Africa seems to be alive with new possibilities. There is an unprecedented attention on Africa – after decades of reporting only about famine, disease and war, international media have begun reporting about success stories, business opportunities and the "new" Africa. How can African journalists be best equipped to play a leading role in conveying diverse, current and interesting stories through local and international media?
Speakers include:
>> Adam Salkeld, Tinopolis, UK
>> Michelle Atagana, Memeburn.com, South Africa
>> Mac-Jordan Degadjor, Blogging Ghana, Ghana
>> Beate Wedekind, THE NEW//AFRICA, Germany/Ethiopia
6. “The major problem I see is that Africa’s story is written
from somewhere else and not by Africans themselves.
That is why the rest of the world looks at Africa and
Africans and wants to define us. They want to shape the
perception about Africa. The best thing we can do for
ourselves is own our problems, own our solutions and
write our own story.” – President Paul Kagame of Rwanda
@ WEF, Davos.
7. How can we change the negative
perception about Africa?
8. There are countless evidences of
progress, growth, as well as political
and economic vibrancy and stability
on the African continue.
9. • Foreign Direct Investment projects grew by
27% in 2011, pushing Africa’s share of the
world’s investment to almost a quarter.
• FDI inflows, now about $80 billion should
reach $150 billion by 2015, according to a BBC
report.
• The African Development Bank has projected
a 5.8 per cent economic growth rate for 2012
on the continent.
10. • Nigeria, the continent’s most populous country has
been enjoying steady economic growth since 2005
with recent figures putting growth as high as 7.5 per
cent.
• For the period of 2009-11, Namibia had the highest
number of computers, at 239 computers per 1,000
people; and Niger the lowest at 1 per 1,000. (MDG
8).
Credit: www.worldbank.org/afr/stats
19. “The major problem I see is that Africa’s story is written
from somewhere else and not by Africans themselves.
That is why the rest of the world looks at Africa and
Africans and wants to define us. They want to shape the
perception about Africa. The best thing we can do for
ourselves is own our problems, own our solutions and
write our own story.” – President Paul Kagame of Rwanda
@ WEF, Davos.
24. The Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of
Technology (MEST) and the MEST
Incubator provide training, investment and
mentoring for aspiring Ghanaian software
entrepreneurs with the goal of creating
globally successful companies that wealth
and jobs locally in Africa.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30. • Across African cities from Accra to Nairobi to Cairo and
Cape Town, technology innovation hubs are
mushrooming around the continent and are playing a
central role in the fledgling tech and entrepreneurial
scenes in Africa.
• These “islands of innovation hubs” are being
established to foster and promote local technological
innovation.
• The hubs serve as incubators, meeting places for the
local technology community as well as points of
knowledge exchange.
31. The penetration of mobile technology
in Africa has been radical and
unprecedented.