Celebrating Africa in 2009Today, we celebrate Africa Day, a day commemorating the continent's successes, achievements, cultural diversity and everything African in general. So how did the auspicious occasion come about? Well, 25 May 1963 saw the formation of the Organisation of African Unity, known today as the African Union. 46 years ago, 30 leaders in Africa signed the founding charter in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and annually we celebrate this day as we continuously strive to attain African unity. So what do we have to celebrate? For one, we have healthy competition in various business spheres competing for consumer-spend. The mobile industry being of particular note as networks launch new campaigns on a regular basis in order to attract new clientele. We're slowly bridging the digital divide and hosting awards and conferences as encouragement for everyone to join the digital age. The 2009 African Bloggers Conference is one such event where information will be shared, spreading the knowledge and wisdom for a successful information industry on the continent. This week, the 11th annual African Renaissance Festival is being hosted in South Africa under the theme “Uniting the African World”. Delegates from around the world will come together to share ideas on just about every area that needs focus, from business to arts and culture. All Africans need to work together to achieve the revitalisation of the African continent; on Africa Day we celebrate all those efforts. Cheers! Sindy Peters, Content manager Send all your Africa marketing news to africanews@bizcommunity.com. Today's top stories
Magazines
DESIGN> magazine has released its 13th edition on Africa Day, today, 25 May 2009, focusing on the theme ‘Afrika'. The magazine is celebrating the occasion by publishing a special edition featuring 44 articles focusing on design from the continent and spanning 264 pages. Read more >> Media
Fury has swept across the media in Sudan as a new media law threatens to further worsen conditions and heighten prerequisites for practicing journalism in the country. Last week, on 19 May 2009, more than 50 journalists holding banners that said “a free press or no press” gathered in front of the National Assembly to protest the draft press law. Read more >>Journalists in Zimbabwe continue to be arrested amid a newly launched 100-day plan to deal with the country's insolvency, human rights abuses and other troubles. Over the past month, four journalists, 18 human rights activists and a media lawyer have been arrested. Two other journalists are shortly due to appear in court to face charges of defamation. Read more >>Mobile
[Lesley Stones] Analysts are plumping for MTN over Vodacom for investors keen to invest in the operator with the greatest growth potential. Buying into MTN costs roughly twice as much as with Vodacom, but the consensus is that it is worth the difference. Read more >> [Walter Wafula] Mobile broadband internet users in Africa now doubles the number of fixed broadband users on the continent according to the 2009 Africa Analysis report released last week in Kampala. Read more >> PARIS: Global mobile phone sales fell a record 8.6% in the first quarter to 269 million units and will likely decline 4.2% for the full year, the Gartner research group said. Read more >>Online Media
Kelele is the name given to the 2009 African Bloggers Conference which is held in a different African city each year. The event, organised by the Kelele Organising Committee, will be held from 13 - 16 August 2009 in Nairobi, Kenya. Kelele is the Kiswahili word for noise. Read more >>The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has pledged its commitment to creating a safe online environment, that protects children worldwide when using the internet and cyberspace. Read more >>Retail
CAPE TOWN: Jacob Zuma, the newly elected president of South Africa, will host the 19th World Economic Forum on Africa, to be held in Cape Town from 10 - 12 June 2009. Over 700 leaders from Africa and other parts of the world will gather to deliberate under the theme, "Implications of the Global Economic Crisis for Africa". Read more >>HARARE: Zimbabwe is bracing for another year of food insecurity, amid bleak expectations from both the main maize harvest in April and the coming winter wheat crop. Read more >>IFOTAKA: Communities in southern Madagascar have a wealth of experience in dealing with the unforgiving, arid conditions of their region, but not even their finely honed farming skills and knowledge passed down for generations can withstand the relentless drought. Read more >> Advertisement: "To design is to communicate clearly by whatever means you can control or master." - Milton Glaser
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