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Africa: U.S. Republicans Do Just Fine
It seems that Republican candidates for president are all too often written off as not having sufficient interest or experience to benefit Africa, even though recent history has proven such speculation to be untrue.
Source : AllAfrica | 09-Oct-2008 16:32

Africa: New Technology Sweeps Continent
African farmers of the 21st century can decide what crops to plant by checking prices at local markets using their cell phones. Physicians can help nurses in rural clinics diagnose patients by ?telemedicine.? In Nigeria, new subscribers are signing up with mobile phone services at a rate of almost one every second. In Kenya, they can transfer money, get exam results and even find dates using their phones.
Source : AllAfrica | 09-Oct-2008 09:52

Africa: Bandwidth - The Petrol of the New, Global Economy
Until recently the experience of the Internet in Africa has been like having to eat a three-course meal by sucking it through a straw: time-consuming, unreliable and expensive, writes Russell Southwood of Balancing Act in this expert guide to what "bandwidth" is, how it is being spread and what it can do for developing countries.
Source : AllAfrica | 09-Oct-2008 09:43

Africa: Guide to Technologies
Technologies that may have an impact on lowering prices and widening access in developing countries:
Source : AllAfrica | 08-Oct-2008 15:19

South Africa: Ruling ANC Heads Towards Split
South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) moved closer to its most significant split in half a century on Wednesday, when the country's former defence minister, Mosiuoa Lekota, announced consultations which he predicted would lead to the formation of a new party.
Source : AllAfrica | 08-Oct-2008 12:29

South Africa: Lekota's Journey From Black Consciousness to Leader of ANC Breakaway
Mosiuoa Gerard Patrick "Terror" Lekota, leader of the prospective breakaway from South Africa's ruling African National Congress, cut his teeth in politics as a follower of the black consciousness movement made famous internationally by Steve Biko. Lekota transferred his allegiance to the non-racial ANC as a political prisoner on Robben Island, then helped form the anti-apartheid United Democratic Front in 1982, and rose to become ANC party chairman and Minister of Defence. This biography is published on the ANC's website:
Source : AllAfrica | 08-Oct-2008 11:07

Africa: Women's Rights Linked to Good Governance
In an interview marking the publication of the 2008 Ibrahim Index of African Governance, Mary Robinson, a board member of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, discussed with AllAfrica's Katy Gabel the correlation between women's rights and good governance.
Source : AllAfrica | 06-Oct-2008 14:41

Africa: Government Improves Across Continent
The quality of governance improved in nearly two-thirds of sub-Saharan African nations between 2005 and 2006. Liberia showed the biggest leap in government performance in the period, while Mauritania deteriorated the most.
Source : AllAfrica | 06-Oct-2008 10:43

Rewarding Non-Violence in the Niger Delta
At a time of historically high oil prices, a model has emerged in Nigeria?s oil-rich Niger Delta that could allow more than a million barrels per day of production to come back on-stream without additional exploration or even new investment in production facilities ? if only the Nigerian government would pursue it.
Source : AllAfrica | 03-Oct-2008 12:48

Zimbabwe: Making the Most of the Deal
The people of Zimbabwe have looked desperately for months to the political negotiations between the ZANU-PF under Robert Mugabe and the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) under Morgan Tsvangirai to restore clarity and normality to their tortured country.
Source : AllAfrica | 01-Oct-2008 17:31

Africa: U.S. Campaigns' Africa Advisers Go Head to Head
Foreign policy advisers for the campaigns of the principal protagonists in the U.S. presidential election, Senator John McCain and Senator Barack Obama, have spelled out their respective policy proposals for Africa.
Source : AllAfrica | 29-Sep-2008 16:36

Africa: Obama's Three Objectives for Continent
Witney W. Schneidman, an adviser on Africa to the campaign to elect Senator Barack Obama as President of the United States, sets out Obama's fundamental policy objectives for Africa.
Source : AllAfrica | 29-Sep-2008 16:32

Africa: McCain's Vision for Freedom, Peace and Prosperity
J. Peter Pham, a foreign policy and national security advisor to the campaign to elect Senator John McCain as President of the United States, outlines McCain?s approach to Africa.
Source : AllAfrica | 29-Sep-2008 16:02

Kenya: Battle Tanks in Pirate Drama Off Somalia
A hijack drama is playing out off the coast of Somalia, where pirates have seized a cargo ship reportedly carrying Russian T-72 tanks destined for Kenya.
Source : AllAfrica | 29-Sep-2008 10:37

South Africa: New President Removes Health Minister
New South African President Kgalema Motlanthe has unexpectedly removed controversial Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang from her portfolio.
Source : AllAfrica | 25-Sep-2008 20:19

Hell Breaks Loose Within Ruling ANC
The rifts run deep. After South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) forced President Thabo Mbeki to resign last weekend, nearly half his cabinet chose to follow him, leaving South Africa in a state of uncertainty.
Source : AllAfrica | 24-Sep-2008 10:57

South Africa: 11 Cabinet Ministers Resign in Shock Move
One day after South Africa's ruling party leader and prospective president, Jacob Zuma, appealed to members of President Thabo Mbeki's cabinet to stay in their posts, more than one-third of Mbeki's ministers resigned.
Source : AllAfrica | 23-Sep-2008 15:21

Swaziland: Reforms Long Overdue
Swaziland?s parliamentary elections have underlined the dire and longstanding problems that confront the small southern African nation. The country needs seriously to reconsider its political arrangements if it is to deal with the challenges it faces.
Source : AllAfrica | 23-Sep-2008 12:19

South Africa: Mbeki Hands in Resignation
President Thabo Mbeki formally announced his early resignation in an address televised live in South Africa on Sunday night.
Source : AllAfrica | 21-Sep-2008 21:14

Mbeki to Resign After Party Clashes
President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa is being forced out of office early after a bitter struggle with his rival and successor, Jacob Zuma, over the fallout from a U.S.$30 billion arms deal.
Source : AllAfrica | 20-Sep-2008 19:21

South Africa: Ruling Party Calls on Mbeki to Resign
South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) has called on President Thabo Mbeki to resign.
Source : AllAfrica | 20-Sep-2008 15:13

Liberia: Key Survey of Nation's Health Unveiled
Liberia has taken another important step towards strengthening its nascent democracy by completing a nation-wide survey which provides a wide range of up-to-date information crucial to formulating good public health policies.
Source : AllAfrica | 19-Sep-2008 19:51

Kenya: HIV Tests Launch Wider Health Campaign
A week-long campaign launched in Lurambi division in western Kenya this week aims to test 80 percent of the population for HIV/Aids, and to supply those tested with a package of items which will help them combat multiple health problems, including malaria, HIV/Aids and diarrheal disease.
Source : AllAfrica | 19-Sep-2008 17:16

Zimbabwe: Victims Get Short Shrift in Power-Sharing Deal
The power-sharing agreement which sets up a coalition government for Zimbabwe offers little scope for dealing with past human rights abuses, denigrating the role of civil society and making only tentative mention of a mechanism to achieve national healing, write Comfort Ero and Howard Varney of the International Center for Transitional Justice.
Source : AllAfrica | 19-Sep-2008 16:06

Africa: Mobile Phones Bridge Colonial Borders
Zain, formerly known in Africa as Celtel, operates one of the continent?s major mobile phone networks. AllAfrica?s Cindy Shiner discussed the company?s business with Mwambu Wanendeya, communications director for Africa, and Mohammed Sheikh, director of strategy for Africa.
Source : AllAfrica | 18-Sep-2008 17:39

Congo-Kinshasa: Cell Phone Pioneering in Mobutu's Zaire
One of the pioneers of cellular telephone technology in Africa, Joe Gatt set up the first mobile phone network in what many would have considered among the least likely countries: Zaire, now known as the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Source : AllAfrica | 18-Sep-2008 17:34

Africa: Decision-Makers Play Key ICT Role
African decision-makers in government, the private sector and civil society will play an important role in helping achieve the goal of connecting all African villages with broadband and ICT services by 2015, says Sami Al-Basheer, director of the development bureau of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). The ITU helped organize the Connect Africa Summit that was held in Kigali, Rwanda, in October 2007, and more recently, ITU Telecom Africa in Cairo, Egypt, last May.
Source : AllAfrica | 18-Sep-2008 17:31

ICT Progress Offers Scope for New Silicon Valley
Moses Kemibaro is the business development director at DotSavvy. The company?s main focus is building web sites. He spoke to AllAfrica?s Katy Gabel.
Source : AllAfrica | 18-Sep-2008 17:28

Making Video Games for Africa
If the content of video games is relevant and African, there will be a market for them throughout the continent, game designer Wesley Kiriinya tells AllAfrica?s Katy Gabel. Kiriinya used to have his own company, Sinc Studios, which developed games. He now works for a company in Ghana, Genkey Africa Limited, making biometric software, which is used by security companies, banks and governments to digitally identify customers by physical attributes.
Source : AllAfrica | 18-Sep-2008 17:26

Sophisticated Mobile Solutions for African Telecoms
Timothy Mbugua is the CEO of Symbiotic Media Consortium. He started the company to provide a ?one-stop shop? for promotions and campaigns, using a full suite of media products to engage clients. This includes print campaigns, web presence and mobile applications.
Source : AllAfrica | 18-Sep-2008 17:26

Mobile Phones Become Bank Branches
Safaricom?s M-Pesa was launched in Kenya just over a year ago as a mobile money transfer service. Now the service has more than three million customers and has virtually eliminated competitors like Zain?s Sokotele money transfer service.
Source : AllAfrica | 18-Sep-2008 17:26

Young Minds At Work
Steve Mutinda, a graduate of the University of Nairobi who specializes in developing mobile software, tells Katy Gabel how he does it.
Source : AllAfrica | 18-Sep-2008 17:26

Africa: Cell Phones Transform Continent's Development
The rapid spread of cell phones in Africa and the rollout of broadband Internet services are narrowing the digital divide between Africa and developed countries, bringing enormous benefits to African development, says Jeffrey Sachs, director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University. He spoke to AllAfrica?s Cindy Shiner.
Source : AllAfrica | 18-Sep-2008 17:15

Low-Cost Phones Revolutionize Africa
The mobile phone industry has made a bigger social impact on people?s lives than anything else, ever, in Africa, argues Michael Joseph, chief executive officer of Kenya?s Safaricom, in an interview with AllAfrica?s Katy Gabel.
Source : AllAfrica | 18-Sep-2008 17:12

East Africa: Broadband Internet Dreams to Come True
Enhanced high-speed Internet is coming to East and Southern Africa as early as June 2009 by way of a new undersea fiber optic cable linking the continent to India and Europe.
Source : AllAfrica | 18-Sep-2008 17:09

Internet Rollout Brings Software Boom
Although most of Africa still lacks access to high-speed Internet, Kenya?s once-neglected technology sector is booming, thanks in part to a growing group of some of the region?s most talented software developers.
Source : AllAfrica | 18-Sep-2008 17:06

South Africa: Bitter Struggle Against Mbeki Escalates
The bitter confrontation between structures of the South African government and the ruling party appeared set to intensify on Thursday as President Thabo Mbeki's cabinet rejected a judge's finding that Mbeki and his ministers had interfered in a major prosecution.
Source : AllAfrica | 18-Sep-2008 15:40

Africa: Why the Continent's Supporters Should Elect Obama - Donald Payne
This is perhaps one of the most important periods in our political history.
Source : AllAfrica | 17-Sep-2008 22:36

Prosecutors Renew Case Against Zuma
South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) has attacked national prosecutors for appealing a court ruling which dismissed corruption charges against ANC leader Jacob Zuma.
Source : AllAfrica | 17-Sep-2008 21:50

Govt Should Focus on Technology, Education and Infrastructure
South Africa, which is facing a growing deficit on its trade and current accounts, should address the need to grow local manufacturing and create jobs by fostering new technology and improving education and infrastructure, not by trying to direct the structure of industry by state intervention, write Peter Draper and Andreas Freytag in a guest column for AllAfrica.
Source : AllAfrica | 17-Sep-2008 11:29

Mbeki Joins Bashir to Reject War Crimes Charges
South African President Thabo Mbeki has backed Sudan?s rejection of an international prosecutor?s bid to indict President Omar al-Bashir on charges of genocide and war crimes in Darfur.
Source : AllAfrica | 16-Sep-2008 17:52

Zimbabwe: Europe and U.S. to 'Wait and See'
Europe and the United States have taken a "wait-and-see" approach to Zimbabwe's power-sharing pact, suggesting they will lift sanctions and provide aid only when they see evidence of its implementation.
Source : AllAfrica | 16-Sep-2008 12:06

Zimbabwe: Pact Sets Up Finely-Balanced Coalition
Zimbabwe's power-sharing agreement signed on Monday sets up a finely-balanced coalition government. The combined opposition will have a one-person majority in the cabinet, but it will be chaired by President Robert Mugabe.
Source : AllAfrica | 15-Sep-2008 19:45

Zimbabwe: Full Text of Power-Sharing Agreement
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE ZIMBABWE AFRICAN NATIONAL UNION-PATRIOTIC FRONT (ZANU-PF) AND THE TWO MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE (MDC) FORMATIONS, ON RESOLVING THE CHALLENGES FACING ZIMBABWE
Source : AllAfrica | 15-Sep-2008 17:22

Zimbabwe: Leaders Sign Historic Unity Pact
Zimbabwe's three principal political leaders signed a power-sharing agreement in Harare on Monday, bringing to an end nearly 30 years of exclusive rule by the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF).
Source : AllAfrica | 15-Sep-2008 13:38

Zimbabwe: Leaders Sign Historic Pact
Zimbabwe's three principal political leaders signed a power-sharing agreement in Harare on Monday, bringing to an end nearly 30 years of exclusive rule by the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF).
Source : AllAfrica | 15-Sep-2008 11:52