By Will Fitzgibbon In the region’s largest-ever journalism collaboration, reporters from 11 countries expose the financial secrets of some of West Africa’s most powerful politicians, moguls and corporations. The following article first appeared on the website of International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) on 22 May 2018 with the headline WEST AFRICA LEAKS: How Officials, […]
Conference Calls for Action on Access to Justice for Children in Africa
By J Nastranis NEW YORK | ADDIS ABABA (IDN) – The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child obliges all members of the world body to respect and ensure the rights of each child “within their jurisdiction without discrimination of any kind”. While some progress has been made to fulfil the objectives set out […]
Trump Apparently Met His Match in Nigerian President Buhari
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) – Try as he might, President Trump couldn’t land a deal with Nigerian leader Muhammadu Buhari at their tête-à-tête in Washington end of April 2018. Deploying his usual tough talk on trade, the U.S. president was shooting for a deal that would open the doors to […]
Access to End-Use Technologies Key to Catalysing Development in Africa
By Joshua Masinde NAIROBI (IDN) – Productive use of energy holds the key to livelihood transformation in Africa’s rural areas. Small industries could improve their production processes and efficiency if they had better access to electricity and technologies. Without electricity, rural micro-enterprises make do with labour intensive and time-consuming manual tools, and often pass up […]
Cheers For Zimbabwe’s Musical ‘Lion’ Returning From Exile
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK | HARARE (IDN) – Welcome home Mukanya! After 14 long years in the U.S. state of Oregon, singer, composer and bandleader Thomas Mapfumo has come home to Zimbabwe. His recent performance, for some 20,000 ticket holders at the open-air Glamis Arena, only slowed down as the sun […]
Remark About South African ‘White Privilege’ Sparks Debate
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) – Members of the opposition Democratic Alliance are reportedly squabbling over a casual remark by the head of the party, Mmusi Maimane, who observed that white privilege and black poverty were critical issues that needed to be addressed. “I firmly stand by comments I made on […]
A Ugandan Brings Home The Value Of Neglected Minerals
By Prossy Nandudu KAMPALA (ACP-IDN) – With the African population expected to increase by roughly 50 percent over the next 18 years to over 1.8 billion in 2035, demands for mineral resources will also climb sharply to meet the need for additional housing units, roads, energy and other urban infrastructure using development minerals, averred Dr […]
Trump Promises Nigerian Leader Banned Military Aircraft
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network WASHINGTON, D.C. (IDN) – At a long-awaited meeting between President Donald Trump and Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, the U.S. president announced the approval of a dozen warplanes for Nigeria whose sale had been frozen by former President Barack Obama. Rebuking his Nigerian counterpart for the proliferation of violence throughout […]
Malawi’s ‘Fritter Seller’ Ex-President Returns From Exile
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK | BLANTYRE (IDN) – Ending four years in political exile, Dr. Joyce Banda, once demeaned as a mere “fritter seller”, returned on April 28, risking possible arrest, as she greeted crowds of joyous supporters at the Blantyre airport and in her home town. The second woman to […]
Africa Sends a Strong Message for Global Climate Negotiations
By Rita Joshi BONN | NAIROBI (IDN) – Africa has generated a distinct message for the next round of international climate negotiations in Poland from December 3 to 14, 2018, which states: Action on climate change and sustainable development together is the way forward for Africa. This top-line message emerged from deliberations during the Africa […]