Peter Guest, editor
African innovation can produce solutions with global application. Africa is not so disconnected from the world that it must be viewed in a vacuum. Its solutions can be universal and, as Microsoft’s Cheick Diarra says, Africa can be an incubator for innovation”
More . . .The assassination of President Joao Bernardo Vieira has prompted fears of a coup in the West African country.
More . . .By Ruchita Beri
When the curtains came down on the India-Africa business partnership summit held recently in New Delhi, there was a palpable sense of excitement in the air that was quite difficult to miss.
More . . .- Sudan: ICC decision could provoke backlash The International Criminal Court’s warrant for the arrest of President Bashir in Sudan is at best ineffective – and at worst counterproductive, experts say.
- Tone may triumph over policy By Steve McDonald Any new US president, had it been John McCain or Barack Obama, would have had to begin his administration with a review and a reorientation of relations with Africa in the context of a dramatically changed world.
- Africa’s chance to shine amid global turmoil By Alhaji Aliko Dangote The world economy has dominated media headlines for more than six months now, with continuing uncertainty as to the true size and scale of the crisis that has engulfed almost every corner of the globe.
- Core strategies to bolster developing economies By Jeffrey Sachs Economic policy can best help to stabilise the world economy by focusing on the core features of the global crisis, rather than flailing around with patch-ups from one day to the next.
- The digital generation With a young population and an insatiable appetite for information, Africa could be the next great technology market
- Kofi Annan “The G8 and G20 have influence, but they don’t have legitimacy. They have influence because they are big economies, they meet once a year, make decisions that affect people who are not invited to the table. If you are going to reform the system, it has to be based on universality”
- Rekindling old flames As Europe seeks to secure its energy future by tapping African resources, reducing its dependence on Russian gas, Moscow is rekindling an old interest in Africa.
- What next for South Africa? South Africa is set for the most important national and provincial elections since 1994. The emergence of a credible opposition to the controversy-hit ANC has raised critical questions about the country’s future. Lanre Akinola reports.
- Powering Asia’s nuclear future Demand from India and China for nuclear fuel and innovation in power plant design are contributing to renewed optimism in uranium mining. Peter Guest reports.
- Up and away The opportunity to tap into the incomes of Africa’s emerging business and consumer class has prompted several of the continent’s airlines to expand their networks. Lanre Akinola report.
- A model of good health While half of sub-Saharan Africa has no access to modern healthcare facilities, debate still rages over which system is best, private or public. Lanre Akinola reports.
- Reaching the edge of the network While mobile telecoms operators in mature markets are trying to squeeze more revenue from their users, in Africa and other developing regions they are looking to expand into hard-to-reach rural areas.
- Mobile Banking While mobile telecoms operators in mature markets are trying to squeeze more revenue from their users, in Africa and other developing regions they are looking to expand into hard-to-reach rural areas.
- Manoranjan Mohapatra From its beginnings in India in 1999, Bharti Telesoft has ridden the wave of mobile telephony in developing markets to become a global provider of services to telecoms operators. Now it counts more than 100 clients in more than 70 countries, 30 of which are in Africa.
- Still a good investment case By Graham Mackay It was nearly four years ago that, while speaking at the African Economic Summit in Cape Town, I mentioned that if there was any more of Africa we’d be investing in it and during the intervening period I have been asked on many occasions if I still stand by this statement.
Sign Up
For the latest news and updates from This is Africa.
Interviews
Olusegun Obasanjo
“The reason I am‘re-inventing’myself as an investor... is because I was on the other side when I was in government. During that time I tried to create a conducive environment for investment into Nigeria, knowing fully well that you cannot talk of development and growth without investment”
Andrew Mitchell
“Ninety percent of all jobs around the world are created by the private sector, not governments”
Siegfried Russwurm
“Africa has grown into a focus area and the best proof is that the whole board has convened in South Africa to get a first-hand impression”
Adji Otèth Ayassor
“Our plan has been to attract investors by improving our business climate, making it easier for commerce in the country”
Stephen Chan
“Many countries are going through the protocol of holding an election... but the actual conduct of elections is not legitimate in itself”
