Many investors have a view of emerging markets that remains stuck in the past, and that’s particularly true in the realm of technology. No longer simply copying advances made in the developed world, emerging market companies are now leading the way with growing research and development budgets and eye-catching innovations. Franklin Emerging Market Equity Group’s…
Unleashing the power of the digital patient
With an estimated 2.77 billion users worldwide, the social media phenomenon has taken the world by storm. In South Africa, almost half the population uses the internet, including 8 million Twitter users and 16 million Facebook users. This digital revolution has unlocked enormous opportunities for the creation of online communities for large-scale engagement around often…
Bridging the gap: Africa’s science landscape and the African diaspora
By Dr Christine Ngaruiya As I headed home on the plane, my mind was abuzz. The engines steadily hummed in the background, dulled only by the even louder thoughts that raced through my mind. The plane lights were dim. Snores ebbed and flowed around me, my neighbors nothing but still heaps piled under blankets. Meanwhile,…
Governments Meet to Fast Forward Implementation of Paris Agreement’s Goals
The 2017 UN Climate Change Conference opens on Monday, with the aim of launching nations towards the next level of ambition needed to tackle global warming and put the world on a safer and more prosperous development path. The Conference, coming just two years after the landmark adoption of the Paris Climate Change Agreement, will also…
Mother Nature’s Revenge
By Paul Gerbrands Trying to improve our living environment will be fighting a running battle as long as 70 million people are added to the world population each year. Once the mythological king Sisyphus thought that his cleverness could surpass that of Zeus. The punishment for his hubristic belief is well known. Nowadays many people…
Nigeria Launches First Renewable Energy Association
Yesterday industry leaders came together for the launch of the Renewable Energy Association of Nigeria (REAN) at the West African Power Industry Convention. The launch was attended by guests from over 100 organizations working in, and supporting, the renewable energy sector in Nigeria. REAN is an umbrella association for organizations working across the renewable energy…
Cambridge has waived application fee for graduate students from most African countries
The University’s policy on graduate admissions was reiterated at the opening of the third Cambridge-Africa Day–Applause greeted the statement by Professor David Dunne, Director of the Cambridge-Africa Programme, as he confirmed that Cambridge has waived the usual application fee for nationals of many of the world’s least developed countries. This fee waiver will benefit applicants…
The kind of agriculture Africa needs
By Nokutula Mhene “Agroecology is really common sense. It means understanding how nature works, to replicate the natural workings of nature on farms in order to reduce dependency on external input.” argued Olivier De Schutter, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to food as he called for food democracy and agroecology. I concur…