ARTS & CULTURE
Congolese artist Cheri Samba exhibition in Paris
Chéri Samba is the undisputed king of popular painting in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The master painter is exhibiting in the Kings of Kin exhibition at the Magnin-A contemporary art gallery in Paris until 30 October.
Algerian actresses protest
Algerian women are running a campaign called Femicides Algeria to raise awareness of women who are killed or harassed. The objective is to get society to do more to change the culture that has normalised this behaviour.
Reflecting on identity during Black History month
Gamal Fahnbulleh was born in Sierra Leone and emigrated to the UK when he was three. He reflects on his African & British culture upbringing and how he wants his son to find his own identity
ECONOMY
IMF foresees a difficult road ahead for Africa
The IMF is projecting a minus three percent growth for Africa as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the worst outcome on record. The countries hardest hit are those dependent on tourism and commodity exports.
Africa needs digital skills
The demand for digital skills is increasing across all sectors from farmers in Ethiopia checking crop prices on government websites to factory workers in Kenya updating management by sending photos on their smartphone.
Mobile money is key to Africa’s growth
Transaction volume and value in the region have seen double-digit growth during the last decade, and mobile money accounts are expected to reach 500 million at the end of 2020. Poorly designed taxes arise from a lack of understanding of the nuances of this sector
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Africa Women Innovation And Entrepreneurship Forum AWIEF2020 Conference
AWIEF2020 will be held from 2-3 December 2020 and brings together more than 1,300 pan-African and global stakeholders. This year’s theme is “Reimagining business and rebuilding better”
Highlights from Fintech in the Middle East and Africa
Key announcements made: Mastercard’s signature science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) program, Girls4Tech, will be rolled out to Morocco. Fintech trading platform, TigerWit, is expanding across Africa. Mukuru and WorldRemit are expanding to Zambia, South Africa, Mozambique, Malawi and Botswana. MTFX has partnered with Crown Agents Bank to expand access into Africa. The Mauritius Africa FinTech Hub (MAFH) is celebrating its 2nd year anniversary
Entrepreneurial individualism and Africa’s prosperity
Perspective from Nigeria: most founders of businesses and entrepreneurs focus almost entirely on the accomplishment of their individual goals and objectives. Self-interest priorities are always the critical engine for success
INNOVATION
Africa after COVID19: Policy Priorities to drive economic transformation
The African Center for Economic Transformation (ACET) published a policy brief in June 2020 highlighting key transformative policy priorities for Africa in the aftermath of the pandemic which include accelerating digital economies and fostering broad innovation
Lessons for rural innovation in Africa
Many countries in sub-Saharan Africa commit resources to promote agricultural innovations. This is based on the assumption that rural livelihoods are mainly agricultural and that the innovations will increase agricultural production and household income.
AfriLabs Gives Over €250,000 in Grants to 20 Innovation Hubs Across Africa
AfriLabs during its virtual 2020 Annual Gathering awarded 17 innovation hubs with €15,000 each to implement start-up support projects across Africa. An additional 3 hubs won grants of 2,000€ each to host virtual meetups on COVID-19 and the SDGs.
LEADERSHIP
Guinea presidential rivals both claim victory
Guinea’s electoral commission has declared incumbent President Alpha Conde the winner of last week’s bitterly fought presidential poll, giving him a third term in office with 59% of the vote. However, opposition candidate Cellou Dalein Diallo, Conde’s closest rival, has also declared victory with 53% of the vote. He said he has evidence of electoral fraud and plans to file a complaint with the constitutional court.
Intergenerational Co-leadership for Global Governance Innovation
The COVID-19 pandemic has created political momentum that demonstrates that multilateral cooperation, while in need of revitalization, is a key vehicle for responding to global challenges.
How animals choose their leaders, from brute force to democracy
From bees to dolphins to elephants, many wild animals live in cooperative groups ruled by a single leader. And, as is the case in human societies, these rulers take different pathways to power. Depending on their size and personalities, chimpanzees either use brute force or build coalitions to get ahead. The top dogs of some species, such as spotted hyenas, are determined by sex or by lineage, much as rulers ascend in a monarchy.
LIFESTYLE
Forbes Top 20 places to visit in 2021
Five African countries were featured on Forbes’ Top 20 places to visit in 2021: Kenya (Giraffe Manor and Eden in Nairobi, Sasaab Segera and Angama March), Egypt (the Grand Museum), Rwanda (Gishwati Mukura National PARK), Tunisia (Sahara desert and seaside villages) and South Africa (Cape Town, Jo’burg, Kruger National Park).
Taiwanese Woman Goes On Safari Trip In Africa, Ends Up Marrying Her Tour Guide
A Taiwanase woman named Lu Lee-Kombe signed up for a volunteering trip to Tanzania where she taught English for two weeks. She then went on a three-day camping safari where she met Sam, her Tanzanian safari guide. They fell in love, got married and have a child.
Hyundai Rolls Out All-New Elantra Model in Middle East and Africa Market
Hyundai Motor Company has launched its all-new Elantra today with the latest model now on sale in countries across the Middle East and Africa (MEA) market.