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Sports News: African Rugby is Big Business, Let’s Stop Pretending it is not- Herbert Mensah

African Rugby needs to respect itself and behave in a “world-class” fashion before it can be respected by the rest of the world.

African sports have been forgotten by the world.

More so, it seems that African sports have been forgotten by Africans. In the world of rugby, in particular, there are countries across the continent that haven’t had active rugby leagues in more than three years!

Nothing is more demonstrative of this sentiment than the very view that World Rugby, the sport’s global governing body, has of African sports. Last year, World Rugby awarded just $2 million to promote the sport across the whole African continent. This is an absurdly small amount for a whole Continent, but what is more telling is the way it undervalues the African continent more than anything else. We see evidence of this when this same organization is willing to award $5 million, or $6 million dollars per year, to a Rugby Europe country while leaving the entire African continent with scraps to promote Rugby to a population of over 1.2 billion.

This fact alone is telling of how little respect is given to African rugby by the world and it is inevitable that we ask ourselves, if that respect shouldn’t first come from us, Africans. We have the same governing bodies that rich Western nations have, the associations, the managers, the boards, the board meetings, but what is it all for if they are mostly populated by “friends of friends in high places” and if they have no monetary support to act on any of the decisions they might take?

We need to remind ourselves of the power and the value of Sports. It is Big Business ergo Rugby, is Big Business!

I’ve dedicated my life to running various businesses in and outside Africa and if there is one thing that drives any business, it is money. We cannot continue to act like African sport is a charity case in need of aid. I profoundly believe in H.E. The President of Ghana, Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo’s vision of an Africa Post-Aid, and Post-charity!

That is my vision for African rugby, rugby post-aid.

The path to achieving that is no mystery. We all know it, even if most times we are unwilling to admit it. Rugby is Big Business, and it needs to be run like a business. It is that simple. That is the only way there will be capital to promote the sport and make it grow. Capital generates capital. We need to improve our governance track record across the board, get better managers that will drive the business forward, and raise capital to give them the tools to do their jobs right.

READ ALSO: https://africandevmag.net/2023/03/14/herbert-mensah-announces-candidacy-for-president-of-rugby-africa-promise-good-representation/

The world of rugby sees Africa as one big poor country. This must end.  The diversity of the continent’s nations is manifested equally in its sports cultures. We need to adjust our tactics to the specificities of each market and each region. We need to brand ourselves and promote ourselves to the world, making ourselves worthy of notice and respect. Only then will we be able to demand from global organizations the respect and capital we deserve?

Herbert Amponsah Mensah
Herbert Amponsah Mensah

That starts with changing our practices, with implementing World-standards to what we do, rather than African standards. We have forgotten the positive impact sports, and sports events can generate. Sports competitions are not about entertainment and physical prowess. It is a multi-billion-dollar industry that generates advertising revenue, tourism inflows, infrastructure development, and investment in a myriad of different economic sectors. It promotes social growth, and on top of it, showcases a country to the world. Sports help to elevate nations, drawing the spotlight on a country worthy of investment, worthy of visiting, and worthy of doing business with. Sports actively contribute to elevating a nation’s economic development and the lives of its citizens.

This is the true potential value of Rugby, and the potential value of treating it as the Big Business that it is.

We need to change the way the world looks at African rugby, by changing the way we operate, and showing our value and potential for growth. The change must start with us! We cannot go begging rich countries to borrow money to start generating money. We need to lobby, we need to organize, we need to engage the political leadership of each nation and region to engage the continental institutions that can help finance these developments. We need to engage the African Union, Ecowas, African-owned Banks, African Development Bank, and the like.

Once we have professionalized the world of rugby and managed to finance ourselves within ourselves, then, and only then, can we look at demanding more from World Rugby, from global advertisers and sponsors, competing side-by-side to bring major international competitions to Africa.

Treating Rugby as Big Business is not reinventing the wheel. Understanding that image, perception, and branding, is everything when we want to attract capital and visitors is nothing new, and yet it has never been done for African rugby. This has meant a loss of hundreds of millions of Dollars and the direct and indirect benefits that could positively affect hundreds of millions of people across the continent.

That is the vision that I will bring to Rugby Africa if my candidacy for its presidency is successful.

This is the first time that there is competition in the election for the Presidency of Rugby Africa.

Let’s make things differently, let’s make it count.

Let’s Make Rugby Africa a Big Business, for the benefit of all.

 

 Herbert Amponsah Mensah is a Ghanaian businessman, sports administrator, and the president of the Ghana Rugby Association operating as the Ghana Rugby Football Union and the Candidate for the presidency of World Rugby’s African association, Rugby Africa

 

 

 

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Herbert Mensah announces candidacy for President of Rugby Africa, promise good representation

Herbert Mensah, sports administrator, and President of the Ghana Rugby Football Union, today announced his candidacy for President of the World Rugby’s African association, Rugby Africa, the governing body of rugby in Africa. Rugby Africa will be electing a new president at the Annual General Meeting to be held in Cape Town on 18 March 2023.

The President will be elected for a period of four years commencing immediately after the results are announced by the executive committee on 18 March 2023. This will also be the first time in the history of Rugby Africa that elections will be contested.

The Nigeria Rugby Football Federation nominated Mensah to run for President. Mensah, a current member of the Africa Rugby Executive Committee, is also an accomplished businessman with many years of experience in the business and sports sectors in Africa.

In 2014, Mensah took the helm at the Ghana Rugby Football Union where he significantly increased awareness around the sport while injecting much enthusiasm for players and officials, as well as encouraging the youth to participate in rugby through numerous initiatives and activities. He was instrumental in spearheading the national team’s qualification to the World Series, after they won the West Africa competition, before moving on to the African championship.

Mensah’s vision is to build a positive and strong brand for Rugby Africa and to make rugby more accessible and visible to all Africans, in particular the youth. He would like to see an increase in continental competitions and greater support of member associations in terms of how they are structured and in the economic development of the sport.

Currently, less than 30 percent of rugby players in Africa are women. Mensah’s strategic plan is to broaden the reach and appeal of rugby, raising the profile and image of women rugby players and officials, while ensuring that all structures further reflect the diversity and inclusion of the sport. He also wants to provide greater cohesion between English and French-speaking countries, both in terms of sport and governance.

Commenting on his candidacy Mensah said, “I am extremely humbled to be nominated to run for President, and I am overwhelmed by the good wishes from my colleagues and peers. I am immensely proud as an African, to be given a chance to represent Africa on a global platform. African rugby has historically not received the recognition it deserves, and I look forward to the opportunity to use this platform to create meaningful change, while promoting a better understanding of the game on the continent, and beyond, and to encourage greater support of rugby across the entire African continent. If elected, my tenure will be one marked with service to Africa Rugby and the rugby and sports fraternity at large on the continent.”

2023 Rugby World Cup will be held in France from September to October. Mensah hopes to use this world-class platform to collaborate with leading international rugby bodies and other associations to raise awareness around African Rugby while gaining much-needed support for the sport. Rugby will be one of the first competitions on show at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, where Mensah hopes to see more representation from African teams in the qualifying events.

 

*3news*

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YouTube Partners AFRIMA, Reiterates Support For African Music and Creative Economy

Ahead of the highly anticipated 8th edition of the All-Africa Music Awards AFRIMA tagged ‘Teranga Edition’ scheduled to hold in Dakar, Senegal on 12-15 January 2023, global entertainment service YouTube, has entered into a partnership with AFRIMA, to help provide artist-focused educational sessions and live streaming support for the awards.

AFRIMA, which is the pinnacle of recognition for African music globally is poised to ensure that the annual 4-day festival is broadcasted to music lovers and stakeholders across the globe.

Importantly, YouTube will be conducting workshop sessions for African creatives at the Africa Music Business Summit (one of the events at the 8th AFRIMA) to educate on visibility across the global creative ecosystem on a digital platform.

The global streaming service will also be partnering with the All Africa Music Awards on a special incubator programme dubbed, AFRIMA Creative Academy, which aims to empower one million Africans (and in the diaspora) in the music and creative industry in the next five years.

The YouTube link for live streaming will be available on AFRIMA’s YouTube page @Youtube.com/AFRIMAAWARDS. Subscribe for free to the channel and catch the African Music Business Summit live on Friday, Jan 13, 2023, from 9.00 am-4.30 pm (WAT); while the AFRIMA Music Village will be live later that day from 6.00 pm – Till dawn (WAT). Finally, the 8th AFRIMA main awards ceremony will be streamed live from the Red Carpet- 4.30 pm (WAT), while the main awards will start at 7.30 pm (WAT).

Speaking on the development, the Head of the Culture Division at the African Union Commission (AUC), Angela Martins said, “It is important that we spread our efforts to promote inclusivity and ensure that the world can see the impact of AFRIMA at the global centre stage. It is easier for people to now follow up with the award ceremony via their smartphone or other devices. It is also vital we continue to create more education for creators to help them thrive in their crafts, and we are happy to align with YouTube on achieving this shared vision.”

On his part, AFRIMA’s President and Executive Producer, Mr Mike Dada, lauded the streaming service for their support of the African creative economy.

He said, “We have all seen the rise in circulation of short-form audio-visual content on these services and how they have helped to promote African music and creators on a global scale. We believe that sharing knowledge will be a veritable means to expand the revenue funnel for our creators at home and also boost foreign direct investment. In the spirit of uplifting the African creative ecosystem, we are excited to work with a driven and innovative team like YouTube.”

We have all seen the rise in circulation of short form audio-visual content on these services and how they have helped to promote African music and creators on a global scale

YouTube’s Head of Music Sub-Saharan Africa, Addy Awofisayo said, “YouTube has been consistent in its support for African creatives over the years and has played an essential role in the discovery and development of African music & culture and exporting it to audiences and listeners worldwide, enabling collaborations both locally and globally.

“We are excited for our partnership with AFRIMA and the African Union to deepen our relationship with the music stakeholders on the continent, provide educational support for African creatives, and to help music fans be a part of some of the most iconic music moments  as they unfold live on YouTube, wherever they are around the globe.”

As the whole world gears towards the 8th edition of the All Africa Music Awards, AFRIMA, which will be held from January 12 to 15, 2023, African music lovers are encouraged to keep voting intensively for their desired winners, using the voting portal live at www.AFRIMA.org and take part in the events on social media platforms (IG/TikTok – @ afrima.official ; Facebook – Afrimawards; Twitter – @afrimaofficial; LinkedIn – AFRIMA). The voting process that determines winners at AFRIMA is audited by a globally renowned auditing firm, Pricewaterhousecoopers (PWC).

As announced at the conference, the delegates are expected to arrive on January 11, 2023. The AFRIMA ceremony is scheduled to kick-start fully on Thursday, January 12, 2023, with a Host Country TourSchool visit and gift presentation (as part of AFRIMA’s Corporate Social Responsibility), as well as a Welcome Soiree in the evening, in Dakar.

The 4-day event continues on Friday January 13, 2023, with the Africa Music Business Summit (AMBS) at the Grand Theatre, in Dakar. The AMBS is Africa’s largest gathering of creative professionals in the music industry and it features workshops and panel discussions on issues and opportunities within the African music industry.

The 8th AFRIMA will continue with high momentum at the  AFRIMA Music Village at the Grand Theatre, which will be a free-to-enter concert featuring live performances from the biggest music stars across the continent.

On the eve of the awards ceremony, on Saturday January 14, 2023, the events will begin with Main rehearsals, Media engagements and a Courtesy Visit to the President of Senegal. There will also be a live recording booth at the venue for musicians across all five regions of the continent, and in the diaspora, to explore for collaborative recordings.  The day’s activities will climax with a Nominees exclusive party.

Finally, the 8th AFRIMA will wrap up on Sunday January 15, 2023, at the 15-000 capacity Dakar Arena, in Dakar, with the live Awards ceremony broadcast by 104 TV Stations to over 84 countries around the world.

In partnership with the African Union Commission, AFRIMA is the pinnacle of African music globally.

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Grant to United Nations (UN) Mission in Mali Boosts Inclusivity for Women in Peacekeeping

A $1.5 million grant to the UN’s peacekeeping mission in Mali, MINUSMA, announced on Tuesday, is designed to enable a more inclusive environment for women blue helmets serving in the country, while also improving living conditions.

The allocation is from the Elsie Initiative Fund (EIF), which supports women’s meaningful participation in UN peacekeeping overall.

The funding comes at a time when three countries that contribute police officers to UN field operations – Nigeria, Senegal and Togo – have committed to increasing and sustaining the deployment of women in Formed Police Units (FPUs) in the coming years.

Scaling up numbers 

Senegal plans to scale up from a current level of 18 per cent to 26 per cent in 2025. Togo will look to double women’s deployment from 11 per cent to 25 per cent, while Nigeria will aim to maintain its current rate of 24 per cent.

MINUSMA will use the grant to construct seven accommodation units, 19 hygiene facilities, four laundry units, and a dedicated recreational space, which will improve working and living conditions for women peacekeepers.

Women should have equal opportunities to deploy to the field, and their contribution to the operational success of peacekeeping missions has been crucial, according to UN Peacekeeping.

A supportive environment 

Mixed-gender FPUs improve engagement with the communities they serve and enhance the Mission’s capacity to deliver on its mandated tasks, including public order management and high visibility patrols.

But “to reap the benefits of having more diverse teams in peacekeeping we need to create an enabling environment that will support women’s meaningful participation”, said Jean-Pierre Lacroix, UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations.

“This support from the Elsie Initiative Fund contributes to gender-responsive peace operations that can better help build and protect peace and security worldwide,” he added.

Addressing structural barriers 

This support from the Elsie Initiative Fund contributes to gender-responsive peace operations that can better help build and protect peace and security worldwide

Senegal is currently the largest police contributor to UN peace operations.

In a declaration last year commemorating the integration of women in FPUs, the Senegal National Police suggested the provision of gender-sensitive accommodation as a pre-condition for inclusive peacekeeping.

The force’s Inspector General, Seydou Bocar Yague, welcomed this project as a milestone that will enable the sustainable increase in their deployment of women to MINUSMA.

Through its separate EIF-funded project, Senegal aims to tackle structural barriers to women’s meaningful participation in the national police by deploying gender-strong units to UN peacekeeping, establishing a roster of trained women for deployment, adopting a gender policy and stepping up women’s recruitment.

Vision into reality 

Togo’s Minister of Security and Civil Protection, Brigadier General Damehame Yark, underscored the project’s importance.

“The operational efficiency and professionalism of female personnel in the security forces is a well-known fact. Therefore, I am grateful for this project – it will allow us to transform our vision to increase women’s participation in our FPUs into a reality,” he said.

Togo ranks sixth in the list of countries providing police officers serving with the UN.  The country also received an EIF grant to conduct a study to assess the barriers, opportunities and challenges faced by its women police officers in order to increase their meaningful participation in UN operations.

Nigeria is the 15th largest police contributor to UN peace operations.

“Nigeria has been consistently contributing mixed-gender units to MINUSMA. We appreciate the support from the Elsie Initiative Fund that will make a significant impact in improving the living and working conditions of peacekeepers,” said Alkali Baba Usman, Inspector General of Police.

Commitment to progress 

MINUSMA is the first UN peace operation to have two women leading its police component – as Police Commissioner and Deputy Police Commissioner.

Over the past decade, it has made the advancement of women’s meaningful participation a priority, in addition to incorporating gender perspectives into operations.

MINUSMA is the second UN Mission, after the Organization’s force in Lebanon, UNIFIL, to receive an EIF grant to create a more inclusive, effective, and sustainable environment.

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AFRICA: Survivors of gender-based violence: Hope at long last

As this year’s 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence concluded, relevant stakeholders made a clarion call: To end stigma, gender discrimination, and all stereotypes against survivors of violence against women and girls. They also recommitted themselves to helping them gain access to training opportunities, health facilities, and other services.

“Streamlining endeavors to help survivors of violence recover from trauma and build social and economic livelihoods is the cornerstone of achieving that target,” said Jacquiline Natepi, Executive Director of the Rural Women Empowerment Organization.

Indeed, the government of South Sudan, the World Bank, the United Nations and other partners are working tooth and nail to synchronize their response strategies to that effect.

A glimmer of hope translated into reality last July, when the World Bank approved a $70-million grant to support a project to boost women’s social and economic empowerment, not least by assisting female entrepreneurs in formalizing and scaling up their business activities.

In South Sudan, violence of different kinds, targeting primarily women and children, is common. Sexual assault rapes included, domestic violence, and early and/or forced marriages are three main categories of violent crimes often committed, with rape, according to Ms. Natepi, frequently used as a weapon of war.

Streamlining endeavors to help survivors of violence recover from trauma and build social and economic livelihoods is the cornerstone of achieving that target

“Survivors of gender-based violence require substantial support to recover from the physical and psychological trauma that they are suffering from,” said Firas Raad, World Bank Country Manager for South Sudan in a recent press release, adding that giving them opportunities to learn new and income-generating skills could also significantly improve their lives.

To Gladys Jambi, a Gender Affairs Officer serving with the peacekeeping mission, women’s dreams are being constrained by harmful and deeply ingrained cultural practices, including the stigma and discrimination endured by survivors of gender-based violence.

“UNMISS is working with line ministries and other partners to respond to and prevent rapes and related acts of violence,” she said. “We do our best to provide prevention and response mechanisms, and accord the protection survivors need while working to hold perpetrators accountable.”

Helping survivors recover and participate fully in civic and economic spheres of life would not only give women a meaningful boost, but the country as a whole as well, believes Aya Benjamin, South Sudan’s Minister of Gender, Child and Social Welfare.

“Empowering women will no doubt make our nation more prosperous and peaceful,” she said, adding that improving their financial situation is a key area to address.

“As they reach basic financial security, they are more likely to afford vital health services, send their children to school, and better service in more leadership positions at all levels of government. In other words, they become agents of change in their communities.”

Gladys Jambi eloquently summed up the aspirations of all and sundry.

“I have only one wish, and that is to see a South Sudan where peace and security prevail and where women, girls, men, and boys are given equal opportunities, without fear and favour.”

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Towards a Common Women Agenda- UNITAMS

Supporting women’s meaningful participation in politics, decision making and peace processes is an integral part of the work of the United Nations as mandated by several Security Council resolutions

Since the coup of 2021, UNITAMS has been providing a platform to diverse groups of women to foster solidarity around common priorities and concerns across political divides with the hope of laying the foundation for a common agenda for all Sudanese women.

Supporting women’s meaningful participation in politics, decision making and peace processes is an integral part of the work of the United Nations as mandated by several Security Council resolutions, including resolution 2524 which established UNITAMS. In Sudan, unique challenges confront women in their quest to partake in deciding the future of their country.

The coup of 25 October 2021, brought with it an intensification in political polarization, rapid economic deterioration, and flare-ups of violence in the regions with particularly harsh impacts on women including harassment, intimidation, and other forms of Violence Against Women. Against this backdrop, women’s groups have been struggling to find channels to ensure women’s priorities are reflected in the national conversation and the many initiatives focused on finding ways to end the political impasse.

In response to the political crisis, UNITAMS convened a consultative process in early 2022 with over 800 Sudanese stakeholders who mapped a framework to guide any political solution with one key finding stressing that “Sudanese women and men must own the processes for determining the future of the transition and of their country.”

Our objective is to provide Sudanese women with the platform and the tools they need to bridge political differences and think collectively

Most recently, UNITAMS facilitated a series of dialogues for women from different regions and backgrounds in Sudan together with UN Women and UNDP between July and August 2022. The dialogues brought together a total of 170 women from Khartoum, the East, the North, Kordofan, the Blue Nile and Darfur. They also included women from different political parties and with affiliation to the Juba Peace Agreement signatory armed movements. National and international experts helped facilitate the dialogues and discussed examples of women’s movements in Sudan and elsewhere.

The dialogues allowed women from across the political spectrum to think together of ways to foster solidarity between women’s groups around unified priorities. Themes of the discussion also included the incidence of violence in the regions and women’s leadership role in combating hate speech and supporting peaceful co-existence. Women participants also exchanged experiences about gender-based violence, including sexual violence, and ways to leverage women’s solidarity in support of survivors, as well as more strategic plans to curb violence against women and improve accountability in this regard.

“Our objective is to provide Sudanese women with the platform and the tools they need to bridge political differences and think collectively as women of ways where they can work together to ensure their ability to meaningfully participate in shaping the future of Sudan,” said Christina Shaheen, UNITAMS’s senior Gender Adviser, “This participation and the overall agenda of gender equality are integral parts of a credible transition towards sustainable democratic governance in Sudan.”

In September, UNITAMS, in collaboration with UNDP and UN Women, convened a diverse group of women politicians, activists, scholars, and experts who formulated a unified gender-responsive constitutional vision and presented it to various Sudanese stakeholders, including political parties, armed movements, and civil society, as well as the Trilateral Mechanism and representatives of the international community.

UNITAMS, together with the National Democratic Institute and the Office of Transition Initiative (OTI), is also planning to launch a series of dialogues in all of Sudan’s 18 states to build on the six dialogues of July and August and continue the work of supporting women from across Sudan to create and advocate for a unified women’s agenda for the transition and beyond.

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Reimagine governance of the commons: Women & communities as restoration leaders

Africa is one of the world’s last frontiers of biodiversity – housing roughly one-fifth of the planet’s known species of mammals, birds, and plants. An abundance of life flourishes in diverse ecosystems across the continent. The Congo Basin – the world’s second-largest tropical rainforest and the lungs of Africa – is found in Central Africa. It covers roughly 300 million hectares of land across six countries: Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the DRC, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon.

Tropical forests are vital carbon sinks – storing more carbon than they release. Not only are they a natural solution to the climate crisis, forests are also home to biodiversity and provide a range of livelihood benefits (e.g. food, fuel, shelter, etc.). And yet, many of our forests are in danger with human activities (e.g. agriculture, logging, oil exploration, etc.) driving deforestation and degradation.

At COP26 in November 2021, world leaders from 141 countries committed to stopping and reversing deforestation and land degradation by 2030. This was done by signing the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use. The declaration is testimony to growing international recognition that forests are key to meeting global climate goals and must be at the heart of a just, green recovery from COVID-19.

However, as the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration and recent reports acknowledge, communities’ rights and livelihoods are key to preserving forests and their biodiversity. Among Cameroonian climate activists, there is a growing desire for the rights and voices of women, youth, and communities to be included in the decisions that affect their forests and their future.

Cameroon’s disappearing forests

Cameroon is one of the 32 African countries that signed the declaration at COP26. The dense, majestic forests that stretch across the country are the third-largest in the Congo Basin, following those in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Gabon.

Land that used to be forests outside Limbe, Cameroon   © Image taken by ReWild Africa

However, in recent decades, Cameroon has witnessed a devastating surge in forest loss and degradation. Monitoring and data from the Global Forest Watch reveals that the country lost 97% of its humid primary rainforest between 2001 and 2019. Key drivers placing Cameroon’s forest under pressure include climate change, land degradation, migration patterns, commercial land use, and ineffective land and natural resource governance that undermines communities’ power and rights over their land.

Who owns the land?

Land issues in Cameroon remain complex, contested, and rooted in its colonial history. With its legal system based on French civil law, English common law, and customary law, the country is a powerful example of the damaging interplay between the legacies of colonialism, land tenure, and contested land issues. Poor land rights, often referred to as land tenure insecurity, for women and communities is a major challenge across rural Cameroon. Where women do not have full rights to property, Indigenous and rural communities have rights to use forest resources but lack ownership over the land, leaving them at risk of losing their land and livelihoods.

Ewi Stephanie Lamma is photographed outside Limbe, Cameroon on degraded land due to deforestation and conversion of land to palm oil plantations. © Image taken by ReWild Africa
Ewi Stephanie Lamma is photographed outside Limbe, Cameroon on degraded land due to deforestation and conversion of land to palm oil plantations. © Image taken by ReWild Africa

“The lands are bare where there used to be forests. In Cameroon, the government owns all land. Over the years, the land has been taken and given to companies that have big plantations and big ambitions for money. ” -Ewi Stephanie Lamma

As Climate Reality Leader, Ewi Lamma points out in her statement, a major concern is the inconsistencies between Cameroon’s commitments at the international level and what occurs at the local level. Despite being a signatory of  the forest declaration at COP26, Cameroon’s Ministry of Forests and Wildlife announced a call for tenders in March 2022 – the prize: 5 logging concessions in the Eastern and Central regions of Cameroon, amounting to roughly 400,000 hectares.  On top of violating international commitments, these concessions once again place the profits of big business over protecting biodiverse forests and the local communities who depend on them.

African Voices for Africa’s Forests: Women, communities, and Indigenous knowledge  key to forest restoration

Set in Limbe, Cameroon, African Climate Reality Project’s film African Voices for Africa’s Forests tells the story of Ewi Stephanie Lamma. The 29 year old works with Forests, Resources, and People to encourage local communities, women, and youth to use their voices and participate in decision-making processes to protect and restore their local forests. Through her work, Ewi is reframing how we think about governance of the commons (e.g land, water, soil, etc.) and addressing issues of rights, ownership, and gender norms. Her message is simple – local people must be consulted through free, prior, and informed consent processes before development projects take place.

From left to right: Ewi Stephanie Lamma captured at the front door of her home, women from Livandacongo community, and one of the women from the Bimbia community outside Limbe.  © Images taken by ReWild Africa

“The rural people should be the people we should stand for, should be the people we make policies for. When policies are brought from a bottom-top approach it means we have understood, we know where they’re coming from, and we’re wearing their shoes.” -Ewi Stephanie Lamma

Growing research shows that roughly 80% of the world’s remaining forest biodiversity is found in land managed by Indigenous peoples, demonstrating their importance as custodians of land. Ewi works with the Bimbia community outside Limbe, who have learned to take from nature only what is needed for their livelihoods, allowing for its regeneration and the continued support of life.

Image of Bimbia women harvesting food from within the forest where a small portion has been cleared using agroforestry techniques.  © Image taken by ReWild Africa
Image of Bimbia women harvesting food from within the forest where a small portion has been cleared using agroforestry techniques.  © Image taken by ReWild Africa

“The forest means a lot to [communities]. The forest is a source of income, it’s a source of food. It’s a source of water, the best water. It’s a source of construction materials. When facing land degradation issues, communities play a major role in solving it. Community-based solutions where Africans are solving African problems.” -Ewi Stephanie Lamma

Climate Reality Leader, Sunday Geofrey, also works with women and rural communities to play an active role in the protection of Cameroon’s forests. He is the Central Africa Regional Coordinator for the African Climate Reality Project and founder of Support Humanity Cameroon (SUHUCAM).

Photo taken of Climate Leader, Sunday Geofrey, outside offices of Forest, Resources, and People in Limbe, Cameroon.  © Image taken by ReWild Africa
Photo was taken of Climate Leader, Sunday Geofrey, outside office of Forest, Resources, and People in Limbe, Cameroon.  © Image taken by ReWild Africa

“The role of a climate leader is to inspire local action. Change is on the ground.” -Sunday Geofrey

Over the course of four years, Sunday has activated over 300 volunteers to plant over 10,000 trees in the Bamunkumbit Integrated Community Forest and restored 151 hectares of land in Bamunkumbit community, North West Cameroon. He leads a livelihood project with 30+ Indigenous Mbororo women, restoring degraded ecosystems, farm and pastoral lands,, and establishing food gardens using agroecology principles to enhance food security and alleviate extreme poverty.

Climate leader Sunday Geofrey working with Indigenous Mbororo women to establish food gardens using agroecology principles., producing carrots, cabbage, onions, and more © Image supplied by Sunday Geofrey

“Projects of this nature are welcome because they help to revalorize the women in the Indigenous community, as they will be able to grow food organically and improve the nutrition and income of the family…it has brought these women together to reflect on the common problems they face in the community”.

  • Ardo Aliyou, Head of the Indigenous Mbororo community in Bamumkumbit

 The Way Forward: COP 27 and Beyond

 With less than a month until COP27, political will, adequate financing, and meaningful community involvement remain stumbling blocks to driving the Glasgow declaration forward.

Countries, like Cameroon, that have signed the declaration need to turn their pledges into concrete, transparent, and inclusive action with benefits for people and forests. Together with Climate Leaders Ewi and Sunday, African Climate Reality Project is calling for governments, corporations, and public finance institutions to deliver on the following:

Embed inclusivity into forest governance and decision-making platforms by meaningfully involving and ensuring participation from rural women, youth, traditional leaders, and Indigenous peoples.

Adopt or strengthen land and forest tenure rights for women, communities, and Indigenous peoples. With clear rights and security of tenure, people are more likely to invest in long-term sustainable practices, such as reforestation, agroforestry, or agroecology.

Boost climate finance for forest protection in Africa: The Congo Basin only received 11% of international funding for sustainable forest management between 2008 and 2017. Further financing is needed but must be transparent, directed to community-centered initiatives/institutions, prioritize monitoring and evaluation, and enforce zero-deforestation supply chains (including new logging concessions).

Climate education

Creating spaces for climate education in schools and communities to create awareness about how everyday actions impact forests and how to take action to protect forests and people.

Now, more than ever, there is a need to reframe the concept of development and reimagine how we govern the commons (e.g. forests, land, water, etc.), and more importantly, who is best suited to protect and use these resources sustainably to meet current and future generations needs.

 

Packaged by: Ewi Stephanie Lamma, Amy Giliam Thorp, and Sunday Geoffrey

 

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Africa

OIL & GAS: Europe should Decarbonize while Africa Industrializes

While western nations are calling for the abrupt end to fossil fuel utilization in Africa, countries such as the UK and Norway continue to hold licensing rounds intended to scale-up exploration and production. With Africa’s socioeconomic development hinging on the exploitation of the continent’s oil and gas resources, this hypocrisy could spell a travesty for Africa. As western organizations such as Greenpeace move to end African hydrocarbon investment in the name of climate change, shouldn’t European nations move to decarbonize first?

Europe is well-positioned to decarbonize its high-emitting sectors, owing to the availability of the required technologies; the regulatory frameworks in place; and the financial and economic capacity to do so. Having utilized ‘dirty’ fuels such as coal, oil, and gas for decades, the continent has been able to develop its economies substantially. According to the Eurostat, the EU operates a single market made up of 27 countries; total GDP in 2019 equated to €16.4 trillion; the EU accounted for 15% of the world’s trade in goods, and economic growth is projected to increase by 4% in 2022 and 2.8% in 2023. However, countries in the EU are also responsible for approximately 18% of global carbon dioxide emissions produced since the industrial revolution began. In the third quarter of 2021 alone, the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions t 881 otaledmillion tons of CO² equivalent. Yet, these nations continue to call for the end of African oil and gas development, despite holding licensing rounds to develop their own oil and gas.

On the contrary, despite holding some of the world’s largest oil, gas and coal reserves – estimated at 125.3 billion barrels of crude oil, 620 trillion cubic feet of gas and nearly 16.4 billion short tons of coal -, Africa’s development has been slow, largely due to natural resource exports, refined product imports, the lack of adequate infrastructure and the lack of adequate investment and reinvestment in key sectors. Representing the world’s fastest growing population; the youngest population; and holding some of the world’s fastest growing economies, Africa has the chance to accelerate development across its entire economy, driven by the exploration, production and utilization of its oil and gas reserves.

Having utilized ‘dirty’ fuels such as coal, oil and gas for decades, the continent has been able to develop its economies substantially

Oil and gas will enable Africa to improve access to energy and lift the over 600 million people across the continent out of energy poverty; significantly reduce the continent’s dependence on energy imports; and provide the much-needed revenue which African governments can utilize to fund infrastructure rollout in various sectors including energy, mining, transportation and health which are vital for economic stability.

African hydrocarbon producers should follow in the footsteps of European counterparts including Norway and Britain who have and continue to introduce new exploration licensing rounds to make it easier to drill and to expand production capacity. In January 2022, the Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy awarded 53 production licenses in mature oil and gas producing areas in a bid to remain western Europe’s largest hydrocarbon producer whilst the British government in its latest Energy Security Strategy announced that it will award licenses for the increased drilling of oil and gas in the North Sea. This is what Africa needs to do: increase its exploration licensing rounds and the use of domestic hydrocarbons resources to end energy poverty rather than leaving these resources in the ground.

Countries across the continent have already made progress in this area with the introduction of licensing rounds in 2020 and 2021. According to the African Energy Chamber’s (AEC) Q1 2022 Outlook, the results of some 14 licensing rounds are expected to be announced this year while other rounds in Ivory Coast, Senegal, Algeria, the Congo, Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, Uganda and Kenya are expected to be introduced in 2022 and 2023. Despite this progress, more needs to be done. While the introduction of licensing rounds is critical, implementation and execution is often slow and deters investors. In this regard, Africa needs to take a lesson from Europe, fast tracking these rounds and approvals so that the development of oil and gas can be accelerated.

“For years Africa has been told to stop using its oil and gas resources, even if those very resources are the solution to making energy poverty history. Now, faced with their own energy security crisis, Europe is pushing for new oil and gas licensing rounds to increase exploration, production and oil and gas utilization. How is it that Africa must decarbonize while Europe continues to industrialize? It seems that the saying do as I say and not as I do is clear, even in the energy space. But Africa will not do as they say. We deserve to develop our oil and gas to make energy poverty history. In 2022, Africa needs to ramp up its licensing rounds, drive exploration and position itself as the primary supplier for domestic and global markets,” Leoncio Amada Nze, President of African Energy Chamber CEMAC.

African Energy Week (AEW) 2022, Africa’s premier event for the oil and gas sector, which will take place from 18 – 21 October 2022 in Cape Town, remains committed to ensuring Africa develops and benefits from its oil and gas resources. Under the theme “Exploring and Investing in Africa’s Energy Future while Driving an Enabling Environment,” and through a series of panel discussions, investor forums and networking events, AEW 2022 represents the most suitable platform for driving project partnerships and investment deals while kickstarting both Europe’s decarbonization and Africa’s industrialization in 2022 and beyond.

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World

Meta launches Reels on Facebook across sub-Saharan Africa

Today, Meta (about.facebook.com/Meta) is expanding the availability of  Facebook Reels (https://bit.ly/3p8lc9w) for iOS and Android to more than 20 countries across sub-Saharan Africa. Meta is also introducing better ways to help creators to earn money, new creative tools and more places to watch and create Facebook Reels.

Prior to this launch Reels was available on Facebook in India, Mexico, Canada, the U.S, and is now available across sub-Saharan Africa in: Zimbabwe, Zambia, Uganda, Tanzania, Swaziland, South Africa, Seychelles, Senegal, Rwanda, Nigeria, Namibia, Mali, Malawi, Lesotho, Kenya, Guinea, Ghana, Cape Verde, Cameroon, Burkina Faso.

Commenting on the launch Nunu Ntshingila, Regional Director for sub-Saharan Africa at Meta says, “We’ve seen that video now accounts for almost all of the time people spend on Facebook and Instagram, and Reels is our fastest-growing content format by far. This is why we’re focused on making Reels the best way for creators to get discovered, connect with their audience, and earn money. We also want to make it fun and easy for people to find and share relevant and entertaining content.”

Meta is also creating a variety of opportunities for creators to earn money for their reels. The Reels Play bonus program (bit.ly/3BI6L0W), part of Meta’s $1 billion creator investment (bit.ly/3t2u0ie), pays eligible creators up to $35,000 a month based on the views of their qualifying reels. In the coming months, the bonus program will be extended to more countries, so more creators can get rewarded for creating reels that their communities love.

As part of the launch Meta is also launching brand suitability controls, including Publisher Lists, Blocklists, Inventory Filters and Delivery Reports for Banner and Sticker Ads in Facebook Reels in every region they are available, giving advertisers more control over how their ads appear in places they don’t consider suitable for their brand or campaign. Additionally, Meta has been testing full-screen and immersive ads in between Facebook Reels since October of last year, and will roll them out to more places around the world over the coming months. Just like with organic content on Facebook, people can comment, like, view, save, share and skip them.

Meta has been testing full-screen and immersive ads in between Facebook Reels since October of last year, and will roll them out to more places around the world over coming months

More Editing Features

In addition to the features (https://bit.ly/3BLbBuu) announced last year, creators around the world will be able to access:

  • Remix: Create your own reel alongside an existing, publicly-shared reel on Facebook. When you create a Remix, you can create a reel that includes all or part of another creator’s reel.
  • 60-second Reels: Make reels up to 60 seconds long.
  • Drafts: You will soon be able to create a reel and choose to “Save As Draft” below the Save button.
  • Video Clipping: In the coming months, we’re planning to roll out video clipping tools that will make it easier for creators who publish live or long-form, recorded videos to test different formats.

 

Create and Discover Reels in New Places

Over the coming weeks, the following updates will be rolled out to make it easier to create and discover reels in new places:

  • Reels in Stories: You can share public reels to Stories on Facebook, making it easy to share favourite reels with friends and giving creators more visibility and reach. You’ll also be able to create reels from existing public stories.
  • Reels in Watch: You’ll be able to watch reels directly within the Watch tab and we’re developing tools to help you create reels in the Watch tab as well.
  • Top of Feed: We’re adding a new Reels label at the top of Feed so you’ll be able to easily create and watch reels in just a few clicks.
  • Suggested Reels in Feed: In select countries, we’re starting to suggest reels that you may like in your Feed from people you do not already follow.

 

Meta is also exploring ways to make it easier for creators to share Reels to both their Facebook and Instagram audiences, such as cross posting.

You can find Facebook Reels in Feed, Groups and Watch. When viewing a reel, you can follow the creator directly from the video, like and comment on it or share it with friends.

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AfricaAPO-OPA

Older People at Heightened Risk in Conflict Globally- Report

Older people are often at heightened risk of abuses during armed conflict, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. All parties to armed conflict should end abuses against older people and facilitate humanitarian assistance to older people in need. The United Nations Security Council should ensure that the UN addresses the need for enhanced protection of older civilians in armed conflict in its work.

The 49-page report, “No One Is Spared: Abuses against Older People in Armed Conflict,” describes patterns of abuses documented by Human Rights Watch between 2013 and 2021 against older people affected by armed conflicts in Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Mali, Mozambique, Nagorno-Karabakh, Niger, South Sudan, Syria, and Ukraine. The report also draws on the serious protracted violence in two English-speaking regions of Cameroon, Myanmar security force atrocities against older ethnic Rohingya in Rakhine State, and the experiences of older refugees in Lebanon displaced by conflict in Syria.

“Older people face serious abuses, including summary execution, rape, and abduction, during conflicts,” said Bridget Sleap, senior researcher on the rights of older people at Human Rights Watch. “There is an urgent need for governments and the UN to recognize the specific risks and assistance needs of older people and act to protect them.”

Government forces and non-state armed groups have attacked and committed serious abuses against older civilians in conflicts around the world, including unlawful killing, summary executions, arbitrary arrest and detention, torture and other ill-treatment, rape, abduction and kidnapping, and destroyed their homes and property. Older civilians have been killed and injured by small arms, heavy weapons, explosive weapons with wide area effects, and chemical and other banned weapons.  Older people are often at heightened risk when they are unable or chose not to flee attacks.

In Burkina Faso and Mali, armed Islamist groups, government forces, and ethnic militias have killed numerous older people, including prominent elders. On January 27, 2022, the Malian army executed two men in their 80s and 12 others in the village of Touna, Mali, in apparent retaliation for the death of two soldiers whose vehicle drove over an improvised explosive device.

There is an urgent need for governments and the UN to recognize the specific risks and assistance needs of older people and act to protect them

In South Sudan, a rape survivor in her late 50s said that during government operations against rebel forces in February 2019, a soldier made her carry looted property, beat her with a gun, and raped her repeatedly.

Between December 2016 and April 2017, Syrian government warplanes carried out four aerial attacks with apparent nerve agents, a group of chemicals that includes sarin. Older people were among those who reportedly died in the attacks from chemical exposure.

During hostilities, in many instances older people with limited mobility or other disabilities did not have support from others to flee when fighting neared and had to remain behind. In 2017, Rohingya who were forced out of Myanmar described security forces pushing older people who could not flee back into burning houses. “I saw them push my husband’s uncle into the fire. I saw them push him back into the burning house,” one woman said. “He is weak, maybe 80 years [old]…. I think they wanted everyone to leave and those that could not leave they put into the fire.”

Other older people chose not to flee their homes because they wanted to protect their property. During the conflict in 2020 over Nagorno-Karabakh, the ethnic-Armenian majority enclave in Azerbaijan, most younger civilians fled. Those remaining, with few exceptions, were older people. An older woman and her husband, Arega and Eduard, both in their 70s, remained in their village to protect their property. In October, Azerbaijani soldiers found the couple at home and aggressively detained them, holding them initially in abandoned houses without food and water, then taking them to a detention facility in Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku. Officials denied Arega medication for her high blood pressure. Eduard died in detention. When Arega viewed his body shortly after his death, she described his face as black and blue.

Displaced older people can also face abuse and barriers to obtaining humanitarian assistance. In South Sudan in 2017, a 70-year-old man who was blind said aid was inaccessible on the island to which he was displaced. “Some organizations have registered older people, but I never got registered because they did not come to this particular island,” he said. “There’s no health clinic either on the island. To get medical assistance, I must travel to another island or to the mainland.”

International humanitarian law, the laws of war, recognizes the protection of older civilians during armed conflict. It requires to the extent feasible the safe removal of older civilians, among others, from the vicinity of military targets, and the provision of suitable accommodations for detained civilians on the basis of age among other factors. Older people are also protected at all times by applicable international human rights law.

“UN agencies, peacekeeping missions, and humanitarian actors should ensure that all protection and assistance activities are inclusive of older people and their specific needs,” Sleap said. “Older people, with their unique protection needs, should no longer be invisible victims of armed conflict.”

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