Africa

The Sochi Summit and the Pride of Africa

Viewpoint by Kester Kenn Klomegah

MOSCOW (IDN) – After nearly three decades of extremely low political, economic and cultural engagement, Russia is indeed returning to Africa. For obvious reasons, Russia's relations with Africa turned extremely worse as some diplomatic representations were unexpectedly cut, all cultural centers closed, and many projects were suspended. Of course, relations with many foreign countries have faded into the background compared with the challenges the country had to deal with in order to preserve its statehood.

: Kester Kenn Klomegah; OPINION; 20 October 2019

Photo: 70 percent of the population in Africa are smallholder farmers. Credit: Crop Science Bayer.

Smallholder Farmers in Africa Get Lifeline from EU

By Jeffrey Moyo

MUREHWA, Zimbabwe (IDN) – Year after year since 2015, 56-year old Hapias Zindove has delivered hundreds of tonnes of soya beans to Zimbabwe’s Grain Marketing Board (GMB). With proceeds from soya beans, he – the father of seven children – has managed to send four of them to universities.

“I have risen from being a mere hands-to-mouth farmer to a big supplier of soya beans even to the GMB and big supermarkets in the country,” Zindove tells IDN in a ‘rugs-to-riches story’, as he rides on success in his farming endeavors.

: Jeffrey Moyo; THE WORLD; Africa; 19 October 2019

Photo: View of Kibera in Nairobi, the largest urban slum in Africa. CC BY-SA 3.0

Burgeoning Urban Population Will Decide the Future of Africa

Viewpoint by Henrik Maihack *

NAIROBI (IDN-INPS) – In the next 25 years, Africa’s urban population is set to double. By 2040, the majority of Africans will be living in cities. There are numerous reasons for this: climate change, violent conflicts and the hope of finding work or education, although this list could easily be extended. Urbanisation thus constitutes one of the greatest transformations facing Africa in the 21st century.

: Africa & ME Editor; THE WORLD; Africa; 18 October 2019

Photo credit: Office of the Prime Minister of Ethiopia

Timing of Nobel Peace Prize for Ethiopian Leader Questioned

Viewpoint by Makeda Saba

BRUSSELS (IDN) – On October 11, 2019, the Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the 2019 Nobel Peace prize to the Prime Minister of Ethiopia Dr Abiy Ahmed. He is the fourth African leader to be bestowed that honour after President Anwar Sadat in 1978; President FW de Klerk in 1993); and President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in 2011.

: Africa & ME Editor; THE WORLD; Africa; 16 October 2019

Uganda Outlaws Opposition Leader’s Trademark - The Red Beret

By Lisa Vives

NEW YORK (IDN) – The Uganda government is taking action against the popular red beret, calling it official military clothing that could earn the wearer imprisonment for life.

According to the new rule, the sale or wearing of any attire which resembles the army uniform is also banned. Prohibited items include side caps, bush hats, ceremonial forage caps and camouflaged baseball caps.

: Global Information Network; THE WORLD; Africa; 16 October 2019

Photo: Katya Dyachenko, FOUNDER & CEO of B2B-Export.com

Ekaterina Dyachenko Assesses Russia-Africa Trade

By Kester Kenn Klomegah

MOSCOW (IDN) – For decades, Russia has been looking for effective ways to promote multifaceted ties and new strategies for cooperation in economic areas in Africa. Now, Kremlin will hold the first Russia-Africa Summit in Sochi on October 23-24 with high hopes of enhancing multifaceted ties, trying to reshape the existing relationship and significantly roll out ways to increase effectiveness of cooperation between Russia and Africa.

: Kester Kenn Klomegah; THE WORLD; Russia; 14 October 2019

Photo: Russian President Vladimir Putin in an address to the international forum of parliamentarians early July 2019 emphasized that “the modern world needs an open and free exchange of views, confidence building and search for mutual understanding”. Credit: The Kremlin.

Russia and Africa Need to Know More About Each Other

By Kester Kenn Klomegah

MOSCOW (IDN) – After several years of consistently constructive criticisms, Russian authorities have finally put on the agenda the topic of media cooperation for further panel discussions during the first Russia-Africa Summit on October 23-24 in Sochi, southern coastal city of Russia.

The Russia-Africa Summit programme, released last month, explicitly notes that Russian-African relations are lending an additional dimension to developments, especially with the boost provided by rapidly expanding links across a vast range of areas. The media can and indeed must be a decisive factor in building effective ties.

: Kester Kenn Klomegah; THE WORLD; Russia; 11 October 2019

Photo: The Hadza people in Manyara. Credit. Edwin Mkendo.

Tanzania’s Hadzabe Win Climate Change Award

By Kizito Makoye

MANYARA, Tanzania (IDN) – At the heart of the Yaeda valley, which sprawls across a wide expanse of plains in Tanzania’s northern Manyara region, live the Hadzabe – a 40,000-year-old tribe who live in the bush. Their livelihoods still depend on hunting and gathering wild fruits, and for many years now, they have shown a great ability in surviving on a few dwindling resources.

Armed with vast knowledge of the country’s flora and fauna, coupled with their inseparable bond with nature, the Hadzabe have until recently lived in a perfect balance between man and the environment.

: Africa & ME Editor; THE WORLD; Africa; 11 October 2019

African Languages Among the Top Ten Spoken in U.S. Homes

By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network

NEW YORK (IDN) – If you think you’re hearing more Swahili, Yoruba, Amharic or Twi coming from your neighbour’s home, you’re right!

Newly released data from the U.S. Census Bureau finds African languages are among the top ten fastest growing languages spoken at home in the U.S.

The Census list features three groups of African languages: Swahili and other Central/Eastern/Southern African languages; Yoruba, Twi, Igbo, and other Western African languages; and Amharic/Somali.

: Global Information Network; THE WORLD; Africa; 10 October 2019

Image credit: Screenshot of Ethiopia Thanksgiving from CGTN Africa.

Ethiopian ‘Thanksgiving’ Returns as A Joyous Affair

By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network

NEW York (IDN) – For the first time in 150 years, Ethiopia’s Oromo people celebrated “Thanksgiving” in “Finfinee” – generally known as Addis Ababa.

The country’s largest ethnic group turned up in the hundreds of thousands to mark “Ireecha” – a public outdoors event. People gathered around water bodies, holding tufts of grass to thank Waqqaa (God) and ask for Nagaa (Peace), Finnaa (the development of mind and body), Walooma (togetherness or harmony), and Araaraa (Reconciliation).