Ethiopia prime minister tells UAE Crown Prince: ‘You’ve lost the religion’
Ethiopia has begun a dramatic turnaround. Already this year, after facing widespread unrest and violent protests against a government that appeared unresponsive and entrenched, new Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has led a “dramatic turnaround.” Elected by the ruling coalition's executive council after his predecessor, Hailemariam Desalegn, abruptly resigned, Ahmed has initiated sweeping reforms, boosted civil liberties and quelled dissent...
Africa Watch – Barack Obama’s words and his Africa policy
America's first Black president, Barack Obama, may have been the honorary speaker at the 100th anniversary of the birth of the late Nelson Mandela, South Africa's first post-apartheid president, and is the creator of the 200 member Young African Leader's Initiative, but his record with Africa as U.S. president left a lot to be desired. During his remarks, delivered...
Africa Watch – Self-Sufficiency is Africa’s future
‘Ghana Beyond Aid:' Self-Sufficiency is Africa's future The Oxford Africa Conference and the Oxford Business Network for Africa, earlier this year, was hosted by the Said Business School and featured Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo. During an address, held in the Nelson Mandela Lecture Theater, the African leader took the opportunity to elaborate on his “Ghana Beyond Aid” agenda. During his...
Liberia’s Trade & Investment Conference: Seeking Help and Investment from the Diaspora
When I first received the invitation for a delegation to attend an investment conference in Liberia, I was asked to reach out to retired teachers, farmers, and business persons who were not afraid of Africa, and ready to look into the tremendous possibilities of Liberia. We jumped at the opportunity. Though I had been to Liberia many times, this...
Another Failed South Sudan Peace Agreement
Before the ink was dry on yet another peace agreement to end South Sudan's hostilities, violations occurred between President Salva Kiir's forces and troops belonging to rebel leader and former South Sudan vice-president Rick Machar. The two leaders, meeting June 26 in Khartoum with President Omar Bashir and after two days of talks that included Uganda President Yoweri Museveni,...
Africa, the World Cup and rooting for everybody Black
The world's most viewed sporting event happens every four years during the World Cup. Estimates suggest this year it will garner 3.2 billion viewers. In a recent commentary discussing who to root for during this global soccer match, subtitled “A Diasporic Black Man's Guide to the World Cup,' Maulud Sadiq wrote since his “family,” obviously due in great part...
Africa Watch – Mineral Wealth, Professionals Abroad and Honoring Winnie Mandela
Undervaluing Africa's mineral wealth Statistics taken from the African Development Bank focusing on the mining industry prospects in Africa, in 2012, highlighted that Africa represented only eight percent of global mineral production. This was broken down as bauxite 7 percent; chromite 38 percent; cobalt 60 percent; copper 9 percent; gold 20 percent; iron ore and lead 2 percent; manganese...
Africa Watch
Facts about Africa The recent continent-wide celebration of Africa, called Africa Day, not only paid homage to the forming of the Organization of African Unity, now called the African Union, but also celebrated the diversity of Africa and its one billion inhabitants, making it the Earth's second most populous continent. Here are a few more facts about Africa: The continent's...
Africa Watch – Peace Talks, Trade, Anti-corruption and Continental Airspace
Palestinian Ambassador accepts Ethiopia as a negotiator for peace talks The Palestinian ambassador to Ethiopia, Dr. Nasri Abujaish, during a May 15 press conference condemning the opening of the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem, said with Ethiopia being the home of the African Union, “and the political capital of the (African) continent, we accept Ethiopia as a negotiator in the...
Africa Watch – Ramadan, Trevor Noah, Corruption and Fighting for Justice
What to expect visiting an African Islamic country during Ramadan observance Visitors to Islamic countries need to be aware of the local customs, including the annual observance of Ramadan. Though you're not expected to participate in the month long fast, it's important that you respect local customs and not, according to the online travel site trip savvy.com, eat or...