African Leadership magazine

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AFRICANS WHO SHAPED THE CONTINENT’S STORY IN 2021 A Peep into Morocco's Resilient Economy Forged for Greatness: The Faces

Africa's Leading Private Sector Champions

of

Vaccination Against a Global Pandemic ProceedsUK Along UnequalTrade: Tracks Simbi Wabote: Portrait of - Africa

Africa's Local Content Icon

Are We At A Tipping Point?

Contents

27. We Are Committed To Promoting Gender Equity In Nigeria 04

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33. Vaccination Against a Global Pandemic Proceeds Along Unequal Tracks

37. Former Tanzanian President Takes Charge Of Global Education Organisation

39. How Can Social Media Revolutionize Small & Medium Enterprises?

44. Redeploying Our Workforce Has Helped to Increase Our Productivity and Gains 48. Making A Case For More Private Sector Involvement In Education In Africa

11 50. Kenyaʼs Mwirigi Finishes Clean As He Breaks the Record Having Served As The Youngest Member of Parliament In East Africa.

55. A Peep into Morocco's Resilient Economy

57. Rising Temperatures & Changing Rainfall Pattern: Africa On The Brinks 61. Significant Transformation In How We Build And Manage Our Urban Spaces Needed

64. Are Nigerian Youth Ready for 2023?

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Rwanda The Dubai of Africa Opens for Business

66. Are Nigerian Youth Ready for 2023?

DECEMBER 2021

AFRICANLEADERSHIP MAGA ZINE

...A Publication of The African Leadership Organization

Ken Giami Founder & Executive Chairman

Associate Editor - Arvy Nahar aknahar@africanleadership.co.uk Head of Creatives - Joseph Akuboh A. Editorial Board Peter Burdin, London UK – Chair Nwandi Lawson, Atlanta USA -Member Simon Kolawole, Lagos Nigeria -Member Peter Ndoro, SABC EditorJohannesburg – Member Frenny Jowi, Nairobi Kenya - Member Brig. Gen. SK Usman Rtd., Abuja Nigeria - Member David Morgan, Washington DC USA – Member

Sasha Caton - Manager, UK & European Operations Ehis Ayere - Group Head, Sales & Business Development Izu Samuel - Manager, Client Relations & Partnerships Amana Alkali - Executive Assistant to the Chairman Samuel M. Elaikwu - Manager, Sales & Business Developments Happy Benson - Director of Operations North America Christy Ebong - Head, Research & Admin - North America Stanley Emeruem - Business Development Managers Muna Jallow - West African Rep for The Gambia and Senegal Oluwatoyin Oyekanmi - Head, South African Bureau Bernard Adeka - Head, Nigeria SS/SE

AFRICA & REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE OFFICES Abuja Accra Atlanta Johannesburg Nairobi London Washington DC

ISSN 2006 - 9332

While great care has been taken in the receipt and handling of materials, production and accuracy of content in the magazine, the publishers will not take responsibility for views expressed by the writer

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...Identifying, Celebrating & Enabling Excellence in Africa

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Bernice Benjy - Group Head, Finance & Administration

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Editor - Kembet Bolton kembet@africanleadeship.co.uk

Furo Giami - Chief Operating Officer / Executive Director

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Group Managing Editor - Kingsley Okeke editor@africanleadership.co.uk

FROM THE CHAIRMANʼS DESK

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Introducing The African Leadership Council – A Global Network of Leaders for Africa's Progress

The council shall, among other things focus on enabling top African achievers and corporate leaders to create more prosperity for stakeholders of the Africa project.

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From the stables of the African Leadership (UK) Limited - publishers of African Leadership magazine and other leading pan-African titles, I am happy to announce the official launch of the African Leadership Council a global leadership coalition for enabling excellence, achievement, and development in Africa.

The council's formation is centered on the

AFRICANLEADERSHIP MAGA ZINE

FROM THE CHAIRMANʼS DESK

When the coronavirus pandemic, arrived in late December 2019, snowballing into unprecedented proportions with impacts to every aspect of our human life, and affecting every country in the world, it became clearer that it would take spirited and committed leaders to manage the unprecedented times that COVID-19 represented. Such leaders move society forward, become positive references for what is possible, help promote selfsufficiency and inspire a generation of upcoming leaders to aim to solve some of humanity's biggest problems. They are the true stakeholders in the Africa project. They are the worthy partners of progress for Africa's future. It is for this kind of leader that we have put together the African Leadership Council (ALC)

JOIN ALC TODAY As most of the world, and especially Africa is still reeling from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people and businesses, leaders must come together, in networks such as the African Leadership Council, to respond to the challenges head-on for the sake of mother Africa. We must adjust to the unfolding new normal, by staying top-ofmind and continually engage our leadership and influence for the greater good. Hence if you are a person of impact and leader who is making a difference in the community, then you qualify to join this network of great leaders, To become a member of the council, visit www.africanleadershipcouncil.com today.

We look forward to welcoming committed African leaders - both at home and in the diaspora, partners of Africa, or players on the continent, from across all spheres of influence, who believe that their contributions to African development do make a difference, to join the council today, as the ALC journey begins!

African Leadership Council is therefore founded on the hope to mobilise the critical mass required to galvanise multi-dimensional change at various levels of leadership in the continent. It is indeed possible to live in an Africa, where the continent is not only solving most if not all of her problems, but contributing her optimal value to the global system, earning the respect of all sections of society, and leading the world in several respects.

The African Leadership Council is indeed an exclusive platform for political and business leaders, policy titans,

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The council shall, among other things focus on enabling top African achievers and corporate leaders to create more prosperity for stakeholders of the Africa project.

These African achievers are already heavily invested in making a difference on the continent through their toils, sweat and blood. They had choices to do other things, but they chose to contribute their quota by exemplifying leadership and achievement. Each of them has their stories to tell, tales that are written with the rigours of arduous work, pain, and discomfort, as most successes anywhere in the world require – for no pain, no gain. These leaders were job creators, wealth generators and servant-leaders who even when unrecognised and uncelebrated still forged forward in helping their communities move forward.

opinion leaders, entrepreneurs and executives who are committed to deepening unrivalled African access, developing lifetime relationships and partnerships across the continent, while taking action to grow their global citizenship status as a force for good – enthroning SDG Gol1 1 and Goal 4 by contributing to educational development on the continent and continuing to help in eradicating poverty in Africa. ALC members are provided with pan-African visibility, recognition for their contributions and cementing their thought leadership – all in a bid to enable greater contribution and participation in leapfrogging Africa's development.

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premise that celebrating outstanding achievements and leadership is good for humanity, and especially good for Africa as it has the potential to create a ripple effect in society by inspiring others to aspire to serve humanity for the greater good of all.

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Leadership

Join the elite network of

AFRICA’S MOST OUTSTANDING LEADERS · Expand your AFRICAN ACCESS, influence and relevance · Be a part of the change – A GLOBAL COALITION of leaders against poverty

Join ALC today!

AFRICAN LEADERSHIP COUNCIL www.africanleadershipcouncil.com

WHAT NOTABLE LEADERS ARE SAYING ABOUT

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H. E. JOHN MAHAMA FMR. PRESIDENT OF GHANA

H.E. MRS AMEEN GURIB-FAKIM FMR. PRESIDENT OF MAURITIUS

DR GOODLUCK JONATHAN FMR. PRESIDENT OF NIGERIA

“It is always an honour to be in the company of such distinguished fellow Africans, that the African Leadership Magazine events bring together Africans who have committed their lives to changing the negative narrative about our continent.”

“It is very gratifying that we now have an organization like African Leadership Magazine, which endeavors to promote good governance and impactful leadership in Africa - bring the best of Africa to the global stages.”

“African Leadership Magazine has become a brand for Africa and I am pleased to be associated with it. especially because of the caliber of African Leaders on itʼs board.”

H.E. JOHN KUFOUR FMR. PRESIDENT OF GHANA

H.E. JAMES A MICHEL FMR. PRESIDENT OF SEYCHELLES

“I believe people are more important than power and anything that promotes good people and leadership is what we need in Africa, and that is what African Leadership Magazine is doing.”

“I wish to express my sincere thanks and deep appreciation to the African Leadership Magazine for the work that it is doing on the continent, and especially in advancing the cause of small Islands Developing states, Any effor t aimed at increasing the visibility of the good work being done by leadership in Africa does positively impact on the continent and that is what the African Leadership Magazine is doing.”

DECEMBER 2021

DR MANU CHANDARIA CHAIRMAN, COMCRAFT GROUP, KENYA

“I am honored and deeply humbled to be with the African Leadership Magazine. The organization have been consistent in tracking Africaʼs best and showcasing them to the world, which is quite commendable.”

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WHAT NOTABLE LEADERS ARE SAYING ABOUT

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MRS. ELLEN JOHNSON - SIRLEAF Nobel Peace Prize Winner & Fmr. President, Republic Of Liberia

H.E JAKAYA KIKWETE Fmr. President Of Tanzania

H.E DAVID MABUZA Deputy President Republic Of South Africa

“I feel deeply honored to be associated with the African Leadership Magazine as it is a veritable platform to honor true service in Africa. I commend your effor ts and assure you of my continued support and the support of the good people of Liberia.”

“African Leadership Magazine is doing a wonderful job of speaking for Africa and Africans. The magazine remain a good example of what young people in Africa can do in the world. Best wishes in keeping the African dream alive.”

“It is an honour to participate at this African Leadership Magazine's 2020 Ceremony, and I commend the m a g a z i n e's f o c u s t o r e s h a p e positively, the dominant narratives about the African continent, especially towards the pursuit of peace-building and democracy on the continent”.

DR. AKINWUMI ADESINA President, African Development Bank

DR. MO IBRAHIM Founder, Mo Ibrahim Foundation

MO DEWJI Tanzania Businessman & Philanthropist

“I thank you so much, African Leadership Magazine for the great work that you are doing for the continent. Your tradition of awarding excellence as I have seen in the line up of African Leaders who have received the African Leadership Awards, is something ver y commendable”

“The future of African people and improving the quality of Leadership on the African continent is my vision and I find in African Leadership Magazine - a true partner. I am also happy that the African Leadership Awards is doing at a lower level, what I intend to achieve at the Head of State level. That is why I flew to Paris just to be a part of what you are doing here at the African Leadership Magazine”.

“The African Leadership Awards truly captures the essence of my message which is that, success shouldnʼt be solely defined by wealth. It should be about the positive impact and influence that one has had in his c o m m u n i t y . ”

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AFRICANS WHO SHAPED THE CONTINENT’S STORY IN 2021

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Like the year 2020, the year 2021 has also been a tumultuous year for the continent and the world at large. Just when we thogutht the world is finding its feet away from the pandemic, a new variant arrives to push back milestones and developments. However, amidst the despair, some Africans have helped to rekindle our faith in possibilities. These Africans who are drawn from politics, business and technology have helped to shape the continent's story in the year 2021. Below are some of them and how they have helped to make the continent a better place.

Dr Tedros Ghabreyesus, Director General, World Health organization Dr Tedros, the reigning African of the Year – 2020, has been at the centre of the global fight against the COVID19 Pandemic. The Ethiopian Public Health expert has managed the global response for COVID-19 and looks set to lead the WHO for another term of 5 years after Germany endorsed his candidacy in September. Dr Tedros

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Adhanom Ghebreyesus was elected as WHO Director-General for a five-year term by the WHO Member States at the Seventieth World Health Assembly in May 2017. He is the first WHO Director-General to have been elected from multiple candidates by the World Health Assembly. He is the first person from the WHO African Region to serve as WHO's chief technical and administrative officer.

Shortly after assuming his post in 2017, Dr Tedros outlined five key priorities for the Organization: universal health coverage; health emergencies; women's, children's and adolescents' health; health impacts of climate and environmental change; and a transformed WHO. He has since been at the forefront of promoting vaccine equity, urging developed economies to support the shipment of vaccines for developing economies to achieve the milestone of vaccinating as many eligible adults.

Before he was elected WHO Director-

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Today, he has continued to shape the Continent's story through robust support to governments towards fighting the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Dr Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank

Dr Akinwumi Adesina is the 8th elected President of the African Development Bank Group. Dr Adesina has been named Africa's "Marketer in Chief" due to his commitment to the growth and development of the Continent. He was Nigeria's Minister of Agriculture and has committed billions of dollars through the Bank to developing the Continent's infrastructure in the last couple of months. Dr Adesina has been a chief proponent for developing intra-Africa trade and has continued to support the African continental free trade agreement towards integrating the Continent's diverse markets. He has also led the push for value addition for Africa's raw materials as a means of solving the Continent's unemployment challenges.

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Dr Adesina is a globally renowned development economist and agricultural development expert with over 30 years of international experience.

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Dr Tedros served as Ethiopia's Minister of Health from 2005–2012, where he led a comprehensive reform of the country's health system.

Since the pandemic outbreak, the Bank has continued to provide funding support to countries across the Continent to minimize the impact on the economy and build capacity towards fighting COVID-19. Dr Adesina has also been among the shortlist of African leaders pushing for vaccine equity and the production of local vaccines for the Continent.

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General, Dr Tedros served as Ethiopia's Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2012–2016. In this role, he led efforts to negotiate the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, in which 193 countries committed to the financing necessary to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

Dr Adesina won the prestigious harmoniously.

Rockefeller Foundation Social Science He has also led Rwanda on the Fellowship in 1988, which launched him path of sustained economic growth and into his international career. development, positioning the country A bold reformer, as Minister of as one of the safest and cleanest cities Agriculture in Nigeria from 2011-2015, on the Continent. The country's record Dr Adesina turned the agriculture of women representation across sector of Nigeria around within four government offices and other political years. Under his tenure, Nigeria ended positions remains unmatched globally, 40 years of corruption in the fertilizer owing to the President's strategic sector by developing and implementing investment in women development. an innovative electronic wallet system, The President has also successfully which directly provides farmers with positioned the country as the subsidized farm inputs at scale using Continent's prime conferencing their mobile phones. destination – hosting over 1000 small H.E. Paul Kagame, President of and large international events annually.

Rwanda H.E. Chief Jewel Howard Taylor, Vice In a continent where leaders have a President of Liberia history of cowering to the West, Her Excellency Jewel Taylor is a President Paul Kagame, has continued versatile public leader with a deep to speak truth to the West, even when understanding of the day to day it comes with a lot of risk to his challenge of the Continent's women presidency. Only recently, after his and her young people.

This year alone, continued accusation of France's the Vice President has taken over 50 complicity in the 1994 genocide in young girls in Liberia off the street and Rwanda, the President of France, provided them with quality education Emmanuel Macron, came short of towards finding their feet in life. A offering a direct apology for the country's role in the events but admitted the country's support for the Genocide government. According to President Kagame, France President's admission is essential to finding closure for the survivors and their families.

The President has also led the country through different channels, gradually healing and finding a lasting solution to the sad incidences of the genocide. He developed a unique model of healing old wounds and getting all parties to work together

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hands-on leader, she sees politics as a means to build a better future for the Continent's people, hence her commitment to advancing the IntraAfrica trade as a solution to the Continent's myriads of challenges.

continued to create employment and build wealth for the country's labour market.

H.E. Cyril Ramaphosa, President of South Africa

Ashish Thakkar, CEO Mara group

Aliko Dangote, Chairman, Dangote Group

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Ashish Thakkar put the Continent into the reckoning when he launched the first smartphone in Africa. Unlike many who only dream, Ashish has been a relentless go-getter whose commitment to the growth and development of the Continent is palpable. In 2019, Ashish launched Mara Phones manufacturing plants in Rwanda and South Africa, aiming to boost digital penetration in the Continent while also creating jobs and increasing opportunities for the Continent's young people.

For the Continent's richest man, business goes beyond profit. Through his charitable Foundation, the Aliko Dangote Foundation, ADF, he has continued to touch lives globally. With its stated mission of enhancing opportunities for social change through strategic investments, the Foundation has continued to shape the Continent's story for the past 20 years. Today, the Foundation is the largest private Foundation in sub-Saharan Africa, with the largest endowment by a single African donor.

This year alone, his contribution to the fight against COVID-19 in Nigeria and other business territories has been phenomenal. In Nigeria, he mobilized other business leaders to support the country's COVID-19 response by contributing over N100 Billion towards constructing isolation centres, kits and other materials. He has also endorsed the Continent's collective purchase of Vaccines for distribution across the different countries.

He has also made considerable investments in education infrastructure and security for Nigeria and other countries.

Through his business chain, especially the ongoing refinery, he has

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He was also recently awarded an Honorary Doctorate Degree by Cheikh Anta Diop University for his sterling leadership qualities and commitment to Pan-Africanism.

South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa recently made headlines when he announced the discovery of another variant of the COVID-19 virus – Omicron. While some western leaders began to shut their doors against the country and other parts of the Continent, the President received praise from a more significant part of the globe for his forthrightness and sincerity. This announcement helped immensely prepare the world to combat this new variant and provided early resources for testing and isolation.

Ashish is also a member of Rwanda's President Paul Kagame Advisory Council, PAC. The Council, which the President chairs, bring together eminent people from various sectors, including academic,

Under his leadership, South Africa has made significant strides in improving the quality of life for millions of people, particularly the black majority. President Ramaphosa has advanced progressive policies to return the land to people disposed of by investment, private sector and others, apartheid and transform the economy to advise the President and Rwandan to benefit all. government on strategic development, choices and initiatives. PAC was He has joined other African established in 2007 and met annually to Leaders to ask the rich countries to review progress and proffer solutions to stop hoarding vaccines to the detriment imminent challenges. of Africa. This call is predicated on the need to accelerate the rate of recovery.

Ashish Thakkar is on the frontline for the push to establish the African He was recently on a trip to Youth Investment Bank by the President Nigeria, Senegal and the Ivory Coast, of the African Development Bank, Dr where he pushed for more excellent Akinwumi Adesina. As the Chair of the corporations towards fully African Development Bank's implementing the African continental presidential youth committee, Ashish free trade agreement. has participated in a series of meetings

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non-refundable grants to set up their businesses or invest in their ideas. This strategic intervention by the Foundation is helping to solve the country's primary challenge, which is unemployment.

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were able to convince a Johnson & Johnson related factory in South Africa to reserve what was produced for the Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala African market. Recounting what transpired, he said, "We were then able Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is the first to arm-twist [European negotiators] to female head of the World Trade say, 'Well, look, how can you produce Organization and has spent the first Mr Elumelu has also provided on the African continent and ship to part of her term as D.G., promoting mentorship for millions of young Europe?' Because if you remember, vaccine equity. She has continued to African business leaders. Recently while there was a row between South Africa push rich countries to do better by charging young Africans, he said, "To and Europe over this issue to say, 'How sending COVID-19 vaccines to the you, young African entrepreneurs – can you accept an arrangement developing world. Dr Okonjo-Iweala, work hard, dream dreams, and be very whereby vaccines produced in Africa who campaigned on the plank of disciplined. It would help if you are shipped to Europe while Africa has promoting fair trade, is eager to make continued to think of the impact. The no vaccines?' OK, then Europe pulled the world a better place through trade. entrepreneurship journey is not linear – back and said, 'OK, you can have what's She is set to mediate between the there are ups and downs, but by produced there.' Initially, they said you United States, China and the WTO's 162 staying focused and resilient, ultimately, could have 50%. We said, 'No, no, we're other members as the trade body tries success will come your way. The future paying for these vaccines. We're not to reform a global system that is in the of our Continent is in your hands. What asking anyone for a donation. We're process of falling apart. you do as an entrepreneur will go a paying for them.'"

Before she was elected, the D.G. of long way in lifting Africa out of poverty.

I am happy that our female H.E. Samia Suluhu Hassan, President WTO, the two-term minister of finance entrepreneurs are doing very well, with of Tanzania in Nigeria, was the Chair of Gavi, the 68% representation this year."

Vaccine Alliance, making her an Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu authority in dealing with deadly recently celebrated the country's 60th He has also continued to guide diseases and a pharmaceutical industry independence, during which she African leaders on developing the set against waiving patents. She is reiterated her commitment to fighting Continent's young people. currently working with Bill Gates and corruption. President Suluhu, who is the other world leaders towards pushing Strive Masiyiwa, Chairman, Econet first female President in the country's vaccination to the front burner. Her group 60 years history, has come to her new efforts have helped remove export role with a commitment to tackle the The Zimbabwean Billionaire is the restrictions on vaccine-related products COVID-19 issue differently. Her head of African Union COVID-19 and put the issue on the agenda.

Vaccination efforts, COVAX. He is at the inauguration was very significant for women and girls across the world.

Tony Elumelu, Chairman, Heirs Holding forefront of pushing for local development of Vaccines for the She has also made strategic efforts Tony Elumelu is helping the core of Continent, following the refusal of the to woo investors and revamp the the Continent's young people find their U.S., Europe and India to sell vaccines country's economy amidst the feet in business through the Tony to the Continent.

Pandemic.

Elumelu Entrepreneurship Program.

Recently the Foundation selected 4,949 With the blockade by rich Affectionately known as Mama entrepreneurs empowered with $5000 countries, Strive and his team at COVAX

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towards setting up a scalable and selfsustaining bank.

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Samia, she is set to provide purposeful leadership for the country in this global Pandemic disrupting economies worldwide.

Danny Manu, Engineer and Entrepreneur

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Not much is known about Danny, solving a significant challenge to trade and people-to-people engagement with his latest invention. The 33 years serial entrepreneur was born in the United Kingdom to his parents of Ghanian descent.

After graduation from Oxford, he started working at Quanta Networks, a data and cloud computing solutions company.

In the heat of the Pandemic, he created MedyBird, an innovative integrated manufacturer of both medical and industrial PPE hand protection and other equipments.

Within a few weeks of establishment, MedyBird filled a significant void. Over time, it has supplied more than 500 million PPE to countries struck by the Pandemic.

However, Danny is better known for his invention of the "wonder wireless earbuds," Click S. Click S, an A.I. language translation earbud, is a live translation earbud that translates languages without using the internet in real-time. It is one of the most solution-oriented products in tech in recent times.

promoting the Continent's creative industry. During the 2021 trade fair in Durban, the CANEX programme was designed to support Africa's creative and cultural sector. According to Mr Oramah would revolutionize the continents untapped talents in the creative and artistic industry.

John N. Nkengasong, Director, Africa Centre for Disease Control, He is the first Director of the Africa Centre for Disease Control and has been at the forefront of the fight against the Pandemic. Dr John has done this job so well that United States President Joe Biden tapped him as the Ambassador-at-Large and Coordinator of United States Government Activities to Combat HIV/AIDS Globally at the Department of State. He is expected to manage and oversee the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in this role. This is the most significant commitment by any nation to address a single disease in history, prevent millions of HIV infections, save lives, and make progress towards ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Dr Nkengasong is the first person of African origin to have been nominated to hold this position.

Before holding this position, Dr Nkengasong served as the Acting Deputy Director, Center for Global Health, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Chief of the International Laboratory Branch, Division of Global HIV/AIDS and

Tuberculosis at the CDC. Nkengasong also served as the Associate Director for Laboratory Science, Division of Global AIDS/HIV and Tuberculosis, Center for Global Health, CDC, and CoChair of the PEPFAR's Laboratory Technical Working Group. He has also served as a board member for the International Vaccine Initiative in New York, and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovation, in Norway.

H.E. Joyce Banda, Former President of Malawi It was a carnivallike atmosphere of singing, and dancing, when Dr Joyce Banda, the former President of Malawi, donated 6000 lemon seedlings to the Lipinda Senior Chiefs Katuli Area in Malawi through the Community Development Initiative, CDI. As one who has experienced firsthand the pains and suffering of the people, Dr Banda has continued to mobilize friends and well-wishers towards intervening in the challenges of the people where possible. She has mobilized local and international NGOs and governments, including the government of China and an Israeli Muslim NGO. These NGOs have provided interventions in the areas of health and housing infrastructure. As was her practice when in power, she has continued to put the people first, especially women and children, and the vulnerable members of society. Outside Malawi, she has become a leading voice for promoting women and gender-

It works with your smartphone to learn the spoken language to provide an instant translation. These lifechanging earbuds are said to have the ability to translate more than 40 languages.

Benedict Oramah, President & Chairman, AfreximBank At the recently concluded IntraAfrica Trade Fair (IATF) organized by the AfrximBank, African Union and the African Continental Free Trade Area, over $40billion was generated in deals among participating countries. This and many other initiatives are part of Mr Oramah's plan to promote trade and businesses in the Continent.

Mr Oramah is also committed to

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ATCH

9TH SOUTH AMERICA AFRICA - MIDDLE EAST ASIA WOMEN SUMMIT THEME:

Adapting to New Realities for Greater Influence & Impact

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Date: 24 Mar. 2022, Time: 9pm Venue: HYATT REGENCY HOTEL DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES For inquiries call: +44 23 92 658 276 or email: info@amazonswatchmagazine.com

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JEWEL HOWARD - TAYLOR VICE PRESIDENT OF LIBERIA

THE SILENT ENABLER

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For Her Excellency Jewel Howard Taylor, the Vice President of Liberia, the concept of leadership is about humanity and the girl child. From scholarship for indigent young girls to jobs and wealth creation for the teeming young people of Liberia, she leads from the front and refuses to see challenges. With over two decades in politics, she is an ardent believer in "project Africa" and hopes to see a continent driven by ideas and innovation. In this exclusive interview with African Leadership Magazine UK, she bares her mind about leadership, Vice Presidency; Agriculture, youth unemployment, among other issues. Excerpts:

Thank you very much for that commendation, Your Excellency. I sat down here a couple of minutes ago, and I read the nine simple reasons you are an inspiration to girls across the world, not just Africa. I want to say that you have been forged through fire. You have been through so much before becoming the Vice President of this great country. What are some of the high points of your life that have led you to where you are today, understanding that you are an inspiration to women and young girls worldwide, and they are looking up to you?

Thank you first for this unique opportunity and to the African Leadership Magazine for providing me with such rare opportunities over the years. I don't think I would be the Jewel that is herald across Africa if I had not connected with the Magazine, and it is just a unique opportunity. I pray that I will continue to be worthy of the work that each of us does.

If you look at my story, which I still have to write, I have been delaying that a little bit. Looking back, I know how inspirational it seems,

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but the truth is forged through fire, as you say. Nothing is ever easy, whether you want to be a housewife or you want to be a scientist or an astronaut, or just a politician. The challenges we name for women are the same. Some of the challenges I faced were tough, but I would like to zone in on a particular one, and I think all women face that in the different spheres of our lives. The discrimination and prejudice attached to what we do, sometimes deserved, sometimes not. First thing, I am a woman. In Africa, it is perceived that women must stay in their place; I would say it the way my father said it. If they want to step out of their position and be the extraordinary people they are meant to be, especially women, they will face many challenges. But I think the idea of discrimination and prejudice automatically reacts to you in a particular way just because you are a woman.

Of course, the last name I carry, 'Taylor', brings its complicated compound issues. The former President, Charles Taylor, has only two reactions people have towards him. It is either you love him, or you hate him. There's no inbetween. He is no longer on the scene, and it seems as if some of those prejudices have been attached to me. The law requires that everyone be held responsible for their actions, but then again, human behaviour is that you are prejudicial to someone for maybe a reason that the person doesn't even know. I think this is the toughest challenge that women face. 'What is she doing there?' 'Why is she even here?' 'What can she bring to the table?' Questions are not asked of any male candidates or males who step up in strange and unusual places. But once a female is attached to it, you get all of these, which every woman would face.

We have to look at it in the eye and continue to step forward because if you pay it the attention they are looking for, you lose your step. So, I have learned as I walked this tough road that you have to find your passion, decide that you will make something positive that you remain where you are, and then you forget the naysayers. They will always be there, whether you do good or bad, but we are under a so intense microscope for women. It is hard, and you can't say you have to keep working and act as if everything is okay.

I like politics because it is a fight for the heart and souls of people. It is a fight for the destiny of our nations. It is a fight for what we want our children to be, and it is only in this sphere that you get a chance to make the changes. If not, you are in a prolonged process, and it takes forever. So, women who want to be politicians, and I am encouraging as many as possible because we keep losing space on the African continent to remain focused through working hard to succeed and then forget the noise.

As a grassroots leader and the former Chairperson for the Senate Health and Social Affair Committee on Gender and Women and Children Development, what has been your experience interacting with the hinterland?

Well, Kingsley, it would surprise you to know that I never had an iota of thought that I would be a politician growing up. I wanted to be a banker. So, I went to school in

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the first phase of my life and did banking & finance, but I found myself in a political space because I married Charles Taylor and was 33 years old. You can only imagine dealing with all of the things happening at the time. There was a civil war and conflicts everywhere, but something happened during those few years that shaped my personality. I realized that I couldn't sit at home, drink tea, and bring my friends to buy and drink wine. I had to get in the field. So, I started visiting displaced camps and engaging the women and children in those destitute situations. Everyone had left the other parts of Liberia, the counties, and were stuck in Monrovia. So, they were caught up in school buildings, public buildings, churches, and just visiting from one displaced centre to the other; you can imagine the situation.

There was not enough water. There was barely anywhere to sleep. People were having babies in those situations because they couldn't even get to the hospital. These were displaced people. How do they move from a camp an hour away from Monrovia to JFK? So, it was a tough place for me.

I had just come back from the States. I spent 15 years there going to school, and just being thrown into such a situation seeing the dire needs of our people did something to me.

I realized that those caught up in the war, of course of no fault of theirs, happened to be in the situation, and they needed someone to show them care. So, I would go into those situations and try to offer a word, provide blankets for babies. If there were a situation where a mother was critically ill, I would have them transported to the hospital, and that's how my humanitarian work began, making sure that everywhere I went, I tried to make a difference. That started the platform for which I could stand up for elections when my county's elders approached me; I come from the 3rd largest county in the country, but I am also from the most prominent tribe. When the elders approached to be their Senator, I laughed and asked, 'How can I be your senator?' 'What do I know?' I am still in my early thirties. But I had learned during those early years of the crises in helping that what it required was just someone who cared; someone who was willing to raise their voice to make the change because they usually call lawmakers' noisemakers' here. There's a lot of noise. Everyone is shouting on top of the other, and he who has the loudest voice and can make

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I like politics because it is a fight for the heart and souls of people. it is a fight for the destiny of our nations.

It is a fight for what we want our children to be and it is only in this sphere that you get a chance to make the changes

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the largest tremble gets what he wants. So, I had learned that that was what was needed at the time.

As I began my work as a Senator, I became an advocate from that experience seeing what women went through, the difficulties, and the dashed hopes and aspirations of mothers and children. Several times I raised the issue, that passion came out because I knew it wasn't just from a place of comfort. So, I think if I had not had such an opportunity, maybe I would have been one of the Senators sitting at the legislature and being concerned about what my nails looked like and what colour of suit I would wear. But I became a grassroots because I knew that my work had to impact women at the grassroots level. So, I campaigned for microloans for women. I campaigned for water to be brought closer to the town. They would take the water 3 miles. Why would you have your wife and daughters walk 3 miles for water? And, the men would say, 'oh, they are making noise'. Can you imagine the risk you put them through because the water pumps are usually far from the village, and they are walking alone on those roads and coming back? What would happen if you put it nearer to the town? Even you would have more water to drink, but there are so many prejudices in leadership and the way men think instead of women. Even schools would have elementary schools 3 miles away. Who will send their daughter 3 miles away to walk to school and come back?

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So, the girls don't go to school until they are like 8 or 9 years old. Those became the issues that I felt connected to, and I knew it would make a difference in the lives of regular women. It became my mantra, and I am so happy that I have found something to be passionate about because you have to be passionate about something as a politician. How do you transform the lives of people? That's how I became a grassroots by contacting the women.

But you know, in 2014, when I went for reelections, something strange happened. Again, because I kept the men engaged, two years before the elections, I said Bong Country, which is in the heartbeat of our country; it is a vast county, and there were many places I still hadn't gone to. I would be overrun if I waited until 2014 because the elections would be noisy. 'Oh, she hasn't done this, and she hasn't been here, and she has not yet met with this person.

So, we began two years before. When I called my staff in my office, and I said we would begin the campaign two years before, everybody laughed. How can we start the campaign two years ahead of time? I said, 'I don't know, but we will start it'. So, again I got a chance to reconnect. I got an opportunity to recommit to the work that I had begun doing as Senator. I had an opportunity to make new friends and let people feel me because it is different when you are in an office than when you are going and sitting with the women. I would go into the villages and pick rice with them.

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I would go and join them in cooking. It was a fantastic time, and what it did for me was bring my heart closer to the people I serve. So, it's been a long, challenging route, but I think it helped, and in the end, on the day of the election, when we got out, there were long queues. They stood in lines and cast their ballots for me. I went against 12 men, and I could beat all of them.

And mind you, in 2014, we had Ebola.

Little did I know. If I had just sat at home to say I would wait for 2014, I would probably have lost because, during Ebola, we wouldn't have time.

The country was shut down. We couldn't move around as we should. I believe my instincts kicked in, and it enabled me to continue to keep connected.

60 per cent from about 18 to 25. These were young people born in the war years, living in displaced camps and not having education opportunities as I did or training. So, 40 years later, we have a group of them that are 60 per cent of the population, and they are now having their children.

How do we engage them? They are angry because when you look at the internet and Instagram, you see other countries where young people are doing great things, and the question is 'What is happening here?' 'How can we be stuck?' If you talk to an average Liberian young person, they want to get out. They see Europe, America, and Asia as better opportunities for them, not knowing that it is better to stay at home when you get into those So, everywhere I go, whether it is environments. Again, we have to do a the county I used to represent or the lot to reconnect the hope of the young nation at large, people want to see who people to our continent. We are dealing this Jewel Taylor is, and sometimes I am with these war babies. They are now amazed at what they say and how they heads of households without fathers to feel. I am just a regular person doing guide them, without mothers saying, what God has set my heart to do. But I 'Hey, this is enough, don't cross this think that is the work of women. That line. They don't have the patience to when you get elected into such an wait. It is an issue, an emotional issue, office, it is to make a difference at the but it is also a physical issue. grassroots level and to keep the hope We have done to begin to work alive that any child can grow up to be with youths across the country. There is whatever they want to be, and that the a 'Youth Opportunities Program' women feel that you feel them and you program for Liberian children. We know what's happening in their lives. provide training opportunities and funds to help them start their own Amazing. Listening to you again, you became a Senator at a very young age, small business. In the Government is and the continent is young. If I may ask, about 99,000 employees and you are talking about 5 million people. Maybe what are some of the challenges you the private sector hires another 50,000 would say young people face in this country, and how is the administration or 60,000; what do the rest of them do? trying to manage these challenges thus So, we have engaged with them to provide these opportunities for skill far? training, encouraging them to open Looking at our history in the most their cooperative businesses. recent or the past 40 years, we have Agriculture also gives us a prominent come from civil war and didn't have place to begin because you can make external aggression. The aggression money if you produce and sell. That's came from inside, and why that was a what the issues are for them. How do complicated process was because we make our lives better? How do we people felt marginalized, inequality provide for our children? The persisted. Some families had it all, and Government cannot do it because we most of the families had none. So, this don't have that many job opportunities. whole sense of turning this system Still, thankfully the UN systems, the around created the war. It was World Bank systems have been inequality and lack of opportunities. assisting Liberia to provide funding to Through the last 40 years, you have this particular group to ensure that they young children who are war babies can have their dreams and work them being born, given that our population is

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out. But of course, some of them are on drugs, and you can understand that they do not have hope from the war years. It is easy to become an alcoholic, to become a drug addict as a way of thinking you will forget about your current situation.

I think we are doing the best we can. I am always looking at these institutes, and the processes that evolved is not an event. That is what makes the human spirit sometimes weak. It is a joining because you cut off all of the good things happening here. I grew up here. I didn't leave here until I was 21. By the time I went to the university, I already had a job in one of the government agencies, so you were sent to as an intern whatever you wanted to be. All of those programmes have ended. So, they get up and look on the streets, asking, 'Where are we?'

'What's happening?' 'How do I come off my own?' 'How do I take care of my children?' there are no longer willing, and of course, it doesn't make sense to have a child who is in the fifth grade, and you are in the fifth grade. They don't want to go back to the regular school system. We must now find a hybrid system to provide some skill training, some form of education,

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There is a program called the 'Youth Opportunities Program' for Liberian youths. We are providing training opportunities and funds to help them get started in their own small businesses

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It is a process, and we have to keep working on it.

Hopefully, we can turn Africa into an industrial continent to stop shipping our raw materials. Anytime we export raw materials, we export our peace and the security of our children. Because they are all tied to the fact that if someone is stable and has an opportunity to work and take care of their children, they remain peaceful. If the existing chances are small and it does not incorporate a majority of the young people, we will have migration, crime, and drug abuse issues. We must look at it as a continent, and I am happy that the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) is now up and running. Hopefully, we can begin to see what we do and set up these new systems. We have opportunities for green agriculture because we don't have these vast factories producing all of the things we need. We have opportunities to create new industries for solar and wind power. Because we have nothing, we can now step up the bar and begin to do environment, do Government, do governance in ways that propel the continent as the continent for the future, which indeed it is.

Amazing. That brings me to the next question, considering the agricultural exports and mining being the main economic activity of Liberia as identified by the AfDB group, what is the appeal to young people to take on these industries considering that a lot of them find it archaic and outdated? We understand that it is not so. A country that feeds itself can raise its head, and also, as you said, it creates security, creates employment and all the rest of it.

Then, how do you make it attractive for young people?

I think Africa has not done well in showcasing what

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Look at Liberia; we have not done much in agriculture over 40 years because we have been in crisis. If you travel, you see how green everywhere is. When you are flying over Liberia, all you see is forests. You can imagine how fertile

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agriculture can be. In western countries, you see a wealthy farmer. He has all of the industrialized tools, and they are not moving cattle all over the place to cause all kinds of havoc. But that's a conversation for another day.

People have a farm. There is a stable land, and they work it generation after generation.

We need to learn from what's happening and showcase how farming is the best short-term career to get our young people involved, especially those who have not had the opportunity to be appropriately processed. I have a grandson who is 12, and I asked him the other day, 'Charles, would you like to be a farmer?" "No, why would I want to be a farmer?" he said. I was like, "Wow, do you know what farmers do?"

"Yeah, they plant food," I said, "that's all?" "That's all they plant food," he said "they suffer", because if you look at the African farmer, women are toiling from 6 am to 6 pm.

There is barely enough to take home. Even in the farms that we plant, the food doesn't get to the home of those that plant. You go home, and you barely have food for your children. So, the perception of farming being something that doesn't provide the benefits you need has to be changed. Government has to do its best. Those providing financial benefits to the sector must go beyond where we are. We need tools. We need small implements that we can use to make farming a little bit easier. If you see a 30-yearold woman in Africa who is a farmer, she looks 70. Whereas, if you find an 80-year-old farmer in the US, he is strong. He is on a tractor because everything is easy. How can we make farming easier for our people? We need to connect the dots. Someone who is farming shouldn't have to worry about where the fertilizer comes from or who will buy his products, or how it will be shipped wherever it needs to be consumed? So, a connection is required, and the agribusiness players now have the link. Someone has a truck that will pick up the food from where it is produced to the warehouse. Someone else has a business where eCommerce works for farmers, and right on the internet, products are sold. Containers are brought. Things are lifted on it, and then it is shipped outside. The whole process has to be considered as we work our land.

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maybe a little bit of English, Writing and Mathematics, so they can survive. But it is a callous order, and when you look at the numbers of young people we are talking about, this is not just a Liberian issue. It is an issue across Africa. I still think Africa has so many opportunities. If we begin to utilize the benefits of the natural and human resources that God has given us, we can now turn the situation around, and this young person can work. Once you can work, you can provide for your home. The level of violence against women will reduce. The illiteracy level will drop, and then those young people growing up now will look at their fathers more positively.

That he is not just hanging around and doing nothing.

He is coming and providing.

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our soil is, but who encourages our young men to take a piece of land and plant pepper, for example. I know if I plant pepper, it will feed my children. All they see is the old farmers still suffering; they will grow produce that can't come to the market. Half of the crops are damaged because of postharvest waste. We have to change the narrative, and I think it is the Government's responsibility, but it is also the responsibility of our partners to see how we can begin to change the narrative. We have one young man, and I hope you will get to meet him before you go. He has a small company called J Palm. He is not even 30 years old. He decided to create beauty products out of palm kernel oil, so all he did was find farmers who have a palm. They want palm oil. So, they would do what they needed to process the palm oil; then, they would throw the kernels away. It was easy for him to say, 'Okay, I don't want to bother you. Can I have the palm kernel?' They quickly gave that to him. He has a fully functioning business today. He is trying to expand. The World Bank has given him a small grant to provide a small machine for palm oil. The old way of making palm oil takes days. There is a machine that you can use the handheld to turn the palm flesh into the oil. The time to mill the palm oil is shorter. So, quickly, you see them working to do this while he gets the kernel, and he can make the palm kernel oil he is using for his product. Those are the kinds of stories we need to tell, and he has now become one of the Liberian icons for agriculture. He is so excited about what is happening, especially when he gets his grant. But he would

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Look at Liberia, we have not done much in terms of agriculture over 40 years because we have been in crises. If you travel, you see how green everywhere is. When you are flying over Liberia, all you see is forests. You can imagine how fertile our soil is, but who encourages our young men to take a piece of land and plant pepper for example.

tell you it was difficult at first. Then, there was no opportunity for donations. Others can begin to do something. If we tell those stories and see him today, he is such an amazing young man. He has all these ideas coming from his head. He is now trying to get groups of young people in the different counties to come together and help him. You get a percentage of what is being created to go to the farmers. He has a video showing when he started engaging the farmers at first. Everybody was like, just go

AFRICANLEADERSHIP MAGA ZINE

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The typical day for me is that I am up by 5 am. I do my prayers and go to my paperwork because once I get to my office, there's one person who wants to see you and another person.

Time is not enough, and I am So, I have to do my work early in the stressed about that. Then I have my morning. I sit at my computer, get my work as Head of the Liberian Senate, emails, answer them, do the notes I dealing with the bills and different things to the legislature. Of course, I am need to do and get ready for work. I make sure I say 'Good morning and A famous saying is that 'it is hard a much sought-after motivational have a good day to my grandchildren to get to the top, and it is even harder speaker and role model, so I am out. to stay on top'. You have received many How do I balance all of these? I always because they live with me here. I am usually out about 10 am. If I have commendations globally, within the say what suffers is my home because I speaking engagements, I do that before continent, and within the country for am up from early to late at night. I going to the office. I have a small your commitment to service. It shows barely have time to speak to the your efforts at the top, and you have children to find out who is doing what. project I am working on to provide consistently maintained that tempo.

Sunday is my most relaxed day. If I How do you intend to sustain this as come from church, I just crash because your vision continues to grow?

I have been running and running. What I pray would happen is that many more What makes it more difficult is that women will pick up the fire. You don't you get all these commendations. have to do everything, but you can do When I step out of my door, I have to something which reduces the stress on put up this façade like you have it all the women who have reached this level. together because people don't expect It is not an easy thing. You have to be you to have challenges. So, I have to good at everything, which is not put on my makeup, get dressed, and possible. You have to be a good move around as if everything is fine. It speaker. You have to look good. You worries me sometimes, though, but have to exercise. You have to keep on I have an NGO called the how do I keep this up? You always have the radio. You have to keep your voice a 'Jewel Starfish Foundation' to do new things to raise the bar, and lot. It's a tough battle but what I keep in that provides scholarship for you live under much more stress. mind is that I have been given a unique, young girls. We are now in Sometimes I want to relax, but you can't rare opportunity to serve, and out of Malawi.

We are going to because you start thinking about things the millions of women across the world, Freetown.

We are trying that aren't done yet. And I have so I am now the first female Vice President to move beyond Liberia, many things on my desk. I do in my country. but that is a whole different humanitarian work. I have an NGO story because I am a hands-on I must continue working. I must called the 'Jewel Starfish Foundation' person continue making the impact that is that provides young girls scholarships.

We are now in Malawi. We are going to needed. I must continue being the role model that I have set the standard, but Freetown. We are trying to move sometimes it is challenging. beyond Liberia, but that is a different story because I am a hands-on person.

I know you have touched a bit of this, I hardly let the Executive Director do but take use through the typical day of what she is doing. a Vice President of a great country like Every minute I am asking Liberia? questions. Is this done? Where are we?

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You have to remember that the typical Vice President has always been male before this time. So, I come to this table where the Vice in Africa should be silent; should stand in the back; should not be heard because you are to support the President. But I am a Vice President who is an activist. That in itself puts me on a firing line. I talk about things people don't want to hear, and I go to places they don't want me to go.

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How do we get this done? So, it is stressful working in a field that provides an opportunity for girls. Once the girls gather in different places, I want to be there because they are about 2,000 across Liberia. I want to inspire them. I want to remind them of the opportunity they have; I had a similar opportunity only because my father believed that children were equal. He didn't give any extra treatment to the boys in our family than the girls.

Everyone will face the same world, so everybody must be prepared. I would like to go and tell my story to them, but how many times can I do that?

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and sit down until he began to pay.

Once he picks up the palm kernel, he pays you on the spot. He doesn't say come back in 30 days. So, the women are now so happy. Funds are going into homes. Those are the positive stories we have to tell. If we don't tell them, people will keep sitting and waiting for Government jobs where they can probably think to be corrupt to get what they want in a few years. We have to work our soil so that our young people are engaged. There is a process, but how we spark the passion in our young people, like my grandson, to start thinking about agriculture, whatever he wants to be; he wants to wear a tie and suit and sit in an office somewhere, but that's not where the money is. Money is in agriculture, and we have that all around us.

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training opportunities and a safe home for girls who are victims of sexual and gender-based violence. It is a project right up the street. Every 2 or 3 days, I receive a progress report. I like to see how things are. Then, I go to the office, meet people, do some letters, speak to different places, make donations in necessary areas, and I come home at the end of the day to sleep a little bit early, so I am up a little bit early to get to what I do.

can imagine how it is getting people to set up. We have a lot to do. We have to build. We have some of the most beautiful tourist sites in our country, not yet tapped. That again is a soft place for hiring young people to help with the tourism sector. We want to see that engagement where we are a country of return, unlike Ghana that has considered itself a country of exit. We are countries of return, Liberia and Sierra Leone, where people can come and learn from our culture, learn from the things that have happened here and ensure that our children know the history, so we don't repeat it.

leave a positive legacy. My heart is in girls' education, and I think that we are lacking. Anytime I get a chance to speak, I talk about that.

A few months ago, I had the opportunity to speak at the opening of the ECOWAS parliament in Abuja and the President Nana Kuffour Addo, who is the head of the ECOWAS now, was present. When I realized he was coming into my speech, I added a piece of it. I was talking about the fact that there That's a typical day. If I am not in was a 30 per cent minimum the country, I am busy speaking and qualification for women at ECOWAS. I dancing with women and everything said, 'Mr. President doesn't fit that bill'. that we should be doing in the middle They are all men in the Ghanaian of all of this.

I want a vibrant Liberia where parliament, and in the ECOWAS has, I everyone has the opportunity to think, just one woman. We must do It's amazing. What are your hopes for achieve their goals and their aspirations what we say. It is not about just putting the future of Liberia? without intimidation and documents on paper and leaving it to discrimination, and harassment. That's be applauded by people.

I pray that I will get up one the Liberia I want to see. morning, and I will still be alive to see He responded, 'Well, I promise you Liberia transition from where we are that at the next turn, when we are We say a huge 'Amen' to that, and we today to a fully engaged country at redoing the ECOWAS representation, hope to see it in our lifetime. peace with itself and the world. It we will make sure to provide means we must adapt and provide One final question. As an inductee into inclusiveness for women'. So, I think opportunities for our young people to the African Leadership Hall of Fame, that was a powerful platform. We can see them work out their dreams. It how would you use your office to talk about Free Trade. We can talk means women must have equal rights. mobilize other African leaders to about integration. We can talk about We say we do, but the fact is we don't. leapfrog Africa's development? securing jobs. We can talk about Even in the political setting, if you look industrialization. All of these are what This award is a huge one. You are at the 24 political parties that we have we hope the Africa we want to be talking about the African Leadership here in Liberia, there are only twoHall of Fame, where prominent African would be. I believe I will continue to use headed females. I am one of those. And the different platforms that I have. leaders are already members. As I said most of the National Executive Hopefully, I keep getting invited to earlier, I feel privileged to have been Committee members are male. There is speak. given such an opportunity. But a law that states there should be a remember, I am Vice President, giving minimum of 30 per cent female at the me a tough place to stand. However, I NEC, but of course, nobody pays can use my voice in many places that I attention to that. I forced my political get to go. Like many platforms that I party to provide space for women have to stand on, I can be that voice of because I was the head. If a man heads advocacy. I can remain that voice of one it, they will tell you we don't know calling out for what all of us should do where to find the woman. without fear or favour. Most times, I want a country that's I want an industrialized country when I get off the stage, people are industrialized, utilizing the utilizing God's opportunities to build, like, 'I don't believe you said that, and I opportunities God has given export, engage with our neighbours, say 'but it is the truth'. The Africa we us to build, to export and to and be integrated. ECOWAS has now want has to be imagined in our minds engage with our neighbours, moved from a community of States to and believed in our hearts, and if to be integrated. ECOWAS people with products in Guinea and people don't speak it to come to pass, has now moved from a Ghana, and Nigeria made in Liberia. how do we get it done? I think out of community of States to a Then, we would be fully engaged with all the other things that I could do, the community of people where building our lives and building our platform of an advocate is where I you have products in Guinea country. There are very few buildings would like to continue. To remain to and Ghana and Nigeria even after the war. You find out that we talk about Africa, we want to see using made in Liberia. have maybe five hotels, and none of the medium of African Leadership, and them can hold more than 200 persons. all of those who are already members So, if you have a major conference, you of the Hall of Fame shows that we each

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AFRICANLEADERSHIP MAGA ZINE

INTERVIEW

We are Committed to Promoting Gender Equity in Nigeria – Catriona Laing, British High Commissioner to Nigeria

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The British High Commission in Nigeria has continued to support the government towards promoting good governance, trade, and women representation in key sectors of the economy. In this exclusive interview with African Leadership Magazine UK, the High Commissioner, Catriona Laing, talks about the UK government's commitment to supporting the Nigeria to achieve major milestones in key sectors of the economy. Excerpts

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Nigeria is one of our most important missions in Africa. And I'm one of the most senior British diplomats stationed on the continent, which underscores the importance of the UK-Nigeria relationship.

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You have worked in Africa for some time now. Can you share your experience with us and your journey thus far before your posting to Nigeria? What's been the journey for you as a female leader and a female diplomat so far?

To start with Nigeria as my destination. I've been here three years, and I'm the first female British High Commissioner to Nigeria. Nigeria is one of our most important missions in Africa. And I'm one of the most senior British diplomats stationed on the continent, which underscores the importance of the UK-Nigeria relationship. So for me, in terms of career progression, this is the job I wanted. . And of course, it couldn't be more exciting and more challenging. My interest in Africa, started when I was about 11 years old. We moved house from a white middle-class area to a much more cosmopolitan, multicultural area and I suddenly had a completely different set of friends, from Ghana, from Nigeria, from India, from Pakistan. And it just completely changed my perspective.

AFRICANLEADERSHIP MAGA ZINE

INTERVIEW

One of my closest friends is Ghanaian, and her mother was a dominant figure in her household. I was very impressed with her, and her presence was very strong. And just hearing the stories of Ghana and Nigeria and other African countries, it just hooked me completely. And I just knew even from that young age that I was going to work in Africa. I didn't see how that would happen, but I knew it was going to happen anyway.

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Fast forward, I found out studying economics was a good way into international development. I studied economics, got my master's, and then applied for an Overseas Development Institute fellowship program https://odi.org/en/odi-fellowship-scheme/. This is a brilliant program, which places about 20 young people in Commonwealth countries in Africa, the Caribbean and Pacific. So you go in as a junior economist, effectively, to work in a Ministry. And it's a brilliant program because you see things from the perspective of the government of that country. I was sent to Botswana and was lucky because it's a fabulous country with a brilliant planning system. So I learned the ropes of how a sound planning system works.

I eventually worked my way up from being the most junior to the most senior Planning Officer in my team. I felt like I was making a difference doing everything from helping develop Bostwana's transport plan to the privatisation of their national airline. It was just amazing work; you get so much experience. From there, I joined what was then the Overseas Development Administration, the precursor of the Department for International Development – or DFID – as a junior economist.

I have spent most of my career working in Africa. I went to Somalia in 1993-94 to work in the UN mission UNOSOM, where I managed the transition from the then crisis emergency to recovery. That was a very tough assignment but I found I really enjoyed it.. From 2007-09 I headed up the UK office in Sudan, when it was still one country, before the breakup with the South.

Before that, I took five years out to work for Tony Blair in his Strategy Unit. There I got to see how my own government works. And I think if you're working in other countries, you should have your eyes open to your own country and its challenges. Every government has its challenges and problems, whether you're in the UK, Nigeria, Kenya, wherever.

After Sudan I spent three years in the UK Ministry of Justice from 2009-12 as the International Director. Following the 2008 financial crisis and government departments were facing significant workforce cuts I knew that I would probably lose my job so I took another plunge and applied for a job to be the head of the Helmand Provincial Reconstruction Team in Afghanistan. From there I went to Zimbabwe where I was fortunate to end up during the countries period of transition from Mugabe to Mnangagwa - that was an exciting time. I loved Zimbabwe, it was fascinating, and I adopted my daughter there. So that was great. And then, on the back of Zimbabwe, as I said, I always knew I was going to end up in Nigeria.

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We are an important trading partner of Nigeria's. The current trade volume stands at about 3.2 billion pounds per annum. But to be honest, I think we're underperforming and should be doing much better than that.

As we are aware, one of your significant mandates is promoting Business-to-Business and people-to-people engagement and looking at our history, Nigeria. Looking at where we are coming from and where we are today, how would you describe the trade relations?

So, as you know, we are an important trading partner of Nigeria's. The current trade volume stands at about 3.2 billion pounds per annum. But to be honest, I think we're underperforming and should be doing much better than that. There's a long legacy, obviously, the oil and gas industry and those investments. So we're aiming for a much broader partnership, particularly looking to the economy of the future in Nigeria, around tech, and fintech, particularly creative industries. And we are making excellent strides there.

For example, my old alma mater, the London School of Economics (LSE), has just set up an entrepreneurship hub in Lagos. So LSE now has a massive program of entrepreneurship. They're looking to set up sites in many countries, including the UAE, for example. But their first one in Africa is in Nigeria. The idea is that if you're a young entrepreneur, and you've got a great idea, LSE will match you with mentors and help you raise funding and so on.

And as we know, Nigeria is full of talent across the country.

So as we develop the Trade and Investment Partnership, it will grow more prominent; the future business will be much more around tech and creative industries and innovative finance, such as green bonds.

We've already helped Nigeria launch its first green bond, and we're going to do more of that. The City of London provides a platform for companies to list through the London Stock Exchange.

I feel that agriculture is a huge opportunity. Nigeria has suffered from the Curse of Oil: when it discovered oil it stopped investing in its core agricultural base, which was doing well. But that also means there are now loads of opportunities, and we've seen companies make a difference.

There's a joint British-Danish dairy company, Arla, in Nigeria

AFRICANLEADERSHIP MAGA ZINE

INTERVIEW

And there are many examples where we're working with the government to try to link UK investors to Nigerian investors with the market opportunities in the UK. Because we've got that history and shared education system and so on, it means those links are quite natural usually. So in sum, I think we were underperforming. But I'm confident we can raise the game.

One thing I should add, of course, is that one of the critical things for investors is the policy environment has to work. In Nigeria, Forex policy represents a challenge. For most companies, their biggest problem is accessing foreign exchange. And when we're lobbying, our key messages are you need to deal with the Forex issue, you need to remove fuel subsidies, which are draining the country's fiscal purse, and it would help if Nigeria sorted out all the complexity around customs. Nigeria will take off, I think very well, once those fundamentals are in place.

Your country was one of the significant partners in Nigeria's efforts to combat the impact of COVID-19 in the country.

Can you share some of your government's efforts towards supporting the country?

The numbers have not been as bad, which is good, but the economic shock was enormous, particularly for countries like Nigeria, largely dependent on oil exports.

As you know, the oil price at one point crashed to below $20. As a country which relies heavily on oil revenues that meant that overnight the budget was entirely off track. The Vice President and Minister of Finance responded with an economic sustainability plan. I think Nigeria did a good a job in handling the financial crisis following Covid. On the international side, we realised we needed to respond quickly and speak with one voice. We created a “Key Political Partner's Group” of the UK, the US, Germany, the European Union, the World Bank and the IMF, with the UN as the convener. The UN was encouraged to set up a basket Fund, which we all contributed to ensuring that our COVID support went through one mechanism.

From PPE equipment to other products, it came through this fund.

We also helped the Nigerian government through the Centre for COVID-19 sent shock waves Disease Control and other agencies to worldwide, and it was felt throughout manage its response. Both the UK and Africa, even though the health the US have had a very long-standing implications weren't as severe as people collaboration with the health sector feared. For whatever reason, people still here. However, the impact of the speculate. Particularly in West Africa, economic shock was quite enormous. more so than any other part of Africa.

The World Bank told us that 5.4 million

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aggression?

So as you said, I think there are numerous security challenges. I think there's a clear link to the COVID shock.

There are also deep structural challenges. So, for example, climate change is a factor with the farmerherder tension, as there is much less pasture and much less water. So pastoralists are having to move further South. And that's a Sahelian wide phenomenon, - not just Nigeria. So when you get a combination of these deep structural challenges with a shock like COVID, you've got a severe problem, but specifically in the Northeast.

On what the UK is doing - So following the Chibok girls kidnapping, the British military, came in at the request of government to support their efforts.

The government did a good job in tackling Boko Haram but the rise of Islamic State West Africa (ISWA) is perhaps more challenging and dangerous. The British military are supporting with training, equipment and with campaign planning. But the military element alone will not solve this problem. So we also support the government in applying a “comprehensive approach” bringing together civilian and military efforts.

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You mentioned the nexus between insecurity and COVID19, and we would like to look at the rising insecurity in Nigeria.

Banditry, and terrorism, secessionist groups in the south-east. How is the UK government supporting the country's effort to rid the country of all forms of

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people were thrown into poverty and unemployment as a result of COVID. And most of those are still unemployed. I think the COVID-19 economic shock is also one reason we are seeing the rising insecurity level in the country.

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which is already transforming the dairy industry, getting much more productivity out of cattle - you get the nutrition right, you get the breeding right they will produce much more.

That's just one example.

And in parallel, we're working to support Nigeria to meet the high standards that you need if you're going to export to the European market.

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For example, in a place called Banki, in Borno state we have supported the excellent Governor Zulum in stabilizing this area. We have helped build a secure perimeter, police have gone in to provide the security, we've helped rebuild the infrastructure and the government is now delivering services to the people so their livelihoods can carry on.

With regards to the Middle Belt, we need to help Nigeria address the underlying drivers including livelihood opportunities. A large part of the solution there is through the economics through providing sustainable livelihoods for the herdsmen through ranching.

The livestock transformation plan needs to be implemented and investors need to come in. There are investors interested in states like Kaduna to do ranching.

The terrible rise in kidnapping is I think also driven in part by economics.

If young men don't have a job and cannot feed their families they may turn to a life of crime including kidnapping.

So if the economy takes off again and creates opportunities for people; a part of the insecurity will be addressed.

Other drivers of insecurity that need to be tackled include demography, climate change, and identity politics around ethnicity and religion.

Let us talk about youth and women development in Nigeria. What is your government doing to support this critical demography?

So well, let me say this first - the end SARS movement was a bit of a wake-up call. I think this has been a political awakening for the youth to realize their voice really can make a difference. So I guess I'm feeling quite optimistic about that. I want to encourage young people to register to vote, which they are doing; the numbers are pretty encouraging. And obviously, to vote to try and put some candidates forward. They need support and help, and the political parties themselves need to help young people move forward. So, I think the youth realize that they can help determine the outcome of this next election; if they register to vote and make their position

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known, the parties will have to respond quickly.

So then we come on to women in politics. Nigeria's record on this is appalling. It's gone backwards, not forwards. But we have been on that case. There are many female ambassadors in Nigeria at the moment, and we're pushing very, very hard. The American ambassador, the French ambassador, the EU ambassador, the German ambassador and me are all women.

people who will give back to their country after graduation. That's the deal, you study, and then you come back and give back, whether you're in the public sector, civil society, or private. And we've had some brilliant Nigerians go through that.

I think we have had some challenges. One is, and I will hold my hands up and say our visa system could be improved. And the good news it is improving now following Brexit. We've now had more deliberate intent to reach out and expand the scope of We are engaging with the President visas. So for students now, whereas of the Senate and the Speaker on this, before you weren't able to stay on after pushing hard. No country makes rapid you have graduated, you can stay for progress without carrying the women two years if you either do a degree or a along, possibly through a quota system. master's and three years, if you do a So that's crucial. But then for the PhD. So, I think that is helping a lot. political parties again, and the aspiring candidates, I say to them the one who's We need to link the education part brave enough to put a female VP on with other things, including research. their ticket will be the one who wins the I'm keen to build robust research next election. That's what I am saying to partnerships. I plan to develop the candidates. You see what has collaboration between top research happened in Tanzania, and the world institutions in Nigeria and in the UK. hasn't ended. Women are taking over And that's a big theme for this and it is ludicrous to tell me that this government in science partnerships, country is not ready for it – if not now tech partnerships with countries with when will it ever be? that capability. So we're already doing it in the health sector.

You've got great examples like As I said, Nigeria is one of our focal Amina Muhammad out there as the UN countries for genomic testing. So I'm Deputy Secretary General and Ngozi building on that, and I think we can go Okonjo-Iweala as the Director-General a lot further on health collaboration, of WTO. So it would help if you had a not just in COVID but in other complex younger candidate, and you also need diseases and so forth. Nigeria has to get the women involved with the brilliant scientists; we've got top-notch forthcoming elections in 2023. And scientists, therefore establishing that's what we need to support in research partnerships is one area I'm Nigeria, which is a sense of hope for the future. Absolutely. I can't give up on keen to develop.

Nigeria! It can turn things around.

And of course, the other high Education will play a vital role in the priority for us is particularly girls renaissance that you talk mentioned. education, not that we don't care about How can more Nigerian have access to boys, but we know that once a girl the quality educational system that is studies, she is much less likely to have available in the United Kingdom? children at a young age to marry young, etc. Education increases her Well, as you know, we've got strong income by 20%. And that for our prime education links. And many Nigerians in minister, and our foreign secretary is a senior positions have studied in the UK huge priority. And we have massive and are Alumni of our top universities. educational programs here in Nigeria.

We have, of course, our flagship So that's always been one of our focal Chevening Scholars Program, which is points. So, we are looking at the our one-year master's graduate foundational schools, as well as tertiary program, and many Nigerians have and higher education as well. This is the gone through this programme. We look only opportunity for the world to for not just very bright people, but change the dynamics and the narrative.

AFRICANLEADERSHIP MAGA ZINE

INTERVIEW

Critically for African communities living at the frontline of changing climates, governments have committed to double the overall climate finance for adaptation and to better address the threat of loss and damage in climate-vulnerable countries. In what was a significant step forward, more public and private finance was mobilised to support climate action in developing countries than ever before, with new pledges made at COP26 bringing us closer to meeting the $100bn annual climate finance target next year – and ensure we will exceed it after that. The whole world played a role in reaching this deal.

There was a low turnout the last time, but the actual process was better than the previous one. This time, we're going to have electronic transmission of votes; that's another step forward. So this all helps build the resilience of Nigeria for people to see their benefits and democracy. We know resilience, like in many places, has been built through a set of compromises that Nigeria had to reach to stick together, these include through the idea of a rotational presidency between north and south and so on. And I suspect there will have to be some restructuring at some point.

But that needs to be done with As Nigeria prepares for a very crucial consensus and buy-in. And you know, election, what will be your message for the people's voices need to be heard, the country? not hushed. The key for me is to have a good election with a high turnout, Well, our message is to share how particularly from the youth and women, important this election would be for the with a leadership that can set a country's growth. I don't think people schedule for the future and build a should underestimate this election. So plan.

The election will be about hope Nigeria has been on the democratic and the future for the country. journey since 1999, and I don't think it gets enough credit for actually sticking with this. Nigeria is surrounded by

COP26 also saw over 90% of the world's forest covered by the historic pledge to halt and reverse forest loss by 2030, with over 130 countries signed up. And 65 countries also committed to phasing out the use of coal power, and all major coal

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AFRICANLEADERSHIP MAGA ZINE

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I am proud, after two years of intensive global climate diplomacy, of the historic climate agreements reached And 154 countries and parties at COP26 in Glasgow. The UK is a presented Nationally Determined committed partner to African nations Contributions, with Nigeria amongst on climate action. those who presented ambitious plans for reducing emissions. Ahead of COP, The Glasgow Climate Pact agreed at Kenya became the first African country COP26, commits countries to phase to introduce a Climate Change Act. It down unabated coal, supports a just was brilliant to see that Nigeria has transition for developing countries, and now also done that so soon after the agrees for the first time a common conclusion to COP26. timeframe and methodology for Over the coming year of the UK's national commitments on emissions COP Presidency I look forward to reductions. working with partners from across We know that African nations are Nigeria and Africa to deliver the responsible for just 2-3% of global commitments we made at COP26. emissions and at COP26 the message This is just the beginningThe critical came across loud and clear – the whole 1.5C global warming goal only remains world needed to step up to the within reach but only if we keep our challenge and I think the outcomes from COP26 showed that the world did promises and translate commitments into rapid action. step up.

countries going through coups and presidents who are determined to extend their term limits. There are many successes to build on in Nigeria, and this is very important. Nigeria is the biggest democracy in Africa; it matters to Africa. It matters to the world that this democratic journey progresses and that each election at least makes some step forward. I'm not saying perfect, but some advancement from the previous.

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financing countries have committed to end international coal finance by the end of 2021 – this was a major step forward in phasing out the world's use of the single largest contributor to climate change.

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The UK has shown outstanding leadership with the hosting of COP26.

What does this represent for African countries?

Afric n Leadership

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March 22- 25, 2022 For inquiries call: +44 23 92 658 276 or email: info@africanleadership.co.uk

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HEALTH

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Vaccination Against a Global Pandemic Proceeds Along Unequal Tracks National wealth, levels of conflict, and gender may determine who gets a jab

By Nwandi Lawson

At a time when almost half of the world's population has received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, and Israel and the nations of North America and Europe have established COVID-19 booster shot programs for their citizens, African leaders are navigating a pandemic in which less than four percent of the African population has been fully vaccinated.

With backing from the World Health Organization (WHO), South Africa's Afrigen Biologics and Vaccines is working to reverse engineer the Moderna vaccine in an effort to produce doses that are guaranteed to reach Africans within a year. The WHO officials cite the urgent need for coronavirus vaccine access in Africa as the reason the organization is for the first time supporting alternative vaccine production without permission from the developer. According to the Associated Press, the intellectual property protections are unclear in this case, but Moderna says it will not sue the Cape Town-based company for these efforts.

Moderna also states that it has plans to build a vaccine production facility in Africa, but there is no date currently associated with the project.

In the meantime, several prominent public health experts are supportive of the efforts by developing nations to provide their own vaccine supplies. The former head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S. CDC), Tom Frieden, says the world is “being held hostage” by Moderna and Pfizer because these companies control the vaccine supply chain.

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At a September meeting of the U.N. General Assembly, some of these leaders were demanding answers as to why almost six billion COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered in just 10 wealthy nations. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa urged the U.N. to support a proposal to temporarily waive vaccine makers' intellectual property rights so that low- and middle-income countries may produce their own vaccine supplies.

“It is an indictment on humanity that more than 82% of the world's vaccine doses have been acquired by wealthy countries, while less than 1% has gone to low-income countries,” President Ramaphosa told the General Assembly. Namibian President Hage Geingob went further, calling the disparity “vaccine apartheid”, comparing it to the system in which South Africa's white minority controlled the destiny of the Black populations within its own borders as well as those residing in Namibia,

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Offering booster doses to a large proportion of a population when many have not yet received even a first dose undermines the principle of national and global equity

then called South West Africa.

Although U.S. President Joseph Biden has offered support for the intellectual property waivers for vaccines, other Western nations have not yet followed suit. Biden has stated that the U.S. should lead the world in making the vaccine available, and the country has thus far donated over 140 million vaccine doses to 93 countries as part of its pledge to provide more than one billion doses to poorer nations. At the same time in an interim statement on COVID-19 booster doses, the WHO has urged the U.S., Germany, the U.K., and Israel to contribute to global vaccination goals instead of offering citizens a third vaccine shot: “Offering booster doses to a large proportion of a population when many have not yet received even a first dose undermines the principle of national and global equity. Prioritizing booster doses over speed and breadth in the initial dose coverage may also damage the prospects for global mitigation of the pandemic, with severe implications for the health, social and economic well-being of people globally.”

A record 23 million coronavirus vaccines arrived in Africa in September, which was 10 times the number received in June. Yet only 15 Africa nations were able to achieve the WHO target of vaccinating at least 10% of the population in every country by the end of September. Half of the 52 African nations that have received COVID vaccines have been able to fully vaccinate only 2% or less of the population for a total of 60 million Africans who have been fully vaccinated. The WHO reports that COVID cases across the continent dropped by 35% at the end of September, and at the

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same time, the Delta, Alpha and Beta variants of the virus are taking hold in the majority of African countries.

Since its inception in 2020, 47 African nations have joined COVAX, a consortium of global health organizations, pharmaceutical companies, scientists, and governments that aims to equalize access to COVID-19 diagnostics, treatments, and vaccines. The WHO estimates that six out of seven COVID cases go undetected in Africa. While the alliance has yet to address widespread COVID testing, currently vaccination remains the central focus of COVAX. It aims to provide 600 million vaccine doses to African nations by the end of the year and to vaccinate 60% of the African population by the summer of 2022. In addition to promoting international vaccination solidarity, the COVAX proposal has also inspired collaboration among African nations with Senegal donating 20,000 vaccine doses to its neighbors, the Gambia and Guinea Bissau, in early 2021 and Algeria sharing 250,000 doses of its supply with Tunisia during the summer.

According to the WHO, this type of mutual support is required to end the global suffering caused by the pandemic.

“Science has played its part by delivering powerful, life-saving tools faster than for any outbreak in history,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “But the concentration of those tools in the hands of a few countries and companies has led to a global catastrophe, with the rich protected while the poor remain exposed to a deadly virus. We can still achieve the targets for this year and next, but it will take a level of political commitment, action and cooperation, beyond what we have seen to date.”

Conflict At the other end of the continuum of intra-African cooperation is the impact of conflict on the continent. Even before the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, warfare within and among African nations was contributing to low vaccination rates. A 2019 vaccination study by the U.S. National Institutes of Health surveyed 16 war-torn nations, 11 of which were in Africa. The findings showed that although these nations represented 12% of the global population, they were home to 67% of the polio cases and 39% of the measles cases with soaring rates for other preventable infections like diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus.

The study noted that world health investments tended to emphasize vaccine provision through existing government relationships with little experience in meeting the needs of those most impacted by the conflicts or to provide vaccines through civil partnerships.

Today there are at least 15 African nations at war, and Ethiopia provides a daunting example of the many ways that conflict serves as a barrier to COVID-19 vaccination. In addition to multiple regional conflicts, the focus of the East African nation is on the Tigray War, which has crippled the economy, displaced hundreds of thousands who are fleeing the bloodshed, and created famine conditions for millions who require immediate food aid.

Ethiopia received its first 2.2 million AstraZeneca vaccine doses in August through COVAX, and this was supplemented by almost one million additional doses donated by China and the U.S. Yet the Gavi vaccination alliance notes that the vaccines are primarily administered in urban centers, while almost 80% of the population lives in rural areas.

Ethiopia is focusing its human and

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Source: World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, 30 September 2021

financial resources on the war, leaving little money or intellectual capital to fight COVID. Although Ethiopia has allocated U.S. $328 million for COVID-19 vaccines, this represents only a quarter of what is needed to inoculate its citizens. Ethiopia is also accused of blocking food assistance, telecommunications, electricity, and healthcare to Tigray, leaving little opportunity for the regional government to prioritize the fight against coronavirus.

Gender matters Although there is no source for global data about how many women are being vaccinated, public health experts have noted that women in Africa's poorest nations remain largely unvaccinated. In addition to limited access to primary health care, misinformation among women seems to be spreading faster than COVID testing or vaccinations.

Confronted with the reality that only 18% of pregnant women in the U.S. have been vaccinated, the U.S. CDC is trying to persuade them that studies show that their unborn children will not be negatively impacted nor will these women have difficulty conceiving in the future if they receive a vaccine. Meanwhile, the African CDC is encountering resistance from African women who are hearing that vaccines cause blood clots, miscarriages, and infertility. Some of this discussion may arise from early reports that the AstraZeneca vaccine can cause lifethreatening blood clots.

As public health workers share pro-vaccine T-shirts and DECEMBER 2021

talk to women about the fact that blood clots occur in only about four out of every one million people who receive the AstrZeneca vaccine, they hear a recurring suspicion expressed about the prevalence of the AstraZeneca vaccine in African countries: Africans are being given vaccines that no one else wants. A recent Associated Press report from the Gambia noted that a belief among many women that the vaccine will kill them by stopping their blood flow resulted in part because of a poor translation of the phrase “blood clot” into local languages.

Beyond this, assurances that vaccines cause only occasional, mild side effects is not comforting to women who cannot afford to miss even one day of work. Women are not alone in this fear. The pandemic has had widespread negative impact on African economies, triggering substantial gross domestic product reduction in 2020. While Southern Africa experienced the sharpest decline at negative seven percent, most of Africa's key economic drivers have been hit by the pandemic. The drop in global oil prices may have brought a sigh of relief to many Western drivers, but in Nigeria, the continent's leading oil-exporting country, this decline led to a recession by late 2020. Across Africa, the pandemic-driven collapse of the tourism sector led to the loss of over 12 million jobs, many held by unskilled female workers who are now struggling to make ends meet. The number of people living in extreme poverty in Africa increased by about 30 million in 2020, according to the Brookings Institution.

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The WHO says it remains committed to ensuring that 70% of the world is vaccinated by June 2022. Rather than a decentralized approach that relies on each nation making vaccination decisions, the organization says there should be a universal, three-step approach to vaccinating against coronavirus: first vaccinate older adults, health professionals, and high-risk groups, then all other adults, and finally adolescents. To reach this worldwide goal, at least 11 billion vaccine doses must be available, and the WHO says a sufficient supply is being produced to achieve these global targets. What remains to be seen is whether there is international will to ensure that these vaccines reach all nations.

From the helm of the U.N. at the September meeting of the General Assembly, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged global cooperation. “Without a coordinated, equitable approach, a reduction of cases in any one country will not be sustained over time,” he said. “For everyone's sake, we must urgently bring all countries to a high level of vaccination coverage,” This sentiment was echoed by African leaders, including the president of Chad, Idriss Déby Itno, who told the U.N. General Assembly that national wealth alone will not protect against a

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global pandemic. “The virus doesn't know continents, borders, even less nationalities or social statuses,” he said. “The countries and regions that aren't vaccinated will become a source of propagating and developing new variants of the virus. In this regard, we welcome the repeated appeals of the United Nations secretary general and the director general of the WHO in favor of access to the vaccine for all. The salvation of humanity depends on it.”

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Without a coordinated, equitable approach, a reduction of cases in any one country will not be sustained over time,

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FORMER TANZANIAN PRESIDENT TAKES CHARGE OF GLOBAL EDUCATION ORGANISATION The former President of Tanzania Dr Jakaya Kikwete has been elected the new Chair of the Global Partnership for Education, the world's largest fund dedicated to transforming education in developing countries.

Dr Kikwete, who was President of Tanzania from 2005 to 2015, takes up this new role after serving as a special envoy for the International Commission on Financing Global Education Opportunity where he led high-level delegations to fourteen African countries.

On his appointment as the Global Partnership's Chair he said: “I have long championed the importance of quality education. I believe there is no greater change a leader can make to serve the most vulnerable and marginalised children than education.

“I'm honoured to lead the Board of the Global Partnership for Education, an organisation that is engaged in addressing the global learning crisis that has been exacerbated by COVID19”.

The Global Partnership for Education delivers funds and supports solutions to build strong and resilient education systems so that more children in lower-income countries, especially girls and those marginalised by poverty, conflict, displacement or disability, get the education they need to thrive and contribute to building a more prosperous and sustainable world.

It has been operating for more than twenty years and now has partners in seventy-six countries. It has raised $11 billion for education in these countries and that has touched the lives of 160 million children.

The outgoing Chair of the Partnership Julia Gillard, the former Prime Minister of Australia, welcomed Dr Kikwete to his new role and said that a further $ 5 billion has already been pledged to the GPE by donors over the next five years: “At this year's Global Education Summit the highest level political support for education was evident. It was an important success for millions of children and young people around the world whose education has been upended by the pandemic and a critical step to ensuring that education is at the heart of our response and recovery”.

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Ms Gillard said that one of the highlights of her seven years at the helm of the Partnership was standing alongside the strong women who are determined to ensure girls get to go to school.

Girls' education is also close to Dr Kikwete's heart as improving girls' right to education is one of the main goals of the Tanzanian national education coalition.

After a visit to the Dodoma region in Central Tanzania TEN/MET discovered there was a high drop-rate of girls and high incidences of teenage pregnancies. Both were compounded by the long and often dangerous long walk to get to school.

Parents and teachers realised that the long walk exposed them to situations that could lead to attacks and pregnancy, and as a result some parents even encouraged their daughters to drop out of school.

TEN/MET's Policy and Advocacy officer Nasra Kibukila was key to mobilising all the stakeholders who wanted to get the hostel built. She said building the hostel was a great community effort: “The actual construction of the hostel posed a great opportunity for parents, students and neighbours to show their commitment by partaking in digging latrines and assembling furniture and the like.

“We saw that interest was expanding to their children's education more generally with them taking part and closely following both the project and their children's education”.

The next stage of the hostel project will be for TEN/MET to monitor whether the girl's educational performance will improve in terms of grades, drop-out rates and pregnancies now they are safe in the hostel near to the school. Its findings will then support campaigns to push the Tanzanian government to ensure there are more hostels built for girls living long distances from their nearest schools.

The project is a timely reminder for Dr Kikwete as he takes up his new role at the head of the Global Partnership for Education that much more needs to be done to provide all African children with quality education. As he says, he's determined to succeed: ”We owe this to the millions of children –boys and girlsaround the world who now, more than ever, are facing immense challenges in accessing quality education. We should not and cannot fail them”.

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The decision to build the hostel was made by the national education coalition TEN/MET which stands for the Tanzanian Education Network/Mtandao Elimu Tanzania. It's a national network founded by thirty-nine NGOs in 1999. Its core objective is to promote quality education in Tanzania so that every Tanzanian child has the opportunity to go to a good school.

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The newly opened girls' hostel in central Tanzania is a good example of this aspiration in action. It means that eighty girls from Kwa Mtoro secondary school have somewhere safe to stay where previously some had to walk fifteen kilometres to get to their school.

BUSINESS

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How Can Social Media Revolutionize Small & Medium Enterprises?

Khadija Yusra Sanusi If there is one rule of success in entrepreneurship, it is that business owners should get maximum profit with the lowest possible cost of production. This means: if your cost of production is N1000, the cost of your product(s) should be as high as it can be – of course in consideration with market prices and the laws of supply and demand for the product(s) you are selling. If the price of your product(s) is below N1000, your business is at a loss and if it is over N1000 – however slightly – the business is profiting. In the simplest terms, the higher the price of your product (the larger the difference between the price and the cost of production), the higher the profit for your business. This is where social networks come in. It helps small and medium enterprises (SMEs) maximize their profits by introducing them to a larger audience, lowering their cost of production and facilitating the relationship between online entrepreneurs and customers.

There are many reasons why entrepreneurs should join social networks to boost sales. According to research conducted by Oberlo, there were 3.2 billion social media

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users globally in 2019, which amounted to 42 percent of the earth's population at the time. Today, the numbers are even higher; it has been estimated that there are about 4.5 billion internet users in the world. The numbers are a testament to one undisputed fact: that digital media is not only infiltrating – but also dominating – our daily lives. In 2018, for as essay on “Social Media as a Tool for the Sustainability of Small and Medium Businesses in Macedonia”, Teuta Veseli-Kurtishi used a survey in 244 Macedonian businesses to gauge the influence of social media marketing on the sustainability of businesses. When respondents were asked the main reasons they use social networks for their businesses, 85.7 percent said communication; 80.3 percent said information; 60.7 percent said promotion; 35.7 percent said customer relationship; 26.6 percent cited product sales; 12.7 percent said access to new market and 7.4 percent said market research. Veseli-Kurtishi writes: “These results show that the character of social networks themselves encompasses many aspects of their use, they are so well adapted to any social and creative activity they have found great use in every sphere of social and business life. This has

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driven marketers to take advantage of this innovative opportunity and get closer to the target consumer.”

Overall, the media has made great improvements to the growth of small and medium enterprises. “Various studies have shown that a social media presence for businesses brings in up to 5.6 percent more revenue than when there is no social media activity. This can be attributed to the fact that a social media presence provides greater brand awareness, increase the personalization of products and prices (price discrimination), a human touch, and enables the business to get instant feedback from the customers,” explained Haidar Daudu, who obtained his postgraduate

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brand awareness, increase the personalization of products and prices (price discrimination), a human touch, and enables the business to get instant feedback from the customers

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degree in Economics from the University of Manchester.

“Businesses especially small businesses can capitalize on this mainly due to the low cost associated with social A different study conducted by Wildfire spoke to 700 advertisements on platforms like Whatsapp, Twitter, companies in the digital world about the impact of social Instagram and Facebook.” He also explained that before the networks on entrepreneurship. 88 percent confirmed that advent of social media, companies had to travel to events the online presence boosts one's brand, as gives and pay for advertisement spaces before reaching a targeted entrepreneurs the chance to be create visibility via clear and market which comes with its additional costs; this is relevant messages that help them differentiate themselves extravagant for businesses with low starting capital. With the from competitors and 85 percent reported that social reduced costs on advertisement, he reckons that with social networks give you access to billions of possible customers media, small and medium enterprises can also come worldwide and direct contact to them. They encourage together to collude and charge a higher price than they dialogue between producer and consumer, as it provides would have otherwise due to access to the pricing strategy platforms on which they can be in contact directly, which of competitors. This will, in turn, lead to a higher revenue for enables effective feedback – be it in terms of feedback or the the entrepreneurs – all thanks to social networking. customer's needs. This helps brands improve on the quality Networking refers to connection or collaboration of their products and also help create and solidify the relationship between the entrepreneurs and their customers. between two or more parties. At networking events, guests are expected to move around, while introducing themselves Overtime, this relationship will lead to more profit for the to other guests and sharing ideas about entrepreneurship. entrepreneurs; if consumers are happy working with you, they will buy more of your products and increase your sales Social networks – while online – offer a platform for entrepreneurs to sell their products and expand their as well as help attract potential customers through word of networks. By creating an online presence, entrepreneurs are mouth. All this at a reduced cost because social networks able to pitch their products to over a billion people help a business owner's marketing strategy and market research. Hence, social networks help entrepreneurs produce worldwide, gaining loyal customers, partners and people they can exchange thoughts and ideas with. Because of this at reduced costs and maximize their profit. easy access to consumers, entrepreneurs can improve their While social networks have transformed the relationship products, have access to a new market, produce their between entrepreneurs and customers, which allows products at a reduce their cost and maximize their profits. customers to complain, enquire and/or develop a relationship with entrepreneurs, it also gives them the opportunity to shop for products with everything being a click away and pay with online transactions that require little or no human interaction. For example, WhatsApp Messenger, a platform owned by FaceBook's Mark Zuckerberg, has since launched a spinoff named Whatsapp Business that enables entrepreneurs to “have a business presence of Whatsapp, communicate more efficiently with your customers, and help you grow your business.” It allows business owners to create a profile for the business that gives customers valuable information like links and access to the company website, location and contact information. It also provides business messaging tools such as indicating one's availability to Various studies have shown that a social customers to improve responsivity. Whatsapp Business also media presence for businesses brings in offers features offered by WhatsApp Messenger such as up to 5.6 percent more revenue than receiving and making free calls via the app, ability to exchange multimedia, group chats, and free international when there is no social media activity. messages. The Whatsapp company has also launched a new This can be attributed to the fact that a spinoff named Whatsapp Payments which allows customers social media presence provides greater to make payments in a less stressful and convenient way.

HEALTH

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Why Corona Virus Vaccine Apathy Still Exists Khadija Yusra Sanusi The clinic is four minutes from my house – at least that was what Google maps said. Turn a right, another right, then a left and it's on the right.

Like all the previous once I've seen, the Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) wing of the clinic is a big white tent at the edge of the land; I like to think it is a silent prayer that the pandemic would be over soon. The doctor I had booked my vaccine appointment with is standing outside the tent; she is wearing blue scrubs and seems to be middle-aged.

“They didn't let you drive in?” she asks as I walk towards her.

“No,” I reply, and after exchanging pleasantries, she ushers me inside, and I take a seat. Inside, the tent is divided into two; separated by a table, the smaller half is used as a reception/admin while doctors sit at the other side – educating patients about the vaccine (side effects, etc.), administering the vaccine, and spending their free time chatting among themselves.

“I'm here for my second dose,” I say, after greeting the office, even though I already explained it to the doctor on

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the phone a few days earlier. I hand over my green vaccine card, and even before being asked, I start to explain: “I had my first dose in May and was supposed to get the second one done in July.” This is the last week of November. I watch the doctors pass the vaccine card among themselves, quite unsure of what to do next. They spend a few moments contemplating calling someone – perhaps a more experienced doctor or the hospital – to ask about my case but then decide to proceed anyway. Looking at their puzzled faces, I begin to narrate how I got ill after getting my first vaccine shot; not only was my left arm sore for days, but I also ran a fever, had a terrible constant headache, muscle ache, and was exhausted and nauseated for three days. It was like having Malaria and typhoid at the same time in a foreign country with no anti-malaria drug available – you have no idea how to treat it or when it will go; it's just vibes and insha Allah and perhaps a few drops of the Blood of Jesus. I didn't want to go through that; I have a full-time job, and I could not afford to be ill.

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COVID-19. But as of the first week of October, only a mere 2.3 percent of Nigerians (approximately 2.54 million people) had been fully vaccinated, and only about 4.7 percent of the public have received one dose of the vaccine. In my essay, I also wrote about the possibility that the lack of trust Nigerians – and perhaps Africans – have in their governments has further discouraged many citizens from getting their COVI-19 vaccine shots. I wrote: “Thinking back to women like Fatima Damagum's hairstylist who may never get vaccinated, I don't think it's lack of sensitization holding them back.

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Many organizations, healthcare professionals and individuals – such as World Health Organization, UNICEF and University of Missouri Health Care – have taken it upon themselves to educate the public about

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I strongly believe that sometimes –irrespective of everyone's effort to educate, and how affordable the vaccine is – the mistrust many Africans have in their government would not allow them take to heed. Like the hairstylist argued, why should we believe that a government who has inadvertently allowed hundreds of children be kidnapped in their classrooms, hundreds of travellers to be reported missing on their journey, hundreds of dead bodies found on inter-state expressways and hundreds of innocent protesters shot mercilessly at the hands of soldiers has our While I believe my four months of best interest at heart? There is absolutely no reason to.” Furthermore, hesitation is justified, many people have many Africans have resorted to paying for the vaccine cards to facilitate refused to get vaccinated for one reason or their travelling experience while avoiding the horrific side effects of the the other. Last month, I published an article on vaccine. the COVID-19 and the dilemma of vaccine While among a certain group of people, questions such as “have you equity in which I wrote: “The most widespread gotten your vaccine?”, “When will you go for your second dose?” and myth about the vaccine is infertility. It has also “which vaccine shot did you get administered?” have become the order of been assumed to have long- term effects, the day; among a different group of people, it is as though the pandemic have an imbed tracking device, be unsafe does not exist. From my observations, this has nothing to do with one's because of how quickly it was developed, alter socio-economic background; I have met people from all walks of life who one's DNA, and inject people with the virus it “do not believe in the vaccine” for whatever reason. So, while it is easy to aims to protect from. In addition, Damagum blame the COVID-19 vaccine apathy on lack of education or awareness, reports that it is believed that people with what is, in fact, closer to the truth is that people who are avoiding the virus underlying conditions, people who have had are doing so of their own volition. They simply do not believe in the been infected with the virus, people with vaccine, and as passionately as we can disagree, we must respect this. suppressed immune systems and pregnant or breastfeeding women should not get vaccinated. Luckily, the University of Missouri Health Care (MU Health Care) has answered most – if not all – of the questions and has addressed the concerns of many Africans.

Unlike popular belief, the COVID-19 vaccine cannot infect people with coronavirus because it does not contain a live virus. While some clinical tries reported side effects, the vaccine While among a certain group of people, has been proven to be completely effective questions such as “have you gotten your and safe. Before being approved, the vaccines vaccine?”, “When will you go for your were put through the same intensive Food second dose?” and “which vaccine shot and Drug Administration (FDA) process as all did you get administered?” have become other vaccines and had met all the safety the order of the day; among a different standards of the administration. Lastly, MU group of people, it is as though the Health Care informed that there's an amino pandemic does not exist acid sequence that is shared between a placental protein and the spike protein found in Corona virus, but the expert opinion is that it's too short to cause infertility.”

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he brings out the vaccine bottle, passes it to me to read the label before piercing the bottle with an injection. I flinch as he gets closer, holding my left arm with my right hand. My fear of injection aside, this shot reminds me of the pain I went through after the first shot. I can't relive that again. More importantly, not getting the vaccine means two things: 1) the possibility of getting COVID-19 again (a chance I am personally not willing to take) and 2) the possibility of being unnecessarily stressed with several post-arrival COVID-19 home tests and a 10-day isolation period when travelling in December (another chance I am not willing to take). For these two reasons, I squeeze my eyes shut, take a deep breath, and agree to be vaccinated.

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Redeploying Our Workforce Has Helped to Increase Our Productivity and Gains Joao Figueiredo, Chairman/CEO of Moza Banco, Mozambique The challenging economic and security situation in Mozambique has left financial institutions focused on remaining robust, resilient and wellcapitalised. Mr. Joao Figueiredo became chairman of MOZA BANCO, one of the leading banks in the country at a time when the Bank was mending back from a crisis that it was going through. In this exclusive interview with African Leadership Magazine, Figueiredo shared insights on the banks mode of restructuring and how redeploying its workforce led to increase productivity and gains. Excerpts;

Seeing through the lens of the state of the difficult economic environment of Mozambique whilst considering the increase in the number of non-performing loans for SMEs; could you share with our audience your parameters/fundamentals behind Moza Banco financial results/exploits?

Allow me, for a clearer understanding, to first provide a brief background. Moza is the fourth largest bank operating in Mozambique and has a recent history of its own, given that in 2016 it was the target of an intervention from the Central Bank and since then it has undergone a remarkable recovery process. In fact, in terms of Loans to customers, we hold a share of 10.30% (2019: 11.27%), which ensures us a strategic position in terms of the market. In terms of customer funds, the bank in recording 20% growth last year, maintained its market share at 6.1%

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(2019: 6.2%). In 2020, the bank showed a significant improvement in profitability and efficiency indicators compared to the periods following the intervention, even reaching Breakeven point. Return on equity (ROE) and Return on assets (ROA) stood at 1.87% (2019: -9.07%) and 0.31% (2019: -1.85%), respectively.

The bank's orientation refers to its relational banking DNA as it focuses its inspiration on improving customer satisfaction with the aim of increasing levels of loyalty, thereby leading Moza Banco to be acknowledged as the preferred bank for its customers.

In a world where technological transformation is at the forefront of new market approaches, we have also sought to make significant efforts to enhance the digital transformation process in order to provide an increasingly complete and accessible service to all customers, thereby complementing activity conducted through its vast nationwide branch network.

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Mozambique is rich in cultural heritage, being a good holiday destination; how did Moza Banco thrive in the face of the global pandemic, given that we are still in a state of emergency?

With the emergence of the first cases of Covid-19 in Mozambique and subsequent declaration of a state of emergency in March 2020, Moza Banco, in line with its peers through the Mozambican Association of Banks, immediately established an emergency plan and set up two working groups to respond to the operational and financial challenges.

The first group was responsible for operational issues, with the mission of taking appropriate measures to ensure the continuity of the bank's operations. The second group, meanwhile, would be responsible for mitigating potential risks of customers' inability to service their debt, through a permanent tracking of customers, which would allow the bank to offer solutions in a timely manner and adjusted to customer needs.

For our customers, the bank accelerated the loan moratorium programme with the aim of providing customers with a higher level of liquidity, thereby ensuring companies' activities are maintained and jobs are protected.

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In 2016 you were appointed chair of MOZA BANCO, at a time when the Bank was mending back from a crisis that it was going through. What has been your major mode of restructuring not only in terms of balance sheets and equity structure, but also in terms of functional and operational aspects?

(I) to protect the interests of depositors and other creditors, as well as (ii) (ii) to safeguard the normal operating conditions of the Mozambican banking system.

I was appointed to lead the process in question, and I sought firstly to make an in-depth assessment of the bank's situation in order to then assess the viability of its recovery or otherwise. Convinced that, despite the bank's situation and the country's economic situation, it was possible to draw up a recovery plan, we began a recapitalisation process, the first stage of which was completed in June 2017. The main objective of this recapitalisation process was to stabilise the Bank's financial and prudential situation so as to be able to recover and reinforce trust levels from the Market, Depositors, the Authorities and other stakeholders the Institution has.

Customers saw the bank's solidity strengthened through the capital increase operation of MZN 8.170 billion carried out in June 2017, which brought a new renown national investor into the bank's shareholder structure, "Kuhanha". And with the recapitalisation and the consequent normalisation of the financial and prudential situation of Moza Banco, the reasons that dictated the regulator's intervention ceased. Also in 2017, the bank's shareholders, in a vote of great confidence, carried out a new operation to reinforce share capital with the amount

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With the emergence of the first cases of Covid-19 in Mozambique and subsequent declaration of a state of emergency in March 2020, Moza Banco, in line with its peers through the Mozambican Association of Banks, immediately established an emergency plan and set up two working groups to respond to the operational and financial challenges.

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In fact, due to the deterioration of economic and financial indicators and the prudential situation that Moza Banco had been witnessing, the Central Bank intervened in Moza in September 2016, with the following key objectives:

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It is not our primary objective to distinguish ourselves by our size, but rather by our quality, and to imprint the levels desired so that the bank's size becomes a natural consequence of such quality. Within the scope of credit risk management, the bank has carried out a number of actions in continuously pursuing improved risk management efficiency, adopting best international practices in the assessment, monitoring and management of the risks taken in its portfolio. On the other hand, and understanding the current state of the national economy as well as the difficult moments that the international environment itself has been going through in recent times (very much as a direct consequence of the environment resulting from the Covid-19 Pandemic that we have been experiencing), we have sought to find solutions that match the real capacity of economic agents to fulfil their obligations towards the bank. We are living in unprecedented times which require solutions adjusted to the new reality, and in these terms Moza banco has been adjusting its conduct in accordance with this reality. A word about the fact that this new situation naturally requires greater effort from the institution in the constitution of impairments, which we have been doing significantly in order to safeguard the sound and prudent management of the bank's assets.

In addition, from a business and operational perspective, the impacts of the pandemic in the country were progressively assessed and a set of guidelines were identified in order to face the challenges that emerged and to ensure business continuity.

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In fact, Moza Banco, despite having the third largest branch network of banks operating in the national market, also knows how to favour other alternative channels, basing its activity on innovation and technological means that allow it to combine ambition and functionality with efficiency levels in line with best market practices.

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of MZN 3.542 billion, conferring and reinforcing their confidence in the bank's long-term viability, thereby ensuring the implementation of the Strategic Plan that we nonetheless approved at the General Shareholders Meeting.

Subsequently, in December 2018, an operation to restructure the Company's Capital took place, including a new share capital increase, through which a new renown international investor, "ARISE B.V.", would enter the Bank's shareholder structure, now holding a 29.8% stake. This capital restructuring operation also led to the acquisition of 100% of the capital of another local bank, Banco Terra Moçambique (BTM), which had a very specific mission and was of enormous interest to Moza Banco, since it was specialised in the Agri-business sector, a sector where we did not have a strong presence, and which is of fundamental importance to the national economy. With the successful acquisition of that bank, we then carried out a "merger by incorporation" operation, embodying our strategy of a truly Universal Retail Bank in terms of coverage of the banking business spectrum and with a strong national presence.

I would also like to highlight that after the recapitalisation process, it soon became clear that it was necessary to track the capital restructuring and financial reorganisation measures with a set of initiatives that included the construction of a culture oriented towards commercial objectives and continuous improvement of service and quality levels.

Moza Banco, currently employs 750+ staff base, one may ask: what have been the progressive systems behind your strategic growth year on year?

The bank has systematically invested in redeploying its workforce in order to increase productivity gains and

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rationalise expenditure with third parties. This is also in line with the four pillars adopted by the bank and the orientation towards commercial objectives and continuous improvement in levels of service and quality. It is important to note that the success of the bank's strategy is largely due to the quality of its staff, which is mostly young, irreverent in its market performance, combined with a strong readiness to promote innovation, associated with new technologies. We recognise that the soul of the institution lies in its employees, and it is therefore essential that we create a working environment where employees feel motivated and recognised in their work.

The UK-Africa Trade Summit in 2020, and a virtual update at the beginning of this year, set in motion new trade agreements which are already paving a way for a mutually beneficial future. Deals include the UK's free-trade agreement with the Southern African Customs Union and the Mozambique-UK Economic Partnership (SACU+M). Do you think such deals will remove quotas on Mozambique's' trade systems?

Firstly, it is important to underline that Mozambique does not apply import quotas. Within the framework of the South African Customs Union member states and the Mozambique-UK Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) (SACU+M-UK), the UK will provide duty- and quota-free access to goods exported from SACU+M, except to South Africa. In return, SACU member states and Mozambique commit to gradual tariff liberalization for goods imported from the UK. The agreement is particularly favourable to Mozambique as it strengthens cooperation in agriculture, in which over 70% of the Mozambican population is engaged. This cooperation will enable the technical

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Considering commercial strategy in retail banking, institutional banking, private banking, corporate banking and investment banking with specific economic approach in mind; which sectors of the Mozambique economy is Moza Banco prioritizing?

As I mentioned before, Moza Banco is a universal bank with the third largest branch network in the country. We are currently present in all eleven provinces, and we serve all business sectors. For this purpose, all sectors of the economy are important and of interest from the bank's perspective, namely small and medium-sized private companies that remain at an initial stage or need financial assistance or other solutions to boost business flows. Our risk structure defines the level of engagement that the bank will adopt and adjust from time to time, depending on the economic cycle. The agricultural sector is of particular relevance to the Mozambican economy as it contributes over 25% to GDP. However, it accounts for only 3% of credit to the economy. Moza Ban co is already undertaking initiatives to increase exposure in the agricultural sector and associated manufacturing industry, taking advantage of increasing domestic demand - due to rapid population growth (about 3% per annum) and the start of Mega projects in the gas sector - and export opportunities as the country broadens and deepens trade partnerships within regional and global spaces. It is also obvious that Moza Banco has a key interest in exploring the direct and indirect opportunities that are emerging in the oil and gas industry and that will definitively transform the economy in the medium and long term. We believe that the economic development model in the country, to be truly sustainable, must be diversified and benefit from the involvement of all sectors of activity. This is the only way, we believe, that economic growth may translate into greater social development.

Financial sectors in Africa and beyond often face near

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systemic risk and any error in attempt to avoiding this could wreck the system; could you share with our audience your approaches towards your challenges in the banking sector with Moza Banco?

But if we talk about our most recent experience at Moza Banco and the challenges we have been facing since the moment of the Intervention, the first challenge was to stop the evolution of some prudential indicators that had been evolving negatively, where liquidity, solvency indicators and concentration levels of the credit portfolio remained the priority for our attention. We paid special attention to liquidity levels, seeking to reduce the mismatches between assets and liabilities not only in terms of maturities but also currencies, we corrected the bank's solvency levels through the aforementioned recapitalisation operation and we paid special attention to the Risk Management component.

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The agricultural sector is of particular relevance to the Mozambican economy as it contributes over 25% to GDP. However, it accounts for only 3% of credit to the economy. Moza Ban co is already undertaking initiatives to increase exposure in the agricultural sector and associated manufacturing industry, taking advantage of increasing domestic demand due to rapid population growth (about 3% per annum) and the start of Mega projects

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From a global and macro point of view, when we talk about systemic risk in the financial sector, this concept translates into situations in which, when faced with the collapse of an institution or a certain sector of activity, we are faced with a scenario that is difficult to control and which goes beyond the boundaries of the immediate context itself. Experience tells us that prudential rules within the framework of a risk management policy that advocates portfolio diversification as the best line of defence against systemic risk. In Africa, or rather in some African countries like ours, due to the level of concentration of economic agents (whether depositors or Loan customers) and of the most active sectors of the economies, we have an enormous tendency to easily allow an inappropriate level of concentration of risks in the portfolio. Both in terms of the bank's liabilities and investments, a healthy balance needs to be found in the concentration levels of our portfolios, so that a small cold does not turn into pneumonia. On the other hand, unfortunately, we still do not have enough depth, credibility and dimension in our economies to allow the market to provide other types of financial instruments for risk hedging.

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capacity building of the public and private sectors in Mozambique, ensuring that the most efficient agricultural practices (sanitary and phytosanitary controls and certifications) are applied helping the country to develop an increasingly inclusive rural economy that ensures food security, rural employment, increasing farm household incomes, while serving as a catalyst for wider industrialisation and sustainable development. This partnership serves as a platform for Mozambique to increase agricultural exports within a context of the removal of subsidies to agricultural activities in SACU + M and the UK. The fact that the UK has withdrawn from the European Union presents greater trade opportunities for Mozambique. The partnership also promotes the integration of Mozambique's regional value chain with the agreement countries (Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia and South Africa). The adoption of recognised international standards and certification for agricultural exports improves the ability of Mozambican products to find greater access to new markets.

EDUCATION

MAKING A CASE FOR MORE PRIVATE SECTOR INVOLVEMENT IN EDUCATION IN AFRICA

By Goodnews Buekor

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"Education is the most powerful weapon, which you can use to change the world."- Nelson Mandela.

Education is the structure upon which any society's development and economic growth are built. Show me a country with massive development and socio-economic growth, and I will show you a country with quality education system. No society can rise beyond the level of its educational system. Therefore, functional and quality education is not only a necessity for survival but a must acquire.

Elizabeth Warren puts it that " A good education is a foundation for a better future."

People's way of life and character is greatly influenced by education as it breeds civilized and well-organized citizens, which brings about a better society.

"Education is for improving the lives of others and leaving your community and world better than you found it," says Marian Wright Edelman.

A research by The United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), in 2010 and 2014, revealed that education contributes towards pursuit of the Millennium and Sustainable Development Goals. Each

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additional year of schooling results in a 10% average increase in an individual's earning, raises average annual GDP growth by 0.3% and ultimately contributes to a more inclusive and productive society.

Although, in recent times, Africa has dramatically improved in education, however, she is still backwards and trailing behind even economically.

"Only 12% of eligible youths on the continent are likely to attend tertiary institution," says Watskin.

Therefore, there is a great need to shift attention to education in Africa. If Africa must maximize globalization, then she would have to recognize the importance of education and prioritise and focus on developing a highly valued educational system.

A major challenge to achieving this feat is that the government of many African countries is already "choked" and can hardly carry out this responsibility for her citizens.

So, it becomes necessary that the private sector intervenes.

The Position of Education in Africa Africa ranks as the world's most youthful continent with over 200 million young people who are between the ages of 15

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Private sector should embark on investment into quality education, teacher's training and human capital development. School curricular must be structured in a manner that will promote youth's creativity, critical thinking ability, as well as technological skills and entrepreneurship which will help them make beneficial contribution to Africa's development. This is a massive task that the public sector cannot handle alone.

The private sector will choose Standard and does not compromise quality at all cost, and so massive resources are invested into infrastructure, training, teachers' welfare and supplies.

According to World Bank Study, Public and Private Secondary Education in Research has shown that over 80% of Developing Countries, for the same South Africa's Public schools are cost per pupil. Private schools in five underperforming. The same applies for participating countries (Colombia, Nigeria, Kenya and Tanzania.

Dominican Republic, Philippines, Tanzania and Thailand) performed 1.2 – According to UNESCO and World Bank " The demand for educational services 6.7 times better than public schools in in Africa is rising at the fastest rate than Key Statistics, only a meagre of 6 terms of achievements in Language and the government can supply," World percent of young people in Africa are Mathematics. This explains that there is Bank, 2010. enrolled in higher education better learning and teaching outcomes institutions compared to the global The logic behind the involvement of the in private schools. average of 26 percent. private sector is to adequately tap the Teaching and learning in the 21st Although there is a recent updive in the potential for expanding equitable Century has gone past the era of the enrollment of higher education access to education and achieve better use of pen and paper to electronic (between 2000 and 2010, higher learning outcomes. devices. Private sector with their education enrollment was more readiness to invest and build on quality "In 2000, the Government of Bogola, doubled, increasing from 2.3million to bring in innovations in the classrooms, Colombia, built 25 states of the art 5.2 million), overcrowding in lecture develop teaching models, set up virtual schools in the poorest part of the city halls has become a matter of concern. classrooms for students to learn even and leased them through competitive when they are far away from schools, bidding to private operators on 15Statistics show that on the averagely, interactive electronic– learning and there are 50 percent more students per year contract. More than 26,000 students have benefitted from rigorous teaching - created videos are sent professor in Africa universities online, providing access to learn from impact. Evaluation revealing that compared to the global average. Also, wherever you are. students in these concession schools The World's Development Report in are less likely to drop out and that their 2018 stated that "37 million African While education is a fundamental children will learn so little in school that test scores improved." human right, which is the responsibility they will not be much better off than Private sector involvement in education of the government to provide, this task kids who never attend school." should not lie entirely on the public can boost the number of financial sector as the demands will become Need for Private Sector Involvement in resources allotted to the sector and also help to augment the government's overwhelming, and Africa may not get Education the best result. inability to cater for the increasing Education is a fundamental human demand. Increased private involvement Indeed, private sector participation in right, and thus, the government's can improve teaching, technical and any aspect of a nation's economy plays responsibility to meet this need. management skills across all levels of a vital role in timely rescue in the face education.

Skill and knowledge have become the of crisis. Therefore, private sector order of our present world. The "There is growing evidence that private involvement in the education system sustainable growth and development of participation in education can improve will go a long way to help Africa's any society are hinged on people's effectiveness in developing countries in economic growth, bring about ability to think, create, solve problems transformation, development and a cost-effective manner and without and apply knowledge. To achieve this, sustenance. compromising equity," says recent quality education and adequate research.

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"An investment in knowledge pays the best interest," says Benjamin Franklin

Private schools provide a well -balanced and integrated or fused curriculum befitting the modern trend of globalization, which are taught by a closely monitored team of professionals under the close-range supervision of the various ministers and agencies that approved them.

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Loopholes in Africa's education system ranging from dilapidating facilities, lack of funding, teachers' low salaries, insufficient school supplies, constant teacher's strike to out dated teaching and learning methods leaves a major gap between the quality of education received and its application to real life situations.

training which is one of Africa's major challenges, must be improved to produce a well-trained and highly skillful workforce to grow the continent's economy.

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and 24 years. There is need to provide standard secondary, vocational/ technical and higher education which is often measured by the performance of workers in the labour market as maintained by UNESCO.

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KENYA’S MWIRIGI FINISHES CLEAN AS HE BREAKS THE RECORD HAVING SERVED AS THE YOUNGEST MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT IN EAST AFRICA. Hon John Paul Mwirigi made history on 8th August 2017 as the youngest ever elected Member of Parliament in Kenya at age 23 years. He trounced down the who is who at the competition of Igembe South parliamentarian by election.

Hon. Mwirigi's View On Youth Leadership

the other way round for you?

MWIRIGI: Meresia as I mentioned to you the barrier between the leaders and the citizens of Igembe South was the major reason I pursued this position. The predecessors were viewed as unapproachable due to the high He campaigned and worked on a meager security which they had and so many budget whereas on the other hand his MWIRIGI: At 23 I was in my second people created the perception that only competitors had all sorts of big vehicles and year at the University pursuing a people at their level could interact with all equipment needed for one to win Bachelor's Degree in Education. The them. So, I wanted to break that pattern election. African Leadership Magazine's leadership we had there is what because after elections you could never East African Correspondent, Meresia Aloo, challenged me to have the urge to vie approach a member of parliament had an exclusive interview with him and for this position. whom you went to the ballot box and this is what he had to say. voted for. I thought it was a good time I understand there are other Excerpts: positions lower than the parliamentary to vie for this position because I wanted to be approachable by the people and seat. And of course, one would have even change the culture where I can expected a young person wishing to interact with the members of my get into the political arena would to use the bottom-Up approach. Why was this constituency from wherever, at any

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At 23, you made history, becoming the youngest candidate to make it to the August House. Please, tell us how this happened and what was going on in your career life at the time?

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What was your political career like before attaining this position?

MWIRIGI: Before I was elected, I had no position within the community. I had never been a leader. Maybe the position which I would say I had, was in high school. At the University they had proposed that I lead the class of 2015, but I declined the offer because I feared that the lectures and the directors of the school would realize that I was a politician. In private institutions or any other business, if somebody feels that you are a threat to him or that company, he would throw you out. So I never wanted anyone to realize that I was a politician. Even while working at the factory, the management never had an inkling of me being a politician.

After High School, I worked in road Construction where I was given a Casual job which I did for almost a year, then later joined Igembe Tea Factory, where I also worked as a casual worker after that I earned myself a better job inside the factory. While working as casual workers, we used to carry logs which used to facilitate the boiling of the steam I was around 20 years at this time.

I started my campaigns on March 28, 2013, after the general election. I was in form three at this time. Two days before this, I had a dream that I was tabling a motion in parliament. So on this day 28th I came out and announced to the students that I will be vying for the position of member of Parliament and I will win come 2017.

Teachers wondered whether I was okay because the elections had just been

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abandon my studies. I even went for my teaching practice at a village school while still a Member of Parliament.

You are a down-to-earth person, how was your upbringing like?

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MWIRIGI : You know one thing I have learned in this journey is that you What intrigued you to make this have to be a very principled person announcement while in school? because it is very easy for you to lose focus. Many thought that this money MWIRIGI: It was the dream I had. would change me but it didn't. I'm still This dream was very real. I saw myself the same person. I also come from a not campaigning but already in Parliament at the dispatching box. Here, humble background. there was a motion I was tabling in the Could you please tell us about your house. So the next day when I woke up, door-to-door campaign on foot, while I was not in parliament. I knew this your competitors used convoys of dream could come true if I work vehicles to campaign? towards it. Not many believed in me at that time but one very young man MWIRIGI: By now Meresia, you listened to me and encouraged me to should have realized that I was still in announce to the students and that is school by then and I did not have when I went ahead and pronounced it. enough finances to sponsor my It brought a lot of problems between campaigns. But I decided that it would me and the principal because her not deter me from campaigning. husband also, later on, announced that Others even asked for tokens from he would be vying for this seat. The me but I could tell them, for now, I principal called me and asked me to don't have but when you vote me in, I step down for the husband, but I will be able to sort you from my end. refused I persisted and I even told her Therefore, I could walk from the to remember her words “Go for it and furthest end of the constituency to the never step down for anyone”. Her other end just convincing people to husband also was a very close friend of vote for me.

Where I found small mine and I encouraged him to go for meetings or community gatherings elections and compete together and going on, I would pass by and ask them that if at all he won, he would not for their time and they would listen to forget me, and if I won, I would not me.

It was not easy at all because forget him. others could ask me if I have ever seen What were your parents' reaction? somebody of my age vying for this position. So on the last three weeks of MWIRIGI: When I mentioned it to my campaigns, I remember I lobbied my dad, he gave me his support. motorbike riders to help my campaign Unfortunately, things didn't work out as and they came through for me and we expected as he passed on the following had like a whole group of motorbike year at 78 years of age. My mom riders rallying behind my back to however was worried about me but support as I convinced people to vote with time she adapted and began for me. The motorbike riders never supporting me. charged me even a single penny.

After achieving this dream what The very last week of my campaign, happened to your education I secured a day whereby we conducted MWIRIGI: I completed my prayers with some of the people who Bachelor's Degree in Education and were helping me out with the graduated in the year 2019. We even campaigns at the Maua area. Not many had a party and the purpose of it was people came but the ones who were to inform the people of Igembe South there made the day memorable. I that even if they elected me, I didn't assured them that come Tuesday next

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Secondly, I wanted to bring some more development within the constituency. Before, I wasn't pleased with the way CDF projects were being handled and so I wanted to change that. That aside, since I managed to go through school, I also wanted to be the one facilitating education in that area by issuing bursaries personally to the students and not even the parents. I had promised the people of Igembe South good education and therefore was obligated to implement it.

concluded on 4th 2013, then here comes a tiny 19-year-old boy pronouncing his interest in the Parliamentary position. They were naysayers that discouraged me, but I thank God I never gave up nor changed my dreams, I persisted.

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time, without them even noticing that I will be visiting.

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week, I would be announced the winner of the Igembe South parliamentary seat. True to my words, that came to pass. I am now serving my last term as a member of parliament and will run again come 2022 general elections.

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You made historywhen you used public transport like any other passenger from your home country to Nairobi's famous stage “Tea Room” in Downtown to attend Jubilee parliamentary group meeting at State House, which was chaired by President Uhuru Kenyatta.

No parliamentarian has ever done that before. What was the reason behind that?

MWIRIGI : I wanted people to see a parliamentarian as just a normal person who can use a common means of transport just like any other ordinary person. Yes, I don't refute that an MP is a high-profile position but I wanted people to understand that it is possible to seat next to a high-profile person in a common means of transport or a commonplace, because again it is them who elected me. So why not? If I remain on top there with my fellow highprofile colleagues, how would I learn about issues affecting them? When one seat with these people regardless of their education or social class, you can profoundly understand some of these issues. Even now, I still use a motorbike to work and there is nothing wrong with that. I mean I have a Prado that I was gifted by the President and I can't say that I lack the finances to maintain the car but that doesn't stop me from using a motorbike or whichever form of transport I choose. After this life of being an Mp, there is still another life that needs to be lived. So if I don't do it now, where will I get friends to associate with in future? These people will abandon me.so I have to begin to make such friendships now.

In September 2017 barely hours after attaining the Seat, The African Continent was treated to a pleasant Surprise after Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta treated you to a brand new Toyota Prado and wardrobe makeover from his Stylist. Talk to us about this experience.

MWIRIGI :So this was between the three of us; The Deputy President Of Kenya, the President H.E Uhuru Kenyatta, and of course Myself. It was just after the presidential address to the members of parliament so after he walked out, I went straight ahead to him to say hi and that's when the president said there's something they learned about me in the newspapers.

That while I went to the statehouse earlier I used public means of transport and he asked me why I didn't mention it to him. At that point is when the Deputy president suggested that they needed to gift me with a means of transport. I didn't take it seriously cause he said that while he was being escorted out of the parliament with his Security guards. So I didn't know what they were going to do with that information until the following week when I received a call saying that the president wants to speak to me. So the following week I was invited to Sagana State lounge and after the meeting, he gave me the car keys. And from then at the age of 23, I owned my first car, Toyota Prado.

How is it like being a young successful politician? has it made it difficult for you to achieve some things? or even address issues within Igembe South?

MWIRIGI: Being a young leader has been an advantage to me because people are always ready to listen to you while you pitch ideas. I believe I have lobbied a lot simply because of my age.

The people who have been in the game previously made it easy for me to serve the people of Igembe South. The reason is, I believe as a young person, you never get tired to knock the offices for assistance or guidance. So Some of our cabinet secretaries in the Kenyan Government, I have nothing to say to them! They have held my hands immensely every time I knocked on their doors. For example, last financial year I had the biggest allocation in the energy sector. Even this financial year, I still have projects that require allocation, so again, I will go back to knock on their doors before my term ends.

Constituency, they are a very understanding set of people. They have given me the maximum respect like a leader deserves. The only challenge I have had in this area is from my opponents. However, I would say that it is normal for your competitors to act in certain ways but I thank God as it never distracted me from serving the people of Igembe South.

It is the norm to belong to a political party for one to win an election. That however wasn't the case with you. You shocked everyone when you contested as an independent candidate and garnered 18,867 votes winning the contest. Refusing to join a political party that is strong in that area is a bold move that not any ordinary person could take. Why did you take this direction?

MWIRIGI: I did this because then for you to belong to a political party, you had to attend political parties and go for primaries. You could also not get the certificate after winning because of different expectations on a candidate from the party. So most of the time you'd find that those who are able money wise are the ones who would be given priority.

So what was expected for one to run as an independent candidate?

MWIRIGI : They will only require as little money as ksh10,000 and a symbol which would be next to your photo.

Then you have to provide a symbol that has never been used by any political party. The constitution of Kenya also provides that you can run without belonging to a political party.

What was your symbol and why that symbol?

MWIRIGI: My symbol was a ladder. with a window opened. So within that window, there was a light outside.

Before I had suggested a tree that had been cut, but I was told the symbol had once been used.

As a young person who is currently holding a big position in government, what is your advice to the youth who want to pursue such a position?

For the Igembe South

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When you believe in yourself, you attract the energy to move on. Because when you face challenges such as people demeaning you, you will have the strength to move forward. But if you wait for someone to encourage you, you will never move forward. I was even offered a lot of money to step down because they were telling me that I am young with no influence. I never bought the idea and I believed in myself; I was even threatened that I would lose my life if I continued with my campaigns. Many youths get intimidated and lose their focus along the way. I would wish to encourage them not to be intimidated even when they don't have money. What matters is the unique skill that allows you to move to the next step. If you have that selfawareness, you can do marvelous things in your life.

the way I had envisioned, I have managed to sponsor 59 students with my personal money and over 300 secondary school and university/college students' education on CDF funds. I have been able to build a KMTC (medical training center)where our children can go study and better still create employment opportunities to the members of the community. I have also been able to build a laboratory for student practical's lessons in every secondary school that did not have in all wards in igembe south. I have tarmac more than 30km of roads around maua and its environs.

Security is of paramount importance and so I have been able to do security roads around the constituency and those not completed are still in the pipeline. In Igembe South, I have ensured that electricity connectivity is reaching everyone and I am now doing As your term comes to an end, do you the last miles for believe that you have achieved your kiiji,kithetu,thaisu,ikumbwe. I have built aim? a civil service registry to enable my people get access to government MWIRIGI: Yes, I have achieved at least services more efficiently and effectively.

75%. I have issued bursaries to students I also managed to lobby big companies

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like Twiga to do business with the members of Igembe South Constituency. You know we are famous for producing bananas so I requested the company to buy bananas from the women in the area for them to be able to earn a living and true to their words, they heed to my call and did exactly that. When it comes to locomotion, I had promised Boda Boda riders that once I attain this seat, I would train them and ensure licenses are given to them. In the first year of winning the election, I managed to train 350 Boda Boda riders and issue them with licenses, and the following year, I recruited over one thousand Boda Boda riders and issued them with licenses. So in total, I had about two thousand Boda Boda riders whom I issued with licenses and even this year I have worked with them. So for me, I believe I have achieved almost all that I wanted to achieve once I attain this position.

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A Peep into Morocco's Resilient Economy

By Khadija Yusra Sanusi In October 2021, King Mohammed VI of Morocco celebrated the resilience of the Moroccan economy – particularly given its geographical location and within the context of the global pandemic that is COVID19. Notwithstanding the unimaginable impacts the pandemic has had on the country's economy – as it has had on several countries around the world (especially underdeveloped and developing countries) – King Mohammed VI believes that the measures he has introduced and begun implementing would fast track the Morocco's economic recovery. in a speech delivered at the opening of the parliament after the September elections, the King announced: “The growth rate is expected to exceed 5.5 percent in 2021 – a rate which we have not seen in many years, and which is among the highest at regional and continental levels.” In addition, the inflation has remained at 1 percent, a figure the King boasts to be very low in comparison to the high percentages presented by other countries in the region.

Moroccan consumers confirm the quality and safety of imported goods and facilitate trade. Through this arrangement, goods imported into Morocco are vetted and according to the company, ensured they “comply with the applicable Moroccan technical regulations and quality standards, ensuring Morocco's citizens of the quality and reliability of imported goods.” These goods range from chemicals such as detergents and paints to construction materials like pipes, insulation, wooden panels to electronics to Personal Protective Equipments (PPEs) like motorcycle helmets and automotive spare parts such as tyres among other helpful products across a range of sectors. In addition, Morocco insists for some particular goods – such as electrical products, construction products (such as taps, ceramic tiles, cement), gas appliances like gas heaters and water King Mohammed VI confirmed a rise in exports and heaters – to be verified by local professionals during remittances by Moroccans which has pushed the Kingdom – and by an inspection upon arriving at the destination. extension, the economy – to a “comfortable level of foreign The productive diversification of the Moroccan exchange reserves” that has helped the country cover and probably economy has also contributed to making the balance 7 months of imports. The Moroccan Ministry of Industry, economy even more resilient. Morocco exports cars, Trade, Green and Digital Economy (MICEVN) has awarded a contract to Intertek, a company that aims to help ensure the quality insulated wire, mixed mineral or chemical fertilizers, phosphoric acid, and non-knit women's suits. In 2019, and safety of their products, processes and systems, as part of the the Kingdom was reported to be the world's biggest Verification of Conformity Programme (VoC) – a scheme to help

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exporter of phosphoric acid, calcium phosphates and legumes and the 58 economy in the world in respect to GDP, 63 highest in the world in terms of exports, and rated 89th country with most complex economy, by the ranking of Economic Complexity index (ECI). While exports obviously have a significant impact on boosting a country's economy, imports can play a part just as influential. Countries that import goods on which they have no comparative advantage allows them to focus on the goods they do, in fact, have a comparative advantage over. Morocco is one of world's leading exporter of agricultural produce (citrus fruits and market vegetables), semiprocessed goods and consumer goods (including textiles), and phosphates and phosphate products. By importing materials the country is incapable of producing in large quantity or good quality, the country is able to focus on producing the goods they can produce in the best quality and as large a quantity as possible. This automatically helps boost the country's economy.

In his speech, King Mohammed VI also announced that Morocco's agricultural output is expected to grow 17 percent this year. Enamel, for example, is supporting agricultural value chains through numerous projects across the country.

According to them, they “support cooperatives to find innovative marketing solutions for their products (online marketing, secure distribution in supermarkets and stores in major cities) and to develop digital marketing strategies for export.” The organization (Enamel) is a developmental agency of the Belgian federal government, which aims to source network expertise to implement sustainable development initiatives. In morocco, it is also facilitating producer and organizational compliance with disinfection, hygiene, and social distancing (be it in packaging units or oases) and also providing farmers with Personal Protective Equipments (PPEs). “These actions, focusing on communication, digitisation and institutional support of our Moroccan partners, lay the groundwork for a sustainable and structural solution that will make farmers and migrants more resilient in the delicate stages of recovery,” Enamel wrote, adding that “as a result, online sales will become more important, as will distance training and health protection of agricultural products.” In turn, this will lead to profits for the farmers and more importantly, increase the export of agricultural produce which will boost the economy.

In the wake of COVID-19, there is an even greater need for a resilient economy. According to Enamel, the COVID-19 crisis led to “extreme hardship” for a large number of migrants in Morocco, many of whom work in the informal economy. The pandemic has led to a standstill of economic activity, leading to little or no income for migrants. “Our agency focuses on the economic integration of migrants with a view of improving their employability in Morocco, on supporting Moroccans living in Belgium in creating businesses in Morocco and on migrants and refugees accessing their rights through capacity development of actors who can facilitate such access,” Enamel reports.

On its part, USAID programs are liaising with local authorities and civil society organizations. Through these partnerships, USAID is increasing employability, building youth-

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serving institutions at a local capacity among other services. This is particularly important because youths are greatly affected by socioeconomic problems – such as lack of access to quality education and high employment – because they amount to over 50 percent of Morocco's population.

It is because of companies like Enamel and USAID that an Italian magazine, Economy Magazine, acknowledges Morocco's remarkable economic resilience in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to journalist Marco Scotti, the Moroccan economy – with its productive diversification – has shown resilience to withstand shock and has come out even stronger in the face of adversity. In Scotti's words, Morocco has remained “sufficiently resilient” when facing the “tsunami of this unprecedented crisis” that is COVID-19. He also commends the agricultural and food industries for their strong resilience in production, valuation, and supply of products (both agricultural and food). Lastly, Scotti described Morocco as a “hub between Africa, Europe and the Mediterranean, and could become a platform for global value chains and public-private partnerships in the pharmaceutical, automotive, electrical, digital, aeronautical, textile and agri-food sectors” in the post-pandemic period.

Therefore, “Morocco is building its socio-economic shift.”

There are many reasons the Moroccan economy has remained resilient in the face of adversity – most recently, the Corona Virus pandemic. But one method that seems to have been most effective is productive diversification. If anything, the Moroccan case should encourage other countries to diversify the goods they produce so they can cater to the needs of their residents and cater to the needs of other countries which increases their exports and by extension, boost their own economies.

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King Mohammed VI also announced that Morocco's agricultural output is expected to grow 17 percent this year. Enamel, for example, is supporting agricultural value chains through numerous projects across the country.

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RISING TEMPERATURES & CHANGING RAINFALL PATTERN:

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By Janet Quainoo

The Climate change phenomenon has been the most dominant scientific issue of debate for the past 20 years.

Although a stable vociferous group of global warming deniers have remained insistent that climate change does not pose a threat, there is an awe-inspiring agreement among the worldwide scientific community that our planet is undergoing momentous, highly problematic shifts and the African continent is not an exception.

African temperatures in recent decades have been rising at a rate similar to that of other continents, and even faster than global mean surface temperature. “Climate change is no doubt having a growing impact on the African continent, with the vulnerable being the hardest hit and contributing to food insecurity, population displacement and stress on water resources.

In recent months, there have been devastating floods in parts of the continent, an invasion of desert locusts, and now Africa faces the looming spectra of draught because of a La Nina event. The human and economic has been aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic”, said World Meteorological Secretary-General Petteri Taalas.

The year 2019 was among the three warmest years on

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record for the continent. That trend is expected to continue since there is a significant regional variability in sea- level trends across the continent. Coastal degradation and erosion are major challenges, especially in west Africa. About 56% of the coastlines in Benin, Cote d'Ivoire, Senegal and Togo are fast eroding and this is expected to worsen in the future.

Societies in developing countries are largely vulnerable to climate change, due to their dependence on natural resources and agriculture as well as their limited adaptive capacity. Climate change may therefore enhance persistent problems including poverty in the continent. Agriculture is the most important economic sector in sub-Saharan Africa, accounting for about 20-30% of GDP and 55% of the total valued commodities such as coffee. Forestry and agriculture which are highly dependent on each other are not properly developed and vulnerable to climate change.

MADAGASCAR The United Nation (UN) has declared that Madagascar is on the brinks of experiencing the world's first “climate hazard”, stressing that tens of thousands of people are suffering “catastrophic” levels of hunger (Chris Funk: climate

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hazard scientist). The country has experienced five years of poor or very bad rainy seasons. Since 2015, with the exception of the 2018 – 2019 rains, seasonal rainfall which usually falls from October to May in southern Madagascar has been low. This fall within the driest 10% of years since 1981. The past six years has however been exceptionally warm in Madagascar. Warmer air can hold more water vapour which leads to vapour deficits. These deficits can worsen droughts by drying up vegetation because the dry air pulls moisture out of the plants.

When these processes occur, wind patterns shift to support heavy rainfall over whichever region is experiencing extreme warm. These shifts can in turn disturb rainfall patterns over eastern and southern Africa. Consistent drought can lead to severe vegetation stress, as report from Famine Early Warning Systems Network has it that rice, maize and pulse production in the main areas of highlands as well as across eastern and southern Madagascar is below average. There is also very poor cassava production which is the country's staple food.

In general, if this drought persists, it will strain and weaken the resilience of poor households. It can also lead to higher food prices in future.

Zero” crisis in Cape Town. This was as a result of increased in pressure for water in the city of Cape Town and a longerterm poleward displacement in the winter-rain-bearing westerlies which bring the cold fonts and rain to Cape Town during winter months. Another drought incidence in 2015-2016 was the South African Kruger Park in South Africa that resulted in the drying up of watering holes and the widely publicised death of hippos and later culling of other large mammals.

regions especially, increasing variable conditions during the growing season of crops will disrupt subsistence production. Projections under the HadCM3 climate model with IPCC SRES A2 scenario show that for large areas in eastern Africa, especially in Ethiopia, the potential cereal output will probably decrease, while at the same time in even larger areas the output will probably increase (Nellemann et al.,2009). The potential impacts vary strongly across regions.

Agriculture is expected to be negatively impacted by drought, reduced rainfall, pests and other changes in the environment due to climate change. Higher temperatures in south Africa and less rainfall will result in limited water resources and changing soil moisture and consequently lead to decreased cropland productivity. Some predictions say surface water supply may decrease by 60% by the year 2070 in the western Cape.

Since in East Africa domestic production is the most important source of food (Elasha et al., 2006; OECD/FAO,2009), future constraints in crop production will seriously affect food security and may lead to under nutrition. In a context of anticipated climate, bio-physical, economic and social changes (Liu et al,2008) projected that Ethiopia, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi remain hotspots for food insecurity.

Maize production, which contributes to a 36% majority of the gross value of South Africa's field crops has also experienced negative effects due to climate change. The estimated value of the loss which takes into consideration scenarios with and without the carbon dioxide fertilization effect, ranges between tens and hundreds of millions of rands.

WEST AFRICA West Africa has been recognized as a climate change hotspot, where climate change will likely lessen crop yields and production with resultant impact on food security.

Temperatures over West Africa have increased over the last 50 years, in line with an increase in global temperatures (Niang et al,2014). The EAST AFRICA SOUTH AFRICA impact of global warming on rainfall in There is no evading reality that In both space and time, the climate west Africa however, remains notoriously difficult to assess in a southern Africa is in the throes of a in East Africa is tremendously variable. climate that is susceptible to significant climate emergency. By identifying Parts of the region are very arid with variation at multiple time scales. While trends in the frequency of weather rainfall lower than 200mm per annum. there is a high level of confidence that events happening and its intensity over High rainfall areas are concentrated in temperatures will continue to increase a period of decades, and exploring the highlands of Ethiopia and the in west Africa (between 3 and 6 degree changes in related biological systems in western parts of the region. In most Celsius above the late 20th century light of this, its obvious to see that the parts of East Africa, a bimodal rainfall region has already been hit by climate season is recognized with a short rainy baseline by 2100), some models project a drier future, others a wetter future change and its related impacts. season spaning between September and December and a long rainy season and yet others say there will be no In southern Africa, there has been between February and May. The rainfall significant change in rainfall generally. an upsurge in the severity and in the Northern Regions determines the frequency of heatwave over recent However, an increase in the timing of the wet season in the eastern decades. Surprisingly, for a few areas frequency of extreme rainfall events has belt. there has also been an increase in the been observed over the past 50 years frequency of extreme cold events. and is likely to continue into the future.

Rain fed subsistence agriculture is South Africa is facing sever draught and dominant in the region, this type of Future soil suitability for major crops is the most severe and well-known expected to be affected by climate agriculture is vulnerable to changes in draught in recent years was the “Day change. Beans, maize and banana rainfall patterns. In the semi-arid

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EDUCATION

Climate inconsistency and change have impacted and continues to impact land cover in west Africa by changing the amount and timing of water availability to vegetation cover.

THE WAY FORWARD CREATING POLICIES THAT ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE IN AFRICA To address the challenges of climate change, governments in Africa must collaborate to develop, adapt and improve local, national as well as international frameworks to accelerate greenhouse gas mitigation, increase climate adaptation, mobilize new financial resources and create inclusive resilient societies.

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), to keep global warming below 2-degree Celsius emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases (GHG)must be halved by 2050. If GHG emissions are not reduced significantly below current levels within the next few decades, there will be further warming and sealevel rise for centuries to come.

Market based instruments are recognized for their potential to reduce emissions by allowing for flexibility and ingenuity in the private sector. · Another action plan would be the voluntary agreement between a government agency and one or more private parties to achieve environmental objectives or to improve environmental performance beyond compliance.

This partnership can oversee a variety of voluntary programs aimed at reducing GHG emissions, increasing clean energy adoption and adapting to climate change. · Switching power plants and vehicles to less carbon-intensive fuels can achieve emission reductions quickly. For instance, switching from using coal plants to natural gas combined cycle plant can reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 50%.Individuals can also take many actions to reduce GHG emission by · Choosing a fuel efficient or electric vehicle and keep cars well maintained, including properly inflated tires · Decreasing the amount of driving by using public transport, riding a bicycle and walking

One promising method to reduce climate related risks and extreme event impact in the continent has been to decrease poverty by promoting socioeconomic growth particularly in the agricultural sector. This sector employs 60% of Africa's population.

Value addition techniques using efficient and clean energy sources are said to be capable of reducing poverty 2-4 times faster than growth in any sector.

Solar-powered, efficient microirrigation for example is increasing farm-level incomes by 5-ten times, improving yields by up to 300% and reducing water usage by up to 90% while at the same time offsetting carbon emissions by generating up to 250kW of clean energy.

As the impact of climate change are local and vary among different systems, sectors and regions, adaptation strategies are also local but should be embedded in regional and national activities. Although climate change may not be directly targeted by national policies because it is overshadowed by urgent and immediate needs, it does have a direct implication for the success of many policies. Not only does climate change have the potential to undermine food security policies, it also can irreversibly damage the natural resource base upon which agriculture thrives, (IAASTD,2008) and thus hamper sustainable development.

Clearly climate change is not only an environmental issue which needs to be dealt with head-on, it is also a · Using electronic appliances that are development issue that needs to be new and energy conserving. addressed seriously. This is not only In the agricultural sector Africa has because economic development is made great strides in driving the global linked to an increase in use of fossil fuels but also because climate change climate agenda. Many African nations The Organization for Economic Cowill impact all human and natural have committed to transitioning to Operation and Development systems. green energy within comparatively analysis shows that large reduction

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· Strong use of market-based instrument worldwide to develop a global price for GHG emissions which is accompanied by better integration of climate change objectives in relevant areas such as energy, transport, building agriculture or forestry and other measures to speed technological innovation and diffusion.

short time frame. Clean energy and agriculture are for example ranked in over 70% of African Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). This ambition needs to be an essential part of setting the economic development priorities of the continent.

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Drought is a recurring phenomenon in semi-arid West Africa, where average rainfall conditions seldom prevails and rainfall is skewed to dryness. From the late 1960s through the 1980s , the Sahel zone experienced droughts of unprecedented spatial extent and duration (Hulme, 2001). The great Sahelian droughts forced the abandonment of agriculture at the arid margin, triggered a famine crisis that killed thousands of people and livestock, and has been blamed for widespread environmental degradation in the region.

in GHG emissions is achievable at a relatively low cost through,

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production might face declines and require cropping system transformations (Rippke et al, 2016).

The coastal countries of west Africa are also vulnerable to sea level rise resulting from global warming, leading to flooding and coastal erosion.

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INTERVIEW

Significant Transformation In How We Build And Manage Our Urban Spaces Needed - Dr. George K Wachiuri, CEO Optiven Ltd. Kenya

Africa's progress on SDG 11 on sustainable cities and communities has been slow, making this development unachievable without significant transformation in building and managing our urban spaces. Africa's real estate professions must lobby their respective governments for more support as the reality is with us that by 2050 two thirds of humanity will be living in urban areas based on data from the UNDP of 2020 We have seen rapid growth of cities due to the rising population on the continent.

Similarly, due to inadequate planning, we have seen more informal settlements becoming the order of the day. There is a need for the sector to collaborate with the government to lobby both parties to develop affordable housing, investment in public transport, and create green spaces in all developments.

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We have seen rapid growth of cities due to rising population on the continent.

Similarly, due to inadequate planning, we have seen more informal settlements becoming the order of the day.

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We have also seen African governments involving communities and registered entities in urban planning and management.

In Kenya, for example, we have seen the national government involving entities such as the Kenya Private Sector Organization KEPSA and the Kenya Association of Manufacturers KAM in such discussions.

Optiven is a member of the KEPSA, and therefore I confirm our involvement in the talks.

In conclusion, while the progress is slow,

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The SDGs Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities show that cities and metropolitan areas are powerhouses of economic growth—contributing about 60 per cent of global GDP. However, they also account for about 70 per cent of global carbon emissions. Many countries shift their infrastructure focus towards sustainable and green cities to help shape the journey towards greener, healthier, more inclusive, and resilient environments. As a professional in the real estate sector, how will you describe Africa's progress towards achieving sustainable cities?

INTERVIEW

there is a need for more push towards achieving this goal to cater for climate change.

How do you integrate environmental and socio-economic policies in the real estate sector to strengthen cooperation with the international community?

We use the strategies below to strengthen cooperation with international communities.

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Active participation in international community activities such as Earth Day is celebrated every 22nd of April to protect our planet from pollution and deforestation.

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The real estate sector should share the macro policies that make the world a happier, healthier place to live.

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Have a written statement concerning the management of environment degradation effect globally, signed by the sector leads and their senior management. Having a relevant, clear policy that is known and implemented by all the real estate players. Documenting the social, economic policy, action taken, and showing results on situations on poorer citizens. Showing clearly how the sector is reducing poverty, unemployment and social care.

Membership of the international community

Through different awards, Optiven Real Estate has been singled out for its pace-setting role in completing value additions on its projects, providing customers with the ease of payment in installments, and for being a transformation agent through its GoGreen initiative across the projects. How have these impacted the real estate sector in East Africa?

This innovative initiative has been highly effective as we have been advocating for all real estate players to go green; 80 Kenyan companies have picked this up and a few more in the East African block. Optiven does advocacy through my weekly Facebook go green shows, offering awards through Go Green awards and through George Wachiuri School of Mentorship. This school has mentored Kenyans, Nigerians, Rwandese, Tanzanians, Ugandans, Burundians, Ethiopians, among others.

We have seen more real estate firms in Africa using clean energy in their development mainly solar energy, water recycling, planting more trees, and recycling waste, among other initiatives. The impact is notable and massive.

Has Optiven Real Estate Company contributed to reducing the overall pollution burden in East Africa? If yes, please expound on how the company has participated in harmonizing environmental conditions and policies throughout the region of East Africa?

Optiven has contributed significantly to pollution reduction. We have done this through projects that include planting millions of trees in public schools and police

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stations.

Through our social media advocacy (GoGreenNaOptiven), we applaud all those friendly to the planet across Africa. We ask them to share what they are doing, and we encourage them.

Through the GoGreen Awards #GGA2021 #GoGreenAwardsKE, we have asked government, businesses and non-Governmental organizations to reduce carbon emission in the respective sectors, industries, organizations, and countries. This year we have received 3,000 nominees in 27 categories. Optiven will bestow 81 awards to winners while giving them and their work in greening publicity through Kenya's leading broadcast station Nation Media Group. Optiven has paid 1-hour Live coverage to put the agenda to the East Africa publics).

These Go green Awards by Optiven are a game- changer in Africa.

Kenya continues to experience some of the most decentralized retail market growth as marketers move outside Nairobi and go to other urban centres in Kenya such as Mombasa, Kisumu, Eldoret, and Nakuru. What do you think are the significant aspects to look out for in the real estate sector as they move to those urban centres?

Aspects to look at 1.

The population in these county cities

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The development of infrastructure

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Ease of getting development approvals from the county government

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Stability of power supply

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Availability of and cost of land

The rebirth of property development in Nairobi has attracted global attention. In its 2012 Wealth Report, real estate management company, Knight Frank, ranked Nairobi as the fastest-growing real estate market globally, outpacing cities like Miami and Monaco. How has Optiven contributed to this rebirth?

Optiven group has for over 20 years been developing green spaces that are most preferred due to green energy, good infrastructure and proximity to the cities. We have seen local and foreign investors looking for such an offering.

We have also taken a role through our sister company www.pmcestates.co.ke to offer advisory, managerial and trading of high-end homes to international individuals and organisations.

Our travels to over 50 countries and 5 continents have seen us market and sell real estate in Kenya. We have a vibrant team that is acknowledged for serious marketing globally. In 2011, Real estate prices in Nairobi rose by 25 per cent between January and December. Nairobi County

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was also voted one of the top 10 cities to watch, by global real estate firm Jones Lang LaSalle, out of 150 cities globally. What is the current status of Real Estate In the country as we speak?

The real estate in Nairobi is upward as the Kenyan Government invests heavily in infrastructure development. Accessibility from key amenities such as airports will not be much easier. We have seen more international organisations set base in Nairobi such as DoubleTree by Hilton, Grand Hyatt hotels (USA), Stockholm Environmental Institute, and Oracle.

According to data from University of Nairobi, we have over 226 foreign multinationals in Kenya.

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The office market in Kenya has moved from a position of oversupply. The market is finally stabilizing, as Nairobi reinforces its position as the regional commercial hub of Sub-Saharan Africa. What has been its preparedness towards realizing this?

We have seen serious development in commercial real estate and residential real estate. As covid 19 now slows down, we expect to see more activities in the cities. The government has invested heavily on infrastructure, which will make the movement of people and goods easier and faster. We have expanded our operations to cope with the new additional needs.

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We have seen more international organizations set base in Nairobi such as Double Tree by Hilton, Grand Hyatt hotels (USA), Stockholm Environmental Institute, and even Oracle. We have over 226 foreign multinationals in Kenya according to data from the University of Nairobi.

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Are Nigerian Youth Ready for 2023?

Khadija Yusra Sanusi The answer to the question – whether Nigerian youths are ready to take up political positions in 2023 – lies in a single date: April 18th, 2018. On that day, at the Commonwealth Business Forum in London, during a panel appearance with world leaders, President Muhammadu Buhari announced: “More than 60 percent of the population is below 30, a lot of them haven't been to school and they are claiming that Nigeria is an oil producing country; therefore, they should sit and do nothing, and get housing, healthcare, and education free.” While the President justified lack of access to free and quality education, healthcare, and housing across the country to laziness of the youth, statistics show that the corruption, inefficacies, and lack of functionality of his administration does not provide a conducive environment for Nigerian youths to succeed – whether entrepreneurship-wise, or politically.

According to UNICEF, one in every five of the world's out-of-school children is in Nigeria. In addition, 10.5 million Nigerian children between the ages 5 and 14 are out of school and only about 61 percent of children between the ages of 6 and 11 attend primary school regularly. In Northern Nigeria – where President Muhammadu Buhari is from – has a net attendance of 53 percent, UNICEF reports.

According to their research: “Gender, like geography and poverty, is an important factor in the pattern of educational marginalization. States in the north-east and north-west

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have female primary net attendance of 47.7 percent and 47.3 percent, respectively, meaning that more than half of the girls are not in school. The education deprivation in northern Nigeria is driven by various factors, including economic barriers and socio-cultural norms and practices that discourage informal attendance education, especially for girls.”

In Nigeria, there is a direct relationship between education (especially that of the female child) and insurgency and/or security. In April 2014, Boko Haram, the largest Nigerian terrorist and vigilante group, kidnapped 276 female students between the ages of 16 and 18 from their Government Girls Secondary School in a town called Chibok in Borno state in northern Nigeria. Since then, a series of kidnappings have been happening across northern Nigeria.

In July 2021, Global Citizens reported that at least 1,000 children have been kidnapped in Nigeria since December 2020. After 300 male students were kidnapped from Government Science Secondary School in Kantara in Katsina state in December 2020, in February 2021, 27 students were taken from Government Science Secondary School in Kagara in Niger state. This was shortly followed by hundreds of schoolgirls being kidnapped from Government Girls Secondary School in Jangebe in Zamfara state. This led to a closure of over 600 Nigerian schools due to security concerns – mostly expressed by parents.

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But let's absorb the blame for the incompetence of the government administration since President Muhammadu Buhari came into power and highlight the good work they have done to empower the youths and alleviate poverty across the country. For example, the time Nigerian Presidency's Twitter account introduced the Artisan Support Scheme, which publicized that payments of 30,000 naira (approx. 73 dollars) would be given to 333,000 artisans in Nigeria but unfortunately, the page form for the process remained inactive. This is not to forget the time a member of Zamfara House of Representatives shared basins, coal irons, and detergent to youths in hopes that it would empower them, and the time Presidential Youth Empowerment Scheme was launched with the dispensation of tricycles and moped scooters.

Unlike what the federal government would have you believe, Nigerian youths are providing solutions to contemporary problems, making meaningful contributions to the tech

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just 34 years old when he was appointment as the 9th Kwara State House of Assembly in 2019; Debo Ogundoyin is today – at just 34 years old – the speaker of the Ninth Oyo state house of Assembly and member representing Ibarapa East Constituency under the platform of the Peoples Democratic party (PDP); Bashir Ahmad, Special Assistant to President Buhari on New Media, and some others. But these are political appointees, not elected politicians.

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space and political conversations, and making opportunities for themselves where they are none. If we are talking about youth activism, we must highlight the dedication and elation of Nigerian youth to take to the street and lead peaceful protests in the most organize manner. In April 2020, after the abduction of the schoolgirls in Chibok, Nigerian youths organized a public protest in Abuja, Nigeria's capital and in the years to come, would stage almost 200 protests both within and outside the country. In 2020 – when hundreds of peaceful protestants took to the streets in the name of #ENDSARS, a movement aimed at bringing an end to police harassment and brutality across the nation – it was Nigerian youths leading the protests, providing support to protesters, getting lawyers to free innocent protestants unjustly detained by the police. Most importantly, it was Nigerian youths being violently killed by the military on the night of October 20th; the same military, might I add, is powerless without the endorsement of the Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian armed forces, who is automatically the President of the country, currently Muhammadu Buhari.

The stakes are much higher with elected candidates. Angela AjodoAdebanjoko – an associate Professor of Political Science and International Relations in the Department of Political Science at the Federal University Lafia – says it best: “Despite growing evidence of youth activism and mobilisation, Nigerian youths have yet to achieve the level of inclusion required to gain representation deficits, money politics, poor internal democracy among the older parties and an absence of a strategic political agenda pose ongoing barriers to young people playing a role in national development.” In short, she believes Nigerian youths are too poor to run for political office. I would like to take it a step further to add that we are not only too poor to run, we have also So, are Nigerian youths ready to not been prepared to be independent – take up political positions in 2023? I whether financially, or epistemically – think the more pressing question is: is enough to be elected as politicians. But the older generation ready to hand over – or give some of their – power to while Nigerian youths may not be ready to take up politically-elected positions, Nigerian youths? In May 2018, Nigeria passed a law that lowered the age limit let it be known that we are 100 percent for political office from 35 to 30 years in ready to mobilize our army to stand up against the winners of the 2023 the Senate and from 30 to 25 years in the House of Representatives and State elections – even with our last breaths.

House of Assembly. And in recent years, we have seen relatively young people given political appointments by either the President or state governments and state house of assembly.

Salihu YakubuDanladi, for example, was

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Education aside, the state of the Nigerian healthcare system is abysmal.

Firstly, Nigeria has a shortage of doctors. Unlike popular belief, this is not due to lack of Nigerian professionals in the field, it is due to lack of opportunities and inadequate pay for qualified doctors across the country. Because of this, qualified Nigerian doctors are known flee for better opportunities and higher pay in the UK, Canada or the Americas. secondly, healthcare in Nigeria is inarguably underfunded; not only are health care workers poorly paid, over 70 percent of healthcare spending is out-of-pocket so unless you belong to the one percent of Nigerians who can afford adequate healthcare, chances of survival are very low. The irony is that given the choice between the best hospital in Nigeria and seeking medical intervention abroad, the one percent – such as the President himself – would rather fly out of the country to seek medical attention. In short, the Nigerian healthcare system is among the lowest in the world, ranking 142nd of 195.

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FROM AFRICA RISING TO AFRICA BURNING By

What's at stake for the continent as global climate change talks get underway?

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's Report (IPCC) was a wake-up call to the world. Amid its 4,000 pages of scientific and technical analysis, there was a straightforward message – The earth is heating up and, if unchecked, the consequences for humanity will be devastating.

In the stark phrase of the IPCC Report, our world has now entered, “Code Red” and we're facing a climate change disaster of our own making.

Even more devastating is the IPCC's conclusion that the effects of global warming will be felt more in Africa than anywhere else. East Africa is becoming more susceptible to floods, while the rest of the continent faces higher temperatures and more drought.

According to the IPCC Report,

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since the turn of the century, disasters have affected at least a third of Africa's 1.3 billion people. Floods have been the most common disaster, but drought has had the deadliest impact, while coastal areas have faced rising sea levels. The IPCC report stresses that the rate of temperature increase across the continent already exceeds the global average, and this will have serious implications for agriculture, water and health. It lists North Africa as a climate change hotspot that will experience extreme heat waves and water scarcity.

According to the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of disasters says that in 2019 Africa recorded 56 extreme weather events compared to 45 the previous year, and these affected 29 African countries, with Kenya, Mozambique, Somalia, Tanzania and Zimbabwe among the hardest hit.

It is already having an impact on

food security, with cereal yields projected to fall. There is a rise in hunger level and about 250 million under-nourished people in the continent, a 45% increase in the past decade.

This is particularly worrying as agriculture is the backbone of Africa's economy and a major source of employment for millions of people.

The IPCC's projections suggest that this climate emergency may have devastating effects on crop yields. A 13% reduction in yield is projected in West and Central Africa, 11% in North Africa and 8% in East and Southern Africa.

Rice and wheat are expected to be the most affected crops with 12% and 21% reductions in yields by the middle of this century. These reductions in yields are coming at a time of Africa's demographic revolution when the continent's population is expected to double.

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2019 was among the three warmest years ever recorded for Africa. That same year the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) published its State of The Climate in Africa Report, which provided some signposts for addressing the climate crisis. Its SecretaryGeneral Petteri Taalas said that the COVID-19 pandemic had aggravated the climate emergency and that made the risks even more severe: “Climate change is having a growing impact on the African continent, hitting the most vulnerable hardest, and contributing to food insecurity, population displacement and stress on water resources. In recent months we've seen devastating floods, an invasion of desert locusts, and now we face the looming spectre of drought”, It's not a pretty picture to set before world leaders as they gather in Glasgow for the COP26 Global Summit. All eyes will be on Glasgow to see if the world can commit itself to measures that will prevent a breach of the 1.5 degrees centigrade rise in global temperature that was agreed at the 2015 Paris Agreement to tackle the climate emergency.

In the countdown to Glasgow, high-level African leaders have met to discuss the challenges Africa faces. The conference on Climate, Conflict and Demographics in Africa heard the Nigerian Vide President Yemi Osinbajo stress the need to address the need to tackle climate change alonside the continent's economic development: “Our first obligation must always be to ensure the wellbeing of our people through access to development services, including electricity, healthcare, education, safe jobs and a safe environment, we must prioritise solutions that align the development and climate agenda, and that is very important”.

COP 26 will be held over two weeks, and some 25,000 people are expected to converge on Glasgow. In addition to world leaders and their delegations, there will be the world's media and a host of campaigners and climate activists. All will be awaiting the final declaration when some kind of action plan will be signed.

The agenda will discuss appeals for less fossil fuelburning, more renewable energy and a shift to electric vehicles and away from petrol engines, for more tree-

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What can Africans do?

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The terrible irony is that Africa has done little to deserve this. Africans have contributed the least to climate change, accounting for just 3% of the world's greenhousegas emissions, far below the big polluters of China, the US and Europe.

The hosts –the UK- seek for a declaration that commits the world to net- zero carbon emissions by 2050. Still, many believe that even if this is achieved, the world has left it too late to turn back the tide of climate change, and the devastation we've been seeing is likely to worsen.

The COVID-19 pandemic has clearly demonstrated Africa can't depend on the rich world to come to its aid.

Vaccine inequality is a stark indicator of this reality. The fact that only 3% to 4% of people in some African countries have received a vaccine, while in Europe and the US, about 70% to 80% have been vaccinated speaks for itself.

There are however, also signs in the pandemic that Africa has demonstrated strong leadership which has mitigated the worst impact of the virus. The African Union has set up mechanisms to address the crisis and, in many respects, has been more effective than some of the more chaotic responses we've seen in the USA under President Trump and many other countries.

African countries moved quickly to implement measures to combat the virus, and supported by the African Union's newly formed Centres for Disease Control and Prevention appeared more resilient than many more developed parts of the world.

The economic impact has been devastating. In South Africa alone; it's estimated that some million jobs have been lost during the pandemic, and millions have been pushed into extreme poverty across the continent. According to the International Monetary Fund Africa is already falling behind the rest of the world in terms of growth prospects.

So will tackling climate change in Africa fair any better?

It's been gratifying to discover that across the continent, millions of young people have been making their own plans to combat the impact of global warming in their communities.

We've just had the British International Education Association's Africa Climate Week when teams of young people from Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya have taken part in a challenge to investigate plastic pollution and come up with some solutions. The Nigerian team from Lagos won the Ambassador Award by using local natural products like coconuts and banana leaves as an alternative to plastic.

According to the team leader Theodora Obasuyi, the competition had opened her team's eyes to the plastic waste problem in Nigeria: “Now I'm all fired up to do something to fight for our future”.

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“The harsh and deteriorating climate conditions in northern Ghana has undoubtedly energised food insecurity, and the increase in floods and protracted drought has led to the displacement of people due to climate-induced disasters”.

planting and other green solutions. There will also be appeals from the developing world to the rich countries for financial and physical support to help them make these shifts to cleaner energy. Big polluters like China will be pressurised to reduce its dependence on coal.

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The Ghanaian Environment Minister Kwaku Afriyie agrees that climate change is having an impact on crops:

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Likewise, the Kenyan team also sought natural solutions and designed a calabash container for storing food and used bee's wax paper for wrapping sandwiches, as team member Tiffany Koome explained: “The earth is what we have in common; only if we make conscious changes to our lifestyles can we combat climate change”.

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The British International Education Association's lead judge Peter Gallivan from the Royal Institution commented: “It has been a privilege spending time talking to young people all across the world about their ideas to help save the planet. The climate crisis is one of the greatest scientific challenges faced by humanity, and so it is inspiring to see the passion, enthusiasm and creativity shown by all the teams. The future will, I'm sure, be a much greener place with some of these young people in charge!”.

In Kenya, one company is fighting back against the greater incidence of drought by extracting water from the air using solar energy to convert it into fresh drinking water.

It's an innovation by Beth Koigi, who grew tired of the plaucity of clean water coming out of her tap in her university accommodation.

She created Majik Water based on the realisation that there's much more water in the air than in all our rivers combined. As climate change raises the temperature, more and more water evaporates into the air. The name Majik water comes from the Swahili word for water - Maji -and Beth added the “K” for kuna, which means harvest.

Her process can produce up to fifty litres of precious water a day which otherwise would be lost, and now the challenge is to scale-up her business and replicate it across other African countries.

The UNDP has also been doing a lot of good work on Climate action and has engaged with hundreds of young people across the continent, hosting a global consultation to get the youth of Africa to participate in measures to combat climate change. One of its initiatives has been a “Youth-led robotics for multi-dimensional climate solutions “which encouraged a group of young people to use robotics, coding, space and satellite technology finding solutions to climate change by targeting three of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals – SDG 7 on creating sustainable energy, SDG 13 on climate action and SDG 15 –for life on land.

The learners' came up with some innovative solutions.

Himkaar Singh witnessed the 2017 drought in South Africa and discovered that climate change was also negatively impacting on soil quality, with 70% of soil in South Africa lacking the vital organic matter to absorb water and be productive. Himkaar's solution was to employ worms to turn kitchen waste into compost which is then returned as healthy soil to farmers.

Biodiversity Institute, has been working on a more high-tech solution that applies satellite technology for solving Africa's climate change issues. Her work enables people to locate the best places for planting trees and identify high-risk areas prone to wildfires.

Brittany says there are more than 160 satellites in orbit which are currently measuring different climate change indicators which are helping us track global warming signals. Satellites can also help identify and stop illegal logging, fishing and the illicit wildlife trade. In fact, it's estimated that around half of all climate change variables can only be measured from space, making satellites a vital tool in Africa's fight against climate change.

And those satellites will be able to pick up one of Africa's greatest climate solutions, namely the Great Green Wall, which is planting a massive wall of trees and greenery stretching from Senegal on the west coast across to Djibouti in the West. This green belt will restore 8,000 kilometres of savanna along the southern edge of the Sahara desert to form the largest living forest on earth.

It has already received funding of more than $14 billion and sequester 250 megatonnes of carbon while improving biodiversity and greening some 100 million hectares of semi-desert land. Already some 15 million hectares in Ethiopia have been planted with trees, while in Senegal around 12 million drought-resistant trees have been planted in less than a decade. Ultimately the Great Green Wall is expected to create up to 10 million jobs.

As the world looks north to post-COP26, some of the most exciting initiatives to fight climate change might lie closer to home in Africa.

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There are more than 160 satellites in orbit which are currently measuring different climate change indicators which are helping us track global warming signals.

Satellites can also help identify and stop illegal logging, fishing and the illicit wildlife trade

Brittany Bull, a Research Assistant at South Africa's

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