A new development paradigm? China and Brazil in African agriculture
17 May 2012, 12:00 pm
The growing visibility of the BRICS countries in international development cooperation has led to claims that they represent a challenge to the development paradigm, emphasising distinctive characteristics of horizontality, solidarity, mutual learning and partnership. Yet, beyond the political rhetoric, it is far from clear whether such a new approach is indeed emerging, and if so what it comprises.
Food import bill for West Africans may hit $1 trillion
17 May 2012, 12:00 pm
Abidjan: The US Ambassador to Cote d’Ivoire, Mr Phillip Carter, said in Abidjan that West Africa’s food import bill will shoot up to a trillion dollars in 20 years as the economies in the region record fast growth. Speaking at the opening ceremony of a conference on removing trade barriers in West Africa, Carter noted that the current food cost which stood at 313 billion dollars, might quadruple.
Freemantle/Stevens: Confronting some of the major criticisms of contemporary Sino-African ties
17 May 2012, 12:00 pm
Challenge: It is frequently postulated that Sino-African relations are burgeoning in part because China offers African leaders a more acceptable alternative economic ideology to the "Washington Consensus", aptly called the "Beijing Consensus". In many ways a host of other criticisms of China's engagements across the continent follow from this, somewhat over-simplistic, misunderstanding.
FTA, boldest decision in ten years - COMESA SG
17 May 2012, 12:00 pm
Kampala: Sindiso Ngwenya, the Secretary General of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Friday called the decision by the three Regional Economic Communities (RECs) to form a Free Trade Area “a bold decision”. “For successful economic integration, we need the kind of enthusiasm that led to African Independence. The decision made by our leaders to merge the EAC, COMESA and SADC and have a Free Trade Area is one of the boldest decisions that African leaders have taken in 10 years. This clearly shows political commitment and let us give our leaders a chance,” he said.
G20 Development Working Group: conclusion
17 May 2012, 12:00 pm
Los Cabos: The G20 Development Working Group (DWG) met for the third time under the Mexican Presidency on May 3-5 in Los Cabos, Baja California Sur. The meeting ended successfully; a report with the group’s recommendations will be presented at the Leaders’ Summit in June. The group will work to ensure that their recommendations have an impact on reducing poverty and promoting sustainable growth in developing countries.
Gigaba: SAA will get support into Africa
17 May 2012, 12:00 pm
Cape Town: The government will give financial support to South African Airways (SAA) as it expands into Africa, Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba said on Wednesday. This was not a bailout, he told reporters before delivering his department's budget speech in parliament. Gigaba said the point would come when SAA would have been "properly capitalised".
Govt lacks investors' portfolio – minister
17 May 2012, 12:00 pm
Dar es Salaam: The government said yesterday that it was facing great difficulty in making informed decisions due to unavailability of relevant information on both local and foreign investors. Minister of state in the Prime Minister’s Office (Investment and Empowerment) Dr Mary Nagu said this in Dar es Salaam when launching the Africa Investment Report and Investment Monitoring Platform prepared jointly by the Tanzania Investment Center (TIC) and United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (Unido).
Integration as seen through the wind shield of a bus
17 May 2012, 12:00 pm
Kigali: I can no longer count the number of times I have had to board a bus to travel and travel for hours before crossing the Rwanda-Uganda Gatuna or Katuna border depending on which side of the crossing you are coming from. I have been a passenger of numerous bus companies that have come and gone. My preferred spot is usually among the back seats but on a few occasions, I have sat close to the driver, getting a better view of what the driver sees during the journey.
Mozambique gas find hikes East Africa boom
17 May 2012, 12:00 pm
Maputo: Mozambique's drive to become a major natural gas producer got a major boost last week with the discovery of a large offshore field in the Indian Ocean containing an estimated 20 trillion cubic feet. The find was made by Anadarko Petroleum Corp. of Texas, which has spearheaded the swelling oil and gas boom in East Africa that looks like rivaling the longer-established hot zone on the continent's Atlantic coast in the west.
Report of the 1st IBSA conference of Labour ministers17 May 2012, 12:00 pm
New Delhi: The 1st IBSA International Conference on South-South Cooperation “Innovations in Public Employment Programmes & Sustainable Inclusive Growth” was held in New Delhi, India from 1 to 3 March 2012. The Conference was hosted by the Government of India with the support of the International Labour Office. The conference report is now available.