Author: GK Annan

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Local food for foreigners (Fish restaurant sign)

via flickr.com

Fun sign for a fish restaurant in Tanzania.The sign maker has gone through the pains to correct their own spelling in an effort to communicate with and attract english-speaking customers. The red arrow above is a nice touch as it reinforces the intent of the sign. While the spellng and grammar is a little off – note the comma after “To” -, the sign sets a welcoming tone and speaks directly to the needs of the intended audience, english-speaking visitors looking to experience local cuisine.

(this post is part of a series I’m exploring tentatively titled “The Design of Everyday Africa”. I’ll be highlighting information graphics and user experience as it pertains to Africa. As always, feel free to leave comments and send in anything you’d like to contribute)

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Trending Africa July 23, ’09: E. Africa gets hi-speed internet, TEDGlobal, etc.

• Big news of East Africa finally getting high-speed internet with the launch of SEACOM's fibre optic cables; and some reactions

• The Gates Foundation and Peace Corps open up Africa Rural Connect, encouraging everyone to send Ideas on how to help rural Africa

• Investors are seeing growing fields of opportunity across Africa

• As the new high speed cable is launched, experts speculate that internet use in Asia, Africa, and Mid-East is set to soar

• Google is extending services in Africa

• If you're not one of the lucky ones attending TEDGlobal 2009 this week, head over to the official blog for exciting updates and videos

• While we're on the topic of TEDGlobal 2009, make sure to listen to Jon Gosier's presentation about his mobile phone search service for Uganda

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Banksy takes street art to walls of Mali

UK-based Banksy, one of my favorite street artists turned art world hero, has recently taken his brand of political commentary to the streets of Africa, Mali to be exact. It seems Banksy’s work has been spotted on the walls in Mali. As with his usual style, Banksy makes good use of the natural state of the wall and the surrounding environment to add to the emotion piece of his piece. View pictures below.





(via gradient & unurth)

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Bono on Obama’s 1st Africa visit as President and rebranding the continent

As President Obama embarks on his much anticipated trip to Africa this weekend, U2 frontman and social activist writes an op-ed column in this weekend’s NYtimes highlighting the significance of the President’s visit to Ghana.

But as the example of Ghana makes clear, that’s only one chord. Amid poverty and disease are opportunities for investment and growth — investment and growth that won’t eliminate overnight the need for assistance, much as we and Africans yearn for it to end, but that in time can build roads, schools and power grids and propel commerce to the point where aid is replaced by trade pacts, business deals and home-grown income.

President Obama can hasten that day. He knows change won’t come easily. Corruption stalks Africa’s reformers. “If you fight corruption, it fights you back,” a former Nigerian anti-corruption official has said.

<div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/10/opinion/10bono.html?_r=4&amp;ref=opinion&amp;pagewanted=all">nytimes.com</a></div>
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Has African capitalism failed? (video)

Is Africa's version of capitalism failing? That is the question many African's in and outside of the business world continue to ask as many countries on the continent continue to move rather slowly to compete with other economies. While individual countries can be championed for their business successes, many argue that the continent as a whole must be aligned in order to see real change. A new book called Architects of Poverty by Moeletsi Mbeki attempts to explain much of the reasons for Africa's struggle to embrace modern capitalism. Moeletsi Mbeki is joined by a panel of experts including author Aly Khan Satchu in a discussion of the topic in this CNBC video. Do you think African capitalism is failing? Comments?

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Corporate America’s Changing Views on Africa

Baird, the management consulting firm, recently asked senior officers of 30 American Fortune 100 corporations about their current attitudes on investing in Africa. While some of the results showed that not much had  changed, the study also revealed that corporate America was increasingly optimistic about Africa’s role in their future business strategies. Three of the key points of the study, “Inside the Boardroom: How Corporate America Really Views Africa” are:

• USA Inc. is more interested in Africa than before, because the African market appears increasingly attractive, but Africa has tough competition and high hurdles for US investment. Education is at the top of the US corporate wish list for Africa; “educate your people so that we can employ them”

• The African countries that hold most interest are South Africa and some countries in the North, like Egypt; there are also some pockets of interest in West Africa, most notably Ghana, Nigeria and to some extent Angola; while some in the South (Botswana and Mozambique) and East (Uganda and Kenya), are also being watched

•To make itself more attractive for US investment, Africa should:

  • Invest in education , health and infrastructure
  • Ensure the rule of law and a business-friendly climate for all investing companies
  • Show it is serious about attracting foreign investment
  • Market itself as aggressively as other regions of the world
  • Demonstrate opportunity cost of not investing

A recent CNBC broadcast from Lagos, Nigeria (video below) also expounded on what Africa has to offer corporate America.

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Birth and boom of a new African design industry

Design Indaba 2009 setup
Image by mallix via Flickr

A recent article in African Business magazine looks at the recent boom of modern African designers on the continent and internationally. From February’s ThisDay Arise Magazine African fashion event at NY Fashion Week to architect David Adjaye being appointed to design the new African-American National Museum in Washindton DC, the influence of modern African design in global culture continues to solidify. But while there are more and more role models for budding African designers, there’s still a long way to go before Africa itself recognizes and taps into it’s strong creative capital.

To become truly competitive though, the continent must do things in
its own way, with its own brand of excellence and innovation. Africans
can grasp the best of design worldwide, as well as the best the
continent has to offer and transform it into something new, compelling,
beautiful and sustainable. Small pockets of success show that African
design development has reached the point at which it can play a very
real role in addressing poverty and unemployment throughout the
continent. From craft initiatives in rural villages to
multi-disciplinary industrial projects that boast global collaboration,
design can boost a nation’s GDP. (more)

CNN also reports on a new contemporary African design aesthetic in the video below shot at the 2009 Design Indaba in S. Africa.

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L’Oreal sets sights on African women

L'OrealThere’s no shortage of criticism of the fashion and beauty industry for not recognizing the diversity of what is considered beautiful. Cosmetics giants in particular have had it hard, trying to accommodate skin tones. In their effort to generate more revenue and gain market share globally, L’Oreal has announced plans to expand their product line and – most notably – make an effort to cater to African women’s beauty needs. Not being a cosmetics industry veteran myself it’s hard to tell if L’Oreal is trully addressing some of the issues it’s diversity critics have.

..the company, which has 26 international cosmetics brands and a presence in more than 130 countries, already has a presence on the continent upon which it aims to build. A key market is the African woman, and L’Oréal is seeking growth and expansion into this market, that will require balancing technological innovation with the need for prudent spending. – L’Oréal South Africa MD Philippe Raffray, more

What do you think?

photo by epicharmus

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