50th Anniversary of World Africa Day

[IrishBrother]

Its still the 26th in the states, right?

Today is the 50th anniversary of World Africa day, a day for the diaspora to get in touch with their roots and celebrate our unique culture and history. Its an event that is especially important now, in a more globalised world, as it gives European/North American born citizens of African descent a chance to get in touch with their roots, instill them in them a sense of pride, and to get to know and appreciate their culture. A lot of these kids will excel in their fields of study, hopefully they can come back and help the motherland grow with their skills and expertise gained abroad.

Africa day here in Dublin has mushroomed into a kinda big deal. Free events are held in the largest park in the city, with tens of thousands of people attending. It allows the African community reshape peoples wrongfully held assertions and opinions about the continent and gives African entrepreneurs an opportunity to showcase their products and the best of what Africa has to offer.

Ironically enough, just like these micks do worldwide, on Saint Patricks day. You made it a hotline, we made it a hot song.

All aboard for Africa Day fun - Herald.ie

Celebrating Africa Day

Some newsclips from the event.



An interview with some African born Irish citizens and their hopes and thoughts on the future of the continent.

But it also ties in with the birthday of the African Union(25th May 1963). As regular posters will attest to. Im a big African union stan. I believe in its goals and that free movement of capital, services and labour to be an absolute most for sustainable growth.

Its goals are -

To achieve greater unity and solidarity between the African countries and the people of Africa;To defend the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of its Member States;To accelerate the political and socio-economic integration of the continent;To promote and defend African common positions on issues of interest to the continent and its peoples;To encourage international cooperation, taking due account of the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;To promote peace, security, and stability on the continent;To promote democratic principles and institutions, popular participation and good governance;To promote and protect human and peoples' rights in accordance with the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights and other relevant human rights instruments;To establish the necessary conditions which enable the continent to play its rightful role in the global economy and in international negotiations;To promote sustainable development at the economic, social and cultural levels as well as the integration of African economies;To promote co-operation in all fields of human activity to raise the living standards of African peoples;To coordinate and harmonize the policies between the existing and future*Regional Economic Communities*for the gradual attainment of the objectives of the Union;To advance the development of the continent by promoting research in all fields, in particular in science and technology;To work with relevant international partners in the eradication of preventable diseases and the promotion of good health on the continent.

Heres to the next 50 years.

 

[Sinnerman]

I'll drop pics of projects going on in African nations tomorrow

 

[IrishBrother]

I'll drop pics of projects going on in African nations tomorrow

Morocco is the only nation left in the continent that has yet to join up. They have pipe dreams of entering the EU some day.

Talk about joining the wrong team. Enjoy the euro, brehs.

Keep sharing that wealth, breh.

 

[Takerstani]

Africa day is everyday in my household.

 

[IrishBrother]

Africa day is everyday in my household.

My man.

I wanted to get some discussion going on the African Union. Any opinions on that?

 

[Blackking]

I always say they need to focus on continental control of resources. You can pay consultants to help you with a lot of other scientific, manufacturing, and economic shyt... you don't need entire gov's in the West and East controlling and manipulating the currencies and resources of African nations.

 

[Sinnerman]

My man.

I wanted to get some discussion going on the African Union. Any opinions on that?

I'm a fan of it as well. I stated in the Africa thread I'd like us to be connected economically like Europe is. In Nigeria people rarely use the naira, they use dollars instead

 

[Sinnerman]

Ghana

all pictures courtesy of the good folks at skyscrapercity

 

[Sinnerman]

Ethiopia

construction on the building above is almost done

above project completed. picture below

 

[Captain Crunch]

I'm a fan of it as well. I stated in the Africa thread I'd like us to be connected economically like Europe is. In Nigeria people rarely use the naira, they use dollars instead

Have it backed by metals too :wow2:
Pics is dope

 

[Sinnerman]

Have it backed by metals too :wow2:
Pics is dope

There have been talks about it. Apparently East Africa is close to having their own currency, but people still think that Africa's economies need to be integrated further before there can be a common currency. Africans trade with one another at a 10% rate compared to international trade.

I'll put some more throughout the day

 

[mbewane]

Morocco is the only nation left in the continent that has yet to join up. They have pipe dreams of entering the EU some day.

Talk about joining the wrong team. Enjoy the euro, brehs.

Keep sharing that wealth, breh.

They're not in the AU as a protest to Western Sahara (which Morocco occupies to this day) being a member. They applied once for EU membership () in the 70s I think, and that's it.

 

[ROFL_GUY]

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=50145610n

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3Pg5w8zwz4"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3Pg5w8zwz4[/ame]

Recalling former President George W. Bush's many contributions to Africa, including HIV/AIDS relief and a peace treaty in Sudan, former President Jimmy Carter, at the dedication of the George W. Bush Presidential Library, said he was "filled with admiration" about Bush's push to help "the most needy people on earth."

 

[Sinnerman]

upped

Konza Technology city near Nairobi Kenya

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Nation - Kenya's Premiere Media Site www.nationmedia.com

The Government has donated 1,000 acres of land on which a technology park will be built. This puts Kenya ahead of its East African peers in having such a facility, which is expected to attract investments and enhance the country’s Information Communication and Technology (ICT) sub-sector.

“Technology park” is a term used to describe a variety of efforts to stimulate the development of entrepreneurial, knowledge-based small and medium-sized enterprises within a particular zone. The park is usually linked to educational or research institutions and provides infrastructure and support services for businesses, mainly office space. It also performs technology transfer and economic development functions.

All core functions and support services take place in very close vicinity, making the technology park a mini-city of sorts. The term technology park has over 10 synonyms, with the most common being science park, research park and technopole.

Apart from donating land, located at Athi River, Kitengela area, the Government will put up the necessary infrastructure like water, electricity and roads as a first step in luring investors. But Mr Gikonyo Gitonga of CB Richard Ellis warns that it will have to do more to attract quality business enterprises.

Rival Africa's best

“Due to competition, the techno-park must have quality residential areas, entertainment spots, shopping malls, sport facilities like a golf course, among others, to make it an attractive place to work,” says Mr Gitonga.

He says the park must ensure people will not only set up businesses there, but also live in the neighbourhood as is the case in other countries. Information and Communication minister Mutahi Kagwe says the area will be equipped with modern technology to rival some of Africa’s best.

Countries that have embraced the concept with success include South Africa, Egypt and Mauritius. They boast parks that host companies dealing in services ranging from biotechnology, ICT and electronics to health care. South Africa, the continent’s economic powerhouse, is the most advanced in the sector, with five technology parks.

The ministry wants to target businesses that deal in outsourcing, which has grown into a billion-dollar business world-wide. Outsourcing is where an organisation transfers its non-core but critical business operations to an external enterprise. Many multinationals in the West are outsourcing some of their services to companies in developing countries to cut on production costs.

The three factors that companies look for before outsourcing operations are cost and quality of labour, ease of communication and stability. Mr Kagwe says Kenya has most of these qualities. “What we need to work on at the moment is improve our telecommunication sector to make it more attractive.”

Fibre optic cable

Mr Kagwe and his Permanent Secretary, Dr Bitange Ndemo, announced that Kenya will go it alone in constructing an underground fibre optic cable to link the country to the rest of the world. According to the two, the Eastern Africa Submarine System (EASSy) – a Sh15 billion project involving 13 countries – whose aim is to link Africa to the rest of the world, has taken too long.

Dr Ndemo says many companies from Europe and Asia have expressed interest in investing in the country, but are holding back due to the poor communication infrastructure. “If the underground cable reaches the coastal waters it will open more avenues in ICT and that is why we are pushing for it,” he says.

The lack of neither intra-Africa nor direct access to international fibre networks has made East Africa solely dependent on satellites. Export Processing Zones Authority (EPZA) chief executive officer Albert Gumo, who is also involved in the project, encouraged local investors to take advantage of the opportunity.

Mr Gumo says the project is being developed a stone’s throw away from the EPZ to enable investors enjoy incentives offered to companies operating in the zones. “Some of the benefits to be enjoyed are exemptions from various taxes and quick processing of work permits for foreign employees,” he says.

Mr Gumo said the EPZA had signed an agreement with the Kenya Power and Lighting for uninterrupted power supply even in times of shortage.

In the meantime, the Government, seeking to boost Internet access, is to waive licence fees for Internet service providers who invest in rural areas.