AFRICAN LEADERSHIP MAGAZINE FEBRUARY EDITION 2022

Afric n Leadership FEBRUARY 2022

H.E. EVARISTE NDAYISHIMIYE PRESIDENT OF BURUNDI

LEADING FROM THE FRONT Chronicles Of US - Burundi Relations (1962-2021)

Tanzania, Burundi Sign $900 Million Railway Deal To Boost Trade

Africa on the Brinks: Climate Change and the Gender Question

Contents

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09. Burundi: Africaʼs Hidden Investment Gem

12. Leading from the Front

18. Burundi's Economic Rejuvenation Strategy Unveiled

21. How Information Technology, Research Is Boosting Burundi's Agric Sector 24. Promoting SMEs Key To Fostering Sustainable Development & Accelerated & Inclusive Economic Growth In Burundi

29. Burundi Revenue Authority We Will Continue To Optimize Financial Management Via Sustained Automation of Domestic Tax Operations 34. Fostering Deeper Corporations Between Nigeria & Burundi

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36. CHRONICLES OF US - BURUNDI RELATIONS (1962-2021)

39. Tanzania, Burundi Sign $900 Million Railway Deal to Boost Trade

41. Entrepreneurship In Engineering: That's The Future

45. Shadrack Kubyane Bringing Innovation to Blockchain Technology

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Rwanda The Dubai of Africa Opens for Business

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16. CNDD-FDD Supporting Burundi Government in Promoting Sustainable & Comprehensive Development

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...A Publication of The African Leadership Organization

Ken Giami Founder & Executive Chairman

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

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Editor - Kembet Bolton kembet@africanleadeship.co.uk 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

Furo Giami - Chief Operating Officer / Executive Director Bernice Benjy - Group Head, Finance & Administration 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

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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

FEBRUARY 2022

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FROM THE CHAIRMANʼS DESK

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

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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 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.

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.

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

JOIN THE 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-of-mind 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!

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

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African Leadership Council is therefore founded on the hope to mobilise the critical mass required to galvanise multidimensional 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.

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COVID-19 represented. Such leaders move society forward, become positive references for what is possible, help promote self-sufficiency 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)

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

H.E. 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.”

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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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For inquiries call: +44 23 92 658 276 or email: info@africanleadership.co.uk

To participate, visit: events.africanleadership.co.uk

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BURUNDI:

Africa's Hidden Investment Gem

By Kingsley Okeke Burundi's energetic and people-centric President, Evariste Ndayishimiye, was unequivocal when he spoke of his government's commitment to eradicating poverty and fighting corruption. In a meeting with the African Leadership Magazine team at his private farm in Gitega, he said, "in the fight against poverty in Burundi, I am the Field Marshal, and my appointees are commanders of the platoon." He also expressed his government's zero tolerance for corruption. In his words, "I have made it very clear to my team that my government will not tolerate any form of corruption, and they know that I am serious about that."

Recently, we were guests of the President to the Burundi National Forum for Development. The two days forum, which had in attendance the President, cabinet ministers, members of parliament, party leaders, members of the diplomatic community, members of the academia, among other leaders from within and outside the country, was a platform for the promotion of Burundi's Inclusive and Sustainable Development.

In his opening speech, the President, who was present throughout the full-day event, shared his ambition to

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gradually lift the Burundian people out of poverty and increase the competitiveness of the Burundian economy. As captured in his strategic vision, the President has made a bold plan of making the country an emerging economy by 2040.

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"We have a task to fight poverty through agriculture, and we see poverty as the common enemy," he had informed us during our meeting.

Continuing, he said, "I believe that no one should be poor in Burundi, looking at the vast opportunities available in different sectors, especially, Agriculture."

While highlighting the importance of the two-day conference, the President averred that "I wanted to organize a National Forum on Inclusive and Sustainable Development which will be a framework for exchange open to intellectuals residing in Burundi, abroad and to partners concerned with the development."

The President also welcomed everyone who wishes to contribute to Burundi's reconstruction and sustainable development efforts.

The African Leadership Organizationʼs team also joined the

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President. He hosted grassroots members as part of activities to mark the end of the weeklong celebration of Heroes week. During the event, which had citizens from different parts of the country, the President charged them to join the government's efforts to transform it.

According to the President, "we are blessed by nature which offers us a good climate, rich soil, and subsoil and intelligent citizens."

contributes most to the gross domestic product, using 90 per cent of Burundi's labour force and earning 90 per cent of export revenues. Despite the country's dependence on agriculture, the sector has not been modernized. Herein lies the opportunity for any discerning investor looking to invest in the industry.

Mining

Like most other African countries, Burundi is rich in mineral resources. The "We have to strengthen ourselves government is rich in columbium, and stand up as one man to value these tantalum ore, tin ore, tungsten ore, natural gifts made available to us, "he gold, copper, cobalt, nickel, feldspar, said. phosphate rock, quartzite, and rare reserves of uranium.

Burundi is a treasure-trove of Last year, in a bid to renegotiate natural resources. From Agriculture to engagement with mining companies in mining, the country holds so much in the country, the government stock for willing investors. suspended mining operations in critical Agriculture mines. The government is looking to present a win-win situation for mining Counting on assets like abundant companies and the nation. The rainfall, a large farming population, an government in the past only receives extensive network of lakes and rivers, about 10% of the income from the and possible market expansion within minerals even though it owns the land. the East African Community, Agriculture For new investors, this is undoubtedly presents a huge investment the time to explore opportunities in the opportunity in Burundi. The country sector. has all the factors to make Agriculture investment essential. Agriculture Other key sectors of interest include:

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of a line of 200 km railway between Mpulungu and Kasama (Zambia).

Install a cold chain at the port of Bujumbura.

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New locomotives and wagons for the central corridor as a multi-user Lake Railway from Dar Es Salaam to the port of Bujumbura via Kigoma.

Beyond quality and purposeful leadership as an attraction for investment, Burundi has also been rated an investors paradise for the following reasons:

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A deficit of commercial hydroelectric power production of 300 MW The potential for commercial production of geothermal energy of 10 MW is not yet exploited.

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There is one textile industry with minimal technology.

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Need for the pharmaceutical industry.

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Need for the biodegradable packing industry.

Hotel and Tourism Good potential for generating wind · Need to develop thalassotherapy energy. activities. · A vast potential for the production · Full opportunities to improve of solar energy. beach tourism and water sports on Lake Tanganyika.

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Political and security stability;

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A strategic geographical location allows direct access to several neighbouring countries.

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Freedom of settlement and investment.

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Burundi is a member of the Common Market of the EAC and the Free Trade Area of COMESA.

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Relatively cheap manpower compared to countries in the subregion.

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Burundi is eligible for the "Everything but Arms" of the European Union and the AGOA (African Growth Opportunity Act).

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The market for broadband internet is largely untapped.

Many opportunities after installation of fibre optics, including e-administration and ebanking.

Manufacturing industries ·

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Need to build hotels and other · accommodation in national parks and other attraction infrastructures.

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Need to build high standing conference centres.

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Insufficient high standard hotel capacity: Major international hotel chains are not represented.

Almost all manufactured consumer goods are imported, thus providing Needs in maritime transport and full opportunities in almost every port services industry. · Improving the system for Need for food products processing automated loading in the port of industry.

Bujumbura and its expansion to large container ships and other Need for industrial production of vessels for passengers. building materials such as glasses, profiles, metal sheet, tile, cement, · Improving transport services of etc. passengers and freight on Lake Tanganyika.

Need for the chemical industry and especial ally fertilizers for · Link the Bujumbura port and the agriculture. port of Durban through the construction and operationalization

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Non-discriminatory and attractive Investment Code ensuring the protection of investors and investments.

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One-Stop-Shop allows starting a business in a day for 40,000 BIF (about 25 $).

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Three other operational One-StopShops: one for obtaining a building permit, another for property transfer, and one-stop-shop for electricity connection.

The difference between two nations on an opposite development trajectory is often quality leadership. For Burundi, the box of purposeful leadership has been ticked. Will investors take the bold step of unravelling this untapped investment gem? Only time will tell.

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Building a naval site.

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H.E. EVARISTE NDAYISHIMIYE PRESIDENT OF BURUNDI

LEADING FROM THE

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Exclusive interview with the president of Burundi, H.E. Evaristus Ndayishimiye & African Leadership Organization team.

President Ndayishimiye making a point to the Chairman African Leadership Organization, Dr Ken Giami (R), at his farm in Gitega

In the words of Eleanor Roosevelt, "there is a cost to not showing up fully as a leader." In recognition of the monumental cost of evasive leadership, His Excellency Evariste Ndayishimiye, the President of Burundi, has not only chosen to lead by example, but he has also elected to lead from the front.

"I spend less time in the presidential mansion", he says, as he conducts the African Leadership Magazine team around his private farm in Gitega. "There is so much work to be done on the field, so I spend most of my time with the people, to understand their problems and how we can tackle them," he concludes, underscoring his commitment to lead from the front.

With President Ndayishimiye, Burundi's vision 2040 is not some empty rhetoric – far from it. His commitment to the country's economic growth is palpable, and the war against poverty is being waged with gusto.

In this exclusive interview with the African Leadership Magazine team in Gitega, he describes himself as the field marshal in the fight against poverty.

At the same time, his appointees are the field commanders. He also talked about his government's steadfast commitment to prioritize jobs and wealth creation industrialization, among others. Excerpts;

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Your Excellency, we are excited to see your farm. We see that Agriculture is a priority for your country. What's your vision for Agriculture in Burundi?

First of all, our aim is to fight against poverty and we also implement agriculture to fight against hunger. It is my priority to achieve this. It is why I organize people to work together in cooperative groups. It is easy for the State and the Ministry of agriculture to help these people work together when they are organized. In this regard, I see we are succeeding. For example, we employ irrigation during the dry season for the farmers and we succeed on a large capacity due to this organization. Usually, I say that the cooperative is like a battalion in the army. To fight against poverty is like the military who fights the enemy. So, our enemy is poverty and the cooperatives are in battalions. The State servants are the commanders and I am like a Chief commander in that regard. Agriculture is a priority, and now, we are looking at how to transform the agriculture products because Burundi is one of the countries where we don't import food. Everything we eat is from here.

The US has lifted the sanctions on Burundi because they cited that the reforms you are embarking on will fight against corruption.

Consequently, Burundi is open, and the world is beginning to accept Burundi again. What has inspired this approach?

First off, I think it was a bad interpretation of the situation of Burundi that led to the whole thing. They were not happy with the coup. That's why they took sanctions on the people who fought the agonists in the coup. Now, they see that the situation is normal and

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push them. As I told you, I am the Chief Commander. They are the commanders and I push them. Together, we succeed. About the forum, I wanted the participation of everyone, not political parties or groups. I want everyone to be together and work together. That's why I chose Professors, intellectuals and bright minds to come in and suggest to the government what we can do. They are there to also criticize the government because when they criticize, that's when we know exactly what the people want.

From there, when we know what the people want, we look for a solution. Now, we are going into an action plan for the next year. I want that from January we begin to apply the dynamism available to us. I don't want people to be angry with me because they are not participating in governance. So, I brought everyone together.

The problem I have is that there are people who don't like to work in government because of salary.

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On investment, this is a new Burundi. Everybody is talking about it and the world is excited because of your leadership. We are also excited to work with you. What are you doing to make the investment climate welcoming to investors?

First, we had to make and settle the law which gives advantage to investors and we try to help them in which ever way possible. I can tell you that Burundi is like a paradise so when we show investors there are many things to do such as agriculture, mining, tourism and ICT, they have many sectors to invest in. For example, you saw the Lake Tanganyika. It is wonderful how they can use that in tourism and transportation. With stability, we will be able to create better infrastructure like roads and energy. I like to build the foundation.

Africa is seen as a continent of young people, with 60 percent of the population below the age of 35. You are almost a young president, stronger than some young people. what is your they don't have anything to hold the country on. Even the European Union is considering its own stand. And, the fight against corruption too. You can't be developed when you have bad governance. So, I am fighting against corruption. For example, if we discover that you are stealing money in finance, you will bring back the money and go out.

We were at the meeting of the Forum for National Development from an 8am - 8pm and you were there the beginning to the end. It is something we have not seen recently. And, like one of your Burundi Professors in the University of Massachusetts, Professor Leonce said, 'it is majestic'. It is truly leadership by example. What inspires you? You are in the farm.

You are on the field. You don't sit in the office. What makes you do that?

I can tell you that Burundi is like a paradise so when we show investors there are many things to do such as agriculture, mining, tourism and ICT, they have many sectors to invest in.

Yes. I work when I am on ground in the farm. They bring the documents to me and I work where I am. We are thinking big on the development of Burundi, and we must work hard. To work, you must

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plan for young people in Burundi?

Young people are a must for development. Here in Burundi, about 70 percent are young. So, I began by meeting them, to organize them, and I took 2 days to work with them where they suggested many things. This led to a big project which helped them to have jobs and numerous opportunities. As to finance, we have put in place a bank for youths. We gave the project about 14 billion Burundi francs and we have an organ which is managing that project with the youths.

responded. When they respond, I know the problem and I teach them better. It's like being a teacher when I am with the people. I help them to know how to organize development.

For example, I say to Burundi, there is no reason to be poor.

There is no reason. We have mines and now we are looking into how to transform the sector. We have good water, a beautiful country, fine soil. So, I think that if we continue to work at this speed in 10 years, Burundi will change.

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You are a pan African leader. In the francophone world, you are gradually emerging as a force for democracy; a force for stability and Burundi is a classic example. Your leadership is being applauded with just one year in office. What is your take on the African Continental Free Trade (AfCFTA) agreement?

And what else can we do to build integration in Africa?

The problem we have is neocolonialism.

They will take the side of a country, and that country will begin to fight other countries. We are trying now to convince each other one by one towards the time we will be united. For example, in the East African community, we try to convince them to come together. Here, we are lucky because we don't need anything from outside. We eat our food, and we can live by ourselves. So, we can't accept countries who come to interfere in our affairs. That's why we resist all the sanctions, from Europe, from USA. We resisted, and now you see that they are coming back. The problem is to accept them given some reasons. For example, when you start dealing with France, you have your account in the Bank of France, but for us, your money is here. Europe is not better than Africa.

The problem we have in Africa is to organize ourselves, to organize our economy. Africa is rich.

With leaders like you, there is hope for Africa.

One last question. As a leader who gradually, you are leading a francophone country and you are being accepted; I watched you with the Nigerian President at the UN General Assembly. You are being accepted. What is your advice to African leaders as we go into the next year?

First and foremost, it is to love the people.

The leader must be like a parent and the people are the children. If your behavior is like a parent, you succeed, because you work for the people; not the people working for you. If you are a leader, you must work with the people. You must know their problem. For instance, you saw when I was talking to a group. I asked them some questions and they

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CNDD-FDD Supporting Burundi Government in Promoting Sustainable & Comprehensive Development For the CNDD-FDD Party, demographic dividend is at the heart of Africa's sustainable development efforts and investing in the youth is the sine qua non condition for sustainable development in Burundi. In this exclusive interview, Hon. Reverien Ndikuriyo Secretary General of the CNDD-FDD with African Leadership Magazine, the role of CNDD-FDD in supporting Burundi's government development plan, preparing the youths and women for leadership and putting up the best candidates to fill up positions were highlighted.

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Analysts have criticized some political parties in the continent for lack of ideologies. Can you share with us the CNDD-FDD ideology as a political party?

As a political party, the CNDD-FDD ideology in a nutshell is to lead the people of Burundi to Sustainable and comprehensive development while ensuring sound Justice for everyone, as well as a rule of law based on Democracy.

Policies are made in accordance with the people's aspirations and applied to their satisfaction.

Our ideology as a ruling party is people centered.

The uniqueness of the ideology of CNDD-FDD is the will of the people and not the will of a small group of individuals. Our ideology brings our members to understand that developing our country will not be possible if anyone is left behind.

The current administration's commitment to the overall development of the country has been commended by stakeholders, how is the CNDD-FDD supporting the government's development agenda?

It should be clearly stated from the onset that supporting the government's development agenda, as far as the CNDD-FDD is concerned, is a must in as much as the government's development agenda is part and parcel of the CNDD-FDD Social Endeavours that can be summarized in four main domains, namely the reconciliation of the people of Burundi; justice, peace and security for all; good governance based on democracy; comprehensive and sustainable development.

The government development agenda as well as all the policies and reforms being implemented by the administration at different level are all inspired by the people through their expression in favor of our political program which we have scripted and campaigned for. Our current role is just to follow up, time after time, especially by mobilizing the masses

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From the grassroots, leaders of the Party are selected, screened and groomed to fit the position from the lowest level of leadership, where the leadership covers 10 homes, Under the Chapter of Good Governance based on they grew in the position receiving proper and thorough Democracy, the CNDD-FDD has a wide range of policies teachings on the history of the party, history of the nation aimed at the well being of the population. The and above all, the current trends in leadership all over the implementation of women and youth empowering policies world. We organize meetings, seminars, conferences where at all levels of public administration starts from the they learn from the elders, we make them network with grassroots, which is the education at both ends of the other young people engaged in politics in Burundi, in Africa spectrum. First and foremost, we want our young people to and across the globe to gain from them best practices. By so become capable human resources. There is also a Civic sharing experiences, we export and we import what fits the Education Project which offers promising young people best, and so we make sure they are ethically, socially and opportunities to learn and serve in communities across the ideologically ready to manage and lead and able to engage country, developing the knowledge, experience, and with the followers. leadership skills they need to make a positive impact on the We ensure to provide so many opportunities for our society. The overall goal of our school and off school members especially the youth to understand and develop programs is to teach our youth to be day after day selftheir skills in education oriented on the direct needs of the sufficient. We enable them to become self-supporting country. Above all things, patriotism and wisdom are an individuals who are able to care for themselves, their imperative for our militants. families, and contribute significantly to the future of their community, and eventually their country.

How can political parties in different parts of the continent be made more responsive to the aspirations of the people?

CNDD-FDD Party is aware that the demographic dividend is at the heart of Africa's sustainable development I know that in the framework of the Agenda 2063, efforts and investing in the youth is the sine qua non everyone in Africa, particularly leaders are required to move condition for the sustainable development of our country.

Africa closer to achieving its vision for the year 2063, with 7 The Party invests in the youth through its Youth Wing Aspirations reflecting our desire for shared prosperity and “Imbonerakure” which constitutes an essential energy and a well-being, for unity and integration, for a continent of free human resources incubator for the future of our Party and citizens and expanded horizons, where the full potential of the future of the country. They are constantly supervised in women and youth are realised, and with freedom from fear, different areas of the life of the country starting with the disease and want. With the above in mind, I am not going to development topic, and they are encouraged to play a lead interfere into other political organizations' affairs, but I am role in the cooperative movement initiated by the adamant that only people, especially those with the voting government. The youth is the core branch of our Party, we age will at the end of the day coerce ruling parties to be give them the best to get the best from there. They receive more responsive to the aspirations of the people. proper preparation and follow up in order to be ready to take over when this generation will be gone, I personnaly It is a primary calling for political parties to respond to always say that our party is for young blood, since its the aspirations of the people and contribute to their welfare. beginning in the bush, we were very young and the younger And that can only be achieved by investing a lot of time with generation is aware of the history of the freedom struggle the people and listen to the changes they want to see, to and they are responsible of the next steps. we are very feel their assessment of the programs being implemented satisfied with their sense of appropriation and engagement and adjust accordingly. But also to guide them to to pursue the fight for the welfare of all citizens. understand how different policies are shaped to fit their demands. Because we have seen that on field, citizen may Selection of candidates for leadership positions starts at the lack information of what is going on and may be tempted to Party level and this is very important. What mechanism is in believe that nothing is being done. We do plan together and place in the CNDD-FDD to ensure that only the best are put accomplish together, because we can't assess if we are forward for leadership positions? meeting their expectations and aspirations if we are not with The previous question discussed the education issue. them, see them, hear them assessing us. The main theme of Today we have sufficient human resources in almost all our last campaign was together we can, and we are domains of life, and their number surpasses the needs, witnessing the positive power and best outcomes of making it a must to hire the crème de la crème as we strive synergy. for results and achievements. Whether it comes to leadership positions or other kind sorts of employment

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The country has a young and growing population. How is the party integrating the young people and preparing them for leadership positions?

opportunities, we always try to ensure that only the best are put forward. Our party constantly makes hiring top talent a priority. After all, productivity and profitability depend on the quality of the workers. When reviewing candidates for different positions, we consider a mix of factors, including credentials, work experience, personality and skills.

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and build up sensitization programmes through advocacy and speeches, calling for actions and taking the lead in supporting the agenda. We also meet regulary with leaders in different sectors of the executive body to keep our vision and mission up to date.

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Burundi's Economic Rejuvenation Strategy Unveiled Like other countries across the globe, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted economic growth of Burundi and affected the balance of payment. In this exclusive interview with the African Leadership Magazine UK, the Minister of Finance, Domitien Ndihokubwayo, talks about the government's efforts to rejuvenate the economy, post pandemic. Excerpts.

Reports show that the Covid19 pandemic caused a sharp economic slowdown in Burundi. However, it is gathered that recently the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved a disbursement of SDR 53.9 million (35 percent of quota, about US$76.2 million) under the Rapid Credit Facility (RCF) in Burundi. What importance does this serve to the rejuvenation of the country's economy and the empowerment of its citizens Post Covid?

Burundi's economy has been negatively impacted by the global health crisis. The crisis has affected performance in almost all sectors, particularly economic activity and, therefore, economic growth, but also the budget, the financial sector and the balance of payments.

In order to significantly mitigate the socio-economic impacts of COVID-19, the Government had to divert resources to the COVID-19 response, including the Contingency Plan for about US$58 million.

The disbursement approved by the IMF for Burundi under the

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Considered from an economic perspective, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is one of the major drivers of regional and international integration.

When the right general conditions are met, it constitutes one of the factors of Agriculture is a mainstay in Burundi, financial stability. It promotes economic with the sector contributing a development and improves the wellsignificant amount to the country's Small and medium-sized being of populations. It also contributes GDP. In terms of financing, what enterprises (SMEs) are a vital part of the to the creation of local businesses in strategic plans are in place to help the country's economic development host countries, the promotion of country on its journey to selfprocess. Today, their contribution in international trade and the transfer of sufficiency? Also, how realistic is it that terms of production, employment and technology and know-how. Beyond its Burundi's food export volume, through income in the economy is widely direct effects, the Foreign Direct such financing, will be able to go above recognized. However, the financing of Investment has other effects that its current export quota to become a their activities has always been a major influence the evolution of labor leading food producer in Sub-Saharan concern for various business leaders markets, capital markets and other Africa? and political authorities in Burundi. economic aspects.

To ensure food self-sufficiency, the With the Covid-19 pandemic which In its effort to continue to attract Government of Burundi has adopted a continues to impact negatively on the foreign investment, the Government new agricultural policy described in society and the economy, the problem its''Document d'Orientation de la has just revised the regulatory became more acute. Economically, Politique Environnementale, Agricole et framework of the Investment SMEs are among the sectors that have d'Elevage'' (DOPEAE). This new policy Promotion Agency to adapt it to the suffered and continue to suffer the has introduced another system of realities of the moment. And this is to most from the effects of this pandemic. intensification of agricultural and respond as effectively as possible to the livestock production through the Some companies are closed, others expectations of investors but in a winestablishment and financing of win spirit. In addition, the Government are working at reduced speed and agricultural outreach centers and volume, and still others are developing is already working on measures to: breeding centers while protecting the new services and products or need to Ÿ Maintain transparency in the public environment. In this policy, the intensify and diversify their operations sector (including an impartial protection of the land is the first area of to meet the growing or different system of courts and law intervention to which are added the demands of their customers. These enforcement); subsidy of agricultural inputs, irrigation companies are active in the economic and the development of agricultural Ÿ Ensuring that rules and sectors of agriculture, hospitality, and livestock products. enforcement are based on the catering and construction. principle of non-discrimination Moreover, the Government of Recognizing the importance of between foreign and domestic Burundi has decided to transform the SMEs to the country's economy, the enterprises and are consistent with research institute into a seed Government has taken a number of international law; production manufactory in addition to measures (financial support, research. Finally, the Government of equipment, training and information) to Ÿ Allow for the free transfer of Burundi has initiated a major program mitigate the effect of the pandemic on investment-related funds and to set up hillside cooperatives and businesses. In addition, the provide protection against arbitrary finance them with 10 million BIF each Government is willing to reduce the expropriation; year to each cooperative. This is how level of commitments to the Central Ÿ Establish appropriate frameworks production has increased and will Bank to support money creation for a robust competitive continue to increase throughout the initiatives for private sector environment in the domestic country, thus releasing a surplus for development. business sector; export.

The President has in recent times Ÿ Remove barriers to international To effectively achieve this, the encouraged Foreign Investors to trade; Government is putting in place consider Burundi as a fertile ground for measures to promote value chains from FEBRUARY 2022

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Data from the World Bank reveal that Small and Medium Enterprises play a major role in the growth of developing countries with formal SMEs contributing up to 40% of national income (GDP) in emerging economies.

How well are SMEs received as engines of National development in Burundi and what has been the engagement to improve their existence in the country so far?

investments and business growth. What financial policies and incentives are in place to aid Foreign Direct Investment in the country, and what steps are in place to encourage the effective collaboration with the local sector to achieve this?

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research and development, input supply, production, processing and distribution and marketing.

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Rapid Credit Facility constitutes emergency financing and major financial assistance for the country's economic recovery. These financial resources will support the Government's efforts to implement economic reforms aimed at the structural transformation of the economy, reintegrate households into the labor market, strengthen food security, and support the private and financial sectors.

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the current value of the public debt on exports, the threshold of which is set at 140%, Burundi is at 143%. For the external debt service allocated to exports, which is set at Ÿ Ensure that public spending is appropriate and relevant.

10%, Burundi is slightly below this threshold in 2021. For the present value of public debt to GDP, which is set at 35%, How is Burundi planning the implementation of the Free Continental Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) in terms of using it to Burundi's threshold in 2021 is 65%. As for the added value of public debt on revenue, whose threshold is set at 200%, bolster its economy and harnessing the financial Burundi is at 340% in 2021. opportunities available to improve its cross-border trade and investment opportunities?

These indicators show that a good portion of the tax revenue collected is directed to debt repayment. Based on The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) these figures, this analysis showed that the public debt represents a real opportunity to boost growth, reduce remains sustainable.

However, it is subject to the risk of poverty and expand economic inclusion in Africa. According over-indebtedness.

This means that until now, Burundi has to a new report by the international financial institution, the not had any difficulties in repaying its debt. It has honored AfCFTA could bring Africa an additional $450 billion in its commitments. income, an increase of 7% despite the Covid 19 pandemic. Ÿ

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Correcting aspects of the tax system that constitute obstacles to Foreign Direct Investment;

Burundi's position to improve its cross-border trade and investment opportunities is to take advantage of the upcoming FTAA negotiations, that should serve as a platform to harmonize investment rules and create a level playing field for investors.

As far as it is concerned, Burundi has already identified priority preparatory actions, including: Ÿ

The upgrading of the Burundian Bureau of Standards (BBN) and the mutual recognition of the "Offices of Standards" and the certificates of origin and conformity they issue (modern laboratory equipment, partnership and capacity building of BBN executives).

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The opening up of Burundi, in particular through the modernization of the Kigoma-Dar es Salaam railroad coupled with the modernization of the Port of Bujumbura.

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The creation of at least 10 large-scale industries respecting international norms and standards using more than 60% of local raw materials to have an export capacity in order to reduce the trade deficit and the balance of payments.

Nevertheless, the risk is that there are some indicators that have exceeded the threshold in the so-called baseline scenario because, after the baseline scenario, there is what is called the shock scenario. Hence the risk of high debt overhang even if Burundi manages to honor its commitments.

But never mind, a certain number of assumptions allow Burundi to remain optimistic about the continuation of honoring its commitments. For example, Burundi is committed to revitalize international cooperation relations .

What constitutes a source of income for the treasure. In addition, there are positive macroeconomic prospects in terms of economic growth and export stimulation. In addition, statistics show that a large part of the external debt is directed towards income-generating sectors such as agriculture, energy and mining as well as infrastructure.

To properly manage its public debt, Burundi intends to strengthen its debt and public debt management strategy consisting of: limiting spending, broadening the tax base, transparently operating growth sectors growth such as minerals which can generate a lot of income, reducing the burden on public companies, embracing the digitalization of

The African Development Bank (AfDB) notes that Burundi's risk of debt distress remains high due the structural trade deficit and the continued increase in domestic debt linked to the persistent budget deficits. In a bid to resolve this, the Bank has recommended the implementation of a comprehensive reform of public finances aimed at achieving a balanced budget over time as a key priority for public debt sustainability. How well does Burundi take to this and what visible steps are in place as measures of improvement to the current situation?

The last IMF debt sustainability analysis was conducted in 2015. It classified Burundi as a country at high risk of external debt distress, as the NPV ratio of external debt to exports exceeded the critical threshold of 100 percent.

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) represents a real opportunity to boost growth, reduce poverty and expand economic inclusion in Africa.

Burundi's debt is dominated by domestic debt, estimated at ¾ of the country's total debt. According to the World Bank and IMF indicators used to assess whether the debt is repayable or not, it should be noted that Burundi has not yet exceeded the limits. As an illustration, concerning

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How Information Technology, Research Is Boosting Burundi's Agric Sector From the creation of the plow to the advent of the Global Positioning System, technological innovation has continued to shape the evolution of the Agricultural sector. In Burundi, the government's commitment to move from subsistent to large scale production in the industry has led to a greater attention to the offerings IT and Research. In this exclusive interview with the African Leadership Magazine UK, the Minister of Agriculture, Deo Guide Rurema, he talks about the ministry's commitment to expansion of the country's Agricultural sector using IT and Data-driven decision. Excerpts;

What are some of the technological achievements you have made as a Ministry of agriculture and livestock institution? Ÿ

Plant breeding for major food crops.

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Development and diversification of food and industrial crops

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Introduction of new export crops including millet, cashew, ...

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Selection and dissemination of good quality seeds for the main food and industrial crops

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Mapping of soil fertility and proposal of protocols for soil improvement and fertilisation of cultivable soils

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Selection and dissemination of high genetic value animals (cattle and pork)

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Diversification of fodder crops

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Support for the promotion of artificial insemination

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Permanent stalling for livestock

How did the institution contribute to the development of a thriving agricultural sector based on cutting-edge technology, knowledge, and

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Stabilisation of river and lake banks;

Availability of agricultural inputs (selected seeds, organo-mineral fertilisers, crop protection products) and agricultural tools;

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Rational forest management;

Availability of manuals and guides for the management of food and industrial crops and livestock and also for environmental aspects; Ÿ

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techniques that satisfy the needs of research users?

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Rational water management for multiple purposes;

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Waste management;

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Protection of the ozone layer;

Following the appeal made by H.E. the President of the Republic of Burundi I am particularly curious about the role inviting private investors to get of collaborations in the development of involved in the agricultural sector, we Demonstration and extension of agricultural technologies and hope that within a few years, Burundi modern agricultural, animal, knowledge aimed at improving wellwill be among the model African fisheries and environmental being. countries in the sub-region in relation production techniques; The Agricultural Research Institute to exports. It should be pointed out Availability of high genetic is a member of international research that the genetic material for the performance animals; networks such as CIP, CIAT, IRRI, development of industrial farms already CYMMIT, ICRISAT, ILRI, IITA, Bioversity exists. It can be said that Burundi is one Demonstration of good postInternational, Universities and it of the few African countries that harvest management techniques; collaborates with other regional imports less or no foodstuffs, let alone Weather forecasting for agriculture; research institutions having the same seeds, except for horticultural seeds, missions such as ASARECA, FARA, where there are still challenges.

Establishment of centres for PABRA, NARO, KARLO, RAB, TARI, agricultural influence and breeding The global Corona virus pandemic INERA etc. In addition, the institute farms; has wreaked havoc on a variety of collaborates with other national industries, with tourist agriculture and research institutions such as universities Increasing the value of the dry air travel bearing the brunt of the and private companies interested in season by using small-scale damage.

What is the state of Burundi's agricultural research, but also with irrigation in marshes, lowlands and agricultural sector? institutions in charge of the supervision on hills; and transfer of innovations to In the case of Burundi, the Land pooling to intensify producers and end-users. pandemic of corona virus has caused agricultural production; We understand that one of the goals of slight negative repercussions for Greenhouse cultivation; industries, agriculture and tourism in the Agricultural Scientific Research connection with the importation of Institute is to encourage agricultural Setting up and supporting certain products and agricultural research by providing farmers with community cooperatives; materials and also for tourists wishing efficient animals and plant materials.

Establishment of a few communal to visit Burundi. Despite this, the How has this affected Burundi's agro-sylvo-pastoral centres to government of Burundi has taken manufacturing industries? ensure close supervision; necessary measures in the fight against The agricultural industry is this disease, which has made Burundi Promotion, multiplication and beginning to develop in Burundi as a rank among the best countries in the development of orange-fleshed result of the efforts made by the world that have shown good sweet potatoes, fortified organic responsible and hardworking performance in the fight against corona beans and mushrooms;

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Introduction to agricultural mechanisation;

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Close supervision of farmers and stock breeders;

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Artificial insemination and hatchery techniques for poultry;

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Government of Burundi and the involvement of some private investors in the production and installation of factories and units for the conservation and processing of agricultural products.

Despite this, there is still a long way to go to be competitive with developed countries.

Integrated fish farming and aquaculture villages;

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Conduct of permanent housing;

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Protection of springs according to the IWRM approach;

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The global Corona virus pandemic has wreaked havoc on a variety of industries, with tourist agriculture and air travel bearing the brunt of the damage.

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Who, in your opinion, are the most important key players in promoting the gathering, preservation, and interchange of information on research findings, as well as the judicious management of genetic resources for future generations?

Generally speaking, the collection, preservation and exchange of information on research results as well as the management of genetic resources are all activities of national sovereignty. It is therefore the responsibility of the Government through its technical services to ensure the collection, preservation and exchange of information on research results as well as the management of genetic resources.

According to recent research by Mckinskey and & Co, Africa could produce two to three times more cereals and grains, adding 20 percent more cereals and grains to the present global production of 2.6 billion tons. Horticulture crops and livestock production both increased at similar rates. What are your thoughts on this?

There is a possibility of doubling or tripling the production on the African continent once the necessary funds are mobilised and used efficiently to exploit well the already existing agricultural bridges with the implementation of good agricultural practices by also resorting to adequate mechanisms for irrigation. This could lead to the satisfaction of food needs on the entire African continent and release a large surplus for export to other continents.

If Africa's agricultural productivity was increased by two to three times, it could be twice as productive as it is now. Is this something you agree with?

Absolutely yes.

Agriculture has a huge social and economic impact in Africa.

Smallholder farmers account for more than 60% of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa, and agriculture accounts for roughly 23% of the continent's GDP. Despite this,

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First, Africa must know its natural agricultural resources. Secondly, Africa must know how to conserve and preserve its germplasm which is an important element of sovereignty. It is obvious that the West and the Americas are progressively turning to Africa for increasingly promoted organic agriculture. In order to properly develop technologies and innovations for the sustainable and integrated use of natural resources in agriculture, Africa needs to learn from the West and America how to invest in skilled human resources in sufficient quantity to be independent.

In addition, Africa must review its strategy for financing agricultural research, which is the driving force and essential element for agricultural development. The current situation is that too few African countries are investing in agricultural research. Even fewer African countries have preserved their natural germplasm.

In order to properly exploit the agricultural potential in Africa, African countries must strengthen collaboration and win-win cooperation in the sense of working in synergy and complementarity to sustainably and effectively exploit natural resources to first increase production and then move to the stage of conservation and processing of agricultural products, exchange of agricultural products between different countries in Africa in compliance with the memorandum of understanding signed.

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How can Africa develop technologies and innovations that enhance the sustainable and integrated use of natural resources in agriculture?

Africa's agricultural potential remains mostly untapped. How can we as a continent recover momentum?

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Promoting SMEs Key To Fostering Sustainable Development & Accelerated & Inclusive Economic Growth In Burundi

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At the onset of the pandemic and subsequent lockdown, analyst predicted that banks operating across Africa would face challenges for the foreseeable future as they steer through the ill effects of the coronavirus. African central banks have therefore taken unusual measures to cushion their economies against the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

While many of the central banks in the region target inflation and have to prop up volatile currencies, others have used non-traditional policy tools in addition to aggressively cutting interest rates, to salvage economic growth and encourage more lending to consumers and businesses.

In this interview with the African Leadership Magazine, Mr Jean Ciza, Governor of the Central Bank of Burundi, talked about the bank's strategies to businesses, especially SMEs, to stay afloat amid the coronavirus pandemic, as well as other development strategies taken by the bank to cushion the effect of the pandemic. Excerpts;

the support to the financial and private sectors by the Central Bank was challenged by the relatively low level of international reserves.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic that disrupted businesses globally, we saw businesses shutdown or downsize to stay afloat. How has the bank supported financial institutions and the private sector to stay in business in this period of obvious challenges?

The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected the economic performance in Burundi. In fact, whereas the initial estimate for economic growth rate was 4.1 per cent in 2020 before the occurrence of the pandemic, the economy finally recorded a negative growth rate of 0.5 per cent in 2020, which is far lower than the average of 4.2 per cent for the period 2016-2019.

We mention that the negative impact was mainly recorded in the tertiary sector with a negative growth rate of 2.7 per cent, against an average positive rate of 3.4 per cent over the period 2016-2019. Combined with a slowdown of growth rate in the secondary sector with a positive rate of 0.4 per cent but lower than an average growth rate of 5.6 percent between 2016 and 2019, this has offset the performance of the primary sector where the growth rate was positive and reached 3.0 percent, close to the average growth rate of 3.1 percent for the period 2016-2019.

Based on this economic development in the wake of the pandemic, the conduct of monetary policy focused on price and financial stability as usual, but was adapted to support the banking sector given that the pandemic led to the increase of non-performing loans (NPLs). However, the support to the financial and private sectors by the Central Bank was challenged by the relatively low level of international reserves.

To preserve financial stability and support the recovery of the private

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this perspective, the refinancing modalities were adjusted, specifically for those key sectors, to encourage banks to promote financings, mainly in favor of exports development, import substitution schemes, industrialization, value chain development, infrastructures and others.

These include, among others:

This is finally consistent with the contribution of the Central Bank to the economic transformation, modernization and diversification initiatives and programs that include the increase in high-value-added production and trade development.

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Suspend late payment penalties for customers who proved the pandemic related impact on the reimbursement of their loans to commercial banks; Ease the regulations applicable on Non-Performing Loans' classification following the covid-19.

Last year the president hosted the Burundi National Forum for Development, which is designed to make Burundi an emerging country by 2040. How is the Bank supporting this development programme?

In line with the National Development Plan and other economic planning frameworks for a sustained economic development through an accelerated and inclusive economic growth, the Forum hosted by His Excellency the President of the Republic was really matching with the initiatives that the Central Bank had already taken since 2019 to support development.

In fact, the Central Bank has been more active in 2019 by adjusting the monetary policy by creating incentives to banks in order to support the promotion of productive investments financings for in the priority sectors that could lead to a sustained economic growth, stability and development.

SME's have been described as the engine room for growth and development across the continent. How is the Bank supporting the SMEs towards creating more jobs and wealth?

Based on the structure our economy, there is a consensus that promoting SMEs is one of the key instruments to foster a sustainable development and an accelerated and inclusive economic growth in Burundi. In this context, the banking sector and Microfinance Instructions are encouraged to play a key role, by responding to incentives created by the Central Bank to increase their contribution to a sustained economic growth, leveraging on the special focus on the SMEs.

From the Central Bank's point of view, the adjustment of monetary policy since 2019 is designed to include the credit expansion to the key sectors including the promotion of SMEs by This initiative was appreciated by His Excellency the President of the appropriate financing mechanisms and Republic at the time of the National Forum in 2020, and the Central Bank resources channeled by the financing institutions. Finally, by easing the refinancing was encouraged to pursue such a good policy, and the Bank has made significant progress in this regard and will vigilant vis a vis price stability. conditions and other reforms, it is expected that SMEs will be promoted, and this is aligned with The Bank will continue supporting the development initiatives and the development agenda as witnessed by the programmes that aim at making Burundi an emerging economy by 2040. strong commitment of the key policy makers The Priority Action Programs 2018-2022 aims to establish dynamic and and the Government itself. wealth-creating trade through the increase in high-value-added production, among others. How are the Central Bank commercial banks towards providing the needed support for businesses who wish to take advantage of the programme?

With regard to the National development Plan and its planning tools which include the mentioned priority action program between 2018 and 2022, the Central Bank has closely worked together with the financial sector, that is the commercial banks and other financing institutions including Microfinance Institutions, to discuss together how to really contribute to the economic modernization and diversification program, leveraging on the strong commitment of the Government in that perspective.

This led to the new outlook of the monetary policy implemented since 2019 and aiming at supporting the economic transformation by encouraging and supporting financial institutions involved in financing innovative and priority sectors, in order to boost and accelerate the economic activity. Among other measures taken by the Central Bank in

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Based on the structure our economy, there is a consensus that promoting SMEs is one ofthe key instruments to foster a sustainable development and an accelerated and inclusive economic growth in Burundi.

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Rescheduling payments and restructuring unpaid loans for the affected customers of the banking sector Covid-19, as well as sectors that have experienced more risk related to the pandemic;

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sector's activity, the Central Bank has intensified the discussions with the banking sector and made proposals to the financial sector's key actors via the Bankers' Association (ABEF) and Microfinance Institutions' Network (RIM) following covid-19. This allowed the assessment together for appropriate policy adjustments, to cove with the pandemic impact on the economy.

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Burundi Tea Office Ensuring Efficiency & Quality In Tea Production Tea is Burundi's second-largest cash crop after coffee, contributing approximately $10 million to export earnings, equivalent to 12% of total merchandize exports. In this exclusive interview with African Leadership Magazine, the office discussed issues ranging from the tea industry to the Burundian economy in terms of employment for citizens, the unlimited opportunities it creates for the development of the agricultural sector in the country, the journey to becoming one of the best teas in the world and the plan to see Burundi tea successfully conquering the international tea market. Excerpts;

Notably, in Burundi, tea is a major cash crop, ranking as the country's 2nd largest export and covering up to 13,000 hectares of land. What is the method used to ensure sustainable practices that allow for a seamless cultivation and production process in such large quantities?

Burundi Tea Board (OTB) has been engaged in an RA certification process since 2012 and this standard has requirements that must be met. Some of these are basic and outline the key sustainable farming practices that must be followed. Others are designed to encourage and measure progress in sustainable practices, to ensure continuous improvement. This certification policy is in line with the logic

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of ensuring sustainable practices.

In addition, the principles of sustainable agriculture such as: soil fertility and conservation, pest control, rational and efficient use of agrochemicals and other products, social welfare, respect for the environment (planting native trees), protection of marsh and river banks, non-destruction of natural ecosystems, etc. are instilled in the tea producers. To this end, OTB has strengthened the supervision of tea growers and also conducts regular monitoring to ensure compliance with tea cultivation practices and quality standards.

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Tea cultivation is one of the export crops that contributes to more than 20% of Burundi's economy.

In terms of employment, OTB employs more than 800 managers and agents as well as a workforce of nearly 8,000 Before certification, the Burundi Tea Board could not sell workers per day whom it pays more than BIF 7 billion per in certain niche international markets. Since then, year. This is a huge amount of money that OTB injects into certification has boosted tea sales in international markets the rural world. because buyers now have confidence in Burundi tea as safe In addition, OTB provides more than BIF 10 billion in "Certified Tea", fit for human consumption. income to more than 60,000 tea-growing households for the Since 2012, the Burundi Tea Board has always renewed purchase of green leaf. its certificates from all its 5 factories after auditing for What is the level of engagement of SMEs in the tea market compliance with the SAN Rainforest Alliance standard in Burundi and to what extent has the organisation (Sustainable Agriculture Network). The principles of this supported the growth of these enterprises to boost the standard are: economic impact of the product on the country? Ÿ Effective planning and system management The level of engagement of SMEs in the tea market in Burundi exists, but it is in its infancy: Ÿ Biodiversity conservation Ÿ

Conservation of natural resources

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One private factory is operational in Mwaro province

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Improvement of living conditions and human well-being

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Subsequently, all factories met the requirements set out in these principles and were thus certified.

Two private factories are being built and equipped in Kayanza and Muramvya provinces;

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Another private factory has just received authorisation from the Ministry of Trade to set up in the province of Bujumbura in the commune of MUTAMBU.

The Rainforest Alliance 2020 certification programme that OTB is implementing responds to the concern of some major international buyers for sustainable agriculture and quality assurance. This creates a strengthening of the trust placed by buyers in our product, tea. The credibility of certified products has thus been enhanced.

It should be noted that OTB obtained its first certificates in 2013 with two factories RWEGURA and IJENDA, and then in 2016 all factories were certified to the SAN 2010 standard and in 2018 on the SAN 2017, and the certificates are still valid until now.

Globally, Burundi is the 15th largest tea producer with 40,000 metric tonnes per year, mainly exported to Europe and the United States of America. Compared to other countries, where would you place Burundi's tea market in Africa, given the impact it has had and the reception it has received over the years so far?

Tea cultivation is one of the export crops that contributes to more than 20% of Burundi's economy.

Burundi's tea production is 12,500 tonnes per year, and

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It is well known that the Burundi Tea Board obtained international certification in 2017, and at the time, the spokesperson for the organisation noted that such a remarkable achievement will enable the Board to boost its sales in the global market. What was the situation before certification and how has certification helped the country so far in its quest to tap into its potential in the tea market?

To what extent does tea cultivation contribute to the Burundian economy in terms of employment for citizens and what are the unlimited opportunities it creates for the development of the agricultural sector in the country?

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The increase in the purchase price of green leaf to 280 Frs/kg of FV with an annual bonus often given to tea growers fits into this logic.

is mainly exported to Europe, Asia and Africa (Egypt, Sudan and Kenya). Compared to other countries, we can rank Burundi's tea market as the 3rd largest in Africa. Burundian tea is highly appreciated by international consumers and ranks among the best teas in the sub-region due to its intrinsic qualities, including an aroma that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Burundi tea is a mountain tea with an extraordinary liquor quality. Even the buyers at the international auctions in Mombasa use it to enhance the quality of other teas in their blends.

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To encourage tea farmers to improve the profitability of their estates, or at least to earn an income that will allow their families and households to have decent living conditions, OTB has introduced a new approach of shared income and responsibility. Tea farmers use sustainability investments to gradually improve sustainability and their income increases towards a living wage. Tea farmers are trained in the principles of income management.

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It is currently difficult for OTB to support the growth of these SMEs insofar as it does not have the prerogatives to do so under its statutes.

successfully conquering the international tea market and ranking among the best teas in the world as the Burundi Tea Board plans to do the following:

It is urgent to put in place a regulatory authority that is supposed to play this role.

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Extension of tea plantations to increase production;

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Renewal and modernization of the industrial tool;

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Diversification of products by developing speciality teas with high added value in order to conquer certain niche markets in Europe, America, the Middle East and Asia which are very demanding in terms of quality;

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In-depth restructuring of the OTB through the autonomy of the tea estates. This will undoubtedly improve the management and contribution to the public treasury,

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Increased participation in international events where tea is featured,

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Revitalization of promotion and marketing;

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Effective liberalisation of the sector

Known challenges of the Burundian tea industry include structural inefficiencies of tea estates, poor incentives for smallholders and estate workers, and limited machinery in some cases that still consider hand-picking as the conventional method of tea harvesting. What is the Tea Office doing to address these challenges and how can a determined solution help boost production and sales?

The best and sustainable solution to all these challenges will necessarily involve: Ÿ

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Restructuring the BURUNDI Tea Board into a coordinating and regulatory authority for the sector; The transformation of the current tea estates into autonomous public companies to enable them to be more competitive in terms of production and quality.

With the President's call for more foreign direct investment in Burundi, what significant opportunities could the tea industry benefit from such an arrangement?

With the President's call for more foreign direct investment in the tea sector, there are many opportunities including, among others: Extension of plantations in new areas with high tea-growing potential already identified and not yet exploited (nearly 8600 ha), Construction of new processing and production plants for speciality teas; Ÿ

Local production of some of the equipment and materials needed by the tea industry in Quito;

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Local production of new energy sources as alternatives to the usual firewood, in order to preserve the environment;

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Agronomic research and training of managers in the sector;

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Renewal and modernisation of the industrial tool;

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Certification of production units.

Where do you see Burundi's tea market going in the next decade, and what designs or plans are in place to allow for better expansion of the country's second largest export?

Over the next decade, we can see Burundi tea successfully conquering the international tea market and ranking among the best teas in the world.

Over the next decade, we can see Burundi tea

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Burundi Revenue Authority We Will Continue To Optimize Financial Management Via Sustained Automation of Domestic Tax Operations

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Envisioned to be a modern tax administrative structure contributing to the development of Burundi and its economic integration within the regional and global economy, Office Burundais des Recettes (OBR) a semi-autonomous public revenue collection institution, was created by Law No. 1 / 11 of July 14, 2009. The overall goal of establishing this institution is to reduce poverty through an improved public revenue collection and an improved business environment in Burundi. In this exclusive interview with African Leadership Magazine UK, Jean Claude Manirakiza, Commissionner general of Burundi Revenue Authority tells us about the robust strategies towards re-enforcing the economic and global transactional strategies and structure of Burundi.

At the end of the civil war, Burundi's GDP per capita was the lowest in the world and the country's tax department was named the most corrupt institution. But right now, all these have changed. The tax contribution to revenue has increased drastically from what it used to be. How have you implemented some of the reforms that brought these positive indices?

Through the establishment of a semiautonomous department in charge of collecting revenue which is named Office of Burundi Revenue (OBR). It has signed a performance contract with the Government and is responsible for all revenue.

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Last year Burundi government revenue reached an all-time high. What will you say was the driving force for this milestone amidst the global economic crisis occasion by the Covid-19 pandemic?

Revision of the texts governing the revenue collection in order to strengthen tax controls; Sending of electronic documents;

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Burundi has not been in containment;

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The non-closure of borders by our main partners reduced the impact of Covid on the OBR revenue collection.

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Attracting FDI is crucial in improving revenue. How would you say that has fared so far in your pursuit of revenue gains?

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Employment creation and a new range of products are inducing tax base enlargement.

What would you say is the attraction, talking about the investment climate for those who may want to come and invest in the country in terms of tax incentives?

Burundi Investment Code has provided advantages for those who may want to come and invest in the country.

Are there any plans to enhance domestic revenue mobilization?

confronting the Revenue Authority regarding revenue generation?

The automation of domestic tax operations has not yet been effective; The persistence of fraud and corruption that haunts revenue collection performance; The informal sector is not yet under control and constitutes an obstacle to maximizing revenue.

What has been the support from the President in all that you do here?

The President always launches awareness messages to fight against corruption and tax fraud; He invites all managers to manage the public things well.

The business and legislative backdrop are key to an efficient revenue authority; have you gotten the desired support from these units? Ÿ

OBR is an executing organ of the Government and the texts governing the revenue collection have been elaborated by the Ministry in charge of Finances;

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Those texts governing the revenue collection are adopted by National Assembly.

Tanzania and Burundi have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to construct a 282 kilometers-long rail line connecting both countries. How will this project benefit Burundi in terms of revenue generation?

Reducing cost in terms of time and transactions.

Yes What are some of the measures you have introduced to improve financial management since you assumed duty?

Where do you see as the major growth areas or opportunities for businesses in the country? Because the more business flourishes, the more revenue increase.

Strengthening the fight against fraud and corruption;

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Construction and rehabilitation of the Roads;

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Continuing automation Domestic Tax operations;

Construction of new dams to increase the amount of electricity;

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Exemptions for the news companies

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Improving the quality of services offered to taxpayers;

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Continuing the capacity building program for OBR staff;

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Continuing to simplify customs procedures;

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Increasing taxpayer education and awareness initiatives on tax compliance in order to broaden the tax base;

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Improving the audits;

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Improving arrears collection

What are your expectations for the year? Ÿ

Increasing revenue collection to 13%

OBR is an executing organ of the Government and the texts governing the revenue collection have been elaborated by the Ministry in charge of Finances

What are some of the challenges

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We Will Connect More Than 100,000 Households Per Year to the Drinking Water & Electricity Network for Each Sector - Burundi Water & Electricity Production & Distribution Authority

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NYAKIRIZA project (electrification of 45 rural centers in the country by building mini solar networks, 400 schools, 400 health centers) will feed more than 1 800 000 persons;

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UMUCO WITERAMBERE project (electrification of 13 rural centers in the country by building mini solar networks, 55 schools, 54 health centers and several cooperatives for economic development)

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Electrification project for the districts of Bujumbura and centers in the country side.

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Electrification projects of 23 rural centers which will give access to energy to 400 000 Persons

How well have you harnessed Burundi's potential to develop both hydropower and renewable energy sources to increase electricity generation in the country?

Recently the Sustainable Energy for All Initiative (SEforALL) pointed out Burundi's access to electricity as one of the lowest in sub-Saharan Africa. What are you doing currently to change this trajectory?

In order to increase access to electricity in Burundi, the Government has initiated and adopted a strategic orientation instrument which is the National Development Plan for Burundi 2018-2027 (PND 2018-2027). It aims to allow a dynamic of growth.

Thus, in accordance with priorities and Energy Policies, in 2017, Burundi drew up a distribution network expansion plan and a priority investment projects to increase the rate of access to electricity.

As result, the following projects are being implemented: · Construction of hydropower projects for energy generation (Hydropower plant: Kabu16, RUZIBAZI, JIJI, MULEMBWE, Rusumo Falls, RUZIZI III and Mpanda cumulating 189.9 MW) Ÿ

Electrification project for 36 localities including 23 capitals of municipalities not yet electrified (8% of the population will be connected to the national grid);

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In recent years, Burundi, with the support of development partners, has made considerable investment efforts in the production, transmission and distribution of electrical energy. To mention few of some achievements: Ÿ

Implementation of ongoing projects which will increase the capacity from 78.7 MW in 2020 to 239 MW in 2026, an increase of around 200%.

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A national Electrification masterplan and an energy plan for rural area are under elaboration.

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Study of Electrification of Rural municipalities is being held by the Government of Burundi with the support of the World Bank.

You recently signed a contract with KEC International for the construction of the Kamanyola-Bujumbura energy transmission line and the Bujumbura substation, which is expected to grant over 400,000 people access to electricity.

What benefit will this project have for Burundi people and the economy in general?

The Kamanyola-Bujumbura transmission line and its associated Rubirizi substation will allow the evacuation of the energy produced by the Ruzizi III Community power plant (Burundi, DRC and Rwanda) up to 68 MW, part intended for Burundi. The availability of this clean energy at lower cost will have a positive impact on the well-being of

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Burundi has a growing power supply-demand gap due notably to a rapidly increasing power demand in the Bujumbura capital area, and a huge energy resource (notably renewable, with hydro, estimated to 1,7 GW, and solar, estimated to 2,000 kWh/m²/year).

Burundi is also very densely populated compared to other neighbouring countries such as Tanzania or Kenya (350 people/km² and 10 million of inhabitants, similar to Rwanda) and is largely subject to the funding and the structural reforms from World Bank and AfDB. In this exclusive interview with African Leadership Magazine Uk, Burundi Water and Electricity Production and Distribution Authority tells us in details, her strategic plans towards objectively changing the status-quo in accessing electricity and further harnessing Burundi's potential to develop both hydropower and renewable energy sources to increase electricity generation in the country. The technical and management skills were not neglected.

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the population, will facilitate the creation of income-generating activities, will stimulate foreign investors in the industrial sector as well as the promotion of joint actions between countries. (Burundi, Rwanda and DRC) aimed at economic growth, poverty reduction and regional economic integration. KAMANYORABujumbura transmission line 220kV project will bring benefit to 400 000 people. You understand that this energy from RUZIZI III trough KAMANYORA-Bujumbura transmission line 220kV will be very beneficial for the people of Burundi. It will allow the interconnection between Burundi and Democratic Republic of Congo.

Besides the low generation capacity, the Burundi energy sector is faced with a scarcity of technical and management skills, reducing the prospects of developing the country's energy resources. Do you currently have any programs geared towards empowering the population with the required skills that could probably help solve this challenge?

Although we have not yet reached the top-level skills, the Government of Burundi has developed the skills and reforms of national utilities in charge of Energy such as REGIDESO and ABER. In order to improve the management capacity of the Energy sector, the Government has adopted a program to strengthen the technical and institutional capacities by improving the legal framework and initiating the reform of REGIDESO and ABER (Burundian Agency for Rural Electrification).

has been already implemented (I mean MUBUGA solar power plant with 7.5MW developed by GIGAWATT Global). Two solar projects are under implementation: Ÿ

The first is the solar Energy in rural communities supported by the World Bank.

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The second is Resilience of population in solar Energy supported by European Union.

The awareness campaign is going on in the country to reduce the use of trees when cooking by using clean and modern combustible, gas and electricity. Investments in renewable capacities (apart from hydroelectricity) are concentrated in solar PV and biomass (peat and waste).

This way we will reduce the use of fuel and trees which will decrease the spread of gas effect in atmosphere and decrease climate heat in Burundi and in the World.

How are you tackling electricity losses caused by outdated transmission and distribution facilities in the national grid?

been a major source of diseases. What is your view of the water situation in Africa in relation to meeting the SDGs? The essential role of water in achieving socio-economic development objectives is widely recognized. In general, water can in no way constitute a brake on the development of Africa.

Africa is indeed endowed with vast water resources. It has vast expanses of rivers, lakes and streams, wetlands, and significant and widespread underground water resources throughout the continent.

Actually, like in some other African Countries, the safe drinking water coverage rate in Burundi is not sufficient (86.8 ), there is a gap to fill in order to meet the SDGs. Consequently, the Government of Burundi is working hard to improve the situation by mobilizing financial, human and material resources.

What is your plan to improve water access for people living in rural areas to reduce the risk of water-borne diseases?

The strategic orientation of Burundi which is the National Development Plan 2018-2027 is formal: "Develop growthTo reduce electricity losses in enhancing sectors for the structural transmission and distribution networks transformation of the economy", medium voltage, network penetration through the "Development of works in areas with voltage drops are production support infrastructure". The being carried out gradually with the aim is to develop drinking water and aim of improving the quality of basic sanitation infrastructures, through supplied electricity. a regular drinking water supply In addition, there are projects program in urban and rural areas relating to the reduction of electricity throughout the country” to meet the losses awaiting funding: SDGs. The actions to carry out this program meet household demand and Ÿ Rehabilitation and modernization socio-economic infrastructure, of the distribution network of the Just before the COP26, the country first including schools, health infrastructure, city of Bujumbura; ever solar field went into operation, markets, etc. These include the increasing the country's generation by Ÿ Reinforcement of the MT30 kV construction, extension and at least 10%, giving more Burundians network at the national level; rehabilitation of more than 500 access to clean energy. The keyword Ÿ Densification of peripheral districts drinking water supply systems here is “clean energy” Can we expect cumulating 11 500 kilometers of of the City of Bujumbura. Studies more environment-friendly projects like pipelines to give access to safe drinking are ready we are looking for this in the future aimed at reducing the water to 1.5 million of people and financing partners to implement the rising impacts of climate change? reduce water fetching time for women project.

Yes. We are increasing access to and young girls throughout the country Just as electricity, water is very vital for by 2027. clean energy by using solar energy the wellbeing of the people, access to projects. Burundi is indeed promoting safe drinking water has still not reached Last year the African Development Bank the private investment particularly in approved a new Water Strategy for the required standards in Burundi and Solar Energy sector; some contracts 2021-2025: “Towards a Water-Secure many other African societies. This has have been signed, and a solar project Africa.” That aims to increase water

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Working on drinking water policies and water masterplans in Bujumbura City

The Government of Burundi, as a member of the How will you rate the current water and African Development Bank Group, aligns itself with the electricity distribution network in Burundi? recently adopted strategy. We are working with the African Development Bank to develop new water Actually, the current safe drinking water projects. coverage rate is 86.8 % at the national level.

But the rural area is still underserved.

One area which I know is always problematic for most agencies responsible for water in Africa is the On national electricity distribution collection of water bills; they tend to be a nonnetwork the current coverage rate is 12 %. payment of water bills by public sector users. How is Similarly, the rural area is still underserved this affecting your operations and what are you doing (urban areas 68%, rural areas 4%). to address it?

Any plans to add more Burundians to the Non-payment of bills hinders the depreciation of national grid and provide them more access infrastructure and investment. It is a handicap to the to clean water? operation, maintenance of infrastructures and Our plan is to connect more than one extension of the network. hundred thousand (100,000) households per We are aware of this reality, and measures have year to the drinking water and electricity been taken to recover unpaid bills, regulate network for each sector. consumption and reduce losses by introducing cash By 2027, the drinking water coverage water meters. rate will increase from 86.8% to 90% at the What are the milestones you have achieved so far national level with the aim to have a since you came into office? protected safe water point at each colline (hill). The electricity coverage rate will Since we came into office, activities in the water increase from 12 % to 30 % at the national and electricity sectors have been carried out, including: level. Ÿ Improvement of the quality of electricity by For more details, the National carrying network expansion in overloaded areas; Development plan and its implementation Ÿ Funds mobilization for the electrification project of strategy are the main document of reference.

36 localities including 23 capitals of municipalities Any words for Burundian on what to expect not yet electrified; from you this year? Ÿ Execution of studies for the rehabilitation of the For this year, we plan to: electricity network of the city of Bujumbura, reinforcement of the 30 kV network at the national Ÿ develop more feasibility studies for water level and densification of the outlying districts of supply system and provincial water master the City of Bujumbura; plans; Ÿ

Electrification of 5 urban localities and 14 rural localities to increase the electricity access rate;

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Electrification of some rural schools and health centers using solar photovoltaic system;

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Strengthening of the water networks of the city of Bujumbura and other rural towns;

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Drinking water supply works to increase the rate of access to clean water;

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Working on drinking water policies and water master plans in main cities.

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Commission of 7.5 MW solar power plant with PPP.

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Construction, rehabilitation and extension of 30 water supply system cumulating 1200 km in rural area;

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update the databank of water resources;

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construct more drinking water systems modernize operating and distribution services for water and electricity;

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develop rural master plan for rural electrification

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increase of electricity generation by commissioning the Rusumo-Falls, Ruzibazi and Kabu 16 power plants for nearly 62 MW;

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Increase electricity access rate and tackle electricity losses.

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security in Africa and foster its sustainable, green, and inclusive socio-economic growth and development.

Will you be keying into this strategy?

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Fostering Deeper Corporations Between Nigeria & Burundi Nigeria and Burundi established diplomatic relations as far back as 1963 and have since then regarded each other as important strategic partners. The establishment of diplomatic ties, which has greatly improved the all-dimensional and high-quality cooperation between Nigeria and Burundi, serves as an excellent example for African cooperation.

African Leadership Magazine recently had a chat with the Nigerian Ambassador to Burundi, Ambassador Elijah Onyeagba.

Discussions centred around the NigeriaBurundi Joint Commission to improve trade and investments between both countries, the role of sports in fostering deeper corporations between both countries and many other issues.

Excerpts;

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During the presentation of your Letter of Credence to the President of Burundi, you had reiterated Nigeria's President's charter to all missions in the continent, which is to continue to support other African countries, as a big brother. How has the Nigerian Embassy in Burundi under your leadership helped to advance this charter?

At the heart of Nigeria's policy under President Muhammadu Buhari is Africa Unity. Nigeria is a leader in the continent, and has over the years offered support to other African Countries in very many ways as a big brother. Previous Nigerian Government has offered support to the Republic of Burundi from President Obasanjo to Goodluck Jonathan and now President Muhammadu Buhari. For instance, The Nigerian Embassy in Bujumbura was upgraded from CDA level to a full Ambassadorial level to show the importance that Mr. President has placed on the relationship between Nigeria and Burundi. As a representative of Mr. President, my primary responsibility is to discharge my duties in line with that above mandate. To this end, we have signed two bilateral agreements with others in pipeline, organized a talent hunt event for the advancement of sports and the good associated with it, and begun discussions for a Business and Investment Summit expected to take place in both countries this year, while working on Government-to-Government transactions of interest to both nations.

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Part of the mandate of the Mission is to promote people-topeople engagement between Nigeria and Burundi. Can you share some of the Embassy's plan towards promoting P-2-P engagement between both countries?

We have set out programs that will promote this strategy. As aforementioned, we intend to have a NigeriaBurundi Business Summit that will allow for investors from Nigeria come to Burundi and access the investment opportunities that are available in Burundi and vice-versa.

Burundi is virgin in many respects and therefore presents opportunities in mechanized agriculture, real estate investment – commercial and residential, ICT, mining, tourism and entertainment. We hope that Nigerian investors will find these sectors interesting enough for investment to flow in this direction.

Similarly, we will also expect the Burundian Government to provide a friendly investment atmosphere to aid this cooperation. In the timebeing, we have gone ahead to discuss with some notable Nigerian investors and have received a couple businessmen in the tourism and commercial sectors who have expressed their intention to commence business engagements.

On the Nigerian side, it sells us well as a Big Brother, showing practical interest in the progress of other African Nations by shining the light on their positive attributes, for global relevance, African unity and future co-operations.

Africa holds the world's largest reservoir of young people.

How in your view can Nigeria and Burundi explore the unique talents that abound in our young people?

Young people express their talents in entertainment, ICT, sports and arts amongst others. In the entertainment and creative arts sector, works are in the pipeline for collaborations. Nigerians are very creative and dynamic people while Burundians are very structured and disciplined.

This provides substantial opportunities for partnership in several spaces such as fashion, manufacturing, agricultural production and processing raw materials to finished goods.

These areas open massive doors to curb our unemployment challenges, a major problem with managing our youth. As we explore further bilateral agreements between our two nations, new opportunities will continue to unfold.

The Embassy recently hosted the RunBuja as a way of using sports to promote corporation between Nigeria and Burundi. How has this helped to foster deeper corporations

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The RunBuja Event was a concept developed based on the existing culture observable by any interested body in the country, in this case, the Nigerian Embassy. Burundians of all ages engage in running everyday for various reasons including healthy living, fitness for work or crisis management, bonding to foster peace and unity, and economic management of transportation cost. So organizing an event in line with the people's natural skill served as a low hanging fruit for support. The goal of the event which is expected to take place annually, is to discover new talents who could go on to represent the nation on the international stage, thus improving the global image of the country and providing economic gains as well.

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On my 90th day in office as the Head of Mission, we held the inaugural session of the Nigeria- Burundi Joint Commission and in the process, executed two important bilateral agreements on Political Consultation and Educational Cooperation. We commenced discussion on Trade & Investment agreement, Technical Air Corps and Diplomatic Agreements – the Latter will allow for diplomatic and official passport holders travel to both counties without entry visa. I am also happy to announce that we commenced the implementation of the agreement on Education Cooperation as some Professors from University of Uyo are currently with the University of Burundi on exchange program. We also look forward to the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) and our expectation is that it will pave way to having a direct flight to and from both countries. These activities as well as our social media interactions have served to open the minds of investors to the vast opportunities that abound in trade between both countries ahead of the Trade & Investment Agreement and our planned Business and Investment Summit.

between both countries?

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Part of your fast task was the launching of the NigeriaBurundi Joint Commission to improve trade and investments between both countries. How has this fared in promoting trade between both countries?

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CHRONICLES OF

US - BURUNDI RELATIONS (1962-2021)

A landlocked country in East Africa, Burundi is a lowincome economy where 80% of the population are employed in the agricultural sector. Surrounded by Rwanda to the North, Tanzania to the East, the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the West, it is bordered by Lake Tanganyika to the Southwest. With a population of 11.8 million, of which 50.4% (2019) are women. It is one of the most densely populated countries in the Great Lake region.

POLITICAL CONTEXT

conflict; several governments were installed through coups.

The 2000 Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Agreement provided a negotiated settlement framework that, along with later ceasefire agreements, led to the end of the 19932006 civil war. In 2015, there were protests in the capital followed by a failed coup d'etat following the former President Nkurunziza's announcement to seek a third presidential term. The United States, along with other Western nations, strongly criticized the 2015 election in which president Nkurunziza defiantly sought a third term plunging the country into violence in which 1,200 people died.

Following the gain of independence by Burundi from Belgium in 1962, the United States recognized the Kingdom of Burundi on July 1, 1962 and established diplomatic Relations have remained tense since then, with former relations with Burundi through a letter sent on June 28, 1962 President Barack Obama's administration booting Burundi from president John F. Kennedy to his Majesty Mwami out of a deal that gives African nations preferential access to Mwambutsa IV. However, the country experienced political the US market if they respected democracy. The resulting assassinations, ethnic violence, and cyclical periods of armed

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violence, political and economic crises led to massive refugee flows to neighboring countries. Evariste Ndayishimiye was declared the victor of the May 2020 presidential elections and will succeed Nkurunziza, who died unexpectedly on June 8, 2020.

The United States supports the achievement of longterm stability, prosperity and good governance in Burundi through broad, inclusive reconciliation; humanitarian assistance, economic growth, and the promotion of political openness and expansion of democratic freedoms. The United States seeks to facilitate Burundi's deeper integration into regional and international markets to promote sustainable economic development.

In the 2020 first biennial report to Congress by the U.S. Trade Representative, Burundi's eligibility for the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) was suspended in October 2015, with no change in status. The United States has signed trade and investment framework agreements with the East African Community (EAC) in 2008 and with the Common Market for Eastern and Sothern Africa (COMESA) IN 2001. Burundi is a member of both regional organizations. The primary U.S. exports to Burundi include computer and electronic products. The United States imports coffee and other agricultural products from Burundi.

In 2019, Burundi GDP was an estimated $3.6 billion (current market exchange rates) real GDP was up by an estimated

Burundi and the United States belong to a number of the same international organizations including, the United Nations (UN), International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank, and World Trade Organization (WTO). Burundi maintains an embassy in the United States at Suite 408,2233 Wisconsin Ave. Washington, DC 20007.

ECONOMIC RELATIONS The economy of Burundi is heavily dependent on agriculture, which accounted for 32.9% of GDP in 2008, and have a very poor manufacturing sector. Agriculture supports more than 70% of the labour force, most of whom are subsistence farmers. Although Burundi is potentially selfsufficient in food production, the ongoing civil unrest, overpopulation and soil erosion have contributed to the contraction of the subsistence economy by 25%.

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The 2000 Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Agreement provided a negotiated settlement framework that, along with later ceasefire agreements, led to the end of the 1993-2006 civil war.

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1.8% and the population was 12 million (source, IMF).

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Burundi is currently the U.S. 206th largest goods trading partner with $12million in total (two way) goods trade during 2019. Goods exported totaled $2million, goods imported total $ 10million. The U.S. goods trade deficit with Burundi was $8 million in 2019. Burundi was also the United States' 213th largest goods export market in 2019. U.S. total exports of agricultural products to Burundi totaled $899 thousand in 2019. The top import categories in 2019 were; coffee, tea and spice, ores, slag and ash.

HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE Through USAID, the majority of U.S. foreign assistance in Burundi contributes to improving the health status of the Burundian population and responds to urgent humanitarian needs. Through programs that support the government of Burundi's efforts to combat HIV/AIDS and malaria, improve maternal and child health, and reduce the high rate of chronic malnutrition, the United States is the largest donor working toward improved health outcomes in Burundi. Not only do they save lives, they empower communities to become more self-reliant by preparing them for disasters before they strike- and by giving them the tools and ability to respond.

In 2019 and 2020, the United States has already provided more than $45 million in emergency humanitarian assistance for Burundi. U.S. foreign assistance also promotes private sector -led economic growth, emphasizing agricultural value chains like coffee to reinforce profits and livelihoods for tens of thousands of families. At the same time, U.S. development assistance prioritizes women and youth, increasing women's access to ownership of productive assets and fostering job skills among youth who might otherwise turn fewer savory activities to making a living. These investments are foundational to ensuring that all members of society can participate in Burundi's development and progress.

The U.S. embassy's Office of Security Cooperation (OSC)manages a Department of Defense HIV/AIDS prevention program and supports the professionalization of the Burundi National Defense Force (BNDF). BNDF contingents deployed to the African Union Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) receive peacekeeping operations training. In addition, OSC has contributed more than $ 100,000 worth of critical medical supplies and equipment to Burundian hospitals fighting the outbreak of COVID -19, responding more quickly than any other U.S. government entity.

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Burundi has experienced a difficult economic situation over the last couple of years, which has caused both fiscal and balance of payment difficulties. To compensate for the loss of external resources, the government has strongly mobilized internal resources, but this has not been sufficient to meet an ever-increasing social demand, driven by sustained population growth. The shock linked to the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted a still fragile economic recovery and intensified macroeconomic imbalances.

Although Burundi is potentially self-sufficient in food production, the ongoing civil unrest, overpopulation and soil erosion have contributed to the contraction of the subsistence economy by 25%.

AFRICANLEADERSHIP MAGA ZINE

DIPLOMATIC WATCH

TANZANIA, BURUNDI Sign $900 Million Railway Deal to Boost Trade Ÿ The two East African nations to jointly seek financing Ÿ Tanzania wants to become regional trade, transport hub

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Tanzania and Burundi have signed an agreement to build a $900 million railway that will connect the neighboring East African nations.

The two sides signed a memorandum of understanding to construct a 282-kilometer (175-mile) line from the western Tanzanian town of Uvinza to Burundi's capital Gitega. Finance and transport ministers from the two countries signed the deal in the western Tanzanian town of Kigoma on Sunday, Tanzania's finance ministry said in a statement.

Tanzania, which wants to become a regional trade and transport hub, is building a standard gauge railway line to connect the port of Dar es Salaam to landlocked neighbors, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Culled from https://www.bloomberg.com/

By Fumbuka Ng’Wanakilala

The two governments will jointly seek financing for the railway, Tanzania Finance Minister Mwigulu Nchemba said, adding that the final cost “will likely not exceed $900 million.” He didn't provide details on the source of financing.

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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

INTERVIEW

ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN ENGINEERING: THAT'S THE FUTURE

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To be prepared to enter the workforce and thrive in this everchanging global economy, engineers need to be able to collaborate effectively as leaders, in teams, and with their peers. In addition to their technical and analytical expertise, they need to be flexible, resilient, creative, empathetic, and have the ability to recognize and seize opportunities (NAE 2004; Sheppard et al. 2008). All these skills can and should be taught to engineers as part of their formal education. It is thus the responsibility of engineering educators to instill these qualities in students to enable them to be more innovative and entrepreneurial.

Entrepreneurship education teaches engineering students in all disciplines the knowledge, tools, and attitudes that are required to identify opportunities and bring them to life by providing solutions. Students who take part in entrepreneurship programs as undergraduates gain insights not available from traditional engineering education, such as understanding and designing for end users(“empathy”), working in and managing interdisciplinary teams, communicating effectively, thinking critically, understanding business basics, and solving open-ended problems (ABET 1995; NAE 2004)

If we are able to achieve one or two unicorns in this country it could be one of our biggest investments.

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One astounding gentleman in this field of engineering is Mr. Jorge Appiah a Technopreneur and Africa Tech policy Expert with a background in Electrical/ Electronic Engineering (BSc) Business Administration (MBA) and Renewable energy (MSc). He is the CEO/Cofounder of Solar Taxi Ghana which is championing affordable clean transportation to facilitate free movement of Africans through the local assembling and manufacturing of Solar vehicles. Solar Taxi is a scaled-up project from Mastercard Foundation innovation grant and working to scale green transportation for green jobs in Africa over the next 10 years. In an interview with African Leadership Magazine’s Janet Quainoo, we get details about his tech journey and the way forward in the global tech space.

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It is an exciting time in the world to be an engineer. In recent decades, the engineering workforce has helped make substantial advances in communications, health, defense, infrastructure and manufacturing (Blue et al., 2005), and the time between the emergence of new technologies and their implementation has steadily declined (Kurzweil 2001).

Opportunities and challenges continue to require engineers to literally invent the future by developing breakthrough technologies that solve global problems and enhance the quality of life.

INTERVIEW

Tell us about your tech journey? How did it start?

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I was always enthusiastic about technology.

Growing up in a remote area without some basic social amenities that people often take for granted especially electricity, it led me to venture into engineering while growing up. I was very curious and had the desire to solve the problem in my community. I had the opportunity to attend senior high school at Pope Johns senior high in the Eastern Region and read science. Fast forward I furthered my education at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and read engineering. It was the best foot forward. The passion to go back to my community and find solutions to some of the problems led me to venture into engineering and basically find solutions to the problems we faced in our community and provide electricity for my grandma.

What were the biggest initial hurdles in your entrepreneurial journey? And how did you overcome them?

Well, the biggest hurdle for me was not having that initial support especially financial support. We need to produce hence if you don't get the support to buy products you will need for manufacturing, it becomes a bit difficult. I have friends who would have loved to enter the engineering field but because there is lack of much support, most drifted to other fields. It takes a lot of commitment to stay in the engineering field. And this for me has being the most difficult since my tech journey.

You have contributed significantly to local manufacturing engineering, what does that mean to you? What is the prospect of the industry?

Well, I think manufacturing is a thing we need as a country and a continent. It is what we need right now as there is the need for us to add value to our products.

We also have a huge number of youth and we need to create jobs for them. Therefore, manufacturing is the way to go. It helps us to create meaningful jobs for the young people. We design and assemble electric vehicles here in Ghana and that is creating a lot of jobs for people. We have close to about 60% of our employees as females. For us been able to do this is something that is benefitting us as a people and its greater beyond what we are doing. We are able to create value locally, and have control over designing to build better products and we are creating jobs for the youth. This is what we really need to look at.

What informed the formation of the Ghana Tech Lab? And how far have you come with achieving the objectives?

Well, Ghana Tech Lab came about actually to basically look at how do we decentralize technology across the country, access to technological skills and digital entrepreneurship. So, Ghana Tech Lad was

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designed to be an ecosystem hub, so that its able to support various hubs across the country. And then, we use our resources and scale up on how to get the support to the various hubs and provide access to digital skills. Information technology program used to be just in Accra, Kumasi and sometimes Takoradi. But through Ghana Tech Lab we have been able to reach the 16 regions and for some areas we are the first to grant them access to digital skills or digital entrepreneurship. Some places include Damba, Wale Wale,Wa, Bolga among others. And this is a great opportunity for what we are doing to scale up to access to digital skills and help people find solutions to problems.

You started something on KNUST campus with the college of engineering students, tells us about it?

When I was in school (KNUST) second year, we started something called “the Creativity group”. It was basically a platform where students could come and innovate. And we were able to build a lot of innovative products like space satellites, drones among other things and we were able to scale up from there to other parts of the country as well as universities. We have close to about seven universities where they run our programs and we give students the opportunity to apply whatever they learn in the classroom.

Ghana's natural resources has pushed its growth much. The new mantra is data or technology is the new oil and gold. What is your assessment of Ghana's preparedness to take advantage og the global tech space?

I think we have an opportunity to invest strongly in this field.

I always see the space as the way we see our natural resources like gold. By doing that we are able to invest adequately as some of the biggest companies in the world are all digital based and are making it big. If we are able to achieve one or two unicorns in this country it could be one of our biggest investments. We can take Indian for example and see that they have invested so much into Information Technology (IT) and they are reaping the benefits now. And this was an investment they made about 10 years ago. So, you now see most Indians heading the big Tech companies. So investment in IT is the way forward and it's the way to go. Therefore, we need to act towards it and do something that will demonstrate that indeed technology is the future. government need to invest in the youth and provide digital devices like the laptop and providing

When I was in school (KNUST) second year, we started something called “the Creativity group”. It was basically a platform where students could come and innovate

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INTERVIEW

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Well, I think the future is great, because our era we didn't get such an opportunity. Now you can sit in your room and become a millionaire with just your phone or laptop. And these are great opportunities. As a youth, be committed, diligent, focused and dedicated. Pick up a skill and be patient to see the results.

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This is a field we are in and we are looking at contributing our quarter to help move the world to a more sustainable transportation or mobility.

A future where we can achieve a global mobility without necessarily polluting our environment. We can see that a huge amount of pollution comes from the transport sector and this is something that need to be addressed.

We don't need to die by inhaling bad air from cars on the road. We don't need to pollute just to prosper. And that is what we are doing as a team in producing solar cars that speaks to the need of the African. We hope in the next 10 years we have about 30 to 40 % of the market share. We are very committed to achieve this.

learned, including the ability to act on opportunities, learn from failures, and solve problems as well as technical, business, interpersonal and communication skills.

Both in and outside the classroom, learning to be an entrepreneur requires a complex set of knowledge, skills and abilities (Nelson and Byers 2010). The defining characteristics of an entrepreneur is the ability to act on opportunities. Other key characteristics are drive, passion, resourcefulness and the belief that one can be successful.

An entrepreneur's mindset can be

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What do you make of the global energy transition aspiration?

What advice would you give to an upcoming youth or talent locally or internationally?

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access to internet.

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28 Feb. – 04 Mar. 2022 VENUE:

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For inquiries call: +44 23 92 658 276 or email: info@celdng.org

TECHNOVATION

SHADRACK KUBYANE

Bringing Innovation to Blockchain Technology

By Alkali Amana

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Blockchain has proven to be one of the revolutions of the 21st century, with its advent changing the world view on internet transaction and security. Although relatively new to the African continent, a business outfit that has taken a course to introduce this revolutionary technology to the continent is Coronet Blockchain, an enterprise led by co-founders Shadrack and Pretty Kubyane.

In this exclusive interview with African Leadership Magazine, Mr Kubyane provides insight into Coronet and its venture in the blockchain industry.

Kindly introduce yourself and give us some insight into your rich entrepreneurial background.

My early lived business experiences started from within a family business. Across the window of 8 years of age till 13, my mom started multiple businesses and handed them over to me to manage. My last corporate job was with Deloitte. Then I Co-Founded a management consulting firm with a specialty focus on market entry, growth and scaling businesses i.e., taking new products onto market and business expansions. One of those flagship projects breakthroughs led to the founding of Coronet Blockchain when we scaled an informal business from 500 USD to 2 million USD in 36 months leading to more brands requiring same success at scale.

You are very active in the blockchain industry as a leader and Cofounder of a visionary enterprise. What is the leadership structure of your enterprise like?

Our Coronet leadership structure exists across 4 categories.

Exco: this includes the co-Founders and Advisory board based here

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in Sandton South Africa.

Technical: we have a team of engineers, architects, design thinking and user experience across 5 countries via our seed capital funder, across South Africa, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, US, Egypt and London.

Research & Development: we work with 4 academic institutions across US and South Africa at Professorship level, students/interns, and a vast alumni network [in industry] for market validation and go to market strategies for map the trajectory of our solution across Africa & other markets.

Administration: which includes customer service and onboarding team within each country of delivery.

What inspired the creation of Coronet Blockchain, and what services do you offer that make your company stand out from other tech-based

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firms/companies within the African terrain?

We scaled a human hair extensions brand from 500 USD to 2 million USD within 36 months, which used to operate out of a chaotic taxi rank into a 4 bricks & mortar branches, from 2 employees to a team of 40. We set up 2 of those 4 branches inside 5-star hotels.

That is when multiple brands across Africa approached us, demanding the same success story. We then deemed it fit, after carrying out a continent-wide due diligence, to set out to create a category level solution to deliver transformation at scale. Our blockchain enabled marketplace solution focuses on product provenance, access to market through eCommerce and business sustainability by providing business systems such as client bookings, smart procurement, inventory management.

Where on the continent do you carry out business operations and what is your target for Africa with your business model and operations, considering the opportunities available and how well they can be utilized to help the continent achieve global

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status?

Our priority focus from the beginning has been designing supply chain solutions for the Africa continent.

However, we have been approached by a number of regions that are outside Africa. With that being said, even though we have a global strategy our solution infrastructure is being finalised to pave way to set up in multiple countries, beyond South Africa.

Particularly: South Africa as a base, then Nigeria, Ethiopia, Kenya, Ghana, and others.

What is the level of visibility you hope for your company to achieve in the coming years and what strategic measures are you putting in place to realize this plan?

There are developmental milestones that our venture through leveraging blockchain is aligned to enable or make attainable for the economies within which we operate.

Attaching wheels to practically help operationalise The Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), by reconfiguring supply chains, into see through transparent supply chains that are equitable and inclusive. Secondly:

our model, apart from being profitable, also fulfils 9 out of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as we level the playfield for the small to medium size business, as they engage big businesses.

What level of security does Digital Blockchain Infrastructure offer and how did you realize that it is a viable means to be used in achieving continental growth for Africa?

I and my co-founder, who happens to be my wife, come from a village upbringing. From early on, we built an appreciation and a deeper sense of community; it is in our DNA. Furthermore, I was born at the intersection of 3 regions within South Africa (known as Provinces), so I am a born diplomat. Secondly: our passion for Africa and strategy/growth muscle memory, has always enabled us to have scale capacity and to cultivate a Pan Africa facing world view, with a commitment to improving lives, beyond profits, not as an after-thought but a tangible daily focus in all we do. Thirdly, our journey with AfCFTA ecosystems dates back to 2017, where we have had a front -row seat on the ratification of

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the agreement, and naturally, we looked for ways to aid its implementation once our solution architect began taking shape.

The leveraging of Africa's youthful population is key if we are to respond to the job creation demands, not only today but down the line. In 718 Saturdays from today, Africa's population will double from the current 1 billion to 2 billion, by 1 Jan 2035. Would that be double the problems or double the opportunities? Our inclusiveness to have women and youth participate in our economies with all hands-on deck is critical.

Blockchain is a collaborative technology, meaning as a Truth Machine and a Trust Machine: blockchain reveals your development matrix, and financial inclusion in real time, no need for surveys that take months, in seconds you will

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Our blockchain enabled marketplace solution focuses on product provenance, access to market through eCommerce and business sustainability by providing business systems such as client bookings, smart procurement, inventory management.

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through the Blockchain grid, determine the who (involvement), the what (volumes and quality) and fairness (fair trade) and equitability across your entire value chains, macro and micro supply chains. To ensure that a united On the safety element: Blockchains, at inception, rely Africa is not a myth but a measurable reality, as we leap-frog heavily on cryptography to achieve their data security. Given what legacy economies have in place, blockchain as an that the hash of each block is generated based on both the emerging tech is positioning Africa to not do things the data contained within that block and the hash of the conventional way by way of heavy investments in quality previous block. These hash identifiers play a major role in assurance, etc., but transcend those frameworks, at scale, ensuring blockchain security and immutability. Think of one value chain at a time.

Blockchain as being more of a community than a technology: meaning the tech components simply enable or Yes: blockchain across the globe, has for the last 10 achieve the collective community goals, thus a higher years, since the early use case via Bitcoin, has been trapped accountability. in that crypto currency comfort position, into more use cases beyond crypto. We are seeing a scenario where more use As an enthusiast of the Free Trade Area and someone who is cases are coming onto the grid. We are in talks with keen on integrating blockchain to aid key sectors such as strategically placed Development Agencies to add agility to agriculture and production in Africa, how do you intend to increasing continental level awareness and adoption. blend and model your innovation with the AfCFTA to achieve maximum output for both your business and the continent? As an entrepreneur, what would you identify as Africa's biggest strength which can be leveraged on to compete on a We have a scenario here in Africa where for the past 400 global stage? years our continental supply chains and trade corridors have been overly reliant on raw materials supply type economic Resilience. Africans are as tough as nails and we should reliance, only to have those same raw materials come back never take that for granted. We have been through a lot in to African countries as finished goods, costing a lot more, the last 400 year which built unparalleled resilience into us. crippling these economies.

To punch beyond our weight, we must turn our pain into power, whilst we venture beyond what is possible to leverage Through AfCFTA: as countries leap towards deepening tech and available methodologies that were once foreign to involvement into value chains to shift towards being our known normal. We must unleash our innovative knowproducer economies, not consumer-based economies, a how and allow ourselves to see an Africa where multiple critical need is needed to add credentials, believability and generations work comfortably together. global grade supply chain efficiencies to these trade corridors for resilience, inclusion and sustainability.

As I mentioned in Ethiopia, we can no longer proffer solution for the youths or for women in their absence. We To pandemic proof our African economies, leveraging must insist on a co-creation reality where all groups within blockchain is necessary. One scenario: our joint food import society are in the solution cockpit, collaborating to shape bill currently is seating at 35 billion USD, with 1 billion that Africa we want. We cannot have a scenario where the citizens, and yet: if technology and priority investments in millennials are pitted against the boomers or older agricultural infrastructure are not made, we will have that bill generation. No pointing fingers, no bias towards tech, or grow to 100 billion USD by 2025. That is too much reliance automation anxiety, we must lower the walls and see a on foreign economies for our daily sustenance. Blockchain culture where the old and new converge emerge. will demonstrate exactly where our corridors are fractured, gaps and inequalities, as well as enabling decision making towards restorative measures whilst ensuring that the 99% small to medium businesses get to tangibly benefit from AfCFTA agreement, well beyond the 1% big businesses. The three Ts of Blockchain: Truth, Transparency, Traceability are valuable to enabling overdue supply chain reforms at scale.

CLIMATE CHANGE

Africa on the Brinks:

Climate Change and the Gender Question

By Khadija Yusra Sanusi

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Last month, a group of my Year 7 students asked me what climate change means and why it's a big deal. I did not know how to explain. So, as a realist, I said: “Some human activities – deforestation, car exhaust, fuel consumption, etc – add more carbon dioxide to the environment. When there is much carbon dioxide in the environment and not enough oxygen – because there aren't enough trees to breathe in the carbon dioxide – the climate begins to change by getting hotter because of the high level of carbon dioxide.”

This was followed by a series of advice to plant more trees, recycle, going green, etc.

into higher levels of extreme poverty.” They explain that there are several factors that contribute to Africa's vulnerability. In fact, they argue that seven of the 10 countries that are most vulnerable to climate change are African countries.

In 2015, four African countries were reported on the list of the 10 countries most affected by climate change; these were Ghana and Madagascar ( joint 8th position), Malawi (3rd position) and Mozambique (1st position). Al Jazeera also reports that Africa's 54 countries are collectively responsible for less than 4 percent of greenhouse gas Ironically, according to the African Development Bank emissions, yet the continent (as a whole) is warming up Group, Africa is the vulnerable continent for climate change, faster and more than the global average. According to them, despite its relatively low contribution to greenhouse gas research by the World Meteorological Organization emissions. They argue: “Despite having contributed the least observed that the glaciers of Mount Kilimanjaro of Tanzania, to global warming and having the lowest emissions, Africa Mount Kenya and the Rwenzori Mountains in Uganda are faces exponential collateral damage, posing systemic risks to shrinking. “Mount Kenya is expected to be deglaciated a its economies, infrastructure investments, water and food decade sooner, which will make it one of the first entire systems, public health, agriculture, and livelihoods. This mountain ranges to lose glaciers due to human-induced threatens to undo its modest development gains and slip climate change,” World Meteorological Organization reports.

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Therefore, not only is Africa disadvantaged when it comes to climate change, African women are even more so than African men. Dazé's solution is the inclusion of African women – especially those in environments most affected by climate change – in relevant conversations, on decisionmaking tables and in government positions where they can make significant contributions to the development of their environments. For example, in December 2021, Abdulrahman Abdulrazak, the Governor of Kwara state in North Central Nigeria, introduced the “Political Offices (Gender Composition) Bill”. The law, the first of its kind across the country, orders at least 35 percent of the seats in the state executive council and other classes of political appointments to be given to women indigenes of the state.

In addition, under the leadership of President Paul Kagame in 2018, Rwanda was leading the world in the number of women in National Legislature. Women were holding 64 percent of the seats in the lower house of the country's national legislature – followed by 53 percent in Bolivia, 49 percent in Cuba, 44 percent in Seychelles and Sweden. No other African country came close.

Apart from gender inclusion in those countries, what else can be done to change the narrative and the status quo?

According to Charles A. Ray – a member of the Board of Trustees and Chair of the Africa Program at the Foreign Policy Research Institute – there are “some priority action items” that should be taken to reduce the impact of Climate Change on Africa's economies. He proposed seven action plans, which are:

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Promote sustainable growth, especially in rural communities.

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Promote climate-friendly agriculture, such as efficient, clean energy and micro-irrigation.

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Provide easy access to weather and climate information, especially to women who make up a large percentage of the agricultural workforce and are the most vulnerable.

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Substantially increase investment in agricultural research. Africa currently has 17 percent of the world's population and is heavily dependent on agriculture, but only receives four percent of investment in agricultural research from all sources, including donors or internal government budgets. An increased investment in research will provide a better understanding of Africa's climate and the impact of climate change. The bulk of this research, though it might be primarily internationally funded, should be done by Africans.

6.

Provide broad and sustained support for food security and expanded access to health care, with emphasis on the most vulnerable.

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Increase Intra-African cooperation to manage conflict and provide disaster relief.

There is so much to be done by individuals, governments, and communities to help climate change across the world, but it begins with how women are seen and treated in Africa and in the world. The woman who has to wake up at 5am to fetch water for her family is more affected by climate change than the woman who has access to the world with the snap of her fingers. Likewise, the woman in a rural area is more affected by climate change than the woman living in an urban area. So while we can save the world by planting more trees, recycling, contributing less and less to greenhouse gases, we also need to save the world by saving our women, saving ourselves.

According to the African Development Bank Group, Africa is the vulnerable continent for climate change, despite its relatively low contribution to greenhouse gas emissions.

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Factor weather-driven migration into the design and construction of urban areas.

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According to her, “People have different adaptation needs, depending on where they live, how they sustain their livelihoods, and the roles they play in their families and communities. There are socially determined differences too – in opportunities, responsibilities, and decision-making power – and all of these influence how vulnerable people are to climate change. Without understanding these dynamics – which are often influenced by gender – there is a risk that the people with the greatest need for adaptation will be left out. Effective adaptation considers the different needs of women and men, as well as marginalized groups, to ensure that investments are targeted where they are needed most.

The reality in many countries is that women are underrepresented in decision-making in areas relevant to climate change adaptation. For example, in many African countries, the number of women in senior positions in the government is concerningly small and at the household level, decisionmaking power still often rests with men.”

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So, why are African countries disadvantaged when it comes to climate change? According to International Institute for Sustainable Development's Angie Dazé, people experience climate change differently. Daze explained that a person's environment – and possibly even their social and economic standing – affects their experience with climate change. A livestock herder in the Ethiopian lowlands, she argued, has a much different experience of climate change than a civil servant in Addis Ababa, just as a woman in a poor rural household has a different experience of climate change than her husband.

EDUCATION

EDUCATION IN A POST-PANDEMIC CONTEXT:

THE CASE OF BURUNDI

By Janet Quainoo

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Free and compulsory education with the needed political backing has been the winning strategy behind Burundi's successful bid to ensure that all children in the country get access to primary school education.

Burundi recently adopted a new educational system called “ecole fondamentale”, where children are encouraged to be more creative and competitive, to enable them to rub shoulders with their peers in the East African community.

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The United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, in a recent report, revealed that Burundi emerged tops in the list of countries that are making exceptional strides in education, although it remains one of the poorest countries in the world. The fact that Burundi is just coming out from a devastating civil war during which schools were often targeted makes the progress chalked in education even more remarkable. Johannes Wedenig (UNICEF's representative in Burundi) said, “it is an example of government taking in charge the question of education and especially of the universality of education”. According to the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), the percentage of children in school in Burundi increased from 59% in 2005 to 96% in 2011.

Burundi recently adopted a new educational system called “ecole fondamentale”, where children are encouraged to be more creative and more competitive, to enable them to rub shoulders with their peers in the East African community. The pedagogy of this system is participatory, with students at the centre of learning and teachers acting as facilitators. There is a necessity to increase budgets allocation to the education sector, particularly regarding access to preschool continuing teachers' education and the construction of new primary schools.

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While schools and universities in neighbouring countries and worldwide were closed, Burundi continued to carry out academic work in schools. The academic year which began in September 2019 ended in July 2020 without interruption, except for a few private schools that were closed. Thus, the corona pandemic has not affected the way classes are conducted. They required mask- wearing and strict hand- washing. Observance of physical spacing among pupils in Burundi has not been a hurdle since the country has fewer pupil per class in the international schools compared to other countries. When some schools shut down the last school year without approval, this triggered a warning from the authorities.

Throughout this pandemic period, classrooms in public schools in Burundi have remained as open and full as ever.

There are up to 100 students in a class in Burundi's public schools, with three sharing one bench. They wore no nose masks and there was no keeping of distance. These protocols were only compulsory in churches in the country.

From the beginning of 2021, the number of people infected with COVID-19 increased again in Burundi. When the second term of schools began, 140 new cases were recorded in one week. Burundi again closed its borders to shipping and land transportation. Only goods transported by truck are still allowed into the country. Air travelers, have to show a negative COVID-19 test on entry and another one after six days quarantine, which is obligatory for all arrivals into the country. The Ministry of Health organized a free rapid mass testing after the hike in recorded cases at three locations in Bujumbura, the largest city in the country. The campaign started on January 2021 and lasted 30 days.

Inspite of all these challenges, classes still continue in Burundi, while the government is calling on Burundians to adhere to covid protocols including wearing a face mask which is now recommended in schools but not compulsory.

Wearing of face masks is compulsory on public transport.

The Cubahiro International School in Bujumbura recorded its first corona case in January 2021, which compelled the school administrators to shut down the school for two

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The Director of ECW Yasmine Sherif, said, “The children and youth of Burundi deserve the safety, protection, hope and opportunity that quality education environments provide. This is their inherent human right. By investing in education for every girl and boy in Burundi, we are investing in the young people, their future as well as in economic security, peace and sustainable development as the nation arises from the multiplying shocks of climate change, conflict, COVID-19, displacement and socio –economic instability”.

The minister of National Education and Scientific Research of Burundi, Professor Francois Havyarimana, said, “In Burundi, the education sector is severely lacking in resources, but the government is committed to coordinating humanitarian initiatives to support its effort to implement reforms in this sector with the objective of quality education for all. While these reforms have created enormous needs in terms of both human and financial resources, including a large number of teachers with a better capacity to respond to the increase in the number of learners and to changes in the curriculum, climate -induced disasters have repeatedly damaged educational facilities, worsening the situation. The Burundi government and ministry of education are honored to partner ECW and its

The Burundi government and ministry of education are honored to partner ECW and its partners UNICEF and World Vision to ensure continuity of learning to Burundian children, particularly, the most vulnerable who are affected by the recurrent humanitarian crises”.

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The interconnected crises of COVID -19, Climate change and conflict has left about 1.9 million children and adolescents out of school in Burundi. In response to this corresponding crisis, the Education Cannot Wait (EWC), and the UN's Global Fund for Education in emergencies and protracted crises announced a US$12million in catalytic seed funding to roll out the first Multi-Year Resilience Programme in the country. Delivered in coordination with the government of Burundi by consortia led by World Vision International and UNICEF, the three-year programme seeks to mobilize an additional US$ 18 million from the public and private donors. The ECW seed funding grant will reach more than 130,000 girls and boys, half of whom are girls. The fully funded project will also benefit more than 300,000 children and adolescents impacted by the interconnected crises in the country.

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COVID-19 was first recorded in Burundi in early March 2020. However, schools remained open from primary to university levels. After two people died from the disease, Burundi closed its borders. No one could get in or out of Burundi for five months by plane, boat or land. On 8th November 2020, the authorities opened their borders again.

Burundi's government has only introduced protective measures solely to fight covid-19, focusing on thorough handwashing with soap and water. Schools were however provided with chlorinated water, soap and other disinfectants.

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To improve the quality of education in Burundi, UNICEF continued to support the Ministry of Education to reform its educational curriculum and develop its teacher training and early learning strategies. They also continued building and renovating the country's inclusive schools and distributing school materials to vulnerable children through the “Back to School” campaign held every September.

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partners UNICEF and World Vision to ensure continuity of learning to Burundian children, particularly, the most vulnerable who are affected by the recurrent humanitarian crises”.

The UNICEF Representative, John Agbor said “UNICEF has been in Burundi since 1967, accompanying the government in the realization of every child's right., including the fundamental right to education. Notable progress has been made in basic social sectors, including education – especially in terms of girl's enrollment rates and school attendance. However, these positive results are being threatened by the multi-faceted crises. Internal displacements, the effects of climate change, COVID-19 and other endemic diseases negatively impact children's schooling. It is urgent to curb school interruptions, which

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are a source of dropout. This multi-year programme will support learning continuity for all children in target provinces. It will also reduce the risk of exploitation and strengthen the resilience of vulnerable families, particularly girls and women. Through capacity building in negotiation, health and well-being management, and access to economic opportunities”.

Burundi is on its way to meeting the Millennium Development Goal of achieving education for all. The end is certainly worth the effort considering that access to basic education is a right no matter the challenges.

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In 2020, Okyeame Kwame eulogized Kinaata for being a fantastic songwriter after listening to “Adam and Eve”, a song composed

by Kinaata. Okyeame Kwame, who was marvelled by the kind of language and wordplay used in King Arthur's song, described him as an inspiration to the next generation of songwriters.

Today, the name Kinaata is synonymous with wordplay, craftiness, good music, and a

MUSIC AS A LANGUAGE TOOL ANALYZING THE WORKS OF

KOFI KINAATA

By Janet Qainoo

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In 2016, the English department of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology adopted one of Kofi Kinaata's songs for a level 200 Semester Course. The song “Confession” was adopted because of the lyrical dexterity and wordplay used by Kinaata.

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Ghana's most popular musical genres are jazz, rock, pop, folk, hip life, dancehall, afro beat, and hi life music. In all these genres, Kofi Kinaata stands tall. Born Martin King Arthur on April 13,1990, Kofi Kinaata rose to prominence in the Ghanaian music scene after being featured in “Odo Pa”, a song released by Castro in 2013. Since then, the Fante rap god has not looked back. So far, the versatile rapper has over 15 singles to his credit. Notable among them are “made in Taadi”, Sweetie pie”, Confession”. “Things fall apart” and “By Grace”.

ENTERTAINMENT

house hold name. What sets Kinaata apart from the rest is his ability to calm the tide while others move with it. He has firm control over lyrics – needless to say; his lyrics are topnotch and a-plus rated.

Kinaata is also synonymous with consistency and in this regard, has a pedigree of relating to the daily Ghanaian struggle via his lyrics. The climax is his appeal to both his contemporaries and the oldies.

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Decency is the hallmark of his music videos in an industry hoodwinked by the craving desire for trends, unfortunately, driven by nudity inspired music videos for sales and popularity.

Thus far, the Takoradi Technical Institute graduate has close to a dozen of hit songs to his credit- notably amongst which are Susuka, Things fall apart, Time no dey, Single and Free, Confession, the Crusade, No place like home and a host of many others.

These hits are pure lesson notes, being one of a few celebrities to have earned the plaudits to have their lyrical contents up for assessment by students of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and the University of Ghana, Legon, as part of their semester evaluations.

The title of this new song immediately brings to the mind of any literature student or African novel lover, Chinua Achebe's popularly known novel of the same title which portrayed a protagonist who did not want to accept the changes of the colonial era, especially with the coming of a new religion and education. It is however clear from the lyrics that he is referring to falling standards of morals in today's Ghana. And he chooses to use a familiar ground – church members and leaders – to channel his message.

His refrain which translates in English as “And so is this how we are worshipping God?” is the rhetorical question directed to the church in Ghana and the Christians in Ghana.

The title is mentioned once in the song when he refers to the churches with schools that their members cannot afford.

It is absurd and really goes to support his claim that things have indeed fallen apart there.

The introductory lines are profound and attest to Kinaata's skills as a songwriter. Without saying much, he makes use of metonymy and imagery and paints a picture of double standards of most church members in Ghana. As depicted in the poster for the song, a black man holds up the alcoholic bottle that is laced with the rosary. In Ghana, Fridays in the Christian circles are associated with all-night church services where the congregation is believed to be praying and warring against the devil who is blamed for all their problems.

At my first hearing of the song, I played with the idea that Kinaata may be addressing the colonial theme when he says that the colonial forces that brought the Bible also brought the alcohol. I wondered if he wanted to tackle the double standards from the colonial point. I settled with the opinion that he uses it as an extended metaphor to

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propagate his theme. The mention of the alcohol and Bible coming from the same source is first of all used as the excuse for living double standard life by those who are twofaced. Secondly, that all humans are capable of good as well as evil, but it is our responsibility to choose the right path.

Thirdly, that the colonial experience brought some good and also bad experiences and again, we should be able to discern and choose the good experience and use it for our development. In sum, we learn from the past, use it in the present and look forward onto the future.

With regard to the political setting, he bemoans corruption and the disservice to the citizens who voted these politicians into power. The reality of bad road networks that prevail in the country is given a mention and the floods that come with rains, rendering many homes inhabitable and some roads that cannot be plied after rains.

In the social setting such as educational institutions, the issue of “sex for grades” is brought to the light. A lot of these lecturers are Christians or Muslims whose religious tenets forbid such immoral actions. Kinaata also focuses on people who covert their fellow's partner (husband/wife) and properties to the point of shedding the blood of their neighbors in order to own what belongs to their neighbors.

Also mentioned are those who cannot be patient and work through the process to succeed but want everything on a silver platter and thus will resort to blood money to become rich.

I mentioned earlier that his sense of humour is an element that I find refreshing in his art. I will point out here some of the elements of humour that I find in the song.

Kinaata may not have meant to be humorous however, I found myself laughing from these. The first is the mention that on the Day of Judgment, God will have to make some considerations else he will have nobody in heaven. Of course, this is not something to laugh about if you believe in heaven. This implies the lack/falling of standards to a low level in modern times that God may have to lower his standards to get people in heaven.

In 2016, the English department of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology adopted one of Kofi Kinaata's songs for a level 200 Semester Course. The song “Confession” was adopted because of the lyrical dexterity and wordplay used by Kinaata.

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ENTERTAINMENT

He has also been a consistent feature of all the glamorous events recognizing the hardworking entertainers in the country and beyond.

He has won a little under thirty (30) with countless nominations since breaking onto the Ghanaian music scene around 2015. His So many people will not make the mark due to us falling short of his blistering career has seen him win 12 solid glory. Second is the mention of the Jehovah Witnesses. So many humorous nominations, winning 8 under 4 years at the stories abound on the topic of Jehovah witnesses especially with regard to coveted Ghana Music Awards – the premiere their persistence. But what is hilarious is the imagery of people running event which is organized every year to away from them and giving all sort of excuses to avoid them; a realistic recognize the Ghanaian music act. painting of today's society. Their attitude to propagating their gospel is I must say, admirable yet sometimes a bit intruding, for lack of a better word.

Some of his awarding-winning works are; Thirdly, the metaphor Kinaata uses in comparing husband snatchers is Susuka, Things fall Apart, Confession, Behind without doubt, a rib-cracker. the scene and Last show. It's our morality, the Kinaata compares them to plaster on a wound: that these “side chicks” stick so close unyieldingly to another woman's husband. Lastly, what many people find as a punch line, towards the end of the last verse, when Kinaata says, “Part-time Christian you want' fight full-time devil”. I agree that it is a heavy punch line and incredibly weighty with a truth while being humorous for its suggestion of part-time and full-time jobs. There is no winning for the part-time Christian.

Things Fall Apart is a song that describes the realities of a religious country struggling to find the thin line between morality and religion. The two can be confusing sometimes as clearly painted by the Kinaata's lyrics. It offers a pearl of subtle wisdom that only answers to the questions posed by Kinaata can uncover.

identity, the language and how it in tune rhymes with our way of life rhymical.

It is therefore of utmost priority for us to take deliberate steps to not only promote the genre but also our artists who have brace the odds to keep hi-life/hip life truly alive.

Our generation is fortunate to be blessed with a contemporary who has become a trail brazier in this regard. This is no other person but Martin King Arthur- known within showbiz circles as Kofi Kinaata.

Despite its many philosophical intakes, the song can be grooved to by those who prioritize instrumentals and those who consider content before taking a liking to songs alike. Both factions are in good luck. They will be delighted to sing along to the agreeable didactic content of the song while

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For his dedication to his act, and for not compromising on quality, Kofi Kinaata has consistently featured in almost all the highly-rated music charts in the country almost weekly.

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tapping their toes to the instrumentals. Kinaata does well to sing clearly, paying attention to diction so that listeners can hear and ultimately absorb his message.

TECHNOVATION

Innovations That Will Reshape African Businesses In 2022

By Walcott Aganu

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Today many businesses are still responding to changes in the business environment brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. The global crisis necessitated innovation, forcing many to rethink how they communicate with their customers and repackage product and service offerings for the new landscape – one that is defined by digital transformation.

According to Statista, 97% of respondents to a digital transformation survey stated that the pandemic sped up digital transformation processes in their respective organizations. Global spending on digital transformation is projected to reach $1.78 trillion in 2022. But in what ways will this transformation manifest?

The answer lies in technological trends that will shape the businesses of tomorrow.

There are more than 250 emerging technologies; however, artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR), blockchain, drones, Internet of Things (IoT), robotics, 3D printing, and virtual reality (VR) are likely to have the most significant business impact across industries.

These individual technologies are combining in transformative ways. While there are other promising technologies like quantum computing and nanotechnology, the most practical and profound impact in the next five years will continue to come from these ones.

Some, like AI, are becoming integral to every type of company.

Others, such as 3D printing, have been more concentrated in certain areas like manufacturing. But the difference is how they will work together to deliver this impact.

These technologies converge into powerful combinations like

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extended reality, hyperconnected networks, and automated trust.

Extended reality Augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR) are a continuum of immersive technologies housed under the umbrella term extended reality (XR), which can merge the physical and virtual worlds.

XR has major applications in the entertainment space, and in our everyday lives. Like our mobile phones, XR devices can be persistent, continuously providing information about the world around us. In the business realm, today AR and MR are being used as job aids and for training where data is used to enhance the user's physical world, while VR simulates environments for users to practice soft skills and jobskill techniques.

XR, which often uses AI in its applications and is experienced through IoT headsets or mobile devices, enables workers to practice risky tasks in a safe, realistic way. Examples include training pilots, educating oil rig workers on complicated safety procedures, teaching insurance adjusters to identify water, smoke and fire damage, and upskilling doctors to perform surgeries. XR technology can benefit virtually all industries by creating more efficient processes, enhancing training and offering ways for people to collaborate in a virtual environment. XR is

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TECHNOVATION

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VR can help business leaders upskill employees faster, even when training budgets may be shrinking, and inperson training may be off the table. It also enables multiple users to experience the same content but as a customized experience depending on their choices.

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Design teams can explore, test and evaluate different concepts without investing in physical prototypes. This can help organizations bring higher-quality products to market faster.

Hyperconnected networks Hyperconnected networks rely on an infrastructure of networks and IoT to process information at blistering speeds to intelligently connect numerous people, devices and systems. These technologies push connectivity further and processing faster than ever before, enabling seamless interactions between humans and autonomous systems.

Billions of IoT-connected endpoints, combined with the cloud, 5G and mesh networking, can create stable, highspeed, low-latency networks that serve as the backbones of larger-scale infrastructure, making connectivity ubiquitous.

Localized IoT device-to-device communication can produce AI-driven insights and responses, when and where they are needed, without involving the cloud. When processing time is not critical (and therefore does not need to be performed locally) data will be sent to the network through 5G, satellites, low-power wide area network (LPWAN) and other communication standards. Localized, efficient computing combined with continuous intelligence will enable business opportunities that previously had been considered many years away. Hyperconnected networks are making impact in areas such as: Ÿ

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Industrial companies in mining and construction management, among others, are using the Skycatch data platform to quickly survey sites through dronebased data collection and powered edge computing to generate 3D models locally.

Retailers can confirm that products can travel from a manufacturing plant to a warehouse to their retail stores as quickly and safely as possible with a connected supply chain.

Hyperconnected networks enable machine-to-machine interactions on a massive scale, which enables them to monitor their performance, optimize their operations and order parts before they break down.

As the volume of data continues to grow exponentially, it becomes increasingly essential to gather, distribute and house that data in a secure, scalable and accessible way — and that includes data sent from one machine to another.

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Automating trust To automate trust, Essential Eight technologies — especially blockchain, IoT and AI — can work together to ensure the authenticity of data, verify identities and enable secure multiparty transactions. Converged technologies can provide ways to automate trust in physical, digital and human assets.

In a typical example, IoT sensors can track a pallet of food from the time it leaves the farm to when it gets to the warehouse and then to the retail store, verifying the entire supply chain. This authenticates where a specific shipment is along the route, as well as the condition of the food during each leg of the journey: Is the shipping container becoming too hot, too cold or too humid? This information is recorded in a secure, immutable blockchain. Together, IoT and blockchain can create an immutable supply chain, ensuring that buyers are getting an authentic product that has not been damaged or switched along the way. These technologies can also verify whether a product that contains hazardous materials has been disposed of correctly and safely. The impact is already being felt. · Manufacturers can use automated trust to improve the security of their connected systems and devices, as well as their manufacturing facilities and equipment. · In the healthcare industry, physician networks and hospitals can use trusted tech to confirm each new clinician's credentials: educational history, licenses, regulatory history and more. · Utilities can use automated trust to confirm numerous contractors in a hurry when they have to hire extra crews to respond to a disaster. · Any industry can take advantage of tech-enabled corporate reporting to automate trust and improve transparency with investors, regulators and customers while reducing the potential for risk.

Trust is at the heart of all business and personal relationships. If employees, customers, investors, and communities can't trust the safety, security and privacy of data, systems and processes, your business will suffer.

Without trust and transparency, you also could be subject to regulatory and legal actions.

This wave of innovation promises to significantly expand our capacity to work smarter and more seamlessly with the use of technologies.

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Collaborative VR environments enable people to come together and interact, even when remote. This was a boon during the pandemic and PwC worked with many clients and held events, like our Emerging Tech Exchange, in collaborative VR.

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Hyperconnected networks — which include AI, IoT, blockchain and even drones — can handle data from diverse sources in a fast, efficient and secure way on a massive scale.

Hyperconnected networks are pushing closer and closer to ubiquitous connectivity. There will be persistent connectivity everywhere, with varying levels of transport: low power for low data and high throughput networks for mission-critical applications. Hyperconnected networks will create a world blanketed in connectivity with "dead spots" becoming a thing of the past.

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already making an impact in some of these areas:

HEALTH

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Africa Can't Rely On Wealthy Nations For Help In The Face Of Empty Promises And Vaccine Hoarding

By Peter Burdin

Put simply; vaccine inequality is costing developing world lives. This is the view of former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown who says wealthy G20 nations have monopolised 89% of jabs, at the expense of the world's poorest. Emphasising the scale of the problem, he said: "For every vaccine delivered as first vaccines in the poorest countries, six times as many doses are being administered as third and booster vaccines in the richest parts of the world". We have our fourth globally spreading variant two years on, yet our most vital preventative tool is still denied to billions.

The African continent is at the forefront of this disparity, with vaccination rates of around 9% of the continent's 1.2 billion population. In poorer African countries like Mali, that figure falls to 1.9%, in South Sudan to 1.4%, and desperately minute in DR Congo where just 0.1% of people have received jabs.

In Nigeria, one of Africa's wealthiest economies, the vaccination rate only slightly

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exceeds 2%. This comes while Western Europe reaches close to administering an average of 200 doses per 100 people. In light of this, former UK Vaccine Taskforce Head Clive Dix recently said “We must stop endlessly jabbing in wealthy countries while poorer countries go without".

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The disparity is so stark that it's prompted a senior member of the Mandela family to describe the lack of vaccination in Africa as "vaccine apartheid".

It wasn't supposed to be like this. When COVAX was launched, it aimed to drive equitable access to jabs and deliver 2.2 billion doses by January 2022. However, slow progress saw this target reduced to 1.4 billion. Large sounding numbers (which have still been missed) were never enough to get the job done, and G20 leaders knew this. Wealthy nations pledged to vaccinate at least 40% of people in every African country by last year. They have unequivocally failed, with only four countries on the mainland hitting that target.

According to African business leader Strive Masiyiwa, Africa has been deliberately sold short. In the early days of the Covid outbreak, the African Union appointed him to help procure vaccines. "This was a deliberate global architecture of unfairness", he says, "Covax's goals to provide enough vaccines to vaccinate 20% of our population in Africa while rich countries had a goal of 70%, so global distribution was unequal by design.

"Covax has delivered only a fraction of the doses it was supposed to. The people who bought the vaccines and those who sold them knew there would be nothing for us.

We had money, we were willing to pay in cash upfront, and they told us that they had sold all capacity for 2021. He concludes, therefore, that Africa must build its own vaccine production infrastructure. With at least a dozen production centres set up or in the pipeline across six African countries that's already happening.

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The disparity is so stark that it's prompted a senior member of the Mandela family to describe the lack of vaccination in Africa as "vaccine apartheid". Ndeleka Mandela, Nelson's eldest grand-daughter, said "The world needs to recognise that so long as some of us are vulnerable, all of us are. Vaccine apartheid mars the global public health landscape and explains why Covid has caused such disproportionate harm in poorer nations".

Morocco. The Egyptian government hopes their facility will produce a billion doses a year, whereas Senegal is seeing a $200m manufacturing facility built in partnership with the Pasteur Foundation.

According to Dr Seth Berkley, the CEO of Gavi, the vaccine alliance: "We are delighted to see united support from the GCC; this builds on years of growing funding and assistance for Gavi's immunisation programmes". It is clear that the African continent, fed-up with snail-like progress from wealthy western countries, is turning to closer by, more readily available options to invigorate their vaccine rollout.

Turning directly to closer-by projects like Hayat Vax, seeking to build Africa-based vaccine production infrastructure and partnering with proactive organisations like the Pasteur Foundation represents a reset in Africa's approach to the pandemic. It represents a determination to chart its own future rather than depend on a rich world that continues to cling to their swollen vaccine supplies despite its promises.

Companies like the UAEbased G42 have developed a Hayat-Vax vaccine in partnership with Sinopharm. Their new plant in Abu Dhabi represents the Arab World's first vaccine production facility and is targeting millions of its doses on the African continent.

Elsewhere, vaccine manufacture is starting up, or due to be in Algeria, Egypt, Senegal and

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AGRICULTURE

BIOTECHNOLOGY AFRICA'S WAY TO BOOST AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY AND SUSTAINABILITY

By Alkali Amana

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Known as home to 60% of the world's arable land, it is no news that Africa has the potential to meet its own food needs and those of the rest of the world. Still, agriculture remains a mainstay of the continent's economic development as it employs the majority of the population and accounts for 14% of GDP in sub-Saharan Africa. With such importance, the need for agricultural evolution, denoting continuous improvement and employing the best practices available can never be overemphasized enough. To put it succinctly, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, the 2017 World Food Prize Winner, noted that 'unless Africa uses modern technologies, our farmers output will remain low, and we will remain dependent on others to feed us'.

Modern agricultural technology has transcended the development of tools only to improve crops and methods employed in farming. As boldly declared by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 'science and technology coupled with improved human capital have been powerful drivers of positive change in the performance and evolution of smallholder systems'. In this regard, biosafety and biotechnology prove themselves valuable, although controversial. For instance, Genetically modified organisms (GMO) tend to raise brows when mentioned. The

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According to the Population Reference Bureau (PRB) in its 2019 World Population Data Sheet report, by 2050, Nigeria's population is expected to double from 201.0 million to 401.3 million people, overtaking the United States. More people will be living in Nigeria than in the United States.

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According to the Population Reference Bureau (PRB) in its 2019 World Population Data Sheet report, by 2050, Nigeria's population is expected to double from 201.0 million to 401.3 million people, overtaking the United States. More people will be living in Nigeria than in the United States. The substantive implication of this is the prediction that the rise in population could result in geopolitical and socioeconomic crises such as shortage of food and agricultural land, problems biotechnology can solve. In central Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo is expected to have massive population growth, which would see it sit as the 3rd most populous country in the continent by 2050. These represent the enormous human capital Africa is expected to have, and agricultural biotechnology must be adopted to cater to such numbers.

Reduce Dependence on Fertilizers, Pesticides and other Agrochemicals:

It is also possible with biotechnology to create droughtresistant crops. This will essentially be useful for places like West Africa, where the main staple crops such as maize, cassava, millet and sorghum are dependent on rainfall. Where droughtresistant crops are created, the lack of rain at a specific time should not be a threat to expected yield.

Biotechnology is still being debated and not fully understood as it exposes agriculture to many possibilities still under test. To solve this, biosafety comes into place as it requires some regulatory measure to create an assurance of the highest standard possible in its application. The importance of biotechnology has been appreciated in Africa with different biosafety regulatory agencies set up in some countries to supervise its activities. However, more must be done to achieve the dream of Africa meeting The introduction of such tolerant the world's food needs. It is time for the crops has the potential, over the long continent, through its regulatory term, to reduce the number of agencies, to drum sufficient awareness chemicals needed to see crops through into the minds of its farmers to adopt a particular growing season, even biotechnology as a means of securing against common enemies such as the future. Nigeria, through its National weeds. Such a decrease in harm to Biosafety Management Agency crops can cause improved yield and (NBMA), is a pioneer in this regard. The The United States Department of gain in production.

NBMA has set a tone for other African Agriculture (USDA) affirms that the countries. The agency has stretched application of biotechnology in Create Improved Nutritional itself beyond regulation into creating agriculture has resulted in benefits to Qualities of Crops and Yield the awareness through continuous and farmers, producers, and consumers.

New genes can be transferred from one adequate sensitization for the adoption One angle considered out of multiple crop to another through biotechnology of modern biotechnology in Nigeria. uses is how biotechnology has helped to improve the traits of any such crop make insect pest control and weed African governments must be under examination.

Such increase in management safer and more accessible willing also to provide resources in the yield is usually gained through while safeguarding crops against form of facilities, crops, and materials enhanced growth stimulated by specific disease. The uses of biotechnology in that can help with the adoption of genes targeted at improving a agriculture create an avenue to: biotechnology.

With the many promises particular deficiency in a plant or crop.

Protect Crops from Diseases and of population growth, adopting Part of the capabilities explored under Increase Quality: biotechnology is a future Africa cannot the use of biotechnology in agriculture avoid. shows that science is a vital tool used The USDA adjudged that agricultural to slow down spoilage's ageing process

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The use of pesticides and other agrochemicals has seen some brows raised and sustained as to their impact on crops. To douse this tension and solve the concern, modern biotechnology is zoned in to reduce the use of these agrochemicals. Part of the approach sees the development of genetically engineered crops to acquire tolerance to these chemicals, sometimes in herbicides and pesticides against weeds and pests/rodents.

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so crops/fruits can have an extended lifespan. On the economic side, this can allow African farmers to expand their market due to a reduction in spoilage.

Beyond spoilage, texture, taste, and crops' appearance are also targeted features that biotechnology can solve.

The first genetically modified food product was a tomato which was transformed to delay its ripening; an example for more to follow.

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biotechnology has been used to protect crops from devastating diseases, detailing and instance with the papaya ringspot virus, which threatened to derail the Hawaiian papaya industry until papayas resistant to the disease were developed through genetic engineering. This saved the U.S. papaya industry. The use of such means can produce what is termed as 'Biotech crops'. This innovation can make farming more profitable by increasing crop quality. Superior crop quality means fewer worries for farmers on pest and disease control while using some of these crops can simplify work and improve safety for farmers. This allows farmers to spend less time managing their crops and more time on other profitable activities.

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conversation around them centres on their ability to be a basis for increasing food production, without the need to convert more land to cultivation, and counterclaims that they may have a variety of impacts on people and animals, especially on ecosystems and grounds not under cultivation. In its broadest sense, biotechnology represents the use of biological processes or organisms to improve the characteristics of plants, animals, microorganisms or food derived from such methods. In context, the need for the immediate adoption of agricultural biotechnology and its uses becomes evident when Africa's most populous nation, Nigeria, is compared to the United States of America.

YOUTH & DEVELOPMENT

Youth Leadership in Africa Building Local Leaders to Solve Global Challenges

By Meresia Aloo

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Young people are finally getting their hands on the reins of power in Africa.Ms. Evalin Karijo, Director of the Youth and Adolescent Hub at Amref Health Africa, has told African Leadership Magazine that efforts such as a quota system in legislative assemblies have contributed to leadership inclusion, including youth representation, as well as representation of all other groups such as women.

Kenya, a country in East Africa, is a prime example of this. It has enacted a progressive institution that has seen an exponential increase in the number of young people vying for various positions throughout their potential spheres of influence. The leaders in the country have also allowed and provided an enabling environment for young people to participate in elective positions. Youth leadership goes beyond selecting/appointing youth because of their age. It is about acknowledging the capabilities, skills, energy, innovativeness of the youth population to drive development.

As we speak, the country hosts the youngest ever serving member of Parliament: Mr. John Paul Mwirigi, who is now finishing his first term of four years at the age of 27.

"At 23 I was in my second year at the university, pursuing a Bachelor's Degree in Education. The leadership we had there is what challenged me to have the urge to vie for this position.

The other reason was to bridge the gap between the leaders and the citizens of Igembe South. Because of their high level of security, the predecessors were viewed as unapproachable, and many people formed the impression that only people at their level could interact with them. So I wanted to break that pattern

because, after elections, you could never approach a member of parliament for whom you had voted. "He told African Leadership Magazine during an exclusive interview.

The fact that their constitution has allowed anyone to run for office is a big step, and the country has seen young people not just waiting for nominations but putting themselves out there to be elected.

Another candidate, Anita Soina, an environmentalist, has also announced her intention to run for Kajiado North Member of Parliament in the upcoming 2022 general elections.

She shared the news with her fans on social media, emphasizing that the youth need to own up to the responsibility of taking leadership positions and helping in bringing change to society.

"It's here. People over profits. Every day it hurts me to see what the people go through. Born to a Maasai dad from Kajiado North, as I trace back to my roots to understand my culture and as a young leader who understands some of the challenges facing the people, I have decided to do this. To me, the first step towards solving a problem is getting to that position of a problem solver. Twende Bunge tupiganie haki za wapiga kura!" (Let us go to parliament and fight for the rights of voters) she wrote.

If Ms. Sonia wins this election, she will be the

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AFRICANLEADERSHIP MAGA ZINE

YOUTH & DEVELOPMENT

"When you look at the current situation in Africa, you will notice that people over the age of 50 dominate the leadership, with more than 90 percent of the leaders being older." Ms. Karijo stated.

"We have nothing against the elderly, but the fact that most Africans are young indicates a missed opportunity."

As a result, we need shifts in leadership that are collaborative, across generations" The global health specialist and ardent supporter of African youth leadership emphasized.

There is still a pressing need to tap into these reservoirs of young leaders. According to the International Labor Organization, today's youth are young and educated. This is due to dramatic improvements in accessibility, quality, and accountability in education around the world. All the same, a lack of employment opportunities is a major global challenge.

There is 59.3 million unemployed youth worldwide, even though youth constitute the world's largest demographic. In 2018, the global youth unemployment rate was approximately 11.8 percent, nearly three times higher than the adult rate of 4.3 percent. However, even when young men and women find work, quality remains an issue.

All of this has been attributed to poor automation, digitalization, and new technologies, which have posed new challenges as the relevance of education and training has dwindled over time.

Technology has influenced not only how we organize the production of goods and services, but also how young people learn and develop new skills. Therefore, adapting to these new learning models and new technologies is said to be critical to ensuring relevant skills for long-term employability as new forms of work, such as those in the gig economy, emerge.

Young people thus are encouraged to be prepared to navigate an already complicated labor market.

As if this is not enough, governments and social partners should also ensure that young people have access to basic social protection. Organizations such as Amref Health Africa have spearheaded a progressive process and are now committed to practicing meaningful youth inclusion through the implementation of a first-ever youth and adolescent strategy aimed at advancing youth agency and youth leadership in the organization.

The United Nations Women agrees that young people are already contributing to the resilience of their communities, proposing innovative solutions that drive social progress and inspire political change in both urban and rural contexts. In this regard, and with the commitment to 'leave no one behind,' with all the efforts they made on Unleashing the Potential of Youth in Africa- Prioritizing Investment in Youth Development in the Post-2015 Agenda, from 23-25 October 2018, at the United Nations Office in Nairobi, in collaboration with diverse stakeholders and partners.

Leaders in the Sub-Saharan Africa Region should therefore prioritize youth access to sustainable livelihoods through social entrepreneurship, youthfocused engagement, and participation in governance, leadership, and decision-making.

Many of the countries that were swept up in the global wave of democratization and liberalization in the third half of the 1990s now have weak institutions and are failing to meet the basic needs of their citizens.

Despite significant progress, too many citizens continue to face insufficient security, inadequate healthcare and education, unemployment, illegitimate elections, insufficient judiciary systems, and challenges to free expression and civil society participation.

However, young people across the continent are critical to bringing about structural change. The youth are proactively shaking up Africa to make their lives better – and are capable of leading and 'leapfrogging' their countries into first-world status.

Partnerships increase an entrepreneur's lease of knowledge, expertise and resources to make better products and reach a greater audience.

This should serve as a wake-up call not only to business

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Nonetheless, while we applaud these small steps, there is much more work to be done because these are not the only outliers that constitute the critical mass required for change.

There is still a significant gap between those who make policy and those who must deal with its consequences.

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Kenya, however, is not the only country that has paved the way for such leadership. Other countries, such as Mali, Cote d'Ivoire, and Botswana, are also examples. They have entered the fray, paving the way for young people to take on leadership roles.

organizations, but also to all levels of leadership, to instill a transformational culture shift in which they prioritize young people's leadership, build their capacity, and review operations to create an enabling environment for youth to thrive, to allow a smooth transition into leadership and also increase investments for young people across Africa to create long-term change in Africa.

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youngest Member of Parliament in East Africa, breaking Hon. John Paul Mwirigi's record of 23 years.

Afric n Leadership

Forum on

Free Trade Zones ADMINISTRATION & MANAGEMENT Golden Tulip Accra - Ghana

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

To participate, visit: events.africanleadership.co.uk

POLITICS

NCDMB, NNPC investPolitical in N10.5bn Gender Gaps in Africa's Space Brass Petroleum Products Terminal

By Meresia Aloo

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At least ten African countries are planning elections in 2022. Magazine from the 27th of December 2021 to midUntil now, no female has so far declared her presidential bid. morning of 29th of December 2021, reflect a similar Could it be a lack of interest or a lack of a fair chance? story of "democracy's unresolved dilemma" of unequal participation in Africa's political space. However, the African leadership magazine conducted a survey to main concern in this matter is not whether a gap exists, determine whether women are likely to vie for top positions in but rather how large the gap is and where it occurs. the African government in 2022. 37.5 percent of respondents indicated that the female gender is likely to vie, while 40 percent Honourable Rebecca Maroa is the County Executive stated that the female gender will not vie for top positions of Committee Member in charge of Water, Energy, leadership in Government while 22.5 percent of them were not Environment, Climate Change and Disaster Management certain. in Migori County, Kenya who is preparing to run for Governor on the UDA ticket in a community that is a If a woman decides to run for the highest office in the land, stronghold of the opposing party. She has listed her the presidency, 75 percent of those polled said they would vote major challenges to be gender-based. for her, while 5 percent said they would not vote for her. 17.5 percent of the respondents were indifferent, while 2.5 percent “I'm born & married in the Kuria community which noted that it will depend on the strength of the female candidate is a minority amidst the Luo community. The real to get their vote. challenges that I face here are gender-based. The Kuria & Luo communities still hold low regard for women's Another survey was conducted to determine whether African countries preparing for general elections next year would achieve equal gender representation, 25 percent voted YES, 57.5 percent voted NO, and 17.5 percent voted lack of knowledge on whether gender representation would be achieved or not achieved next year.

The results of the polls conducted by African Leadership

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POLITICS

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A strong and vibrant democracy can only emerge when leadership. Both communities still cling to retrogressive parliament is fully representative of the people it represents. practices like FGM & Wife inheritance which affect women negatively. (Chauvinism). An aggressive/Visionary/ ambitious On the other hand, parliaments cannot consider themselves inclusive until they can claim that women are fully engaged woman is viewed as not being woman enough.” in the decisions made by the house. This is when they'll be She recalls that as a woman vying for such a position, able to brag about women's full participation. she has been forced to work three times harder than the male gender to convince society that she is worth the seat With the first-ever United Nations World Conference on she is vying for. That makes it hard for her to even access Women in Mexico City in 1975, the international community resources such as finance. valued women's representation in leadership and influence on political decision-making structures.

“Notably, Finance is the greatest challenge because as a woman, one has to work three times harder than a man even Despite this international focus, women's access to to convince the society that you have the potential to lead.” parliament has been painfully slow and frequently disappointing in Africa.

Well, a peculiar history helps. Cheikh Anta Diop tries to According to the UN Women, gender equality in the explain a similar story and the entire concept of highest positions of power will not be achieved for another Bicameralism in his 1987 book Black Africa (an ancient example of African democracy that made full use of society's 130 years. As of 1st September, 2021, only 26 women were serving as Heads of State and/or Government in 24 human resources in a way that supported and encouraged countries, whereas Only 10 countries have a female Head of everyone.)

State, and 13 Countries have a female Head of Government.

In his book, he explains that in ancient times, before any Just 21% of government ministers are women, with only foreign powers dominated Africa, women could boast about 14 countries having 50% or more women in cabinets. their positions of influence in society.

Gender parity in ministerial positions according to them will At the time, African Legislation and rules were involved not be achieved until 2077, with an annual increase of only in the administration of public affairs through the Women's 0.52 percentage points.

Assembly. It is at this point that woman sat independently from the men's assembly; however, the two assemblies The Economist reports that in all the elections that are shared influence and power. planned to happen in Africa in 2022, the most peaceful and democratic election might come from a land that has not At the close of dawn, the women's assembly meeting been officially recognized as a state. was said to be the catalyst for the resistance against foreign invasion and occupation of West African nations such as Somaliland!

Dahomey (Benin) and the Yorubas in Nigeria. Therefore, It is a British protectorate that merged with Italian African bicameralism, allowed for the flourishing of both Somalia in 1960 to form a unified Somalia. The land later males and females, and the full use of both the feminine and broke away in 1991, and now has a strong sense of national masculine minds. identity and a strong democracy. For the entire continent to From this context, you realise that the existing gap was prove UN statistics wrong, should we just pause and learn typically triggered by similar factors such as gender from Somali land? stereotypes which are still cramping women's political There is still hope! representation and lowering their chances of running for office and being elected by their party.

Such factors have influenced voters' decisions to elect them to certain political positions. They have played an immense role in the country's implementation of decisions on the roles of women and men politicians in assemblies.

Taken together, gender inequalities in political participation remain a significant component of African society.

As politics goes higher, the fewer women there are.

Some lack the confidence to apply for senior positions, others lack the necessary preparation and training, while others are excluded from senior positions due to nonrecruitment, promotions, and systematic gender favoritism.

The Economist reports that in all the elections that are planned to happen in Africa in 2022, the most peaceful and democratic election might come from a land that has not been officially recognized as a state.

Despite these obstacles, women continue to make great strides in entering the workforce, running for office, and being elected to legislative bodies.

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HEALTH

Health Issues

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10 GLOBAL

By Meresia Aloo

TO TRACK IN 2022

According to the World Health Organization, global health concerns are those that span national borders and go beyond individual governments, needing a global response.

Dr. Juliet Nabyonga, the World Health Organization's Representative in Kenya, is a renowned health system specialist with over two decades of expertise.

Speaking exclusively to African Leadership Magazine, She explains that these concerns are not exclusive to health but may be classified as global issues with consequences that have an impact on the health sector.

In the last two years, global health has had a difficult time. Even now, the Coronavirus Pandemic is sweeping the globe, quickly establishing itself as one of the world's leading killers and exposing the weaknesses in our health systems. Today, health systems in all regions are battling to reclaim hard-won global health advances made in the previous two decades—for example, in combating infectious diseases and reducing maternal and child health.

As the globe battles the Covid 19 pandemic in 2022, The African Leadership Magazine caught up with Dr. Juliet Nabyonga-WHO, to hear her take on some of the top 10 global issues to keep an eye on, 2022.

1. Pandemics.

These are large-scale outbreaks of infectious diseases that spread across several countries and can cause significant economic, social, and political disruption as well as a surge in morbidity and mortality.

Pandemics have become more common over the last century, owing to increased global travel and integration, population growth, urbanization, land-use changes, and increased humans and disease-harboring animals' interactions.

Even as the world battles the emerging trends of the

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current Corona Virus Pandemic, these patterns are predicted to persist and become more evident.

Detecting and restricting embryonic outbreaks that could develop into pandemics, as well as increasing and maintaining government investment in preparedness and health system capacity, all necessitate major government attention.

2. Climate change.

Although it is not classified as a health issue primarily, its consequences have health implications as it affects the social and environmental determinants of health such as clean air, safe drinking water, adequate food, and safe shelter.

Increases in health risks as a result of climate change result from an increase in temperatures, floods, and storms.

Waterborne infections are one of the health hazards that may arise as a result of climate change.

Floods are a common occurrence in several African countries and relatedly water-borne diseases such as Cholera. Some countries have had to respond to both Cholera and Covid-19 pandemics at the same time.

3. Universal Health Care UHC means that everyone has access to the health care they require without facing financial hardship. It encompasses the complete range of critical, high-quality health services, from prevention through treatment, rehabilitation, and palliative care for people of all ages.

Appropriate and competent health workforce with an appropriate skill mix at the institution, outreach, and community levels, who are equally distributed, adequately supported, and enjoy acceptable work, are required to perform these services.

Around 12% of the world's population has spent at least

AFRICANLEADERSHIP MAGA ZINE

HEALTH

Because the poorest people are mainly uninsured, health shocks and strains already push roughly 100 million people into poverty each year, and the effects of climate change will exacerbate this trend.

Resilient health systems are a prerequisite to attaining UNHC targets and ensuring health security.

To achieve universal health coverage, all countries' health systems must be strengthened.

5. Economic Disparities and access to health care.

Despite constant advancements in medicine, communities all across the world continue to lack access to basic health services. As a result, there are health inequalities, such as high infant death rates, which are frequently linked to geography.

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4. Eradication Efforts “Polio eradication is a good illustration of this. It went beyond a single country. It is a global agenda towards which we are all working, and we have numerous others, such as the eradication of Guinea worms and measles by 2030, to name a few.”- Dr. Nabyonga-WHO Representative in Kenya.

It will be of great importance to focus on leveraging current partnerships and forming new ones to increase training and standardize high-quality public health in the face of global health emergencies.

Other inequalities are the result of income gaps, with individuals and families simply unable to afford health care that would otherwise be available.

To address these economic issues by 2022, global health experts must look for ways to elevate underrepresented communities in public health forums, encourage physicians to practice in remote places, and implement policies that lower obstacles to accessing services as well as expand access to health care.

6. Speed up access to COVID-19 tests, medicines, and vaccines In 2021, achieving equitable access to safe and effective vaccines, tests, and treatments, as well as ensuring that health systems are strong enough to administer them, was a major goal.

Getting effective tools to everyone who needs them will be critical to ending the pandemic's first, acute phase and resolving the health and economic issues it has triggered. As we enter 2022, there should be several promising instruments in the works to aid with the Virus's containment.

7. Tackling health inequities The COVID-19 epidemic has shown the expanding

Pandemics have become more common over the last century, owing to increased global travel and integration, population growth, urbanization, land-use changes, and increased humans and disease-harboring animals' interactions.

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The importance of resilient health systems cannot be overstated. Hence a global issue to be tracked in 2022.

Other eradication efforts, like the creation of a BioBank — a worldwide agreed-upon mechanism for sharing pathogen materials and clinical samples to speed up the development of safe and effective vaccines and medicines – are also key things that require attention in 2022.

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10% of their household budget on healthcare expenses.

HEALTH

gaps that exist between and within countries, some of which are being exacerbated and may widen even further.

To promote universal health coverage and address the broader determinants of health in 2022, it will be necessary to draw on the most recent WHO statistics and build on international pledges (and existing initiatives).

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70 International health organizations should collaborate with African countries to track and manage health disparities caused by factors such as income, gender, ethnicity, living in distant rural areas or poor urban areas, education, occupational/employment conditions, and disability.

8. Conflict and fragile settings.

Inadequate access to health care becomes even worse when conflicts, international enter the picture. Ordinary people are becoming increasingly vulnerable to disease when local or international battles wreak devastation on critical infrastructure.

As a result, people seek out ways to escape dangerous conditions that endanger their safety, and the majority of them choose to migrate.

Diseases spread quickly when people migrate, but organizations such as the World Health Organization say that by 2022, solutions should aim to improve refugee and migrant health by encouraging across-borders initiatives, endorsing policies that bridge short-term humanitarian crisis responses with longterm improvements in health care access.

9. Noncommunicable Diseases According to the WHO, heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and other noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) account for 70% of all fatalities globally.

Education can help people recognize and improve lifestyle variables such as poor diets, inactivity, cigarette use, and alcohol intake, which can lead to NCDs. However, there is a link between household income and the prevalence of NCDs.

percent of premature NCD-related fatalities.

As a result, reducing the number of NCDs worldwide by 2022 will necessitate minimizing the variables that disproportionately affect low-income areas.

10. Provide global leadership in science and data.

Monitoring and evaluating the most recent scientific breakthroughs in the COVID-19 and beyond is still necessary, as is identifying ways to use such advances to improve world health.

It is vital to maintain and strengthen the core technical functions' excellence, relevance, and efficacy to present the world with the greatest evidence-based public health advice on subjects ranging from Alzheimer's to Zika.

Monitoring trends and performance is important for ensuring sustained progress towards the set target. To this end. WHO and partners should support countries in increasing the capacity of national health data and information systems to report on progress towards the health-related Sustainable Development Goals.

Around 12% of the world's population has spent at least 10% of their household budget on healthcare expenses.

According to the WHO, low- and middle-income nations account for 85

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