COMING UP!> Ep.58 of "Africa in Focus" Show on 20 January, 2016: What happened in Kenya at the WTO?

Episode #58:

What happened at the WTO in Kenya?

In December 2015, the world met in Africa for the first time to discuss global trade .

The Kenyan capital Nairobi hosted the Tenth World Trade Organisation meeting, hoping to conclude the so-called Doha round of negotiations which conclusion had remained abortive since 2001.

In Ghana, there was scant coverage of the meeting as COP21 discussions on climate change seemed to virtually eclipse those on global trade.  

We want to use Episode 58 to discuss what exactly happened in Kenya at the WTO negotiations, and what the major outcomes are.

As far back as 2001 when the Doha Round commenced, the topic barely inspired the Ghanaian media. Fourteen years down the line, the inspiration, or lack thereof, has not spawned any novel excitement that would even trigger an important conversation on Africa's place in the global trading system.

Does Africa have its work already cut out for it in the trading system? And what about the tortuous question of Africa's agriculture? Was WTOMC10 a success for Africa -- or yet another pyrrhic victory?

Join me on 20 January at 14h05 as I interview two experts from civil society who were at the negotiations in Nairobi to demystify and unpack Africa's future in the global trading system.

Call us on the following numbers 

+233(0)289.000.931 // +233(0)289.931.000

Join us if you can between 2pm & 3pm on 20 January, 2016.

Guiding questions:

• why should Ghanaians be interested -- let alone concerned -- about what happened in Nairobi?
• What about new issues by the US and EU?
• How does Africa reconcile CFTA(scheduled for 2017) with Nairobi outcome?
• The Conference Chair described Nairobi outcome as "historic" in that it will deliver development. What do CSOs think?
• Does Africa still need the WTO?
• Is it not time Africa invested totally in the AU's CAADP, & created its own Africa Trade Organisation?

Guests in the studio:

Ø  Sylvester Bagooro, Programme Officer, Third World Network-Africa

Ø  Kingsley Ofei-Nkansah, General Agricultural Workers Union

Follow the conversations on #AfricainFocus on twitter:http://www.twitter.com/africainfocus14. Tweet Emmanuel ahead of time on www.twitter.com/ekbensah, using #africainfocus .

Call Radio XYZ93.1FM on 0289.000.931 / 0289.931.000.

Follow 24/7 on https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.radioxyzonline.pc?

PODCAST!>>Ep.37: East Africa Rising(2)

EPISODE #37
Research & Co-ordination: E.K.Bensah Jr
Executive Producer: E.K.Bensah Jr
Technical  Producer: D.J. Stagger

"Dear friends,

We used the thirty-seventh edition of the Africa in Focus show to reprise the very important issue of what we consider to be "rising" East Africa. We believe it to be rising a lot more than is talked about in this part of the sub-region. 

Gertrude Chelimo

Azeez Gomda

For which reason, we invited a Kenyan national -- Gertrude Chelimo, a student at Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre -- to help join the two Ghanaians in the studio (author Arnold Boateng who wrote a book about Rwanda's ICT Sector; and Public Relations Officer of Ghana Youth Integrity Initiative Azeez Gomda) to discuss the trajectory of East Africa.

Kenya has Vision 2030; Ghana has...what, exactly? The country seems to have become bereft of the Pan-African vision it was reputed to have in the days of Nkrumah. It is in this spirit we at Africa in Focus believe it is important to create synergies between 
West and East Africa, hence our #EASTAFRICARISING initiative, which we initiated back in June 2014, when we commenced the first edition of "East Africa Rising". 

Arnold Boateng

We have taken a step forward with this by establishing BOTH a facebook page (www.facebook.com/eastafricarising), and twitter presence (www.twitter.com/eastafricarisng) to enhance the synergy with the already-existing whatsapp group, which is populated by journalists; activists; and professionals from East Africa; Southern Africa; and West Africa.




Kindly find a link to download the podcast below:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/267nk8b47t3476i/AFRICA%20IN%20FOCUS%20%2031-03-15.mp3?dl=0

Kind regards,
Emmanuel

COMING UP!>>Ep.37: East Africa Rising(2)

On 17 June, 2014, we initiated a discussion on East Africa.

As part of our “East Africa rising” programme, we are reprising the focus of East Africa on the Show, with a view to reminding listeners about the urgency of catalyzing and capitalizing on synergy with East Africa.

The Southern African country of Namibia recently opened a High Commission in Ghana, but, really, how many East African countries have diplomatic representations here? If not, why not? (Kenya has none in Ghana; Rwanda has a diplomatic representation; Uganda has none at all – never mind, Burundi or Tanzania) .  

In February, Ethiopia tested light rail. Rwanda has bought new planes to fly to Europe. Can it give is lessons on sanitizing our sanitation day? In November 2013, Kenya unveiled a US$13.8bn high-speed train. Is this something we can learn from them? What about Ghanaian businessmen and their ability to take advantage of doing business in Ghana at a time Ghana Tourism Authority are talking about learning from Kenya?

While these are important questions to be asked, one would have hoped we would not be asking them in 2015, when ECOWAS turns 40 and President Mahama is E COWAS Chair.

AIF started in 2014 with a recognition that East Africa is rising. Is Ghana listening?

Join us if you can at 1pm on 31 March, 2015.

Guiding questions

• What is especially vibrant about the ICT sector in Rwanda Ghanaians can learn from?
• Kenya has had its fair shares of challenges, but is considered one of the strongest economies in the region. Apart from its strong and reputable journalism, and its world-class tourism, what can Ghana learn from it?
• Ethiopia now has light-rail; Kenya has high-speed rail. Even Abuja has considered light-rail. What is East Africa doing more seriously than Ghana on infrastructure?

Guests in the studio:

Ø  Arnold Boateng, Author/entrepreneur/youth development advocate

Ø  Azeez Gomda, PRO, Ghana Youth Integrity Initiative

Ø  Chelimo Gertrude, Kenyan national studying in Ghana

On the line:

·        Eunice Marfo, Executive Secretary, Ghana Association of Savings & Loans @13h15

·        Kobby Blay, EbolaWatch @13h30