Africa Today

Dear readers, far to often when the continent of Africa appears in the news it is about war, corruption, famine, ethnic conflict etc. Excerpts from the following story paint a different more hopeful picture. I firmly believe that our western press is only concerned about negative stories, pictures and narratives when reporting on Africa.

Former President Bill Clinton's remarks on Meet the Press underscores this point, as he states:

The American–first of all, I wish we could have a cessation in the use of the word Africa for just 18 months while America learns that Africa is a continent that just in sub-Saharan Africa has 48 separate countries, and that it’s not just the geography, it’s the politics, the culture, the language, everything is different, and that yes, there’s been bad news in Darfur, yes, there’s been bad news out of Zimbabwe, but you have country after country after country with very high growth rates and remarkable progress.

So, enjoy this story I found in this weeks Final Call.

Political leaders moving continent towards a United States of AfricaBy Saeed Shabazz

John Atta Mills has become president of Ghana, returning the National Democratic Congress, the party founded by former president, Jerry Rawlings, to power after an eight year hiatus. Some analysts believe the recent election in Ghana marked a new era of democracy in Africa.
“That is the greatest lesson for Africa,” stated a representative of the Nigerian-based Alliance for credible Elections, according to press reports. Francois Grignon, analyst and Africa director for the International Crisis Group said the Ghanaian election resonated throughout the whole of Africa. “In 2009 we have to try to get some more positive results,” Mr. Grignon said.

Voters in Angola, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia and South Africa are going to the polls between March and June. There are also elections slated in 2009 for Algeria, Comoros, Congo-Brazzaville, Equatorial Guinea, Niger, Sudan and Tunisia.

Analysts are also saying that more African nations are moving towards stability and peace; the African Union has asserted itself as a regional diplomatic and peacekeeping force; and there are signs of a growing middle class throughout the continent. Mobile phones and the internet are also revolutionizing how Africans communicate throughout the continent.

For more of this story click Africa