AFRICAN LEADERSHIP
Afric n
Leadership £5 $8 N3000 ZAR100
SPECIAL EDITION
Rawya
SPECIAL EDITION
Mansour AFRICAN FEMALE LEADER OF THE YEAR
Meet an African Amazon and a relentless voice for Climate Change, Gender Equality, Job Creation, and Economic Empowerment in Africa
CONTENTS
Lord Dolar Popat Africa is a Natural Home for UK Businesses
18
COVER STORY
Akinwumi Adesina: Africa's Optimist-in-chief & ALM African of the Year 2019
42
8
Africa's free-trade agreement needs supporting interventions
Media & Entertainment in Africa A peep into the Future
38 60
47
Forging Africa’s future with sanitation Op-Ed: Mthuli Ncube - This is
Zimbabwe’s economy will 64 how overcome its hurdles
72
Leveraging Sports for National Development
76
Liberia: Through the Eyes of Cletus Wotorson
Cissé - Why Africa’s Job 50 Ismael Numbers aren’t Growing
24
FBN: Investing in the Empowerment of Citizens
Category Publisher’s Porch
It is Africa’s time!
No doubt, perceptions about Africa, especially in the west, is far from the realities on the ground. These not-so-correct perceptions have adversely affected trade on the continent as the average western business person would rather trade with other blocs than with Africa, in spite of the tremendous potentials and opportunities that Africa has to offer. As a result, the continent continues to lag behind, on most business leaders’ trade partnership agendas. Between 2014 and 2016, US exports to Africa fell by almost half, from $38 billion to $22 billion. Also, the latest available UK continent-specific export data showed that total UK exports to Africa in 2018 stood at only 2.3%, compared to 46.6% to neighbouring Europe, 24.1% to Asia and 15.3% to North America. However, the prevailing circumstances in most African nations notwithstanding, savvy business leaders and leading governments have continued to sustain the truism that Africa represents enormous opportunities as the last trade frontier. This narrative can be seen in the swelling number of business and investment conferences centred on Africa, and more nations and governments joining the Africa business and investment talk circuit. With the United Kingdom and Russia being the most recent, following the January 2020 UK Africa Investment Summit, and the Russia-Africa Summit in October 2019, these events all underlining the scramble, as it were, for what opportunities that Africa represents.
While this global attention on the continent has not risen out of just sheer love for the African people, but in furtherance of the strategic interests of these nations, which often goes beyond only trade; it does signal the beginning of mutually beneficial relationships that could significantly leapfrog the continent in the areas of critical development indicators much needed in Africa today. Some of these vital areas are in jobs creation, healthcare delivery, education, energy and infrastructural development, among others. To buttress the case for jobs creation, according to the United Nations statistics for 2015, there were over 226 million youth between the ages of 15-24 in Africa, and a staggering 75% of Africans are under the age of 35, making her the world’s youngest continent. Moreover, the share of Africa’s youth in the world is forecasted to increase to 42% by 2030 and more than double the current levels by 2055. These young people need jobs, and every possible opportunity they can get, be it in education, healthcare, and the various fields of human endeavour. They also represent tremendous value and are potentially Africa’s greatest asset. The distinct role of the Dr Akinwumi Adesina led African Development Bank Group in leading investments into Africa is unequalled, through
4 | African Leadership | March - April 2020
the provision of both financial and technical support to its member nations. The quality of data, facts and figures, products generated by the bank, multi-level engagements and partnerships, and her expert advice are unmatched. And the continued impact and success of its flagship Africa Investment Forum, and its 2019 edition with 56 boardroom deals valued at $67.6 billion tabled is both refreshing and a game changer for the continent. This is the way to go, and as President Adesina proclaimed recently, Africa is indeed bankable. Little wonder he was voted by our readers and Africans from all shades of thought as the African of the Year 2019.
‘‘
Moreover, the share of Africa’s youth in the world is forecasted to increase to 42% by 2030 and more than double the current levels by 2055. These young people need jobs, and every possible opportunity they can get.
Publisher’s Category Porch
As we take on the 2020s decade, It is therefore time for Africans to lead the charge for an African renaissance; and for leading OECD countries and the rest of the west to prioritize trade and investments engagements with Africa above aid and every other equally good considerations. While several African countries would still require aid in the coming years, what is more essential and mutually beneficial would be to deepen fair trade engagements and well-thoughtthrough equitable investments agreements that embraces international scrutiny and meets best practices, as this would ultimately result in more jobs creation, technology transfer, improved infrastructure, and a lift in the overall standard of living of the people. It is projected that by 2030, African countries will have the highest number of workingclass populations with greater purchasing power and improved overall livelihoods according to the AfDB outlook 2019, thereby creating a robust middle class with high purchasing power – an amazingly huge market by all standards. This, by implication, means that 30% of Africans by 2030 will have regular income, be able to afford quality education for their children and can provide a paid holiday annually. Also, 45% of Africans are predicted to live in cities which will make the continent the most urbanized continent in the world. Herein lies opportunity for trade with the continent. Africa - an Integrated Trade Region According to the AU, Africa currently has the lowest percentage of intra-regional trade in the world at 18%. However, African ExportImport Bank believes that this figure could more than double within the first decade after implementing the recently signed Africa Intercontinental free trade deal.
Hence, from the foregoing, Africa’s economic attractiveness and appeal continue to be on the rise. Since the African Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA) was approved by the US Congress in May 2000, and the very first Forum on ChinaAfrica Cooperation in November 2006, major leading economies, are strategically positioning themselves for the future prosperity that is trade and investments in Africa. In closing this piece, what quickly comes to mind are myriads of questions such as – does Africa clearly understand the sheer scope of the opportunities that lie within her boundaries? Do we have integrating mechanisms to maximize the benefits of the FDI these summits may likely generate? Is the future wealth of Africa sustainable, judging by the level of future skills deficiency on the continent today? Do we have our trade deals structured and designed to ensure the terms of engagement with foreign investments are not dangerously skewed in favour of some of the socalled investors, almost making certain “FDIs” look like daylight robbery? How productive are the conversations around the AfCFTA and how ready are the African nations signed on implementing this agreement in individual countries? Answering these questions may well help us structure better deals for the future of our unborn ones, as we explore home grown solutions and strategies for the future we seek. Conclusively, in an age of ever-complex and interconnected challenges and risks, we are greater together than the sum of our individual parts. Let us harness Africa’s investment potentials – let us harness the future today!
‘‘
As we take on the 2020s decade, It is therefore time for Africans to lead the charge for an African renaissance; and for leading OECD countries and the rest of the west to prioritize trade and investments engagements with Africa above aid and every other equally good considerations.
Ken Giami www.africanleadershipmagazine.co.uk
Category Cover
today, it has been God. I always say, "how can we make things better?" My life, my ideas, my partnerships, my contacts, my innovations and creativity that God has enabled me with are all directed to one thing, which is making things better. I think that would be a life worth living. What would you say to those who voted you African of the Year 2019? You know, I didn’t even know that anything like this was going on, until a friend of mine told me that there was a voting going on. So, I feel tremendously honored and very grateful. I feel tremendously encouraged by this and inspired. I am an African and proudly African, and I know that the responsibility that I have been given is to do all that is within my power, by God’s grace, to constantly move Africa forward. So, I want to thank Africans for the confidence, but it’s not a confidence I take lightly. Awards are good, but they are not for you to just take and have it. Awards are
supposed to inspire you to do more. My definition of awards, maybe I should just give it to you, because, it helps keep me in check. A-means accepted; W-with; A-an agreement; R-regarding; D-doing more S-selflessly. So, all I can say to all those who nominated and voted, God bless you all. My team and I at the Bank work every day to make things better in the lives of Africans. The heads of state support us very strongly, the private sector, the civil society, they all support us very strongly. I am not working alone; I am working with so many people. At the end of the day, it is about doing more and doing it selflessly. We promise that by the grace of God, we will do more selflessly.
16 | African Leadership | March - April 2020
‘‘
Africa is responsible for about 75% of the world’s production of Cocoa beans. Without Cocoa, you can’t have chocolates. Africa accounts for only 2% of the world’s chocolate market that is worth $1.2 Billion every year.
Cover Category
judgment. Looking back from today’s vantage point, I couldn’t be gladder that I was steadfast in my belief in my project and relentless in my quest to realize my vision. Today my social enterprise has grown over the years and is now expanding beyond Egypt, with new projects and initiatives on the horizon. We have made achievements that have been recognized not just in Egypt and in Africa, but internationally as well. I have recently come to the realization that as my project grew over the years, it incorporated one global goal after the other; even before the Global Goals were launched. Today I am incredibly proud that my project is an example for the incorporation of all 17 Global Goals. My journey is far from over and I am more committed than ever to utilize my experience to date and the achievements we have made thus far to fight for equality, prosperity and sustainability. I hope my story inspires girls and women all over Africa and the developing world to pursue their dreams and contribute to the prosperity of our continent.
You have developed some remarkable and innovative approaches to organic Agrobusiness in Egypt. Tell us about these innovations? By 2050, we will be nine billion inhabitants on this planet, adding an additional 2 billion more mouths to feed at a time when the effects of climate change are more visible than ever. The main threats currently facing Egypt and Africa are food insecurity, water shortages and energy scarcity. With rapid population growth that does not seem to slow down, Egypt is highly vulnerable to climate change due to its dependence on Nile water with 98% of its population living on 4% of its total land area in the Nile Valley. It is estimated that by 2050, at least 12-15% of the most fertile land in the Nile Delta will be negatively affected by sea level rise and saltwater. It is also expected that the productivity of two major crops in Egypt- wheat and maize- will be reduced by 15% and 19%, respectively . This will amplify the demographic and socio-economic challenges facing Egypt and these problems will continue to persist unless a solution is found.
‘‘
I also realized that female farmers were being paid half the wages paid to male farmers for the exact same job and decided that I had to take a firm stand and immediately change this.
20 | African Leadership | March - April 2020
The key solutions to this problem are sustainable development projects that embrace green technologies and contribute to the growth of the green economy. A related problem is the improper disposal of all kinds of waste in Egypt. In 2002, according to World Bank statistics, the cost of environmental degradation in Egypt reached L.E. 16.9 billion, much of it from the annual practice of burning rice straw. According to the Head of the Egyptian Farmer’s Union, the rate of rice straw burning has dropped drastically this, yet the damage from this harmful practice has already been done and must be addressed. Improper waste management practices have endangered the lives of up to 15 million inhabitants, as farmers rely on burning their waste and thereby affecting public health, eroding agricultural lands and generally contributing to environmental damage. Against this reality and stemming from my strong desire to make a difference, I came up with a vision of turning
Category Cover
‘‘
Against this reality and stemming from my strong desire to make a difference, I came up with a vision of turning this risk into an opportunity through recycling waste into organic fertilizers, bio char and renewable energy in a circular economy.
this risk into an opportunity through the recycling waste into organic fertilizers, bio char and renewable energy in a circular economy. The solution I came up with was organic farming and developing, zero waste entrepreneurial eco-villages in Africa’s desert areas to cultivate new lands for organic agriculture on the continent. This would decrease heavy density in poor urban areas through encouraging migration to desert areas that would become new rural areas through the creation of new zero-waste ecovillages. Through Corporate Social Responsibility funds, I came up with the solution of designing and manufacturing a machine which would transform rice husk, straw and other agriculture waste into bio char and products that are productive for the environment and which would enhance organic agricultural production. You founded the RAMSCO group of companies-a company that has made giant strides in the area of Agro-business. Tell us about your company and its many business ventures and successes? RAMSCO is a project encompassing sustainable
agricultural development and production to achieve the objectives of food security, poverty eradication, combating malnutrition and the mitigation of the effects of climate change. The company’s high-quality organic agricultural products which have been cultivated sustainably by an equal-pay workforce are available to consumers in Egypt’s largest supermarkets. The company’s research center continues to develop and test solutions and technologies for adaption in the project. The vision behind this group of companies is based on a long journey of research, concept development, and successful pilot projects that have confirmed the impact and importance of the green economy in achieving sustainable development objectives. The next step it to launch sustainable environmental villages, the concept for which is currently being developed. You have been a champion for gender equality-your company introduced equal pay for men and women in Egypt. This is revolutionary. How has this helped women within your establishment?
As a woman in business, I know all too well the glass ceilings and walls that hold back women from realizing their full potential and fully contributing to the economy and society. Having grown up as the only woman amidst four businessmen brothers, I have led a personal and professional life that has had me to fight to shatter barriers and assert my leadership as a woman in a world dominated by men. I am therefore incredibly proud that my project fully espouses and promotes gender equality, setting an example that I hope will be embraced everywhere in Egypt and Africa. As my investment in the agricultural production component of my project grew, I learned that agriculture employs about 45% of all women in the Egyptian labor force and that Illiteracy rates for women in Egypt are estimated at one third of women compared to only 15% of men. Rural women working in agriculture are usually seasonal workers surviving on unstable
www.africanleadershipmagazine.co.uk