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Africa: Blogging business, investment, and entrepreneurship

Benin Mwangi · 23:25 · Sub-Saharan Africa , Western Europe

lingua → fr

In our first post on Africa's business bloggers we introduced you to the Africa bloggers focusing on business. In this second post, we are only going to focus on a few blogs.

Apart writing about fashion and entertainment, J Kofi Annan explores such general business topics as corporate exectutives and business founders in Africa in his blog, Annansi Chronicles.

One of his recent post is “African billionaires on Forbes' 2006 list.” This post is about Africa's business persons who made the Forbes 2006 list of billionaires (entry onto the list required assets of at least $1 billion). Before reading his post, I only knew of about three African billionaires who got there through business- Aliko Dangote of Nigeria and Kase Lawal also of Nigeria and Al Almoudi of Saudi Arabia ( the world's richest black person est. at $ 8 bil.), by way of Ethiopia.

Kofi's post shows that although business people in Africa often face some very unique and daunting challenges, it is still quite possible to achieve business success beyond measure as an entrepreneur in Africa. Here's what Mr. Annan writes:

…Forbes Magazine has released their annual ranking of the world's richest people. The listings include rank, name, home country or state, age where known, wealth in billions of dollars and source of the money. The research that went into compiling the rankings began in early 2006 and ended on Feb. 9, 2007. The list shows how the U.S. is slipping, the Russians are rising, and keeping business within the family is great way to maintain wealth. I've listed the rank, name, country of citizenship, age, net worth ($bil), and industry of the Africans who made the list below. If anyone has anyone of these people in their Rolodex hook me up. I hope to see some of you on the list in the future.

African's who made the list:
#62, Naguib Sawiris, Egypt, 52, $10.0, Egypt, Communications (Telecom)
#158 Onsi Sawiris, Egypt, 77, $5.0, Construction
#158 Nicky Oppenheimer & family, South Africa, 61, $5.0, Mining/Lumber (DeBeers)
#194 Johann Rupert & family, South Africa, 56, $4.3, Retailing (Luxury goods)
#226 Nassef Sawiris, Egypt, NA, $3.9, Engineering/Construction
#432 Donald Gordon, South Africa, 76, $2.2, Insurance
#664 Samih Sawiris, Egypt, 50 , $1.5, Service (Hotels)…”

(more…)

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Nepal: Abdication talks and the provocative CD

Ujjwal Acharya · 17:15 · South Asia

Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s suggestion that King Gyanendra and Crown Prince Paras should abdicate created the loudest buzz in Nepal. Amid talks of going into republic after the king assumed the executive powers in Feb 1, 2005 and then lost it due to April 2006 Uprising – a people’s movement, Koirala, despite being soft to monarchy, talked like he favored republic. Bloggers welcomed it as United We Blog!

Prime Minister Koirala has changed the tone on monarchy which is a welcome move… This is very crucial and we applaud Koirala whatever he spoke today in his hometown Biratnagar. The time for celebrations hasn’t come yet but all roads are leading us to that direction. Koirala said that the nation was heading down the path of republic because of King Gyanendra.

Maila Baje of Nepali Net Book applauded the ‘inevitable u-turn’ adding that ‘Koirala is not a friend to Monarchy.’ KP Dhungana of Hamro Blog believes after the person who is leading the Nepal through a new phase speaking against monarchy, the republic is now ensured.

The bloggers believe Koirala has suggested a safe way out for the king. The Radiant Star writes:

If I am put into King Gyanendra’s position, of course, and if I am finished with my pack of options, I will not hesitate choosing abdication than waiting for the decision on republic. That way, he will not only earn some praise and a respectful retirement but it will also help to prove him what he did by taking up the executive power in Feb 1, 2005 is because of need of the time.

Apart from Koirala, the most talked issue was a CD. The Maoists accused the Palace of distributing CDs that contained provocative materials against (more…)

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Egypt: Bloggers Arrested in Anti-Government Rally

Amira Al Hussaini · 15:54 · Middle East & North Africa

lingua → fr · es

Egypt is at it again and amid little or next to no coverage in the mainstream media, its dynamic bloggers are living up to their reputation of being true citizen journalists, giving us a minute by minute break down of developments on the ground.

According to Egyptian blogger Alaa Abdulfattah, two bloggers were among more than 20 people arrested for taking part in an anti-government rally called for by opposition movement Kefaya to protest against Constitutional amendments which will allegedly give the ruling party more power.

أنا لسه هربان من مظاهرة التحرير دلوقتي، الأمن هجم بعنف و اتفتت المظاهرة لثلاث مجموعات على الأقل و بعدها بدأوا في اختطاف الشباب المتظاهرين
قدام عيني قبضوا على بهاء صابر و أربعة أخرين
محمد عادل (ميت) اتصل بي و كان فيه دوشة حواليه و كان بيوشوش بيحاول يقوللي حاجةـ بعدها تليفونه فصل، أنا قلقان يكون اتقبض عليه هو كمان.
قبضوا على 20 واحد على الأقل و أحنا بنحاول نجمع أساميهم

“I've just escaped from the demonstration held at Tahrir now. The security forces forcefully attacked the demonstration which was broken up into at least three different groups. After that they started kidnapping the demonstrating youth. In front of my own eyes, they arrested Bahaa Saber and four others. Mohammed Adel called me but there was a lot of noise around him. He was whispering to me but I couldn't hear him. After that, he phone disconnected. I am concerned that he has been arrested too. They have arrested 20 people at least and we are now trying to gather their names,” he writes.

Abdulfattah's concerns were in their place, and blogger Mohammed Adel, along with Mohammed Taher, were both arrested.

According to another post on Abdulfattah's blog, the demonstration, in which bloggers reported the heavy-handedness of the police in dispersing the crowds, was called for by Kifaya to protest against the unilateral amendments being made on the Constitution by the National Party. He says the changes to the Constitution aim to “ensure the continuation of the dictatorial rule over the country, the inheritance of succession and the abolishment of judiciary monitoring of the elections.”

One of the bloggers, who describes himself as a Leftist Egyptian, writes about how he too escaped imprisonment but not humiliation at the hands of the security forces. (more…)

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Questions about the Armenian economy

Artur Papyan · 15:16 · Central Asia & Caucasus

lingua → fr

There is some impressive growth in the Armenian economy, The Armenian Economist (of course!) says:

[…]Armenia’s economy has grown at double digit rates over the past five years. Construction activity accounted for much of the recent growth in the economy (see recent post). Changes in the underlying trend in construction activity and its composition over the past decade, however, may foretell further growth and expansion in the economy.[…]

However, there are questions the blogger says, and no one seems to be answering them, like: “Do we know of any studies on how labor markets are impacted by this? Also, has anyone explored the effects on future growth?” (The Armenian Economist)

iArarat has some answers about the Armenian economy - “Emigres are Armenia’s version of Oil”, the blogger hints by republishing extracts from this AFP article:

(more…)

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Electronic arts scene mingles with marginalized communities in Colombia

Juliana Rincón Parra · 12:24 · Americas

lingua → es

Take electronic media, a community with a violent history and music, and you have the necessary ingredients to make a Pixelazo.

“Pixelazo is the new Colombian node in the Pixelache festival network. The first Pixelazo event will be organised by Intermundos.org in collaboration with Pixelache Helsinki and several Colombian collaborators.”

Pixelazo´s purpose is to bring to the city of Medellin knowledge on the possibilities of expression these new technologies can bring, by combining this worldwide movement with the cultural and community life in Medellín via workshops, forums, conferences and round tables.

This first Pixelazo Event kicked off with a series of workshops at Comuna 13 , an area of Medellín where civilian warfare took place for many years, and which was considered one of the urban militias.

(more…)

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Bahrain: A better literary life for civil servants?

Ayesha Saldanha · 12:11 · Middle East & North Africa

We begin this week's review of Bahrain's blogs with Lulu's review of Bahrain's second annual Spring of Culture. Regarding the music/poetry/dance performance headlined by Marcel Khalife, and which caused controversy because of the dance element, she says:

I'm all for the arts & freedom of expression, of course, but if I was an organizer, I would have made it a point to view the show first then make a judgement call on whether to invite it or not. After all, creating this controversy isn't really the wisest thing at this early stage..

Of the Lebanese dance troupe Caracalla, who used to have a good reputation, Lulu says:

I'm not sure if the band itself has deteriorated or if they just didn't bother to put up a good show for us here or if they thought we're just stupid Gulfies who don't know any better.

(more…)

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