Zimbabwe | A Thousand Words

Regardless of what happens next this is a powerful image.

Tech4Africa 2008

How I would love to be in South Africa this October. The Tech for Africa conference looks like it is going to be a real treat for those who are attending unfortunately for me my own speaking diary doesn’t allow for me to go. According to the official website

The Focus areas are:
* Emerging tech in Africa
* Web / web 2.0
* Mobile / wireless innovation and trends
* Startups / technology business opportunities in Africa
* Telecoms / infrastructure growth and trends

I am particulary keen in the whole startups and telecom possibilities on the continent and the minds that will be meeting there, some of them whom I know, am sure will produce some great results. It seems that the whole technology conference thing is kicking off on the continent as of late, even though most of it seems to be centered in east and south africa. That said have a look of some of the treats that White African has listed as coming up.

Balancing Act

I have just discovered the Balancing Act web site. Balancing Act seeks to be the primary source for information on the telecoms, Internet and audio-visual media industries in Africa. Not only do they provide online publications and a newsletter (to which I have just subscribed) but they also provide consultancy and research for clients.

As Juliana at Afrgadget mentions, it will be great when they have an RSS feed.

Afrosphere 09.03.08

Africa

• Afrigadget reports on the solar charger for mobile phones
• Emeka reports on Aya, a book promoting a more positive view of Africa.
• White African reports on the growth of Google in Kenya

Caribbean

• Caribbean Tourism still below world average according to Caribbean Beat
• Nicholas Laughlin (Global Voices) covers 11 key moments in [Anglo] Caribbean blog history.
• Geoffrey Philp brings a smile with his Oonu Mek Mi Day post.
  

USA

• A very provocative post from Cobb on Obama’s integrity. The gloves are off now.
• An still on Obama the dialgoue between Marc Lamont Hill and Melissa Harris-Lacewell is an eye opener.
• Anthony Bradley shows an interesting video on the racist nature of Planned Parenthood. wow!
• African Loft ask is Lagos at a Tipping Point?

Other

• Lola  asks What’s Right with Black People?

Profile: Mohammed Al Amoudi

Call me fickle but I love to read about succesful entrepreneurs from the continent. There will definitely be a lot more added to this blog.

According to Forbes the 60 year old is the 77th richest man in the world with a total net worth of some $7bn. Born in Ethiopia and now a Saudi citizen, Al Amoudi made his fortune in construction and real estate before betting on Swedish and Moroccan oil refineries. His Svenska Petroleum conducts oil exploration from the Nordic shelf to the Ivory Coast. He is the largest private investor in Ethiopia, putting money into such diverse assets as a hotel, gold mines and a food processing plant.