Month: March 2019

Diplomacy, News

Donald Trump earmarks $60 billion for Africa’s development

The US government has earmarked $60 to fund private sector US investments in Africa through a new Presidential Initiative, called “Prosper Africa,” to support U.S. investment across the continent, improve the business climate, and accelerate the growth of Africa’s middle class.

In support of Prosper Africa, President Donald Trump signed into law the BUILD Act, establishing the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, or IDFC.

US Deputy Secretary of State,
John J. Sullivan, disclosed these facts at an investment luncheon in Luanda, Angola as part of his tour of Africa.

Read the full speech here

Politics

How Sudan’s uprising is inspiring a generation of Sudanese American teens

By Hana Baba

Nearly two dozen people are gathered for a symposium in Hayward, California, about the recent protests in Sudan. Those who come to these Sudan-related events are usually adults — first-generation Sudanese immigrants to the United States.

But it’s different tonight. The featured speakers are Sudanese American teenagers.

First up is 17-year-old Maazin Ahmed, whose mother is Sudanese and father is African American. Maazin is the president of his college’s Black Students Union in Berkeley, California, a city familiar with protests. He says he grew up seeing pictures of his mom sporting an afro in the 70s in Sudan. She told him stories about better times in her home country.

Continue reading “How Sudan’s uprising is inspiring a generation of Sudanese American teens” →

Appointments

Meet Ghana’s first African-American Tourism ambassador, Diallo Sumbry

By Michael Klugey
Diallo Sumbry, the founder of the Washington D.C. based The Adinkra Group, an African Cultural Edutainment Resource, and Consulting Company, and organizer of the Back2Africa Festival and Tour has been appointed as Ghana’s first African-American Tourism Ambassador by the Ghana Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture.

Mr. Sumbry will join Ghana Tourism Ambassadors including Afrobeats Star Fuse ODG, Ghanaian Rap Star, Sarkodie, Ghanaian British Singing Sensations, Reggie N Bollie, and Singer Wiyaala to transform and promote tourism as a leading sector of the economy in Ghana.

Continue reading “Meet Ghana’s first African-American Tourism ambassador, Diallo Sumbry” →

Business, News

Bank of America Merrill Lynch warns of recession in South Africa over Eskom

By Colin McClelland

South Africa will face another recession by year’s end if the Eskom load shedding debacle isn’t remedied, according to forecasts by Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

GDP growth will plummet by year’s end and signal a recession, which is two quarters of sub-zero growth, Michael Jacks, head of equity research in Johannesburg at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, told reporters on March 20 in the city’s Rosebank area.

Read more from source

Culture

International Mall Offers a Cultural Experience & Unique Shopping

By

Few Americans travel to Africa and even fewer have been to Somalia. But you can get a taste of African and international culture and goods right here in Louisville at the International Mall at Eighth and York streets.

A large warehouse-type building is separated into small rooms housing several businesses, including shops, tailors, groceries and even a barber, all owned by independent business owners who come together to support each other. If you’ve ever traveled to a country with a market area or medina, you’ll recognize the small stalls that use every inch of space to store and display wares. Brightly colored rugs, dresses and curtains line the walls and hang from the ceilings. There are beautiful golden tea sets, plates and stackable cookware, alongside faux flower arrangements and beautiful headscarves.

Continue reading “International Mall Offers a Cultural Experience & Unique Shopping” →

News

Google apologises for Ghanaian cedi mistake

Google has apologised to Ghana’s finance ministry and central bank for displaying a wrong exchange rate for the Ghanaian currency, the cedi, on its currency converter.

On Friday, Google’s currency converter said it took 22 cedis to buy one US dollar, when the correct rate was four times less.

Google said in a letter to the ministry and bank that the error occurred because of a “minor glitch” but was “quickly fixed”.

Nigeria also suffered a similar fate last month.

Continue reading “Google apologises for Ghanaian cedi mistake” →

Asylum, Immigration

Canada ramps up border security to stop the flow of asylum-seekers coming from the US

By Breck Dumas

Canada announced Tuesday it will boost spending on border security in an effort to clamp down on asylum-seekers crossing into its country from the U.S.

The Canadian government is committing an additional $902 million over the next five years in an attempt to stem the flow of asylum-seekers from nations like Nigeria and Central American countries who are swarming its border from the U.S.

Continue reading “Canada ramps up border security to stop the flow of asylum-seekers coming from the US” →

Events

Ghanaian president to deliver speech at Harvard University

Ghanaian president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is expected to head an impressive list of speakers at this year’s Africa Development Conference, at Harvard University on March 29, 2019.The Ghanaian president will deliver the Executive Keynote address at the Forum hosted by Harvard Kennedy’s School’s Institute of Politics and the Center for African Studies of the University.

Read more fŕom source

Festivals, Movies

Watch out Hollywood, Nollywood is coming to town for a festival of African film

By Jeffery Fleishman

In the early days of Nigerian cinema, directors and actors wandered cities and tribal lands shooting movies straight to VHS tapes that were sold in kiosks and bartered in villages.

Those times of on-the-fly editing and pocket-change financing have since grown into one of the largest film industries in the world, a quicksilver business that is as attuned to juju priests as it is to the love affairs and nightclubs of the new rich.

The reach of what is known as Nollywood often strikes Kemi Adetiba, one of its most acclaimed directors, when she’s in Jamaica or New York. A taxi driver will invariably say, “Oh, God, I love Nigerian films” while waxing on about how those stories connect him to ancestors who centuries before had been uprooted from Africa by slavery and colonialism.

Continue reading “Watch out Hollywood, Nollywood is coming to town for a festival of African film” →

Climate

U.S. indoor climate similar to that of west central Kenya

By Mick Kulikowski

What do you do to remain comfortable in your home?

If you’re like the American citizen scientists who reported information about their home climate, you make it as close as possible to the outdoor climate of west central Kenya, according to a new North Carolina State University study.

The survey of U.S. indoor climate preferences in 37 states shows that, on average, Americans keep their home climate similar to the outdoor climate of northeast Africa, with outdoor conditions in west central Kenya the most similar to conditions in American homes. That generally means that it’s warm inside with low humidity.

Continue reading “U.S. indoor climate similar to that of west central Kenya” →

Movies

7 Nigerians putting Nollywood on the world map

The movie industry in Nigeria (Nollywood) has come a long way from catering to just its local audience.
These days, Nigerian movies are gradually going global and being appreciated in various parts of the globe.

After spreading around Africa through the Africa Magic Channels of Multichoice, Nigerian movies are beginning to find their way to global platforms like Netflix.

The artists helping this global push are spotlighted in this report by Pulse.com

Read from more source

Business

Can Ethiopia’s Long Love Affair With Boeing Survive the 737 Max Crash?

By Selam Gebrekidan

Last week, a brand-new Boeing 737 Max 8 crashed shortly after takeoff in Ethiopia. Five months earlier, an identical Boeing model crashed in Indonesia. With investigators looking into the possibility that a design flaw played a role in both disasters, the company is in a harsh spotlight.

Like Boeing, Ethiopian Airlines has long been held in high regard. It maintains a young fleet, and it operates a respected aviation school.

The airline has been intertwined with Boeing for six decades. It was the first African airline to buy its jets, with a loan from the American government. And over the years, it has maintained such close ties with Boeing that it did not purchase planes from rival Airbus until three years ago.

Continue reading “Can Ethiopia’s Long Love Affair With Boeing Survive the 737 Max Crash?” →

Diplomacy, News

Algerian Envoy Seeks to Explain Unrest at Home to US Authorities

By Natalie Liu

Diplomacy always involves delicate balancing acts, but seldom more so than for Algeria’s ambassador to the United States, Madjid Bouguerra.

As ever-larger crowds march through the streets of his homeland demanding an end to the rule of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, the veteran diplomat — who has served in Washington since 2015 — finds himself trying to reconcile his role as the president’s envoy with his feelings as a self-declared Algerian patriot.

“I am ambassador of Algeria in the U.S. But most importantly, I am an Algerian citizen and certainly part and parcel of my people. And I wish as an Algerian to see my country succeeding in this transition,” Bouguerra told VOA in an interview, adding that his diplomatic duty dictates that he explain the happenings back home to the host country.

Continue reading “Algerian Envoy Seeks to Explain Unrest at Home to US Authorities” →

Diplomacy, News

Pompeo salutes Tunisians on National Day

US Secretary of State, Michael Pompeo, has sent the regard of the United States Government to the people of Tunisia on the occasion of their 63rd independence anniversary.

He commended the Tunisian people for their dedication to peaceful dialogue, consensus building, and reform through democratic means.

Pompeo pledged that the United States will continue to support Tunisia’s efforts to strengthen its security and develop its economy.

Continue reading “Pompeo salutes Tunisians on National Day” →

Diplomacy, Military

AFRICOM Commander engages with African leaders in Washington

The top U.S. commander in Africa met with African leaders in Washington D.C. recently to discuss U.S. Africa Command’s role in the new National Defense Strategy and the value of partner capacity.

Marine Corps Gen. Thomas D. Waldhauser engaged with 21 defense attachés and the African Union Ambassador to the U.S. in a wide-ranging discussion at the Africa House, addressing various strategies and common challenges on the continent, Africa Command said.

Continue reading “AFRICOM Commander engages with African leaders in Washington” →