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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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. Today, there are more autocratic states than democratic states in the world. 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. In Europe, a war of conquest is being waged for the first time since the Second World War. Why should war and conflict concern us? Deputy chairperson at FNF, Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger, gave a speech on the question.
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Africa’s growing geo-political influence
Three back-to-back visits by major world powers to Africa ahead of February’s African Union Summit follow a flurry of important diplomatic visits in 2022, including by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron. Together, they signal attention to Africa’s rising political and economic bargaining power globally, which has been brought into sharp focus by the Russian war in Ukraine. “It’s a sign of increased attention to the continent.”
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EU summit on migration: far from consensus
On February 9 and 10, a special summit was held in Brussels to focus on the EU's migration policy. One of the topics at the summit was the European Union's cooperation with relevant countries of origin in joint migration management. What was not addressed was the fact that many people set out precisely because they have no legal means of entry. However, the polarizing issue that continues to divide member states became a sideshow in light of Ukrainian Prime Minister Selenskyi's visit.
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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 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 corruption doesn’t fight elsewhere, but corruption in Africa fights hard,” Pusetso Morapedi of the Platform to Protect Whistleblowers in Africa (PPLAAF). 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.
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Health as a fundamental human right
In July 1946 WHO constitution was signed, declaring health as a right. “The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition” it says. 76 years later, how much of this declaration is realised? Attaining a high standard of health means; access to healthcare for all in a timely acceptable and affordable manner.
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Freedom Speech and Award ceremony of Guinean opposition leader Cellou Dalein Diallo
Cellou Dalein Diallo has dedicated his political life to the peaceful struggle against the autocratic rule and the mismanagement that have dominated Guinea for a long time. Organising the opposition's voice against the multiple military take overs in Guinea, he has often been on the receiving end of the brutality of state supported violence under the different military juntas.
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Nailbiter continues for Peace Prize of the German Book Trade winner Tsitsi Dangarembga
Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger has traveled to Harare, Zimbabwe, for the announced sentencing of Tsitsi Dangarembga. But the attrition tactics against the critic continue: the date for the pronouncement of the verdict has been postponed to September 29. Dangarembga is a peaceful critic of Zimbabwe's autocratic repressive system.
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Calling young innovators: Pitch your idea on a global stage
With her innovative research in these cells, Emmie Chiyindiko impressed the judges at the Falling Walls Lab Cape Town, co-hosted by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation and the University of Cape Town. ‘Falling Walls Labs’ are events held around the world in which budding innovators have just three minutes to pitch a groundbreaking idea that stands to change the world for the better.
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THE CLASH OF SYSTEMS: African Perceptions of the European Union and China Engagement
“The African survey participants hold up a mirror to European policy on Africa and expose Europe’s sometimes still paternalistic and romantic view of Africa. Europe's belief in the superiority of its own values contrasts with the pragmatic view of Africans on the performance and behaviour of the two partners (the EU and China)," says Stefan Schott, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation in East Africa Project Director.
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The journey from OAU to AU: Security remains a key concern in Africa
The Malabo extraordinary summit is going to afford the continental body the opportunity to re-look what it once adopted in 2020 to silence the guns. The African Union Peace and Security Council expressed its grave concern over the persistence of conflict in the continent. As the continent seeks to rebuild itself, there are worries that this has been triggered by several factors like the trend of civilians acquiring arms for protection during situations of conflict.
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The effects of low vaccinations numbers in the region
Meanwhile, low vaccination rates in the region have also hit vaccine makers in Africa who hoped to use demand for vaccines to generate orders. In May, a South African factory in Gqeberha said that it was on the verge of shutting down the production line it had set up to manufacture a version of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine because it had not received a single order for its product. “International agencies” are being blamed for not placing orders.
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Behind Zimbabwe’s currency woes
The Z$750 000 note shocked many as a bigger banknote, but the Z$100 billion-dollar note in 2008 stole the show, which remains named as the Guinness record world's highest denomination banknote notwithstanding the ensuing introduction of a Z$100 trillion dollar note. The 100 trillion-dollar note became part of Zimbabwe’s former central bank chief Gideon Gono's failed efforts at saving an economic Armageddon characterised by a feisty inflation and deficits...
Social Media
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#Langa100 #HumanRightsDay21March Nomthunzi Jacobs, the founder of Guga S'Thebe Cultural Centre in Langa speaks of the importance of "building bridges", in the context of #Langa, highlight how the lack of equal education, economic participation and a lack of investment are a human rights issue in Langa. This, as the township celebrates its centenary and looks into the future.
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What should the modern liberal approach to Africa's problems be? The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom in Africa brings you the first episode of the Liberal Informer. Hosted by Ayanda Sihlahla, the series uses humour to highlight and encourage debate on current affairs. In this first episode, we take a look at sanctions in the African context. Have sanctions produced the desired results in Africa? During the recent annual African Union (AU) General Assembly in Addis Ababa, a discussion was held to probe the possible lifting of sanctions on Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea by the AU at the time. The three West Africa countries have sanctions imposed on them by the AU and are suspended from the Economic Community of West African States. This is because of military juntas that have taken over in the three countries. Sudan is also on the list of countries who are on the AU sanction list. There have been different types of sanctions on various African nations in the form of economic and diplomatic sanctions. Many would say the sanctions have not been effective, whilst some would say that sanctions are necessary and are a valid approach to resolving conflicts. The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom as an institution is pro-sanctions. Even so, the institution does encourage debate and dialogue of challenges affecting our societies and tries to come up with the best modern liberal approaches to solving these challenges. In this context, and in line with globally debates on what the 21st century’s approach to resolving conflicts that would normally lead to sanctions should be, we would like to hear what you think? #LiberalInformer
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Human Rights Day, South Africa 21 March - Celebrating Langa Townships Centenary! The FNF #liberalworkshop will be releasing a series looking at the history of #HumanRightsDay #SharpvilleDay in particular, drawing attention to the connection between this day and the history of #Langa township in Cape Town as it celebrates 100 years. #Langa100 The series will profile local community leaders, civil society, entrepreneurs and other changemakers in Langa.
