-million people.
Within days in office, Banda had fired Malawi’s incumbent minister of information and the head of broadcasting. Significantly she swiftly replaced the police chief, Peter Mukhito, who was closely linked to controversial anti-government protests in 2011 during which 19 people were killed. Banda also ordered an investigation into the 2011 death of activist Robert Chasowa (25).
Read More...
Infrastructure: Less Talk, More Action
In February 2012, when South African Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan announced budget backing to the tune of R3.2 trillion for 43 major infrastructure projects, the move reinforced a continent-wide thrust to improve infrastructure and logistics across Africa.
The need to pour investment into ailing infrastructure networks has come under the spotlight recently, at both the 18th summit of the African Union as well as following on from a World Bank report, which stressed that poor trade logistics could derail industrialization in sub-Saharan Africa.
According to the World Bank, Africa needs some $60 billion invested into infrastructure over the next decade. This level of investment would require cross-border co-operation as well as the support of global bodies such as the United Nations UN Economic Commission for Africa, the African Development Bank and the World Bank.
Read More...
“We need our historians to tell our side of the story of the evolution of Africa’s international relations and diplomacy.”
-
Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation
Features
Sall Picks N’dour
It says a lot about Senegal’s democratic processes that the inauguration of new President Macky Sall earlier this month was greeted with less press coverage than his appointment of a high-profile cabinet minister. Sall, who beat outgoing President Abdoulaye Wade in a second-round run-off vote in March, was quick to name Youssou N’Dour as the country’s new Minister for Culture and Tourism.
Read More...
‘Water Investment Critical’
Sub-Saharan Africa must focus on water infrastructure as a matter of priority, the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) Executive Secretary Bai-Mass Taal told Sapa recently. Speaking from France, where he was attending the World Water Forum in Marseille, Taal said: “Water is an economic commodity. Every US dollar spent on water, you can get from $6 to $12 in return.”
Read More...
© Brand Africa, 2012. Brand Africa is a protected trademark.