Women in Politics, Youth Leaders & Africa’s Development: A Discussion With H.E. Ameenah Gurib-Fakim
23Aug
Read more...
08Mar
Women in Leadership & Gender Equality: A Discussion with Deloitte Africa CEO-Elect, Ruwayda Redfearn
26Aug
CONSTITUTIONALISM
CONSTITUTIONALISM, THE RULE OF LAW & DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE: A CONVERSATION WITH PROFESSOR THULI MADONSELA South African Professor Thuli Madonsela discusses the rule of law in the age of COVID-19, including important considerations around data protection and freedom of expression. On 10 July 2020, Mary-Jean Nleya (2019-2020 Open Internet for Democracy Leader) interviewed Professor Thuli Madonsela. Madonsela is a professor of law and the law faculty trust chair in social justice at Stellenbosch University, South Africa as well as the former South African...
26May
Africa urgently needs a shared identity for its $3trn free trade club to work, could music be a unifier?
(This article first appeared on CNBCAfrica on 23 September 2019) By Mary-Jean Nleya Africa balkanised in 1884 – 1885 The balkanisation of African states is a colonial construct, yet it has become one of the most Africanised phenomena of contemporary Africa. During the wave of independence, a pan-Africanist movement swept over much of the continent with Julius Nyerere as its ardent proponent. However, the drawn lines of the Berlin Conference remained firm causing national identity to trump over a shared African identity. The recent...
17Sep
Global ICT Forum in Africa: South Africa Hosts World Telecom Conference
International ICT Conference in Africa: South Africa Hosts Global Tech Conference ICT Conference commences on African soil The 2018 ITU Telecom World Conference officially kicked off in Durban on Monday, 10 September 2018 until Thursday, 13 September 2018. The conference was an annual occasion organized by the host country and the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), a United Nations specialized agency for Information Telecommunications Technologies (ICTs). This year the conference was hosted by the South African Department of Telecommunications and Postal...
22Jan
All Eyes On Russia, Again?
With barely one month into the new year, 2018, eye-grabbing headlines are making the rounds on various news media. This time Russia is a talking point, again: if not about the FBI investigation into the alleged collusion between the 2016 Trump Campaign and the Russian government and the reported subpoena of former White House chief strategist, Steve Bannon, and his refusal to respond to questions posed by the House Intelligence Committee on Russian meddling; then about how Sweden is...
20Dec
Small-Holder Farmers to Revitalise Agriculture in Africa
President of the African Development Bank, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, was chosen as the World Food Laureate by the World Food Prize board in June 2017. On October 16, as part of the World Food Prize events, he delivered a boldly-titled lecture “Betting on Africa To Feed The World”. With an estimated 33 million small-holder farmers, Africa has in recent times been dubbed the “breadbasket of the world”. The 33 million small-holder farmers represent a great business opportunity to be tapped...
22Nov
Making Money While Doing Good: A Closer Look at Zoona, Malawi
The financial services industry in Africa is ever expanding with fintech startups finding particularly innovative ways to service the 80% unbanked adults in Africa. Harvard University professors, Michael Porter and Mark Kramer opine that businesses can re-evaluate their operations to “bring business and society together” by yielding financial returns in ways that also address the challenges societies face, a business concept they termed “creating shared value”. Disrupt Africa, a portal with information relating to Africa’s startup scene, released a report...
10Nov
Intergenerational Mobility: A Conversation with a Local Chief in Malawi
The World Bank will be issuing a study on the implications of one’s familial socio-economic background on their ability to progress beyond that of their lineage. The introduction to the World Bank’s preview, to the upcoming report, states that in order for inclusive growth to be a reality, public policy ought to give due regard and consideration to the hopes of people to progress beyond that of their background. In economic literature this phenomenon is known as Intergenerational Mobility...
22Oct
Leading Women Trailblazing Small-Scale Farming – An Untapped Resource
In a world that produces enough food to feed everyone, one in nine people go to bed hungry everyday, that is an approximate number of 815 million people. Food security remains a global challenge. Sub-Saharan Africa has an estimated 233 million people who are hungry. In 2015, the international community incorporated Sustainable Development Goal 2, which aims to “end hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture”. With these statistics, small-holder farmers work on 80% of farmland...