Sub-Saharan Africa
The future of Africa is often regarded in a strangely unimaginative and pessimistic way. Yet Africa today is full of diversity, economic potential and innovative development.
However, the continent faces numerous challenges. As a liberal foundation, we believe that sustainable development depends on strong democratic institutions. Through our activities, we therefore promote liberal policies such as human rights, the rule of law, innovation, digitalisation and free trade.
From our offices in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Harare, Dar es Salaam, Nairobi, Abidjan and Dakar, we support partners in several African countries in advocating liberal values and implementing democratic structures.
News
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Zimbabwean Author Tsitsi Dangarembga to Receive Prestigious Africa Freedom Prize
The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom is proud to announce that it will be awarding the Africa Freedom Prize to renowned Zimbabwean author, novelist, playwright, and screenwriter, Tsitsi Dangarembga, in recognition of her unwavering resilience and commitment to the cause of political reform and freedom in Zimbabwe. The Africa Freedom Prize ceremony is scheduled for October 5, 2023, at the renowned Market Theatre in Johannesburg, South Africa. The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom has closely followed the trial of Tsitsi Dangarembga, along with that of Barnes, and was committed to monitoring the proceedings from the very beginning. The significance of an internationally renowned author being tried in her own homeland cannot be overstated.
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Unity Rift: Navigating Afro-Euro Realities in the Virtual Sphere
Embarking on a visionary quest, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation introduces an innovative initiative titled "Unity Rift: Exploring Afro-Euro Realities in Virtual Space," aligned under the rallying call of #ReshapeEurope. This groundbreaking endeavour aims to invigorate Europe's resilience and assertiveness in countering global threats to freedom. With a focus on fortifying the European model of open, democratic societies, this project seeks to revitalise the continent's dynamism and creative prowess, both within its boundaries and beyond.
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Why Vote?
Why Vote? This initiative is part of a broader FNF Liberal Workshop campaign aimed at encouraging the youth to vote. According to voter registration statistics, a staggering 14 million South African youth remain unregistered as voters. The potential impact of these young voices cannot be understated; if they were to register and vote, they have the power to reshape the face of South African politics. In South Africa, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation supports pioneering empirical research projects, publications, and roundtable discussions that offer an alternative platform for debate and the free exchange of ideas.
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A Journey Of Hope
In the heart of Kajiado county, Kenya, where the sun-drenched savannah meets the sky, lies a sanctuary of hope and empowerment - the Nice Place Foundation. This remarkable institution stands as a beacon of light, dedicated to providing a safe haven for young women and girls at risk of undergoing female genital cutting (FGC) or facing life-changing child marriages. In a world where traditional practices can shape destinies, the Nice Place Foundation emerges as a potent force for change, reshaping futures and amplifying voices that were once stifled.
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DigiFemmes Wins First Prize At The Hackathon “Youth Voices”
The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom organised an inventive event known as a hackathon. It brought participants together to brainstorm novel ideas and craft digital solutions over the course of three days. These participants were guided by three coaches throughout the process. A total of 43 teams, consisting of 2 to 3 members each, engaged in this hackathon. Out of these, 14 groups successfully advanced to the final stage, held on the same day, August 10th.
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Ndeye Fatou Mboup: Empowering agriculture with technology in Senegal
Driven by her desire to address challenges faced by farmers in preserving their crops, Ndeye established a groundbreaking startup, The Smart Granary. Their flagship product is an ecological and intelligent device that offers farmers an automated ventilation system, enabling them to extend the lifespan of their crops. By detecting unfavourable temperature conditions, the device helps prevent spoilage and wastage, empowering farmers to save time and maximise their profits.
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Zimbabwe's poor bear brunt of rioting prices
UNDER the heavy African sky, an aura of unease seeps into Zimbabwe’s rural heartland. As the sun retreats behind the hills of Tandi communal lands in Rusape, Manicaland province, it casts long, spectral shadows over VaMamoyo’s small thatched hut. VaMamoyo is a woman of remarkable tenacity. Her skin, a complex tapestry of wrinkles, echoes tales of her endurance and resilience. Looking closely at a meagre assembly of grocery items that lay before her, she looks at them with a worried frown.
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"Ukraine-Krieg hat negative Auswirkungen auf Afrika"
Sieben afrikanischen Studenten der African Leadership Academy nahmen an einem Interview über die Perspektiven afrikanischer Jugendlicher in Europa teil. Ziel war es, Meinungen zu den Herausforderungen in den Beziehungen zwischen den beiden Kontinenten zu erfahren. Addishiwot Dagnew, eine Studentin aus Äthiopien, sieht besonders ein Problem in den wirtschaftlichen Abhängigkeiten afrikanischer Staaten von Europa, welche durch den Ukraine-Krieg verstärkt wurden.
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Letters to Europe - African Youth Perspectives on the Future Afro - Euro Relations
What do young people think about Afro-Euro relations? Young voices from Africa representing the African Leadership Academy (ALA) speak under the global dialogue giving insights on what they think the future corporations between Africa and the EU should be. This, as the EU seeks solutions to geo-political challenges of our time. The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom has been running the global dialogue since 2022.
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The Perception of the Ukraine War Among African Populations
A survey commissioned by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom finds that 77% of Tanzanians are against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, despite the government’s refusal to condemn the war at the UN. The finding is reflective of a broader pattern across Eastern and Southern Africa, which highlights the increasing disconnect between citizens views, and the actions, or lack thereof, of their representatives at the national level.
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Why we need to take sides
The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom opens its new office in Johannesburg at a time when there is much debate about the value of that very freedom. A value, that is indispensable for the self determined development of human beings and for democracy. The list of dictatorial regimes that oppress their people remains consistently long. African countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Libya and the Central African Republic are consumed by brutal civil wars.
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Concerns rife over shrinking press freedom in Kenya
Media practioners in Kenya have raised concerns over growing threats and attacks on journalists and media organisations with the regime change since September this year. In what is seen as direct onslaught on the media and infringement on press freedom, journalists, editors and media associations say there is course for worry as the media and journalists are unable to execute their duties professionally and independently since the August 2022 General Election.
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A President Under Enormous Pressure
Many believe that President Ramaphosa would be the only one who can save the party from electoral disaster, but a scathing report released in November, with just over two weeks to go to the conference, exposed Ramaphosa as potentially much less clean than the corruption-fighting leader he has thus far been. The report - compiled by an independent panel appointed by parliament and headed by a retired chief justice found that there might be grounds for impeachment.
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Shani: fighting against sexual violence towards children
FNF Tanzania launches an animated video series called Shani. The release of the video series will coincide with the annual 16 Days of Activism Against Violence Towards Women and Children campaign from 25 November - 10 December 2022. Shani is a young ordinary girl from a village in Tanzania. Her secret is that she has the ability to transform and access her superpowers to fight monsters who find sneaky ways to enter into their lives with an aim to cause harm.
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The dilemma of whistleblowers of corruption in Africa
“Corruption in Africa really fights, this doesn’t mean that it doesn’t fight elsewhere, but corruption in Africa fights hard,” Pusetso Morapedi of the Platform to Protect Whistleblowers in Africa. She was speaking in a panel discussion on the SABCNews programme, It’s Topical on Sunday, 6 November 2022. The show assembled a panel discussion of a dozen whistleblowers who blew the lid on corruption at state owned enterprises and the private sector.
Social Media
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The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom is proud to announce that it will be awarding the Africa #Freedom Prize to renowned Zimbabwean author, novelist, playwright, and screenwriter, Tsitsi Dangarembga, in recognition of her unwavering resilience and commitment to the cause of political reform and freedom in Zimbabwe. The Africa Freedom Prize ceremony is scheduled for October 5, 2023, at the renowned Market Theatre in Johannesburg, South Africa. #FNFreedomPrize
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In the wake of the recent #Zim #elections, as well as other elections both in Africa and worldwide, a pertinent question emerges: Is there as much global condemnation for irregular elections as there is for coups, such as the recent one in #Niger? This episode of Liberal Informer delves into this issue, urging a reconsideration of recognising state leaders in cases where elections have been marred by irregularities, paralleling the non-recognition of military junta leaders.
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Brussels is your final stop. You must convince the European Parliament that without addressing peace and security, there can be no progress in climate, economic equality, or equal partnership. What should you say? #UnityRift: Exploring Afro-Euro Realities in Virtual Space! In this adventure, you'll journey through five scenarios set in well-known European cities, starting in Athens, then moving on to Rome, Paris, Berlin, and finally concluding at the heart of European decision-making in Brussels. To successfully reach the final city, you need to choose the most progressive option out of three available solutions for each scenario. These scenarios cover topics like immigration, climate change, economic cooperation, equal partnerships, and peace and security. #ReshapeEurope Take the journey virtually here accessible via any web browser on a desktop or mobile device: https://www.freiheit.org/sub-saharan-africa/unity-rift-navigating-afro-euro-realities-virtual-sphere-0
