Hi, Quartz Africa readers!
Africa’s son
Kofi Annan, the former United Nations secretary-general and Nobel peace prize winner, died yesterday (Aug. 18) in Switzerland after a short illness. He was 80.
A patrician diplomat and the seventh head of the UN (1997-2006), Annan will be remembered for his contributions to global peace and prosperity. As the first black African to lead the organization, the Ghanaian emissary introduced key initiatives that protected and promoted human rights, improved sustainable development, and strengthened the global body’s place in the world. At the turn of the century, one of his landmark proposals led to the creation of the Millennium Development Goals, which aimed to eradicate extreme poverty, combat malaria and HIV/Aids, improve maternal health, and more.
Invariably soft-spoken and exuding competence and probity, Annan concerned himself with maintaining international peace and the rule of law. One of his greatest regrets, he said, was not stopping the US-led war on Iraq in 2003, which he called illegal and a breach of the UN’s founding charter at the time.
During his decades-long career at the UN, Annan also faced a raft of criticism. As the under-secretary-general for peacekeeping in the early 1990s, he was criticized for the ineffectiveness of peacekeeping efforts during the Rwanda and Srebrenica genocides.
After leaving the UN, Annan established the Kofi Annan Foundation and served as chair of The Elders, a group founded by Nelson Mandela. He promoted peace and dialogue across Africa, most critically during Kenya’s post-election violence in 2008, and served as a special envoy for Syria early on in the war. In an increasingly changing and volatile world, he expressed concern over the state of global leadership, writing for Quartz in May that “Many people in economically precarious situations are seduced by the siren songs of cynical populists.”
For Africans, however, his life will remain both inspirational and aspirational. As Ghana’s president Nana Akufo-Addo said, “Undoubtedly, he excelled in the various undertakings of his life, leaving in his trail most pleasant memories. His was a life well-lived.”
— Abdi Latif Dahir, Quartz Nairobi correspondent
Stories from this week
Nigerian schoolgirls won a Silicon Valley prize for an app that detects fake drugs. Five teenage Nigerian girls developed an app that allows anyone with a smartphone to detect and report fake drugs. Their win shows that with the right combination of mentorship, financial support, and equipment provision, young Africans can also make an impact on global innovation.
The head of Ethiopian Airlines wants African nations to own a stake in the carrier. As Africa’s largest air airline, the state-owned airline is looking to boost the continent’s fragmented airspace through increased connectivity and strategic partnerships. Chief executive Tewolde Gabremariam now says African countries should also co-own the airline with Ethiopia.
The hit “This is Nigeria” video has been banned in Nigeria. It seems rapper Falz’s video hit a nerve with the Nigerian government, as it tackles issues such as corruption, nepotism, and political insecurity. The ban by the broadcast regulator has its limits given the video’s wide availability on YouTube and elsewhere online.
Zimbabwe is producing Chinese documentaries to attract tourists. The southern African country has signed a major marketing campaign deal with a Chinese firm to begin filming and photographing Zimbabwe’s key tourist destinations. Farai Shawn Matiashe explains why the tourism sector needs a facelift after being somewhat of a pariah state during the latter years of Mugabe’s reign.
Nigeria gives out cash handouts to combat extreme poverty. The latest social intervention program under president Muhammadu Buhari is to give 2 million traders $28 repayable in six months. With general elections due earlier next year, Yomi Kazeem lays out the pros, cons, and context of this program.
Food offers a sense of belonging among South Africa’s migrant communities. Food can be a form of communion, and it is rightly so for the Somali community in Cape Town’s Belleville area. Luke Metelerkamp and Jules Mercer break down how, in the midst of increased migration within the continent, the informal food economy serves as an important social safety net of last resort for migrant communities.
Stay in touch with Quartz Africa
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Chart of the Week
South Africa has the best conditions on the continent for innovation, but Africa lags behind. Only eight of the nations in the top 100 in innovation were from Sub-Saharan Africa, according to the 2018 Global Innovation Index. Kemi Lijadu notes that despite the continent’s low standing in global rankings, there is some good news when it comes to individual innovators.
Other Things We Liked
The pride and politics involved in making a Kenyan running shoe. Sports is a unifying factor in Kenya, and the country’s runners are known all over the world for consistently breaking records. In Designo Daily, Nanjala Nyabola delves into the story of Enda, the firm making the first Kenyan runners’ shoe.
An homage to Africa’s finest chili sauce. It is eye-wateringly, nose-runningly hot, but the Akabanga chili oil has garnered so much love across Africa and the world. In Mail & Guardian, Simon Allison travels to meet its founder in Nyirangarama, Rwanda to understand why no meal is complete without a few dabs of the condiment.
The effort to start Sierra Leone’s first national ambulance service. The lack of an efficient ambulance service was one of the reasons that exacerbated Sierra Leone’s 2014-16 Ebola crisis. But as Mara Kardas-Nelson documents in NPR, the nation’s threadbare emergency transport system will become history if a new pilot project launched this month succeeds.
Keep an eye on
South Africa’s state capture hearings (Aug. 20). The judicial commission is investigating allegations of corruption in which high-profile politicians including former president Jacob Zuma have been implicated.
Zimbabwe’s constitutional court to hear election results petition (Aug. 22). The opposition Movement for Democratic Change challenged the election of Emmerson Mnangagwa as president and is seeking fresh polls or the declaration of its leader Nelson Chamisa as the winner.
*This brief was produced while listening to Igd Allooli (The Pearl Necklace) by Saied Khalifa (Sudan), which is in the upcoming compilation, Two Niles to Sing a Melody.
Our best wishes for a productive and thought-filled week ahead. Please send any news, comments, suggestions, banned Nigerian videos and Ethiopian airline shares to africa@qz.com. You can follow us on Twitter at @qzafrica for updates throughout the day. This newsletter was compiled by Kemi Lijadu and Abdi Latif Dahir and edited by Yinka Adegoke.
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