Africa

Photo: South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa. Source: Mail & Guardian

African Countries Rage at New Travel Bans by Vaccine Hoarding Countries

By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network

NEW YORK | CAPE TOWN (IDN) — Southern African countries are facing new travel restrictions after the discovery of a handful of coronavirus variants, first found in Botswana. For some African leaders, it’s the classic case of shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted.

“Despite the repeated warnings of health leaders,” declared former British prime minister Gordon Brown, “our failure to put vaccines into the arms of people in the developing world is now coming back to haunt us. We were forewarned—and yet here we are.”

: Global Information Network; SUSTAINABILITY; Health & Well Being; 29 November 2021

Cape Town University Students Cited for Innovative Business Ideas

By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network

NEW YORK | CAPE TOWN (IDN) — Three female students at the University of Cape Town won intervarsity recognition as top student entrepreneurs after a two-day national final in Johannesburg in November.

Among the winners was Zimbabwe-born Chido Dzinotyiwei, founder of Vambo Academy, an educational technology platform that uses digital resources to offer language learning, translation and knowledge services.

: Global Information Network; SUSTAINABILITY; Quality Education; 29 November 2021

The Outbreak of Omicron: Scientists and Leaders Call for Collaboration with Africa

By Reinhard Jacobsen

BRUSSELS (IDN) — International scientists and leaders have urged a "global response of collaboration with Africa on COVID-19 following Omicron outbreak". Over a hundred academics and leaders from Europe, Africa, the US among others say in a joint letter to the European Commission and the World Health Organization (WHO) that they are "concerned with the lack of action for vaccination in Africa and solidarity with Africa".

There is no way that isolation of Africa could be the solution to this problem, says the letter. "We ask that the response is based on science."

: Reinhard Jacobsen; SUSTAINABILITY; Health & Well Being; 29 November 2021

Photo: U.S. Ambassador to Mozambique Dennis W. Hearne with Mozambique Health Minister Armindo Tiago and COVAX Initiative partners. Credit: U.S. Embassy in Maputo, Mozambique

Argentina, United States Donate Vaccines to Mozambique

By Kester Kenn Klomegah

MOSCOW l MAPUTO (IDN) — The United States and Argentina Embassies in Maputo have donated large quantities of vaccines to the Government of the Republic of Mozambique. As their tremendous and recognizable contributions to help fight the spread of coronavirus, the United States offered 840,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccines while Argentina gave 450,000 doses of the AstraZeneca.

: Kester Kenn Klomegah; SUSTAINABILITY; Health & Well Being; 28 November 2021

Photo: Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, speaking in Abuja, Nigeria. Credit: Pool photo by Andrew Harnik. Source: NYT

US Secretary of State Blinken Finds ‘Vibrant Democracy’ In Violence-Stricken Nigeria

By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network

NEW YORK (IDN) — A whiz-bang tour through Africa had some discordant notes for US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken who was treated to wide vistas of Chinese-built infrastructure as his motorcade zipped from airport to airport.

In Nigeria, he zoomed past the China Chamber of Commerce in Nigeria building, a domed, palace-like structure along the expressway.

: Global Information Network; THE WORLD; Africa; 22 November 2021

Photo: The Island of Saint-Louis, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Credit: CC BY 3.0

Climate Change Engulfs Historic Venice of Africa

By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network

NEW YORK (IDN) — Saint-Louis, the old colonial capital of Senegal, was built in the 17th century at the mouth of the Senegal River and was the capital of French West Africa until 1902. But these days rising sea levels have created a flooding threat that has already seen entire villages lost to the Atlantic.

Guet Ndar, a district of Saint-Louis, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Mosques, homes and a school there have already been lost to coastal erosion.

: Global Information Network; SUSTAINABILITY; Climate Action; 22 November 2021

The Global Pandemic Pushing Africa into A Severe Job Crisis

By Johann Ivanov*

ACCRA (IDN) — Africa is facing a severe employment crisis. But if nothing is done to find a solution, it could get much worse in the not-too-distant future, as World Bank projections from 2017 show: By 2035, Africa’s working age population will expand by 450 million. At the same time, however, only 100 million jobs are expected be created in the same period. And that was before the Covid-19 pandemic hit: Africa was severely affected and its economies experienced a contraction by 2 per cent in 2020. UNECA estimates that almost 30 million Africans have been pushed below the extreme poverty line.

: Africa & ME Editor; SUSTAINABILITY; Poverty; 20 November 2021

Photo: Top African leaders at the IATF2021. Credi-pt: IATF2021

Intra-African Trade Fair Aims to Strengthen the Continent's Industrial Base

By Kester Kenn Klomegah

MOSCOW | DURBAN (IDN) — South Africa is hosting a weeklong Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2021), which provides a unique and valuable platform for businesses to access an integrated African market of over 1.2 billion people with a GDP of over US$2.5 trillion.

Organized by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), in collaboration with the African Union and the Secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), it is the 2nd edition of the IATF, taking place in Durban from November 15-21.

: Kester Kenn Klomegah; THE WORLD; Africa; 18 November 2021

Africa Faces A “Perfect Storm” Due to Under-Investment in Children

By Ronald Joshua

ADDIS ABABA (IDN) — Child deprivation “has a lasting and detrimental impact on nations’ political stability, prosperity and sustainable development”, warns a new report. Titled The Economic Case for Investing in Children in Africa: Investing in our Common Future, the report was launched on November 18 at a pan-African virtual event involving representatives from African governments, the UN, World Bank, civil society organisations, human rights activists and child policy experts.

: Ronald Joshua; SUSTAINABILITY; Health & Well Being; 18 November 2021

Photo: Screenshot of Nelson Mandela and Frederik Willem de Klerk receiving their Nobel Peace Prize medals during the Nobel Peace Prize Award Ceremony at the Oslo City Hall in Norway, 10 December 1993.

A Private Funeral to Be Held for Last of The Apartheid-Era Presidents

By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network

NEW YORK (IDN) — There will be no state funeral for South Africa’s last white president, Frederick Willem de Klerk, his foundation said in a published statement.

Instead, Mr. de Klerk will have a private burial following cremation on November 21 for family members that will be closed to the media. He was 85 years of age.