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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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. Central to this mission is the realisation that Europe's inherent strength lies in its ability to overcome challenges.
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Why Vote?
Why Vote? A collaborative effort to address a pressing issue in South Africa: youth voter engagement. 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.
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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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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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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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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, FNF East Africa Project Director.
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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...
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The DRC joins the East Africa Community bloc
On April 8, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) formally joined the East African Community (EAC), a regional trade and political bloc. Analysts say that both the DRC and its neighbours stand to benefit from the new arrangement, which will expand the EAC as far west as the Atlantic Ocean and further open Congo’s market of 90 million people to the region. But the DRC’s ongoing security challenges could also complicate its integration.
Social Media
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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
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You are invited by the German liberal Free Democratic Party. What should you say to the politicians in terms of equal partnership between Africa and the EU? #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://bit.ly/3sRsGSS
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What message should you choose as your protest sign, addressing the absence of African entrepreneurs and demanding trade regulation reforms at the G7 summit in Paris? #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: bit.ly/3sRsGSS
