🔅 African Art Gets a Major Advocate, Belyse Ininahazwe Makes History
Plus, Xi Jinping Thought Translated into Swahili & African Youth's Disenfranchisement
Photo of the day: Luanda, Angola
Markets:
🔴 Nigerian SE: 64,448.96 (-0.27%)
🔴 Johannesburg SE: 74,914.52 (-0.88%)
🟢 Ghana SE: 3,066.20 (+0.14%)
🟢 Nairobi SE: 102.21 (+2.19%)
🔴 US S&P 500: 4,370.36 (-0.77%)
🟢 Shanghai Composite: 3,163.74 (+0.43%)
DR Congo Cranks Up the Interest Rates | The Democratic Republic of Congo’s central bank has pulled out all the stops to stop its currency from losing value. In an effort to turn the tide, the bank just raised the benchmark interest rate to 25%, more than doubling the previous rate.
*Data accurate as of the close of markets across the continent
Brief & Bright: Africa's Top Five Highlights
Xi Jinping Thought in Swahili: A Story of Chinese Influence in Africa
We’ve all heard of Xi Jinping Thought, the Chinese political doctrine. But did you know it’s been translated into Swahili? That’s right, the Communist Party of China's governing philosophy has been published in the language of 200 million East and Central Africans. Talk about taking your political beliefs global! The launch of the Swahili edition marks 60 years of diplomatic relations between China and Kenya, and the Chinese Embassy in Nairobi hopes the book will help African readers understand the Chinese “wisdom about building a better world.” Swahili is the only African official language of the African Union, so it makes sense that China would choose it as one of the languages to translate the book into. Plus, it’s increasingly being taught as a foreign language in institutions around the world. So, why is China doing this? It could be to export their thoughts abroad or to seek an international model that could favour China. Whatever the case, China is now the biggest bilateral trading partner in Africa and their contribution to the continent has been generally accepted as good for development.
A Tragic Atlantic Crossing
It's a sad tale that’s become all too common: A boat of migrants from Senegal set sail for Spain with more than 100 people aboard, but the vessel only arrived with 38 survivors after the Spanish fishing vessel found it off the coast of Cape Verde. Seven dead bodies were found on the boat, and at least 56 people are still missing at sea, presumably dead. It's a heartbreaking reminder of the desperate lengths people are willing to go to for a better life, and of the risks they take in doing so. It's also a story of how climate change, violence, and economic hardship drive people to make dangerous journeys across the Atlantic. According to Walking Borders, a Spanish migration advocacy group, nearly 1,000 migrants died trying to reach Spain by sea in the first six months of 2023. The Canary Islands, off the northwest coast of Africa, have become a popular stepping stone to continental Europe for those seeking a better life.
Koyo Kouoh: A Visionary Curator Taking African Art to the Global Stage
Koyo Kouoh, a 55-year-old Cameroonian-born curator and executive director of the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) in Cape Town, is shaking up the art world. 30 years ago, Kouoh was working a day job as a social worker, writing articles, and hanging out with a creative crowd. Now, she’s an internationally recognized advocate for African art, and her museum is the largest on the African continent. Kouoh wants to show the world the vast history of African culture and art, and her mission is taking shape in her work. She’s transformed the museum into a Pan-African, world-class program, curating several large-scale exhibitions that have traveled to Europe and the US. And perhaps most importantly, she’s broken down the psychological barriers that many South Africans feel about entering a museum, with an open call that allowed everyone in Cape Town to bring in an artwork from home. The New York Times has an interesting profile on Mrs Kouoh.
Belyse Ininahazwe: The First Woman to Coach a Top-Flight Men's Team in Burundi
Belyse Ininahazwe is making history as the first woman to be appointed coach of a top-flight men's team in Burundi. The 35-year-old, who has a lengthy playing career under her belt, has been given the task of leading Inter Star to a successful season and avoiding relegation. Ininahazwe admits she was taken aback by the appointment, but is thankful for the trust that the club has put in her. A self-proclaimed fan of Pep Guardiola and Zinedine Zidane, Ininahazwe grew up playing football in the streets with her family and developed a passion for the game at a young age. Now she’s determined to make her mark on the coaching world and emulate her role models.
Young Africans are More Educated, but More Disengranchised
A recent Afrobarometer study showed that 66% of young Africans have achieved secondary school education, which is a big win for the continent since it is much higher than what the previous generation was able to achieve. However, the same study also showed that unemployment is still a major problem for African youth, and only two countries have majorities approving of their governments' performance on job creation (Zambia and Seychelles). What's more, the study revealed that young Africans are more dissatisfied with democracy, more likely to mistrust their elected leaders, and more open to military intervention in cases of abuse of power. Even so, young Africans still show lower rates of political engagement than their elders, such as voting in national elections, attending community meetings, and raising issues.
Food for Thought
“Rain does not fall on one roof alone.”
— Cameroonian Proverb.
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