African ingenuity blogwatch
Before I get into the part of this blogwatch that actually involves Africa, I want to link yet another post on Imus, because it actually kind of relates. In Imus in the Mourning, Steven Barnes references a long ago argument between two African-Americans, about how best to achieve equality.
A century ago, Booker T. Washington and WEB Dubois debated whether financial power or social equality represented the best path to improved life for blacks in America….
But what we do have is blacks situated on the executive boards of major media conglomerates, working in the law offices of CNN, making decisions at multi-billion dollar corporations.
The Imus storm might have died down if not fed by thousands of letters and e-mails, some orchestrated by the NAACP and other groups. But it was the withdrawal of advertising by General Motors, Proctor and Gamble, and American Express (lead by an African-American CEO, Kenneth Chenault ) that motivated both CBS and MSNBC to drop Imus. They had been hit squarely in the pocketbook, and it hurt….
Partially because of DuBois, blacks sought and acquired the social equality necessary to pierce the corporate walls. But as Booker T. Washington might have predicted, it is financial pressure that forced a change, that drew a long overdue line in the sand. Two sides of a single social/political coin. They must be smiling.
OK, on to Africa, and what makes for financial growth there.
First, we have the Africa Business Forum 2007.
The World Bank Group – IMF Africa Investment Club (AIC), in conjunction with the Africa Trade and Investment Council (AfTIC) will hold the Africa Business Forum 2007 this summer to facilitate discussion on Africa’s most dynamic business sectors and promote business matchmaking between African business people and their foreign counterparts. The forum will be held June 5 -7, 2007 at the IMF Headquarters in Washington, DC.
Africa Business Forum 2007 will provide an opportunity for foreign investors to learn about operating in Africa by creating a forum where partnerships can be forged. While plenary sessions, will look at the African market in general, the Forum Agenda will be divided into nine topic areas: trade, investment, information technology, finance, agribusiness, energy, travel & tourism, doing business with the World Bank and working with the IFC.
Meanwhile, the Corporate Council on Africa is hosting its 2007 US-Africa business summit in Capetown, South Africa.
The biennial U.S.-Africa Business Summit is scheduled from November 14-16, 2007 at the Cape Town Convention Centre. This is CCA’s sixth Summit, but the first ever to be held in Africa.
“CCA has never hosted our flagship event on the Continent, so it is a significant move for us. We need to find ways to increase US investment in Africa. This may be the best way to do it. South Africa is an important gateway to Africa, and U.S. businesses will be able to experience Africa first-hand. We also believe African business attendance will be significant.” said Mr. Stephen Hayes, President of the CCA.
Untapped: The Scramble for Africa’s Oil.
Can Nigeria, rated as a high risk country to invest, attract oil and gas investors?
Kenyan Entrepreneur Provides An Innovative Solution to Local Market Challenges.
Burkina Faso: Pilot project against desertification.
Stock market gains in Zimbabwe, but will ordinary Zimbabweans benefit?