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Stay Smart About Africa


09 October 2019

 

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Where Are The Highest Paying Jobs In Africa?

Thanks to growing economies and the improving political situation in many African countries, Africa now has plenty of job opportunities to explore. Different countries have their own main economic activities, which largely determines what kinds of job opportunities are available locally. The entry of large multinational companies into Africa has further opened up a competitive job market that is constantly in search of top talent from across the continent, as well as across the globe. Some of the key factors to consider when moving for better job opportunities include: security, cost of living, economic growth and inflation, ease of accessing work permits or visas, job promotion prospects, employment income taxation regime, and remuneration benefits among others. Before beginning to make applications or accepting a job offer from a foreign country, you need to have factual information to better assess the suitability of a job.

SOURCE: AFRICA.COM

The First Black Woman to Visit Every Country is African

Jessica Nabongo, a UN employee turned travel blogger, set out to visit all 193 countries in the world in 2016, and on October 6 arrived the last on her list, Seychelles, according to a post on her Instagram page. She also clocked up a couple of what the UN calls "non-observer status" territories, taking her total to 195. Born in Detroit to Ugandan parents and holding two passports, Nabongo's epic odyssey hasn't just been about getting her name in a record book. She's hoping to pave the way for women and people of color to do the same. And despite being a self-identified African, that didn't mean everything was smooth sailing when Nabongo traveled around Africa. A few times, she watched in frustration as she was forced to wait behind white tourists or forced to pay bribes in order to cross borders that should have been open to her.To support her travel habits, she founded a company called Jet Black, which organizes custom itineraries for small group trips in Africa, plus sells travel gear like branded T-shirts and passport covers. 

SOURCE: CNN

The Africans Fighting to Save the Environment

In Kenya Kaluki Paul Mutuku has been actively involved in conservation since college, where he was a member of an environmental awareness club, and has been a member of the African Youth Initiative on Climate Change since 2015. Raised in rural Kenya by a single mother, Mutuku’s vigorous activism, was inspired by the direct challenges his family and wider community faced from the effects of climate change. He acknowledges the young children in Kenya and Nigeria and other parts of the developing world who make toys out of recycled plastic and metal, and who would probably not know to call themselves climate advocates.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

Zimbabwe's Dark and Difficult Times 

Zimbabwe has raised its average electricity tariff by 320 percent to ramp up power supplies at a time of daily blackouts. The Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) said it had approved an application by Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) to raise the tariff. ZERA said the tariff rise was necessary after inflation soared - the International Monetary Fund (IMF) says it was about 300 percent in August. Zimbabwe introduced an interim sovereign currency - the Real Time Gross Settlement dollar or Zimdollar - in February which quickly fell prey to black market speculation. Consumers seem set for more price increases after the energy regulator said that, starting November, the power utility would index its tariff to the US dollar to enable it "to recover from inflation and exchange rate changes". The new tariff would allow ZETDC to raise money to repair its generators, as well as pay for imports from South Africa's Eskom and Mozambique which cost $19.5m every month, the regulator said.

SOURCE: AL JAZEERA

AfDB to Incentivise Countries Boosting Women in Business

The African Development Bank will soon start tracking how much loan is given to women across the continent through its new initiative, the Women Financing Index. The index is to take note of African countries that accord women a priority in loan disbursement. Nations that perform well according to data obtained would benefit more from financing from AfDB. The bank’s chief further explained that institutions will be rated by their development impact which is based on the rate and volume at which they lend to women. “Top institutions will be rewarded with preferential financing terms from the African Development Bank,” he added. Over the past decade, the number of women entrepreneurs in Africa has grown substantially. AfDB’s Africa Gender Equality Index shows that female entrepreneurship on the continent is the highest in the world and they make a sizeable contribution to Africa’s economy. Across steel manufacturing companies in South Africa, Ethiopia’s textile and clothing designing, high-tech development in East Africa and agribusinesses in West Africa, female entrepreneurs are taking their place in the business landscape.

SOURCE: VENTURES AFRICA

Rwanda Deports Controversial Pastor

An American missionary who ran a conservative evangelical church and radio station in Rwanda was arrested in Kigali, the country’s capital before he could hold a news conference to denounce the government for clamping down on churches like his. The Rev. Gregg Schoof is one of several outspoken evangelical pastors who have criticized the Rwandan government for allowing access to abortion and birth control, and for teaching evolution. Until last year, Rwanda imprisoned women accused of having abortions. But a law passed last year allowed abortion in cases of rape, forced marriage, incest, or when the pregnancy posed a health risk to the mother. Earlier this year, Mr. Kagame ordered the release of nearly 400 women and girls who had been jailed for having or aiding in abortions.

SOURCE: THE NEW YORK TIMES

Educating Batswana about Modern Farming Practices

Amanda Aminah Masire’s firm, Greenhouse Technologies is plugging the gap between farmers and government with a company that provided everything from consultancy to cucumber seed. Between 2013 and 2018, Greenhouse Technologies’ “horticulture in a box” solution helped 430 Botswanans to become farmers. In the process, she’s reduced the country’s reliance on imported fruits and vegetables to the tune of 2,100 acres of productive land. Masire owes her success to wrapping up a sizable chunk of the horticulture value chain. Masire is determined to stay several steps ahead of the competition, she outlines plans to incorporate beekeeping, integrated livestock farming, the internet of things, fish farming, steel-bending and pollination by drone into her business offerings. And she plans to expand the model to other African countries.

SOURCE: OZY

Spotlight on Maternal Care in African Hospitals

A medical journal in The Lancet found that more than one-third of new mothers in four poor countries are abused during childbirth. A study carried out in Ghana, Guinea, Myanmar and Nigeria by the World Health Organization, found that 42% of the women experienced physical or verbal abuse or some form of stigma or discrimination at maternity health facilities. The study also found a high number of Cesarean sections, vaginal exams and other procedures being performed without the patient's consent. Of the 2,016 women observed for the study, 14% said they were either hit, slapped or punched during childbirth. Some 38% of the women said they were subjected to verbal abuse, most often by being shouted at, mocked or scolded. The authors of the study urged officials to hold those who mistreat women during childbirth accountable. They also urged the governments to put into place clear policies and sufficient resources to ensure that women have a safe place to give birth.

SOURCE: VOA

Buhari Goes After Oil Profits

Nigeria is seeking to recover as much as $62 billion from international oil companies; using a 2018 Supreme Court ruling that the state says enables it to increase its share of income from production-sharing contracts. The proposal comes as President Muhammadu Buhari tries to bolster revenue after a drop in the output and price of oil, Nigeria’s main export. It’s previously targeted foreign companies, fining mobile operator MTN Group Ltd. almost $1 billion for failing to disconnect undocumented SIM-card users, and suing firms including JPMorgan Chase & Co. in a corruption scandal.

SOURCE: BLOOMBERG

Ethiopia's PM is the Bookmakers’ Favourite to Win a Nobel Peace Prize

During a high-level meeting at Ethiopia’s foreign ministry in July, officials were shocked by social media reports that their prime ministe, Ahmed Abiy was visiting Eritrea. His second since clinching a peace deal last year that ended two decades of hostility between the two neighbours. The surprise visit is typical of Abiy, who both fans and critics say often relies on bold personal initiatives and charisma to drive change instead of working through government institutions. The deal with Eritrea won Abiy international plaudits.

SOURCE: REUTERS AFRICA

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