Latest news with #Pan-African
IOL News
a day ago
- Politics
- IOL News
Revive the Tana High-level forum: Facilitate the re-establishment of African Renaissance Clubs
, I urge the two Foundations to include the revival of the Tana High-level forum in their immediate flagship programme so that the human and intellectual capital served in the forum can use their institutional memory to guide and advise the envisaged clubs, the writer says. Image: File Sixteen years ago, the African Union (AU) convened a summit of heads of state in Tripoli, Libya, to analyse, among other matters, the state of conflicts, peace, and security across the continent. The summit resolved to eliminate the ongoing conflicts and promote sustainable peace and security throughout the continent. These heads of African states committed to implementing this resolution within the 'African-centred solutions to peace and security' framework. However, three years after that 2009 AU summit and following the wave of violent conflicts characterised as the 'Arab Spring' in countries such as Egypt, Tunisia, and Libya and others, the Tana High-Level Forum was established in 2012 as a centre for Pan-African conversation and facilitation of the practical realisation of the summit resolution. This high-level forum has evolved into an informal strategic platform for key decision-makers and civil society organisations (CSOs) across the continent to meet and not only exchange best practices, experiences, and ideas on conflict resolution, peace, and security, but also African ideas and thoughts. Interestingly, the forum adopted a baobab tree as its logo because historically, African 'Kings and elders would hold meetings under the baobab tree, with the belief that the tree's spirits would guide them in decision-making. Video Player is loading. 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Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ It symbolises a meeting place where communities and individuals gather to share stories, conversations and wisdom among the young and the elders.' In October 2022, the Tana Forum celebrated a decade of existence; it is important to note that African women, Dr Hesphina Rukato, Ms Michelle Ndiaye and Ms Lettie Langwe have coordinated this initiative throughout this period. The forum has established itself as a genuine platform for exchanging ideas, showcasing well-researched Pan-African papers that set the agenda for the AU and commission meetings. It also aims to implement the call for 'African solutions to African problems'. Although this call is critiqued by some Africans, who argue that certain problems do not necessarily originate in Africa, I maintain that it is still critical because the intention is for African leaders to take ownership of Africa's destiny and foster collective self-reliance to activate African agency and promote Pan-African ideas in the 'global Africa'. I contend that the establishment of this high-level forum thirteen years ago has created a networking platform for Africans and produced crucial African literature that can serve as the foundation and reservoir of an indigenous knowledge system for the (re)-establishment of the African Renaissance Clubs, as proclaimed by a member of the Thabo Mbeki Foundation Advisory Council, Ambassador Ami Mpunguwe, during the 15th Thabo Mbeki Annual African Day Lecture in Tanzania. That in the coming months, the Thabo Mbeki, Julius Nyerere Foundations and other stakeholders will work on establishing Renaissance clubs from Dar es Salaam to the diaspora. These clubs aim to revive the Pan-African movement, igniting and accelerating the African Renaissance and agency by nurturing thought leaders, thinkers, and doers in the quest to realise the vision and dreams of the founding leaders of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU). I am confident that the TM Foundation has critically assessed the factors contributing to the decline of the previous Renaissance and Pan African structure and the Pan-African movement on the continent and has drawn valuable lessons from the movement in the diaspora. This assessment is necessary to avert the repetition of history, especially considering that the task ahead is daunting, as there is an argument that Africa is more dependent today than it was at the dawn of independence more than six decades ago. Therefore, I urge the two Foundations to include the revival of the Tana High-level forum in their immediate flagship programme so that the human and intellectual capital served in the forum can use their institutional memory to guide and advise the envisaged clubs. Already, the forum has produced research papers and recommendations that the African Union never implemented due to its leadership crisis and lack of political will to drive the African agenda and inspire hope to Africans. The foundations would need funding and partnerships to implement this critical Pan-African initiative. However, I posit that potential funders and partners must be critically examined. Because I argue that the Tana High-level forum was, to a greater extent, weakened by the external funders and partners with their nefarious agendas, according to one of the first women to coordinate the forum, Dr Rukato, the forum was started with six funders and partners with Ethiopia and its entities as core funder, and the structure generated significant interest among funders and partners on and beyond the continent, for example at the launch of the forum, German, Chinese and Indian governments had already developed interests to fund, however ten years later the forum had twenty six funders and partners. Dr Rukato asserts that this increasing sponsorship was needed. However, it created challenges for the forum because specific funders and partners began to organise parallel events and diluted the format and programmes of the forum; this unfortunate situation affected the quality of debates because the sponsors focused more on promoting themselves at the expense of the forum. I still argue that the AU and its member states must reset the engagement with the external partners and craft criteria in selecting funders and partnerships. This criterion must also be used to assess how the current partnerships and funders are assisting in implementing the AU Agenda 2063. Africa must rise, defend and advance its African-centred approach to development. In my view, the Tana High-level Forum was, in its initial stages, a true African Parliament, even more effective than the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) based in Midrand, South Africa. I agree with Dr. Rukato that 'a formal review of the forum is necessary as part of marking its 10th anniversary and adapting it to new and emerging factors that may have arisen in the past decade.' As an aspirant Pan-African scholar, I call on all Africans in the 'global Africa', to support this great initiative of the Thabo Mbeki and Julius Nyerere foundations to (re) establish the African renaissance clubs, however, we must also make a call for an incorporation of the revival of the Tana High-level forum in the broader strategic plan of the foundations. Orapeleng Matshediso is a Masters graduate of Pan African Development Studies and Research Associate at the University of Johannesburg (Institute for Pan African Thought and Conversation). The author is also an alumnus of the then Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute (TMALI). Orapeleng Matshediso is a Masters graduate of Pan African Development Studies and Research Associate at the University of Johannesburg (Institute for Pan African Thought and Conversation). Image: Supplied. BUSINESS REPORT Visit:
TimesLIVE
2 days ago
- Business
- TimesLIVE
Swazi Tshabalala for AfDB president: a proven leader for a defining African moment
At a time when Africa's development trajectory is at once urgent and uncertain, the African Development Bank (AfDB) stands not merely as a financier but as a standard bearer for continental ambition. What it needs now is not just a competent manager of funds, but a leader who understands the weight of the moment, someone whose voice carries both technical authority and moral clarity. Swazi Tshabalala is that leader. Her candidacy for president of the AfDB should not be viewed as symbolic or tokenistic. It is, in fact, a pragmatic, necessary step towards aligning the institution with the Africa it serves; a dynamic, diverse and increasingly self-determined continent. Pan-African credentials with global clout Those who understand the inner workings of multilateral finance know Tshabalala as a seasoned, strategic and steady presence. She has occupied some of the most complex spaces in global finance, and walked the corridors of power in Washington and Addis Ababa, including as deputy executive director at the International Monetary Fund, where she represented 23 African nations. Tshabalala is respected across regional and ideological lines, in francophone and anglophone blocs alike, because she listens, learns and leads effectively Her leadership has shifted conversations at the G20, the UN and AU, not because she spoke the loudest, but because she always made the most sense. Her tenure at the AfDB itself, where she served as vice-president for finance and CFO , gives her an insider's understanding of what the bank does well — and what it must do better. Under Tshabalala's leadership as CFO, the AfDB was recognised as the 'Best Multilateral Development Bank' in 2021 by Global Finance due to her leadership, strategic vision and commitment to financial excellence. Technocratic depth, transformational vision and results Tshabalala doesn't wear her resume like a medal. She wears it like armour. Behind the enviable qualifications is a woman who has spent her life making sure development means something more than graphs and reports. Her policy expertise spans fiscal reform, climate finance, gender-responsive budgeting and debt restructuring. But she has also sat with ministers facing fiscal collapse, civil servants stretched thin by global multilateral institutions' conditions and grassroots women's groups demanding to be seen in national budgets. She doesn't just speak about inclusive growth — she has structured it, defended it and delivered it. A unifier in a polarised world Africa doesn't need another technocrat who speaks in acronyms or a populist who speaks in platitudes. What it needs is someone who understands that diplomacy is not the opposite of principle. Tshabalala is respected across regional and ideological lines, in francophone and anglophone blocs alike, because she listens, learns and leads effectively. In a fragmented geopolitical moment, her candidacy offers something rare: the promise of coherence without compromise, of pragmatic pan-Africanism with precision. The moment meets the candidate This is no ordinary election. The AfDB presidency is one of the most consequential African leadership posts outside government. The stakes — climate resilience, infrastructure gaps, youth unemployment, food insecurity and the digital divide are real, immediate and urgent. They are African. And they require a president who knows that development is not just about money — it's about taking action. Tshabalala understands that. She understands that Africa doesn't just need loans. It needs leverage — and leadership that commands respect, not just requests support. A mandate for the future In backing Tshabalala, Africa would be making a bold and necessary choice — not just to break tradition, but to reset it. It would be choosing substance over spectacle, integrity over influence and a voice that speaks not just for Africa but from it. When the 54 member AfDB board of governors meet to make a decision for the next president, Tshabalala's name is the only one that makes sense. She does not seek the presidency of the AfDB to decorate her legacy. She seeks it to shape Africa's. And that, frankly, is exactly what the institution and the continent needs right now: a bold reformer, inclusive leader and pragmatic visionary who understands the continent's developmental urgency, can mobilise large-scale finance, unlock private sector participation, champion regional integration and deliver infrastructure that transforms economies and lives. Africa — and the AfDB — need Swazi Tshabalala urgently. • Thebe Ikalafeng is a global African thought leader and founder and chair of Brand Africa. He's been to every country in Africa and is the best selling author of The Traveler — Crossing Borders and Connecting Africa
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
FDA reports rodent infestation at Louisville food distributor
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (FOX 56) — The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advised people to avoid eating food from a Louisville company after learning the company had a rodent problem. According to an announcement by the FDA, an active rodent infestation and droppings on multiple product containers were found during a May inspection at the Pan-African Food Distributors. FDA reports rodent infestation at Louisville food distributor Man agrees to Alford plea in connection with 2016 Lincoln County death Kentucky artists perform tornado benefit concert in downtown Somerset In response to the inspection, the state of Kentucky has ordered the company to cease operations since it lacked a required permit. Kentucky has also implemented a 'blanket quarantine of product.' The FDA confirmed that the business will be prohibited from reopening until the infestation has been completely addressed. A recall on all Pan-African food products currently on the market was recommended by the FDA, and the company agreed to comply. Read more of the latest Kentucky news Customers are encouraged by the FDA to check their homes for all Pan-African food and throw away all related products. For a full list of products distributed by Pan-African Food Distributors, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
SA20 continues meteoric rise with record-breaking third season
The third edition of South Africa's premier T20 franchise league, SA20, has delivered record-breaking numbers across attendance, broadcast and digital platforms, firmly establishing itself as one of the most followed live sporting events in the country. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The 2025 season witnessed unprecedented crowd engagement, with over 400,000 fans attending matches across six venues. A 70% surge in sold-out fixtures, including a full house for the final for the third year running, marked SA20 Season 3 as the most attended edition to date. MI Cape Town's home ground, Newlands, etched history by selling out all five of its home games—a first in the League's short but growing legacy. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! One of the season's standout moments came during the clash between Joburg Super Kings and Sunrisers Eastern Cape at the Wanderers, where the league celebrated selling its one millionth ticket. Fan satisfaction remained sky-high, with 93% of attendees rating their stadium experience as "excellent" and 90% expressing a keen interest in returning for Season 4. On the broadcast front, Nielsen Sports SA reported a 47% rise in viewership on SuperSport, with the opening match between Sunrisers Eastern Cape and MI Cape Town becoming the most-watched season opener in league history. The grand finale saw a 72% increase in local viewership compared to the previous season, as MI Cape Town clinched the title. More Than a Team: The Rise of CSK & the Whistle Podu Army The league's international appeal also soared, with global viewership—spanning India, the UK, the US, and Pan-African regions—jumping by 37%. These numbers cement SA20's status as one of the most prominent T20 franchise leagues outside India. SA20 also thrived in the digital arena. The league registered a 62% growth in social media followers, an 87% spike for franchise accounts, a 93% boost in video views, and a staggering 233% rise in website traffic from the previous season. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now This growing popularity translated into significant media traction. The league saw a 30% rise in media value in South Africa and a remarkable 96% increase in India. Print media coverage also surged by 231%. Reflecting on the season's success, League Commissioner said: 'Season three of the SA20 has been an absolute game-changer. This is the third year running that we have seen unprecedented growth across broadcast, attendance and digital platforms. We have really made a mark as one of the leading sport and entertainment brands in the country. Globally, our numbers continue to increase and support our vision of being the biggest T20 cricket league outside of India.' Season 3 also underlined SA20's commitment to youth development. Through its learnership programme, the league offered hands-on experience to 26 young professionals, including participants from the Laureus YES (Youth Employment in Sport) initiative and photography students. In its partnership with the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, SA20 raised R630,000 to support programmes aimed at helping youth tackle societal challenges like poverty, homelessness, and substance abuse. The season also saw the successful launch of Schools SA20, a first-of-its-kind grassroots initiative featuring over 600 participating schools, including a debut girls' competition. The final showdown at Cricket South Africa's High Performance Centre crowned Steyn City School (Johannesburg) and Bishops Diocesan College (Cape Town) as the inaugural girls' and boys' champions, respectively. In a boost to youth education and sport, two promising Grade 7 cricketers received full scholarships to the winning schools. 'The positive impact off the field is equally important and rewarding for us as the League,' Smith added. 'The Schools SA20 was an excellent platform for the next generation in its debut season and will no doubt continue to give hundreds of young cricketers around the country opportunities.'
IOL News
6 days ago
- Politics
- IOL News
Synoptic analysis and expectations: The annual Thabo Mbeki Africa Day Lecture
Africa needs to rid itself of leaders who thrive on populist and ethnic politics. Image: Karen Sandison This annual lecture is hosted by the Thabo Mbeki Foundation, alongside the University of South Africa (UNISA) and other stakeholders, on the founding date of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which is the precursor to the African Union (AU). This strategic gathering offers a unique opportunity for the TM Foundation to critically assess Africa's progress and commitment, and to deeply analyse the continent's pressing challenges in the quest for Africa's renaissance (rebirth) through realising political, socio-economic, and cultural self-reliance. Therefore, this article synoptically analyses Africa's progress and reflections of Abdoulaye Bathily on the critical and pressing challenges he raised as a keynote speaker at the 14th Thabo Mbeki Africa Day lecture 2024. The article also delves into the 12th May 2025 press briefing by the AU chairperson of the commission, His Excellency Mahmoud Ali Youssouf. The reflections by these two patriots call for succinct reflection and analysis that sets the tone for the 15th Thabo Mbeki Africa Day lecture that will be held under the theme 'State of the Continent' within the context of reigniting Africa's renaissance in Tanzania this weekend. Professor Bathily expressed concerns that Africa remains culturally downtrodden and politically, economically, and militarily dependent on European countries despite attaining independence more than sixty years ago. He primarily attributes this lack of progress and the new scramble for Africa to the ongoing leadership crisis on the continent. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ He further argues that Africa needs to rid itself of leaders who thrive on populist and ethnic politics. The continent requires new leaders who can revive the liberation and Pan-African project. In my view, although the AU and others oppose the coups that have occurred in West Africa, particularly in the Sahel region, the masses in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso have become impatient with the colonial ties to their former coloniser, France, and have resolved to identify themselves as Sankarists, committed to completing the decolonial struggle initiated by the late President Thomas Sankara in Burkina Faso. Therefore, inasmuch as I believe in the democratically elected leadership, but to a certain extent, one is tempted to stand with those Sankarists because, in October 2024, the TM Foundation convened the inaugural Peace and Security Dialogue in South Africa, which I attended and participated in. The dialogue focused on peace and security in the West and the Horn of Africa. On the same date as the dialogue, France convened a Francophonie festival and summit in Paris to celebrate the French language and strengthen relations among the world's French-speaking countries; thus, some leaders in West Africa chose the meeting in Paris over the critical peace and security dialogue. It was indicated that, although West Africa was an area of focus for the dialogue, it was not well represented. This affirms the assertions that African leaders have abandoned the liberation and Pan-African agenda. This confirms what Prof Bathily stated, that African heads of state can leave the meeting of the AU and be convened by one head of state. Therefore, President Sankara and Ibrahim Traore must multiply, on the continent to extricate Africa from neo-colonial bondage. Once again, Prof Bathily argues that Africa has numerous partnerships with European countries and entities for development; however, natural resources depart the continent, but Africa continues to experience stagnation in economic growth and development. The question is, how strategic are those Africa's partnerships for the AU's Agenda 2063? I assert that the AU and its member states should contemplate establishing criteria and reviewing these partnerships in light of the AU Agenda 2063. This is feasible, as a multipolar world creates space for emerging actors who could serve as competitors to the current exploitative one and possibly be partners for genuine Africa's development. Additionally, a concerning factor is the increasing presence of foreign military bases on the continent, which arrived under the pretext of combating the rise of violent extremism and acts of terrorism. However, the reality is that the military weapons provided are fuelling instabilities on the continent. On the other hand, there is a contradiction; for example, African leaders claim to be investing in agriculture to fight hunger and poverty, but continue to auction land to private multilateral companies in exchange for foreign direct investment. In return, these so-called investors practice agriculture solely for maximising profit at the expense of the suffering and hungry masses. Bathily says African land must be given to conscious African farmers who would understand that the land, especially agriculture, must feed Africans before being exported. On 12 May 2025, the newly elected chairperson of the AU Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, held a press briefing that I viewed as an opportunity for him to outline his detailed plans; regrettably, he provided an overview of strategic priorities without a clear plan of action. For instance, regarding issues related to the Commission on Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS), the chairperson merely identified a few African countries in conflict and the dialogues occurring to resolve those conflicts. He noted that he would soon meet with the foreign affairs ministers from Sahel countries to seek lasting peace in the region. This PAPS has a considerable workload, as Africa accounts for almost 70% of global conflicts. I strongly contend that the AU's decision to merge the Department of Political Affairs with Peace and Security lacked strategy, as the current focus leans more towards peace and security. In my view, the AU should reconsider its decision and separate the commissions so that Political Affairs could lead the revival of the liberation and Pan-African project, as Prof Bathily suggests. Therefore, I am hopeful that the 15th Thabo Mbeki Africa Day Lecture, themed 'the state of the continent,' will take stock of the previous lectures, developments within the G20, and the political, socio-economic, violent conflict and cultural developments, leadership crisis on the continent within the context of the geopolitical shifts and a multipolar world. The New Partnership for Africa's Development should be resuscitated and Africanised to drive the continental development. Orapeleng Matshediso is a Masters graduate of Pan African Development Studies and Research Associate at the University of Johannesburg (Institute for Pan African Thought and Conversation). The author is also an alumnus of the then Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute (TMALI) and writes in his capacity. Orapeleng Matshediso is a Masters graduate of Pan African Development Studies and Research Associate at the University of Johannesburg (Institute for Pan African Thought and Conversation). Image: Supplied.
