🔅 The New Top Dogs of African Tourism
Plus: Tyla's TikTok Video Sparks Debate, ECOWAS Recognises Niger & Kenya Gets the Blackout Blues
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Kigali, Rwanda
Money Matters
🟢 Nigerian SE: 71,669.91 (+0.18%)
🟢 Johannesburg SE: 73,892.30 (+0.14%)
— Ghana SE: 3,130.60 (+0.00%)
🔴 Nairobi SE: 93.86 (-0.09%)
🟢 US S&P 500: 4,619.55 (+0.33%)
🟢 Shanghai Composite: 2,991.44 (+0.74%)
*Data accurate as of the close of markets across the continent
Brief & Bright: Africa's Top Five
The Top Dogs of African Tourism: Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Morocco
Move over, Kenya and South Africa—there are some new top performers in the African tourism game. According to a recent report, Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Morocco have all exceeded their pre-pandemic arrival numbers by the highest margins, thanks to a combination of factors like the end of a civil war, increased investments, and savvy marketing strategies. Ethiopia takes the top spot, with a 28% increase in visitors since the end of their civil war in the Tigray region. Tanzania comes in second, thanks to a government-produced tourism documentary featuring their president (talk about some self-promotion). And Morocco takes third place, with a 15% increase in arrivals and some serious investment in marketing and infrastructure. Overall, Africa is one of the fastest recovering tourism markets in the world, with hopes to fully bounce back to pre-pandemic levels by 2024.
Tyla's TikTok Video Sparks Online Debate Over the Word "Coloured"
Tyla, South Africa's hottest music sensation, has found herself in the middle of a heated online debate over her racial identity. In a TikTok video, she proudly declares herself a "coloured South African," highlighting her mixed-race heritage. But while her community in South Africa sees the word as a part of their culture, it's viewed as a slur in the US, causing some to question Tyla's potential for success in the American market. But let's take a step back—what does "coloured" even mean? In the US, it has a dark history associated with segregation and oppression of black Americans. In South Africa, 'coloured' is a recognized and distinct racial category with deep historical roots, reflective of a unique cultural identity shaped by the country's past of racial segregation under apartheid. This controversy underscores the complexities of global cultural interactions, where words carry varying meanings and connotations, and the importance of understanding and respecting these differences in a globalized world.
ECOWAS Sets Up Committee to Deal with Niger's Military Junta and Possibly Ease Sanctions
West African heads of state (ECOWAS) on Sunday officially recognized the junta in power in Niger and has set up a committee to negotiate with its military junta and possibly ease sanctions. The committee will be made up of leaders from Togo, Sierra Leone, and Benin, and they’ll be responsible for working towards a speedy return to democratic rule in Niger. But if the junta doesn’t play nice, ECOWAS isn’t afraid to keep the sanctions and even maybe use force. Bazoum’s government was overthrown in a coup back in July, making Niger the latest country in the Sahel region to go through this kind of upheaval. ECOWAS is also considering supporting other countries in the region that are under military rule and says they’re not exactly happy about the security pact that Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso signed, promising to help each other out in case of rebellion or external aggression.
Kenya's Blackout Blues
Kenya was in the dark on Sunday night after a nationwide power outage hit the country for the third time in four months. And this time, it even affected the main airport in Nairobi—talk about a major inconvenience. Kenyans are not happy, and they're pointing fingers at the government for not doing enough to prevent these recurring blackouts. The Minister of Power and Transport, Kipchumba Murkomen, is getting the most heat, especially since he promised in August that there would be no more power outages at the airport. He's even blaming it on possible sabotage. This is just one of several national blackouts in recent months, and Kenyans are fed up.
Food for Thought: Africa's Growing Hunger Crisis
Climate change and conflict in Ukraine are causing a major food crisis in Africa, with over 280 million people going hungry. The United Nations and other organizations are sounding the alarm, warning that the number of undernourished people has increased by 57 million since the pandemic hit in 2020.
Food for Thought
“The chicken that can dig for food will not sleep hungry."
— Congolese Proverb