African Business articles from January 2004

African Business archives from January 2004

FDI and Africa: don't seek outside help.(This Month's Prize Letter)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2004... I write with reference to your cover story, Africa's hunt for foreign investment by Anver Versi (Afican Business, December 2003) and why African leaders are seemingly desperate for this new Holy Grail. You are right that growth comes from...

Cheap flights: fair fares for air travel.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2004... I was delighted to read that, at last, cheaper air fares are coming to Africa. Your correspondent Neil Ford, in his article "Cheap flights revolution comes to Africa" (African Business, November 2003) describes the advent of low cost carriers...

Congratulations: leaders should learn from African Business.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2004... I came across African Business for the first time when I obtained a couple of copies during the Black History Month celebrations in London. I wish I had been aware of African Business before since I know I have missed some very interesting and...

Kenya--US: America should reciprocate.(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2004... How nice to see my President Mwai Kibaki being given such a warm welcome in Washington (US Rolls Out Red Carpet for Kibaki--Dateline USA, African Business, December 2003). But that old homily about 'suppin with long spoon' immediately came to...

Cancun coverage: heart of the matter.(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2004... I would like to thank African Business for another scintillating and stimulating issue (November 2003). The excellent cover story on the failure of the WTO at Cancun clarifies the whole issue of why Africa, with all its natural wealth,...

Economy: Zim's runaway inflation.(Business Briefs)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... In Zimbabwe these days, things financial are reckoned with a fistful of zeros on the end. Inflation is at 1000%, houses are priced in tens of millions of dollars, the largest bank note is Z$1000, you can buy one American cent for Z$60, a...

Oil & gas: third scramble for Africa.(Business Briefs)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... "The third scramble for Africa continues apace and involves myriad domestic and outside interests," maintains Duncan Clarke, chairman of petroleum giant Global Pacific. While this means the oil and gas outlook for Africa is generally positive,...

Development: Africa must work as one unit to survive.(Business Briefs)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Presidents Kibaki of Kenya, Museveni of Uganda and Kagame of Rwanda have appealed for African nations to integrate in the fight against poverty, and as a means of accessing foreign markets and enhancing development. "Africa accounts for no more...

Aid: S Africa losing out.(Business Briefs)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... The British government believes poorer countries and Iraq are in greater need of aid than South Africa, and will cut development funds to the country. According to Britain's Minister for Africa, Chris Mullin, UK aid to low income countries will...

Telecoms: Vodacom wins Mozambiqe's second cellphone service.(Business Briefs)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... A promised investment of $567m has clinched Mozambique's second mobilephone network for Vodacom. The British provider will lead a local consortium in a $260m investment in the next three years and the remainder over seven years. The operation,...

Banking: another service for SA's "unbankables".(Business Briefs)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Hot on the heels of the South African Communist Party's plans to launch a banking service for the country's poor (AB October "A bank for the 'unbankable"), South Africa's Big Four banks have joined forces to produce a banking facility for the...

Restitution: Nigeria getting its looted money back.(Business Briefs)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Large amounts of money, allegedly looted by state officials under Nigeria's former military regimes, could be returned under a vigorous financial repatriation drive spearheaded by Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. A first success is the...

Resources: Namibia cuts new diamond deal.(Business Briefs)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Namdeb--the diamond mining joint venture between the Namibian government and De Beers--has taken on as a technical partner New York based diamond manufacturer Lazare Kaplan. The appointment of the American company is aimed at improving NamGem's...

AB Guide to African currencies.(Business Briefs)
January 1, 2004... AB Guide to African Currencies COUNTRY CURRENCY [pounds sterling]STG ALGERIA (Dinar) 120.93 ANGOLA (New Kwanza) 134.62 BENIN ...

Africa's new pride.(Editorial)
January 1, 2004... Big changes often have small beginnings. 2003 saw a number of small beginnings that could grow into monumental changes over the next few years. In this respect, 2003 has been a watershed year for Africa. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

Economic review of the year.(Africa 2003)
January 1, 2004... 2003 has been another dramatic year for Africa's economies. Democracies have deepened and growth, despite the global downturn, has remained marginally positive on average. All indicators point to sustained growth over 2004. In this issue, our...

South Africa shines bright.(View from the City)
January 1, 2004... Ten years after achieving majority rule, South Africa's economy is healthier than ever. The rand has recovered, investment prospects are bright and business confidence is at an all time high. ********** [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

San to get fat on slimness.(Topic)
January 1, 2004... For thousands of years, the San people of southern Africa have been custodians of a panacea for obesity--one of the West's most insiduous health problems. Now, following a landmark agreement with manufacturers, they stand to benefit...

African independent keeps the flag flying.(Oil and Gas)
January 1, 2004... South African firm Energy Africa is one of the very few independent private sector African companies to have established itself in the international oil business. It has fought off take-over bids and is now positioning itself to grow nicely in...

Japan stays the course.(Trends)
January 1, 2004... The Japanese government has pledged to provide 1bn dollars over five years in new grant aid for Africa. However, the effectiveness of the special process (Ticad) for Africa's development has been questioned. GORDON FELLER reports. ...

World's fastest growing economy: Africa's Kuwait.(Equatorial Guinea)
January 1, 2004... Equatorial Guinea has achieved the astonishing record as the fastest growing economy in the world. This is largely thanks to the discovery of rich offshore oil fields some four years ago. The future, as they say, is another country. Our Special...

The world's fastest growing economy.(Equatorial Guinea)
January 1, 2004... The economy of Equatorial Guinea has changed out of all recognition over the past few years on the back of rapid expansion in the oil and gas sector. A string of major discoveries have pushed the country up the league table of Sub-Saharan oil...

Oil as a development tool.(Equatorial Guinea)
January 1, 2004... Equatorial Guinea has been one of the leading lights in the growth of the offshore oil sector in the Gulf of Guinea, alongside established producers such as Angola and Nigeria. Until the discovery of the Ceiba field in 1999, most interest in...

Driving Malabo forward: African Business interviews Gabriel Mba Bela, the Mayor of the capital of Equatorial Guinea, Malabo, which is situated on the island of Bioko.(Equatorial Guinea)(Interview)
January 1, 2004... African Business: Is Malabo equipped to deal with the greatly increased commercial activities? Gabriel Mba Bela: I am very fortunate to be the mayor of a dynamic city with a growing population and an increasing number of foreign visitors,...

Vast investment opportunities: African Business interviews Joseph Celestin Tindjou, the manager of CCEI Bank GE, the leading bank in Equatorial Guinea.(Equatorial Guinea)(Interview)
January 1, 2004... African Business: What role does your bank play in Equatorial Guinea? Joseph Celestin Tindjou: The CCEI Bank GE is an affiliate of Afriland First Bank. We have been based in Equatorial Guinea since 1994 and we opened our first branch in...

Luba Freeport: a hub for the Gulf of Guinea?(Equatorial Guinea)(Related Article: AIRPORTS)(Related Article: LUBA FREEPORT SECOND PHASE DEVELOPMENT PLANS)(Related Article: ELEGANT MALABO)(Luba Freeport Limited)(GE Petrol)
January 1, 2004... While the ports of Bata and Malabo were able to serve the import and export needs of Equatorial Guinea until the late 1990s, the development of the oil sector quickly highlighted the need for more national capacity. The government decided...

Zambia: thinking the unthinkable.(Pricatization)
January 1, 2004... Zambia has been saying what many African countries would like to say but don't because they worry about the consequences--that privatisation is creating unemployment, suffering and delivering few, if any, benefits. The country, as Neil Ford...

Zimbabwe: economy--that sinking feeling.(Countryfile)
January 1, 2004... Zimbabwe's 2004 national budget confirmed what most citizens already know--the economy is in deep trouble and getting worse. Inflation is out of control and the economy is contracting alarmingly. Simon Ndovu reports. ********** ...

Nigeria: new term, new approach?(Countryfile)
January 1, 2004... The first year of President Olusegun Obasanjo's second term has been marked by greats bursts of energy from the president himself but little from his cabinet. Neil Ford reports. ********** For much of President Obasanjo's first term of...

Tanzania: formalising the informal.(Countryfile)
January 1, 2004... Tanzania's huge informal sector has largely been ignored by the authorities. Now there is a change of heart and efforts are being made to formalise this sector in the face of mounting unemployment. Herald Tagama reports. ********** To...

Kenya: IMF loan opens the door.(International Monetary Fund )
January 1, 2004... The decision of the IMF to unfreeze loans to Kenya has been welcomed by the international business community, but a great deal remains to be done before Kenya can begin to seriously rebuild its economy. Paul Redfern reports. ********** ...

Botswana: Debswana leads fight against Aids.(Countryfile)
January 1, 2004... Faced with the spiraling costs of health care, Botswana's leading industries are going on the offensive against the Aids epidemic and coming up with innovative ideas. Milan Vesely reports. ********** Led by Debswana- a joint De...

South Africa: mining--a temporary truce.(Countryfile)
January 1, 2004... The South African government appears locked in combat against the country's mining industry. A bill to raise government income by imposing revenue-based royalties has been withdrawn under fierce criticism. But this is only a temporary truce....

Bid to curb cheap imports from Zim.
January 1, 2004... Zimbabwe is Malawi's most important trading partner, and any change to the rules governing trade between the two countries are bound to have wide reaching effects. So when a spokesman for the Ministry of Finance, Patrick Zimpita, confirmed that...

Crossing the Saharan divide.(Trade)
January 1, 2004... In modern times, the Sahara Desert has been more of a barrier than a conduit for trade between North Africa and the rest of Africa. But the situation is now changing and doing so rapidly. Trade and investment ties are growing, as NEIL FORD...

Scams 2003.(economic aspects)
January 1, 2004... Another year, another scam--or, in fact, thousands of scams in an 'industry' that never seems to run out of ideas. New methods of deceit are hatched and old ones recycled. As Tom Nevin reports, there is a sucker born every minute. ...

Mazda RX 8: sports car for the family; Of all the cars that were launched last year, one stands out as being especially innovative and practical. Stephen Williams reports.(Wheels)
January 1, 2004... Car manufacturers have long been aware of a problem that many people face when choosing a car. When they are young and fancy free, much as they might dream of a owning a sports car, few can afford one. Later in life, when they are earning the...

Volvo S40: the compact with full-size virtues.(Volvo)
January 1, 2004... Volvo is about to launch an entry-level model with what they claim is a revolutionary interior design and class-leading safety. This model range will feature powertrains that encompass both five-cylinder engines and four-wheel drive traction....

New Safari Rally basks in old glories.(Sporting Business)
January 1, 2004... The 2003 East African Safari Rally travelled back in time to replicate the sense of adventure of the original 1953 Coronation Safari Rally. The sense of nostalgia was enhanced when only pre-1971 cars were allowed to enter. The outstanding...

Africa: Another Side of the Coin.(A Modern Day Icarus? An Account of Zambia's Birth)(Africa: Another Side of the Coin: Northern Rhodesia's Final Years and Zambia's Nationhood )(Book Review)
January 1, 2004... AFRICA: ANOTHER SIDE OF THE COIN NORTHERN RHODESIA'S FINAL YEARS AND ZAMBIA'S NATIONHOOD BY ANDREW SARDANIS. [pounds sterling]16.95 I.B.Tauris ISBN 1-86064-926-2 In 'Africa: Another Side of the Coin' Andrew Sardanis sets...

Black, White and Chrome.(A Modern Day Icarus? An Account of Zambia's Birth)(Book Review)
January 1, 2004... BLACK, WHITE AND CHROME THE US AND ZIMBABWE 1953-1998 BY ANDREW DEROCHE [pounds sterling]21.99 Africa World Press ISBN 0-86543-792-0 The book examines the US's relationship with Zimbabwe from the 1950s to the late 1990s....

Nkrumah and Ghana.(A Modern Day Icarus? An Account of Zambia's Birth)(Book Review)
January 1, 2004... NKRUMAH AND GHANA BY KOFI BUENOR HADJOR [pounds sterling]14.25 Africa World Press ISBN 1-59221-036-8 This study of the late President Kwame Nkrumah provides a compelling account of one of the most significant politicians in...

The Provocations of Amnesty.(A Modern Day Icarus? An Account of Zambia's Birth)(The Provocations of Amnesty: Memory, Justice and Impunity)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
January 1, 2004... THE PROVOCATIONS OF AMNESTY MEMORY, JUSTICE AND IMPUNITY EDITED BY CHARLES VILLA-VICENCIO AND ERIK DOXTADER [pounds sterling]21.99 Africa World Press ISBN 1-59221-090-2 South Africa's amnesty was a unique experiment. A...

Kekele.(Spanning the Divisions: Classic Congo Rumba)(African music)
January 1, 2004... KEKELE CONGO LIFE Sterns Cat: STCD1097 It is said that every musical genre has its golden age. Most people say that for the blues it was the 30s, for Cuban music it was the '50s. And similarly, it's generally agreed, the...