AFRICA IN FOCUS>>Coming up on 17 June, 2014: What can the West learn from the East?

Forget “Africa Rising”! Is it a case of East Africa Rising?

West Africa has become synonymous to efforts on maintaining peace and security. Meanwhile, East Africa, while populated by only 5 member countries, already has a track-record of successful integration efforts which collapsed back in 1977 when ECOWAS was only two years old.

So it is not as if East Africa has not done it before. The region has the erstwhile institutions available which West Africa can learn from. Coupled with the fact that individual countries, such as Kenya, Rwanda, and non-EAC member Ethiopia are all doing very well in their own right, one begins to question whether there are no best practices West Africa can learn from the East.

Much of the time, there is talk that Africa can learn from the East. We play ball closer to home by asking what can Africa, especially the sub-region of the West, learn from African countries that are East of the continent!

Guests include:

Ø  Anthony Annan, a Ghanaian entrepreneur living in Rwanda

Ø  Eyob Tekalign Tolina, an Ethiopian who has worked with the UNECA, and well-versed on Trade Policy

Ø  Uwem Thompson, Communications Officer of Ecowas Regional Energy Regulatory Authority (ERERA)

Ø  Christine Njeru, a Kenyan Lawyer and Consultant living in Nairobi

Tune in at 13h10 GMT (1:00pm Ghana Time). We’re also streaming live www.radioxyzonline.com.

Contact us Facebook on:

 http://www.facebook.com/africainfocusonradioxyz and radio XYZ 93.1FM. Tweet us @africainfocus14 and @ekbensah. Listen to us on #MultiTVChannel29. Thanks!

HOW TO CONTACT "AFRICA IN FOCUS"

1. Google plus BUSINESS PAGE:http://gplus.to/contactafricainfocusxyz
2. Google plus COMMUNITY: http://gplus.to/africaonradioxyz
3. Google plus Profile: http://gplus.to/africainfocusongoogleplus

*Email: africainfocusonradioxyz AT gmail.com
*FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/africainfocusonradioxyz
*Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/africainfocus14, using #AfricainFocus #radioxyz

PODCAST -- Africa in Focus: "State of Civil Society in West Africa post-2015 Agenda" (10 June, 2014)

From Emmanuel K: "Please find a link to the latest edition of the "Africa in Focus" show, which aired on Radio XYZ93.1 fm on Tuesday 10 June at 13h10. As Ghana has been identified as a middle-income country, aid flows to the country will diminish significantly with a number of major donors that will begin to set deadlines for the end of their aid frameworks. In this light, civil society will need to answer the question as to where CSOs, as a vital part of society, will continue to find funding in the future. Guests included: - **Executive Director of WACSI Nana -- Asantewa Afadzinu **OSIWA Programme Manager in Charge of Law, Justice and Human Rights -- Afia Asantewaa Asare-Kyei **STAR Ghana's Mary Tobbin-Osei Tune in at 13h10 GMT (1:00pm Ghana Time) EVERY Tuesday. We're also streaming live www.radioxyzonline.com.  Contact us Facebook on: http://www.facebook.com/africainfocusonradioxyz and radio XYZ 93.1FM. Tweet us @africainfocus14 and @ekbensah. Listen to us on #MultiTVChannel29. Thanks! HOW TO CONTACT "AFRICA IN FOCUS" 1. Google plus BUSINESS PAGE :http://gplus.to/contactafricainfocusxyz 2. Google plus COMMUNITY: http://gplus.to/africainfocusonradioxyz 3. Google plus Profile: http://gplus.to/africainfocusongoogleplus *Email: africainfocusonradioxyz AT gmail.com *FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/africainfocusonradioxyz *Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/africainfocus14, using #AfricainFocus #radioxyz"" Click here to view (Emmanuel K shared these files using Dropbox. Enjoy!) © 2014 Dropbox

“Africa in Focus” Show on Radio XYZ93.1 FM returns with a discussion on Africa’s integration

“Africa in Focus” Show on Radio XYZ93.1 FM returns with a discussion on Africa’s integration

By E.K.Bensah Jr

After almost two weeks of being off air, the one-month old “Africa in Focus” show is back with a bang on Radio xyz93.1 fm.

In the last edition on 3 June, 2014, Emmanuel hosted two people in the studio. These were Ashesi University’s Dr. Lloyd Amoah, and Capacity Building Development Officer of the West Africa Civil Society Institute(WACSI) Charles Van Dyck.

On the line in Addis were Dr.Joseph Atta-Mensah of the UN Economic Commission for Africa, and Mkhululi Ncube, former UNECA official-turned-entrepreneur in his own country of Zimbabwe.

The show sought to interrogate the question of whether Africa is integrating. The general consensus at the end of the show clearly showed there is a lot of work to be done on sensitizing Africans to the urgency of building Africa’s integration process.

As explained by the UNECA’s Dr.Joseph Atta-Mensah, there are a number of milestones that have been chalked along the road to Africa’s integration. These include the Sirte Declaration on 1999 that sought to fast-track integration. He concedes there remains much to be done – even if leaders are slowly and surely recognizing the necessity of integration.

 Mkhu Ncube related to the audience how the East African Business Council works very efficiently – as does the one for the COMESA sub-region (populated by 19 member countries). He confessed that though he is a national of the SADC region, he cannot vouch for the efficiency of a Business Council in that part of the world. Without a doubt, though, he believes the private sector is going to have to take charge on Africa’s integration, because governments are never going to automatically give that space.

We learnt from Dr.Amoah, who has recently penned a book on Africa’s telecommunications, that there are only three member countries – Ghana; Nigeria; and Rwanda – that have so-called TelChams, or Telecommunications Chambers. By virtue of Ghana’s small market being populated by six telcos, this country was always going to be an important test-case on TelChams. Nigeria’s is the largest, though not necessarily the most efficient. With regard to Rwanda, we find this to be an interesting case in the sense that that country is seeking to position itself as the cyber-gateway to East Africa. This is certainly something many African countries can learn from—as well as leveraging on the immense potential that telcos offer to help create synergy in Africa’s integration. All that said, it is pitiful to have only three member countries out of a whopping fifty-four be the only ones to have TelChams.

WACSI’s Charles VanDyck stressed the fact that African integration is a “bread-and-butter” issue, and that African peoples are already integrating. It is time governments began to domesticate the many protocols they are quick to sign, and ensure that Africans feel well-integrated. Even if West Africa has made commendable effort on free movement, clearly, much still needs to be done.

ENDs

HOW FAR IS AFRICA INTEGRATING?

By Elizabeth Owusu-Kissi, AIF News Reporter

African integration was one of the more interesting topics discussed Tuesday 3 June, on the Africa in Focus show on Radio XYZ. Host Emmanuel.K.Bensah Jr had the opportunity of interviewing Dr. Lloyd Amoah of Ashesi University; Charles Vandyck of WACSI; Mkhu Ncube, former UNECA official in Zimbabwe over the phone; and Dr. Joseph Atta-Mensah of the UN Economic Commission for Africa(UNECA) over the line in Addis.

As excitement hit the roof, Dr.Lloyd Amoah in his submission talked about the perception of African minds when it comes to matters of Africa’s integration. He said “somewhere, somehow, the ordinary people are not aware of the policies their government leaders signed, talk less of understanding what it actually means’ adding that to them.” He continued “it’s a piece of paper signed somewhere for their benefit but not effective in their domestic lives.”

Charles Vandyck of WACSI also buttressed the point made by Dr. Amoah explaining that Ghana, for example, signed these protocols but did not ensure its practicality in the social lives of its people. He said, “for citizens to understand what it means, then it must reflect in their social lives”. Citing examples, he said it’s unfortunate a product from Ghana will cost less to transport to the U.K but very expensive when transporting to a nearby African country because of high taxation.

Mr. Vandyck shared his experience on the show, explaining how he had to pay more to refill for roaming in a nearby African country, adding that the cost was much higher compared to others.

ENDs

Coming up on 10 June, 2014 edition of "Africa in Focus": "The State of Civil Society in West Africa post-2015"

As 2015 approaches with increasing celerity, it is time for civil society to prepare itself for the post-2015 agenda. This debate is important in the light of the fact that 2015 is the year when an important examination of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) will be had. What this means is that a serious analysis on how far and how deeply civil society has acted around the fight for the MDGs will be open for discussion and reflection in the development sector community.

As Ghana has been identified as a middle-income country, aid flows to the country will diminish significantly with a number of major donors that will begin to set deadlines for the end of their aid frameworks. In this light, civil society will need to answer the question as to where CSOs, as a vital part of society, will continue to find funding in the future.

Guests include:

-         Executive Director of WACSI Nana -- Asantewa Afadzinu

-        OSIWA Programme Manager in Charge of Law, Justice and Human Rights -- Afia Asantewaa Asare-Kyei

--        STAR Ghana’s Mary Tobbinosei

Tune in at 13h10 GMT (1:00pm Ghana Time). We’re also streaming live www.radioxyzonline.com. Contact us Facebook on:

 http://www.facebook.com/africainfocusonradioxyz and radio XYZ 93.1FM. Tweet us @africainfocus14 and @ekbensah. Listen to us on #MultiTVChannel29. Thanks!

HOW TO CONTACT "AFRICA IN FOCUS"

1. Google plus BUSINESS PAGE:http://gplus.to/contactafricainfocusxyz
2. Google plus COMMUNITY: http://gplus.to/africainfocusonradioxyz
3. Google plus Profile: http://gplus.to/africainfocusongoogleplus

*Email: africainfocusonradioxyz AT gmail.com
*FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/africainfocusonradioxyz
*Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/africainfocus14, using #AfricainFocus #radioxyz

Coming up on 3 June, 2014 edition of "Africa in Focus": "How far is Africa integrating?"

Emmanuel K Bensah Jr will be live on air on Africa in Focus Show - Radio XYZ 93.1FM Tuesday at 13h00 GMT exploring how far Africa has integrated.

Earlier in May, Ghana's Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Regional Integration declared the month of May "Regional Integration month". The real question "Africa in Focus" show is asking Tuesday 3 June 2014 from 1:00pm to 3:00pm is,

‘How far is Africa integrating along the lines of intra-African trade; energy; telecommunications; and business ventures?

We shall be finding out whether Africa truly is integrating when there is now a closer relationship between Africa and China?

Guests include:

-         An official of the UN Economic Commission for Africa(UNECA) from Addis Ababa (Joseph Attah-Mensah)

-         Counter-terrorism Expert (Temitope Olodo)

-         An academic from Ashesi University here in Accra (Dr.Lloyd Amoah)

-         A former UNECA official who now works in his home country of Zimbabwe encouraging business for his countrymen. (Mkhululi Ncube)

-         An official from the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI) (Charles Kojo VanDyck)

Tune in at 13h00 GMT (1:00pm Ghana Time). We’re also streaming live www.radioxyzonline.com. Contact us Facebook on:

 http://www.facebook.com/africainfocusonradioxyz and radio XYZ 93.1FM. Tweet us @africainfocus14 and @ekbensah. Listen to us on #MultiTVChannel29. Thanks!

HOW TO CONTACT "AFRICA IN FOCUS"

1. Google plus BUSINESS PAGE:http://gplus.to/contactafricainfocusxyz
2. Google plus COMMUNITY: http://gplus.to/africaonradioxyz
3. Google plus Profile: http://gplus.to/africainfocusongoogleplus

*Email: africainfocusonradioxyz AT gmail.com
*FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/africainfocusonradioxyz
*Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/africainfocus14, using #AfricainFocus #radioxyz

THE MEDIA HAS A MAJOR ROLE TO PLAY ON PEACE & SECURITY- WACSI director

By Elizabeth Owusu-Kissi, AIF News Reporter

The Executive Director of the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI), Mrs. Nana Asantewa Afadzinu in her response to a question asked by the host of the “Africa In Focus” Show, Emmanuel K Bensah Jr, said, the media – as part of the civil society – has a major role to play in setting the agenda on the issue of ‘Peace and Security’ in Africa in relation to the subject ‘Responsibility to Protect’.

The interview session, which was held at Eastgate Hotel – a platinum sponsor of the Africa In Focus show --, solicited the facts and realities on ground on issues affecting Africa.

Mrs. Afadzinu said, the primary responsibility to protect the citizens of a country lies with the State. However, the media, including other parts of civil society groups, play salient roles in communicating and creating awareness on ordinary people’s right of protection. She added that it is important the media exerts pressure on the government to protect their rights and the public.

Addressing the issue of Boko Haram, Nana said Boko Haram is a threat not only to Nigeria but also to Africa as a whole because the term ‘Boko Haram’ can not only be found in Nigeria alone but its roots can be traced in most communities in Africa; hence the need to fight the canker as a general problem facing Africa and not Nigeria alone.

She explains ‘ it’s a regional problem and must be dealt with at all levels including the communities’. She added we must involve the community and address the economic, social and political issues emulating into this canker we face as Boko Haram.

Pressed on what to do to prevent people’s right from being violated, she explained “We need more than NGOs to help; we need political bodies, religious bodies along with the media in the civil society to help set the agenda to protect.”

ENDs