I asked a friend of mine in Tanzania to find out if Tony Blair, the chair of the Commission for Africa, is known in rural Tanzania. Does he play for Manchester? He was asked by a primary school student on the way to watch a local soccer game.
When he told one old man, "Tony Blair is the chair of the Commission for Africa." The old man wanted to know the name of the village he comes from. It did not occur to him that the man who heads the Commission for Africa is not an Africa. But a white male born in the UK!
6/30/2005
Does Tony Blair Play for Manchester?
Propa Propaganda
Benjamin Zephaniah has a book titled, Propa Propaganda. I guess what the UK government does with new films on the G8 summit website (UK) is propa propaganda about how "aid" has helped "poor" African countries.
Read more!We met two British experienced bloggers
I am working on a detailed post about some of the things we have been doing since we got in the UK. We met two experienced bloggers earlier today: Paul Mason from BBC Newsnight and Rafael Behr who blogs for the Obsever. Paul Mason already has a post about our meeting this morning. Colin from the BBC has just interviewed me for the program Go Digital about blogging and the new Panos blog. He will conduct another interview with all of us when we get back from Edinburgh.
Read more!
6/29/2005
Does "saint" Bob Geldof respect African musicians?
Perhaps "saint" Bob wants to help "poor" Africans but not "wealthy" African musicians.
Read more!6/28/2005
Launching of Panos Africavox Blog
I arrived in the UK yesterday morning. We had a busy day with Sameer Padania from Panos. Tomorrow is a great day because Panos will launch its Africavox blog, which will have stories written by a team of African journalists visiting the UK as part of Panos G8 Media Fellowship Programme. I will post the blog link and other stuff tomorrow.
peace!
6/26/2005
I am on the way to the airport...
I am on the way to the airport. The next time you hear from me I will be in London, then in Edinburgh to blog this summit.
Read more!Debt Trap Still Haunts Tanzania
Despite the G8 ministerial decision to cancel debt owed by Tanzania and other 17 nations, debt trap still haunts...
Read more!HIV/AIDS: online helpline in Tanzania
The Tanzania Youth Alliance will soon introduce a new online helpline desk service for detailed information as one of its efforts to tackle the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
Read more!6/25/2005
e-Africa Commission
e-Africa Commission, which was established in 2001, manages the development of the ICT sector on the African continent.
Read more!Bending the Arc to take place next month
Bending the Arc is an event organised by The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) Secretariat on July 4th in London. The key aim of the event is to mobilise resources to obtain the Millennium Development Goals in Africa in partnership with the G8. Reports from the event will be presented to the African Union summit in Libya and to G8 Summit leaders in Scotland. Bending the Arc is co-sponsored by the United Nations DevelopmentProgramme (UNDP), the United Nations Fund for International Partnerships(UNFIP) and the United Nations Information and CommunicationTechnologies Task Force. NEPAD is designed to empower Africans to address socio-economic challenges facing the African continent.
Read more!
What Tony Blair and Willy Brandt have in common
It is not Go back 25 years ago, and then reflect. More...
Read more!Declaration for a free Internet
Global Voices Online tells us about recommendations released by Reporters Without Borders and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which governments and corporations should follow in order to ensure a free internet.
Debate: Can the G8 Fix Africa?
On Friday July 1st at 1900 GMT, 2100GMT, and 2200 GMT and again on Saturday July 2nd at 1100 GMT, BBC World Service Radio will broadcast a debate called, Can the G8 Fix Africa? Presenters will be Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem, Director of Justice Africa, Madam Rosemary Museminali, Rwandan ambassador, James Shikwati, Kenyan economist, and Lord David Triesman, Minister for Africa (to be confirmed).
The event and the recording will take place at the Africa Centre, 38 King Street, Covent Garden by 7pm onWednesday, 29th June. The recording will start at 7.30pm and will be finished by 9.00.
6/24/2005
We will meet George Monbiot
While in the UK for the Panos G8 Media Fellowship Programme, we will be able to meet George Monbiot, a well known author, broadcaster, and a radical columnist for the Guardian Newspaper .
George Monbiot is the author of The Age of Consent: A Manifesto for a New World Order, Captive State: The Corporate Takeover of Britain, Poisoned Arrows, and No Man’s Land (an investigative journey through Kenya and Tanzania). Monbiot, who has lived and worked in Indonesia, Brazil, and East Africa, is a visiting professor of planning at Oxford Brookes University. Visit his website for more information about him and read a collection of provocative essays and articles.
I am excited!
Read more!
6/23/2005
Bloggers: participate in blog survey
Please, take part in a social survey of bloggers being conducted at the MIT media lab.
6/22/2005
Theta for WSIS in South Africa
SANGONeT will host a Thetha forum on 29 June 2005 for South African civil society organisations to reflect on the objectives of WSIS.
Read more!Tele-Health and African baskets online
I just came across this website and these amazing African baskets while visiting The Stockholm Challenge.
Read more!Translation of my G8 entries
Mshairi, a Kenyan blogger in the UK, has volunteered to translate my G8 Summit postings from my Kiswahili blog, Jikomboe, for her audience. Asante sana dada!
Read more!Completing the Revolution in Africa: Panos on Rural Telephony
In order for the revolution, which will no longer be televised, to be ditized in Africa and the desire to bridge the digital divide to be realised, policy-makers and other key decision makers need to pay serious attention to rural connectivity. Read the report on rural telephony by Panos London, Completing the Revolution: The Challenge of Rural Telephony in Africa. The report is based on case studies from Senegal, Zambia, Uganda, and Burkina Faso. There is also a media brief, which is designed to be a useful guide for journalists. You may also learn about Panos' activities around the World Summt on Information Society.
Read more!6/21/2005
BLOGGING THE G8 SUMMIT
Seven African journalists, including myself, will be in the UK for about two weeks covering the G8 Summit through Panos London G8 Fellowship Programme.
The Panos fellowship programme has two objectives:
The Panos fellowship programme has two objectives:
1. Through a targeted programme of meetings with representatives of the UK media, policy-makers, business, civil society organisations and the public, to support the journalists in bringing an African perspective to UK and international media coverage of the development challenges at stake at the summit, wherever possible securing the commissioning and publication of relevant material.
2. To strengthen the knowledge of the journalists on international policy-making relevant to development and poverty reduction in Africa so that on return to their countries they can use the expertise developed to strengthen reporting and media coverage on the international issues affecting this challenge at home.
*************************************
While in the UK, I will blog the summit and other related activities and events on this blog, my other Kiswahili blog, Jikomboe, and a new blog currently being set up by Panos London.
Read more!
*************************************
While in the UK, I will blog the summit and other related activities and events on this blog, my other Kiswahili blog, Jikomboe, and a new blog currently being set up by Panos London.
6/19/2005
The Commission for Africa Report Review Meeting
The Commission for Africa Report Review Meeting and Consultations for Eastern Africa and the Horn of Africa took place in Kenya from 6—7th June, 2005. Attended by representatives of learning institutions, civil society, media, private sector, government, regional and international organisations, the meeting released this final communique. One item caught my eyes: the meeting urged government of the EU and G8 to take all necessary legal and administrative measures to disallow and repatriate illicitly acquired state funds and assets.
If the western legal systems continue to allow corrupt and inefficient African rulers, I dont want to call them leaders, to keep funds stolen from the African people in western banking institutions, the idea that money saved in debt repayment will be used for Africa's development is nothing but a dream. Read Eduardo Galeano's piece on Swiss banks, Souls of Discretion.
Read more!
BBC: Africa Calling
Peter Day reports on how technology is touching the lives of ordinary people in Africa. Listen to the whole program here.
Read more!6/18/2005
The Game Rich Countries Play Against Africa
George Monbiot writes about the game rich countries play against Africa and the rest of the developing world.
6/17/2005
The Global Aid System Benefits the West
According the UK charity ActionAid, western consultants and companies pocket $20 billion of global aid!
Read more!ANOTHER WORLD IS POSSIBLE...
There will lots of activities and campaigns to end global poverty during the G8 Summit next month in the UK. Make Poverty History Campaign is organising marches and demonstrations in the UK, where up to over 250,000 people are expected to turn up. The Working Group on Climate Change and Development is holding the GW8 in Edinburgh, Friends of the Earth is working on a "climate alarm." Visit the G8 Alternatives website.
There will be lots of cultural activities calling for the world leaders to combat poverty. Apart from Live 8, which is to be held on 2 July in Londo, Berlin, Rome, Paris, and Philadephia, organisers of Live 8 announced yesterday that there will be an Africa-only event in London as part of the worldwide call to end poverty.
HIGHWAYAFRICA CONFERENCE 2005
HighwayAfrica Conference 2005 will take place in September in Grahamstown, South Africa. There is a limited number of scholarships for practising African journalists. The deadline is July 7th.
Read more!6/16/2005
"Live 8" for African musicians
After many people raising their concern over the lack of African artists at Live 8 concert, organizers announced that there will be an African-only concert in London. Some of the African musicians expected to perform are Angelique Kidjo, Maryam Mursal, and Youssouf Ndour. Maryam Mursal is a Somalian musician based in Europe. She once became a taxi driver in Mogadishu, Somalia, after being banned from singing for criticising the government. Listen to her interview on NPR.
Read more!The day chickens visited Tony Blair...
Yes, chickens paid him a visit to draw attention to the plight of chicken farmers.Watch the video...
Read more!6/14/2005
Digital Collection: Images of Nigerian Modernity
While visiting Ory's blog, I came across this digital collection of the exhibit, Other Africas: Images of Nigerian Modernity.
6/13/2005
The Meaning of Debt Relief for Africa
Here is a story by a christian science monitor staff writer in Johannersburg about what the debt relief means for Africa's development.
Read more!G8 Summit Special Report
Guardian Unlimited has a special report on the G8 summit. African development in on top of the agenda next month in the UK.
Read more!WTDC Youth Forum in Nigeria
Africa Regional Youth Preparatory Meeting for WTDC in Abuja next month...
Read more!6/12/2005
Commission for Africa report launched in Tanzania
Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa launches the Commission for Africa report in parliament.
Read more!Multilingualism in Cybespace
It is because of these reasons, recommendations, and a book like this one, some of us are blogging in African languages: Kiswahili, Shona, Kichagga, and Tamazight.
Read more!Voices from Kiswahili Blogosphere
Voices from Kiswahili blogosphere, which I posted on the Global Voices website. I somehow forgot to cross-post them here!
Read more!Broadcasters move the Kenyan government to action
The Kenyan government has launched a new HIV/AIDS program for public taxi drivers as a result of a recent exposé by two broadcasters.
Read more!G7 Finance Ministers Cancels Africa's Debt
The meeting of G7 finance ministers yesterday scrapped 100 percent of debt owed by the world's poorest nations to the World Bank, the African Development Bank, and the International Monetary Fund. The US$40 billion deal benefits 14 countries in Africa. The deal was reached as part of series of meetings and policy discussions leading to the next month's G8 summit in the UK.
Read more!
6/11/2005
AFRICAN MEDIA IN THE INFORMATION AGE
Last November, the conference on "Role and Place of Media in the Information Society in Africa and the Arab States" in Marrakech, Morocco, made these recommendations.
AFRICA'S COMMITMENTS FOR WSIS 2005
The Africa Regional Preparatory Conference for the World Summit on the Information Society
adopted this document.
6/10/2005
Tanzanian political parties online
Politics is online in Tanzania. Currently, three political parties have websites: the ruling party, Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM), and two opposition parties: Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Chadema), and Civic United Front (CUF).
Read more!Conference on Electronic Transaction Security and Digital Signature
In preparation fot the World Summit on Information Society, the African and Arab Regional Conference on Electronic Transaction Security, Digital Signature and the PKI takes place this month in Tunisia.
Read more!
Positive Impact of African Languages on FM Radio
Here is a study showing positive impact of African languages on FM Radio.
Read more!The Burden of International Debt to Africa: Bishops Speak
Here is a pastoral letter from the Catholic bishops of Kenya calling for the cancellation of Africa's debt.
Read more!African nation on debt cancellation
A regional meeting in Nairobi calls for debt cancellation ahead of the G8 Summit next month. More...
Read more!6/09/2005
Remix Digital Culture Competition
Creative Commons South Africa invites digital video, artwork, and interactive displays that expresses your view of African digital creativity, remixing and innovation. Make use of public domain, Creative Commons-licenced materials or your ownoriginal work - or a mixture - to create something truly inspiring! The prize is R6,000.
To enter the competition, produce either one of the following:. a digital video (max. 60 seconds); Or a digital artwork; or a digital info-graphic that, in your view, expresses the essence of African Digital Creativity, Remixing and Innovation. Interactive work that requires an internet connection is encouraged.
The deadline is 31 July, 2005. Email submissions to HFordSA@gmail.com.
Copyright licencing: All submissions will be licenced under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 licence (More details 'Free Culture' by Lawrence Lessig ; the creative commons; the Internet Archive; and creative commons South Africa.
Judges include LarryLessig, Christo Doherty, Marcus Neustetter and Nathaniel Stern.
This prize is sponsored by the International Development Research Centre(IDRC).
Read more!
What is happening in Ethiopia?
Andrew Heavens, a freelance journalist in Ethiopia is reporting the crisis that has left several people dead. Look at his photos.
6/08/2005
Digital/Smart village model in Nigeria
Youth For Technology Foundation is the pioneer of digital/smart village model in Nigeria.
Read more!OPEN ONLINE ICT TRAINING
Open ICT lessons for everyone (especially those in the South!). Here...
Read more!6/07/2005
There will be resistance...
Get news from independent media center about resistance and protests during the G8 summit in the UK. There is also a network of resistance against the G8, the G8 Alternatives, and Stop the War Coalition.
Read more!Report by Commission for Africa
The decision by the UK, which assumes the presidency for the 2005 G8 Summit, to focus on Africa can be understood in the context of the UK-led Commission for Africa. The commission released its report early this year. Here are some reactions.
Read more!Africa: the focus of 2005 G8 Summit
The 2005 G8 summit at Gleaneagles (july 6-8) focuses on climate change and Africa.
Read more!6/06/2005
Bloggers: Fellowships to Cross-Platform Media Teams program
The Media Center at the American Press Institute The Media Center invites bloggers and leaders of small, independent, alternative or start-up media ventures to submit applications for two fellowships. More...
Read more!Lawmakers and Policymakers discuss Africa before the G8 Summit
International lawmakers and policymakers opened talks Monday morning to formulate recommendations on Africa for the G8 summit. More...
Read more!G8 SUMMIT 2005
I will be posting a lot of information and articles about the G8 Summit that takes place from 6-8 July in Scotland. This summit will specifically focus on Africa. Right now I am posting information and links about the summit on my Kiswahili blog for Kiswahili speakers in Africa and the Diaspora.
Read more!
6/05/2005
Tanzania Education Website
I just came across this informative website. This is one of their projects.
Read more!My Interview on Radio France Internationale
I just finished doing an interview with RFI (Radio France Internationale's English service) about multilingual cyberspace. Below are instructions and time from the person I spoke with for those who want to follow. It will be on air/internet tomorrow.
"You go to http://www.rfi.fr/, then click in the top left-hand corner where it says "english". Then when you are on that page, all the programmes are on the right-hand side. The interview with be broadcast on one of the first four programmes ("English to Africa" 04.00 GMT, 05.00 GMT, 06.00GMT, 07.00GMT). Monday's programme will stay online for 24 hours after it is broadcast, and then gets replaced by Tuesday's show.
The programmes always start with the news, and then at around 15 minutes past the hour there is a section where we broadcast interviews."
Zuckerman interviews Sokari of Black Looks
Here is the interview that Ethan Zuckerman conducted with Sokari Ekine of Black Looks and Afrotecnik.
Read more!6/03/2005
Kiswahili version of Firefox
After launching of the first ever Kiswahili version of OpenOffice.org 1.1.3 (Jambo OpenOffice.org 1.1.3) , the klnX Team has started the localization of a Free and Open Source web browser called Firefox 1.0.1. Here.
Read more!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
