Reflections on Realizing Africa’s Potential
Over the last two decades or so, Africa has steadily shed its tag as the Dark Continent. The somewhat derogatory nickname has been used in reference to the perceived economic backwardness of the continent and other problems such as perennial hunger, disease, illiteracy, and political instability. In its place, more positive perceptions are taking root owing to the realization of the many opportunities that Africa presents to human development in terms of agriculture, natural resources, sustainable energy, and labor etc. To highlight just a few of the reasons that make Africa the future of economic development, the continent has the world’s largest reserves of cobalt, chromium, diamonds, platinum and uranium and also holds 65 percent of the world’s arable land and ten percent of the planet’s internal renewable fresh water sources as reported by the UNEP. Further to that, Africa has 40% of the world’s biodiversity, 60% of its uncultivated arable land. Africans have also stepped up to tell their story of hope and progress amid all the fears and negativity of the past. Improved governance and better economic policies have seen the continent host some of the fastest growing economies in the world. As of 2019, the IMF reported that six of the 10 fastest growing economies globally were in Africa with the region’s GDP growing by 5%, almost double the global average of 2.6%. It is no surprise then that multinationals are setting up base in Africa allowing the continent to play an integral role in global economic development and globalization. Without a doubt, the past few years saw a downturn for the continent’s development; but Africa is still growing. The Economist Intelligence Unit highlights a 3.2% growth for Africa in 2023. Even more appealing is the fact that Africa has thousands of ethnic groups that allow not only a diversity in culture but also a diversity in world views and problem solving. The continent’s population dynamics are also favorable with 35% of Africa’s population comprising of youth. FDI inflows into the continent have also been growing exponentially but remain relatively small at only 2.5% of global FDIs according to the World Bank. As such, the key challenges of diseases, hunger, drought and climate change have prevailed. But Africa cannot and must not rely on FDI alone. The continent must prioritise its own resources (human, natural, financial) for its own growth. Responsible and ethical governmental leadership is key for this – from debt management, to local manufacturing and mobilizing all its peoples equitably towards prosperity and growth. To address these challenges and accelerate engagement for the continent’s development, multi-stakeholder forums will be vital for partnership and collaboration towards a common goal – the Africa, Africa’s people want. The African Union’s Agenda 2063 defines that as ‘An integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens, representing a dynamic force in the international arena.’ Forums to accelerate change One of the most recent conclaves that brings different stakeholders from around the world is the Africa Shared Values Leadership forum. The forum held the 6th annual Africa Shared Value Leadership summit in Kigali Rwanda in late 2022. The summit addressed both the future of connectivity and how combining it with the Shared Value mind-set can enable economic growth and people-centric sustainability. The Shared Value Africa Initiative is a business concept that calls upon the private sector to effectively leverage their resources to simultaneously improve societal and business needs with the goal of creating a sustainable business environment. Ideally, the private sector can employ its immense resources to complement the efforts of the governments and civil society to address societal issues and challenges that can include improved healthcare, environmental conservation and job opportunities. The first day of the summit covered the topics of creating shared value, digital inclusion and climate justice. All these aspects have proved relevant to Africa’s development agenda and have been addressed by other forms such as the SDGs. In the past, Africa has relied on aid and donations from the West to shape her development agenda. ASVL summit commits the private sector to adapt new methods of innovation and corporate responsibility by addressing pressing social and environmental problems in society and simultaneously generating returns for their investors. To drive this agenda home, African businesses must view the challenges facing Africa as new opportunities of doing business and innovating sustainable solutions. Another key platform to watch will be the Global Compact’s Uniting Business for Africa initiative that brings together African and global business leaders, civil society, government and UN agencies to spur sustainable development action for the continent. The initiative focuses on driving Global Compact’s Africa Strategy with small and large businesses to uphold principles in human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. Africa’s digital age One way of addressing Africa’s challenges is enhancing the digital infrastructure in Africa. Private technology companies need to provide sustainable solutions to poor digital connectivity in the region whose weaknesses was exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. To put into context, while many western counties continued with education away from schools following COVID-19 restrictions, Africans could hardly cope with online learning due to poor internet connection. As a demonstration of how well digital infrastructure and technology can be employed to create positive social impact and also benefit privates firms, one entrepreneur participating in the AVSL summit explained how AgriLift in partnership with the US Agency for International Development (USAID), through its private sector driven agricultural growth project (PSDAG) has employed smart phones and drones to aid sweet potato farmers in Rwanda and Burundi in adapting advanced potato farming methods and also training the farmers on value addition for their products and preservation. It was also revealed that in a study in Ghana, 3G technology contributes 15% growth in the GDP. Another good example from one of the entrepreneurs discussed how GPS technology has been used in tracking and fighting locust invasions in Mali and other countries neighboring the Sahara Desert. Such technologies create value to farmers and also drive private firms to innovate and employ technology to address perennial problems Africa. Another example is Ho Hub in Ghana. The hub, seeks to enhance financial and digital literacy
3 Major Reasons Why Having Women in Leadership Matters
This article was originally published on Qazini.com On April 19, 2023, Africa.com released the 2023 Definitive List of 93 Women CEOs on a live webinar, which had over 700 participants in attendance. This ranking is based on meticulous scrutiny of 2,020 firms listed on 24 African stock exchanges; 787 were selected and then further analysed to determine the performance of women-led companies spanning 17 African countries. Such a rigorously developed index, detailing a group of incredible women is evidence that women make great leaders. According to Africa.com, only 5% of African listed companies have women CEOs and these women CEOs are outperforming benchmarks by a ‘wide measure’. Now you can see one of the reasons why having women in leadership matters… The state of women’s leadership in Africa A study by McKinsey and Company reveals that only 5% of CEOs in Africa, 29% of senior managers, and 14% of those in board positions are women, with 44% of senior women holding line roles. Considering the time this research was done, there is undoubtedly a slight improvement but we are not there yet. Women still occupy a very low percentage in leadership and they have to prove themselves twice as much as men. What difference would it make to have more women in leadership? Below are three factors, highlighting why having women in leadership matters. Research shows that organisations that have women as top leaders have higher financial returns. Following Africa.com’s definitive list announcement, some of the women CEOs have generated over $10 billion—surpassing the $100 million benchmark. Kanyisa Mkhize, the CEO of Sanlam, led the company in yielding $13.6 billion last year. During her tenure as the CEO of Anglo American Platinum Group in South Africa, Natascha Viljoen played an integral role in generating returns worth $41.6 billion for the company. Last year, Anne Juuko, the CEO of Stanbic Bank Uganda, led the company into generating $267 million in revenue. These are a handful of examples, showing the great potential women have in scaling Africa’s economy. The greatest enabler of gender disparities in leadership positions is the underrepresentation of women in leadership. Bridging this gap will help mitigate the unfair conditions women are subjected to. This will in return foster a diverse work environment and attract quality talent. Borrowing from two quotes featured in McKinsey’s report, “Introducing more women at leadership level simply introduces broader perspectives and new ways to manage problems. Diversity is key for a successful organisation. It also allows companies and public entities to tap into the entire talent pool rather than deprive themselves of half of it,” said a conglomerate executive and private sector representative from Morocco. A senior public sector official from Nigeria also notes, “With more women in leadership, decision-making would be more inclusive and consider multiple points of view.” Therefore, this is not a nag for representation, women are good for business. Young birds are not taught to fly. They are expected to figure things out on their own once they fall from the nest. The problem with this strategy is that you have to learn on the job and there’s a high probability of repeating past mistakes. By having women in leadership positions, girls and women who aspire to lead get to have people to look up to. Research by The Rockefeller Foundation indicates that two-thirds of women in entry-level positions shared that it matters for them to have women role models in leadership positions. These women are an inspiration and provide the influence other women need to grow their careers. In conclusion If we are to achieve sustainable development goals by 2030, then we need fair representation of women in decision-making processes. By 2030, there should be no ‘women in leadership’ kind of narrative. Instead, we should just have leaders because women have proven more than enough that they can and deserve to lead. Achieving gender diversity should be a priority for African senior leaders on the board. Employees should be educated on unconscious bias to avoid making biased judgements, assessments and decisions; and organisations need to implement informed gender-inclusive strategies. Congratulations to all the 93 women for making it to the Africa.com Definitive List! Check out the video summary: Africa.com The Definitive List Women CEOs
How Tourism & Agriculture Can Address Climate Change in Africa
This article was originally published on Qazini.com Human activities are causing climate change on earth, which is now endangering lives and livelihoods. Rising temperatures, rising sea levels, and food insecurity are some of the consequential effects of the climate crisis. As a result, Africa’s economy has been greatly disrupted and the effects are taking a toll on businesses. A report by the World Meteorological Organization indicates that Africa’s gross domestic product (GDP) could incur a further decline of up to 2-3% by 2050. To create adaptability, resilience and cushion the continent from experiencing further loss, different sectors in the African economy are tackling climate change. The insights shared here are inspired by a Twitter space conversation held by Qazini and Responsible Business Consulting earlier this year to recognize and applaud women environmental champions in Africa. We shall look at two key sectors for the continent: 1) Tourism 2) Agriculture The tourism and hospitality industry is a key driver of Africa’s economy. The International Finance Corporation of the World Bank Group indicates that in 2019, the tourism industry in Africa yielded $169 billion and resulted in creation of over 24 million jobs. But with the looming effects of Covid-19 and climate change, these profits are set to substantially shrink. In their article dubbed, ‘Hospitality Industry 4.0 and Climate Change,’ published by Springer, Adel Ben Youssef & Adelina Zeqiri note that tourism and climate change carries double-edged repercussions. The hustle and bustle involved in tourism, including travel (especially by air), accommodation, food production and consumption, largely contribute to the hazardous greenhouse gas emissions. On the other hand, climate events such as rising sea levels, heat waves, ocean salinity, droughts, tropical cyclones lead to erosion of beaches, extinction of wildlife, forest fires, water shortages and cause damage to the heritage sites, which slows down the operation of tourism activities and causes a reduction in returns. Various countries in Africa are making efforts to mitigate the atrocities of climate change on the tourism industry and vice versa. Carbon offset programme and biofuels and alternative fuels programme are some of the tourism-related initiatives that have been implemented across Africa’s travel related businesses to curb carbon footprints on the environment and enhance sustainability in the Airline industry. To alleviate effects of climate change in the tourism sector in Africa collaboration with communities should be a key consideration. There is a need to understand the role of communities and involve them in solving climate challenges. As the tourism industry players seek to foster collaboration among communities, they must listen more, detach themselves from preconceived misconceptions, to learn and absorb and understand how communities can fit into the solutions being implemented. A partnership with communities will foster collective action and create a ripple effect in curbing climate change and protecting habitats. “Earth is our home. It houses both flora, fauna and humans. Destroying the planet means destroying everyone and everything in it.” 2. Enhancing green financing and smart agriculture A report by Relief Web records that over two thirds of Africa’s population depend on agriculture for their livelihoods. Basically, agriculture is at the core of Africa’s development. With extreme climate change events such as floods, droughts, and cyclones, the agricultural sector is highly threatened. This means a substantial decrease in food production, disruption in the supply chain, high food prices, reduced consumption and a strained society. There is hope in securing more food for Africa. The World Bank Group, for instance, is implementing the Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) project in different parts of the world, including Africa (in Kenya, Malawi, Niger). CSA refers to integrated agricultural best practices that lower the risks of carbon emissions and focuse more on climate-resilient approaches. CSA aims to address food insecurity and enhance sustainability: by reducing emissions, increasing production and enhancing resilience. In an event in early 2022, the UNU Institute for Natural Resources in Africa (UNU-INRA), which focuses on natural resource management issues on the continent, highlighted that our African traditional knowledge potentially holds environmental wisdom for our wellbeing in agriculture (crops, livestock, farming practices); eco-system conservation; construction and housing. This traditional knowledge can provide insights perhaps identifying or re-discovering foods and crops for our food security and livelihoods – remember that our traditional crops have existed for centuries standing the test of nutritional value and resilience. Sustainable financing entails investment in climate smart, eco-positive projects and organizations that practice good governance and social inclusion. Major investors and other finance practitioners are becoming more keen on the impact their money is making. Sustainable businesses have become a priority and are gaining an advantage in financing, by attracting more funds than the short-term oriented businesses. One of the panelists from the finance sector, highlighted that it is important to prioritize climate change solutions based on what is priority for Africa and Africans. For example, adaptation may be more of a priority; as Africa contributes minimally to carbon emissions and this will be the case for a number of years to come. Women at the heart of industry-related climate action Women are not only bearing the brunt of climate change (according to the United Nations), but also playing a critical role in mitigating it. However, women seem to have been omitted in the climate action narrative. To bridge the gender gap and bolster women’s representation in addressing climate change, We Africa is not only empowering women and leveraging their capacity in enhancing environment conservation, but also telling successful stories of women championing conservation. Some of the female champions, who are in various sectors (including finance, tourism, agriculture and the creative industry) shared their contributions towards solving climate change. This article was inspired by the insights and contributions from women championing environmental action like: Jane Waiyaki, Maina, then Head of Sustainability & Responsible Business Partnerships, Absa Bank, Kenya, Dr. Winnie Kiiru, Founder of CHD Conservation Kenya and Director of Government Relations at Elephant Protection Initiative, Kenya and Zilanie Gondwe, Co-founder and Director of the Institute of the Conservation of Nature, Malawi. A greener future As we continue to join our efforts adapting and mitigating climate change in Africa, it is important to recognize
Mashujaa Day: Celebrating #WomenWarriors Across Pre-colonial Africa
This Mashujaa Day campaign shifts our view to the vast continent of Africa. An opportunity to celebrate women who influenced the trajectory of Africa’s growth and culture from the pre-colonial period. Download the graphics here Highlighting women who shaped the cultural and political landscape of Pre-colonial Africa
Building Resilient and Sustainable African Entrepreneurship
This article was originally published on Qazini.com According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Africa contributes about two to three percent to climate change, yet the youthful continent bears the most consequences. Decreased rainfall, increased heat waves, droughts, and an increase in heavy rainfall are some of the adverse effects of global emissions facing Africa. This will impact our eco-systems, our livelihoods, societies and economies. UNEP highlights that, one of the reasons why Africa is vulnerable to climate change is due to its weaker social and economic system compared to other parts of the world. Even though the climate crisis threatens to disrupt and negatively impact Africa’s economies and societies, African entrepreneurs have the capacity to turn the tables. This article seeks to explore the social and economic benefits of entrepreneurship in Africa, how the climate crisis is affecting entrepreneurship and ways to build sustainable entrepreneurship —a reflection of insights shared during the Shared Value AfricaInitiative’s (SVAI) at the recent African Entrepreneurship Forum held on in August 2022. Social and economic impact of entrepreneurshipWith entrepreneurship at the core of Africa’s development efforts, economic prosperity is guaranteed. Here are some areas on entrepreneurship in Africa enhances social and economic growth. ● Creation of employment opportunities. The African Development Bank (AfDB) indicates that over 20 million jobs were lost in 2021 in Africa due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The poverty levels remained high in 2022, and from the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the bank further states that, another 1.8 million people are likely to end up in poverty in 2022 and a further 2.1 million in 2023. Entrepreneurship creates job opportunities not only for entrepreneurs themselves but also for other people. Their living standards improve, which in turn reduces poverty.● Technology development. The Business Insider Africa, records that six African start-ups featured in the World Economic Forum’s list of 100 innovative tech start-ups for its 2022 Technology Pioneers cohort. These start-ups include Okra in Nigeria – Fintech; Access Afya, Kenya – healthcare social enterprise; Sendy. Kenya – ecommerce fulfillment; Pula Advisors, Kenya – agricultural insuranceand technology; Ampersand, Rwanda – solar energy; and Ejara, Cameroon – crypto and investment services. The World Economic Forum’s Technology Pioneers are at the forefront of shaping policy, strategy innovation and solutions in technology on globally relevant issues. These African startups will be part of a global community comprising some of the world’s tech bigwigs, including Google,Twitter, Spotify, Wikipedia and Mozilla.● Increased revenue. Entrepreneurs boost Africa’s economy through paying taxes which are used to establish and strengthen social services e.g. healthcare, education, social security, etc. and build infrastructure in countries.● Creation of new markets and businesses. Saturation of products and services in an area pushes entrepreneurs to think creatively and establish new markets and businesses. When the newly created markets perform well, Africa’s economy equally grows. Climate change and African entrepreneurshipClimate change has dire consequences on people, prosperity, peace, and the planet —our home; this means climate change will impact businesses. So, how should entrepreneurs ensure that they remain resilient and foster sustainable entrepreneurship in Africa? Making Africa’s entrepreneurship sustainable● African entrepreneurs must learn to intentionally focus on the problems they are solving to offer customized and sustainable solutions. Entrepreneurs need to be guided by a social and environmental mission. By focusing on the problems, entrepreneurs are identifying gaps in the market and society that need solutions through a product/service.● An agribusiness entrepreneur at the forum emphasized the need to embrace innovation, mechanization and hydroponics for sustainable agriculture. Entrepreneurs needs to innovate and adapt with the realities of climate change and its potential impacts in mind.● Pointing out the power of collaboration, another panelist advised entrepreneurs from different sectors to work together. Building on this, the panelist highlighted that cross-industry collaboration and partnership can create an ecosystem where like-minded entrepreneurs jointly offer solutions. Importantly, collaboration allows for and leverages sharing resources, expertise reduces costs, and drives scale and impact. African entrepreneurs need to provide products/services to society that benefit consumers: strengthen and make our societies and economies more resilient. African entrepreneurs are called on to solve Africa’s social and environmental challenges and opportunities. At the end of the day, this vibrant, dynamic, rising continent is our business.
The Hospitality and Creative Arts Industries — Vital Links to Solving Youth Unemployment
This article was originally published on Qazini.com According to the United Nations Population Fund’s statistics, Africa ranks second among seven continents, in a population with over 1 billion people. Asia is first with over four billion people. Amidst the continent’s population lies over 400 million youth aged between 15-35 years, and 60% of them are unemployed. The United Nations also records that approximately 10-12 million youth join the labour market annually. This means that the youth unemployment rate skyrockets each year. Whereas tremendous efforts have been made by the private sector across Africa to solve this puzzle, unemployment continues to take a toll on young Africans and African economies. In a recent event on rethinking, retooling, innovating, digitising, and transforming SMEs and Start-ups post Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), hosted by Human Capital International, business leaders in the hospitality and creatives industry asked themselves, Could hospitality and the creative arts industries be the missing link in solving youth unemployment? An article, published by the World Economic Forum, records that among the world’s ten fastest-growing economies, six of them are in Africa. Some of the listed lucrative investment opportunities that could propel Africa’s economies to greater heights include agriculture, energy, water, and mineral processing. Creative arts and hospitality industries are out of the picture. This could mean that African youth haven’t progressed much in these industries. What could be some of the reasons why the creative arts and hospitality industries remain untapped? Lack of technical training and specialised schools The majority of youth who join the creative arts and hospitality industries lack relevant skills. At the tertiary education level e.g. universities, colleges, institutes, etc; the curriculum for hospitality and creative arts courses lack practical skills. As a result, youth are often ill-equipped for real-world employment as they fall short of the skills and knowledge needed by the employer. To bridge this gap, it is necessary for youth to get training that equips them with the required skills, such as communication, customer service, and hospitality management. Importantly, tertiary institutions should redesign their curriculum aligning it to the current market and what the market will look like in the future; so that youth are employable, savvy, and competitive in the creative and hospitality industries. The industries are not a priority for many youth Creative arts and hospitality are a second choice for many young people when choosing what courses to pursue in colleges and universities. Most of the time it becomes a choice after they have failed or not succeeded at securing that ‘big’ course and are left without another ‘serious’ option. There are parents who decide what courses their children will take. Unfortunately, creative arts and hospitality are rarely a choice for these parents. The youth who have defied their parents’ demands and instead pursued their passion for arts, have developed strained relationships with their parents. Because of this parental dynamic, these industries continue to place at the bottom of the list for youth and in turn, heightens the talent deficit in these industries and exacerbates the youth unemployment rate. Most countries underrate art There is an assumption that creative arts are for the ‘uneducated’ and those lacking ‘seriousness’ to thrive in life. Similarly, it is often believed that one does not need to acquire an education to qualify for a hospitality job. Art is also perceived to be expensive; an unnecessary expense or a luxury in Africa. A buyer has to decide between purchasing art or attending to other more pressing needs. Nonetheless, there’s a silver lining in all this because African art is gaining international recognition. Youth are also using global platforms like social media to sell their art. The momentum is picking up for African artists, but there is more work to be done since not every youth has access to these opportunities, yet. Preference of foreign content Foreign content still dominates most local radio and TV stations in Africa. Various industry players like Eric Omondi, a Kenyan comedian, are advocating for the limitation of foreign content through legislation; but so far, the issue has not been resolved. Promoting foreign content more than local content means that African youth in the creative arts industry continue to lag behind. To shift the priority to African content, collaboration between the government, creatives/artists, the media industry, and other relevant stakeholders is needed to bolster the creative arts industry by promoting local content, which will create employment for the youth. For example, it is hard to imagine British, American, or Mexican TV or radio with a majority of Kenyan or African content, so why then would it be that in 2022 Kenya has majority Mexican, British or American TV or radio content? Youth limiting their own worldview Creatives have limited themselves to a certain category of content, for example, music and comedy. Genres like animation and e-sports have not been fully tapped into. Crowding in one category has led to high competition and reduced employment opportunities. Youth should start thinking creatively about other available opportunities that can help them create monetized content. Lack of resources In this digital era where smartphones seem to be everywhere, one would imagine that every youth owns one. Sadly, many young people in Africa lack access to smartphones and good cameras to produce content. Lacking these key resources then becomes an impediment for African youth to show their talents and create employment for themselves. However, the future still looks bright Despite the issues outlined, the creative arts and hospitality industries have the ability to create employment opportunities for youth in Africa, and scale up African economies. It is important to remember that every industry has its challenges, but that does not mean that they do not thrive, create entrepreneurship and employment opportunities and deliver socio-economic growth. There is a necessity to prioritise these ‘newer’ industries; train youth with relevant, contemporary, real-world curriculum. We need to champion African content above foreign content in our countries to create opportunities; and additionally, encourage youth to broaden their mindsets to see beyond what they know. Africans
Are Kenyan Universities Empowering Youth Towards Sustainable Development?
This article first appeared on Qazini Blog Give me a fish and I will eat today, teach me how to fish, and I will eat for a lifetime. Today’s world is fraught with numerous challenges ranging from poverty, climate change, pandemics, unemployment, poor housing and health services, hunger and food insecurity; among many more. The challenges can seem endless, but let us not forget that never has the world not been fraught with challenges, and probably never will it be. Every generation, every decade or century, has been faced with its challenges; and humanity has always figured out a way to address or resolve them. The challenges we are dealing with today are, potentially, greater than before, and climate change is the perfect example of that. Climate change is the change in the state of the climate (global and regional weather patterns) largely due to increased levels of Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere from the burning of fossil fuels. The United Nations gives a detailed definition here. Working in and learning about sustainability over the past decades of my life, I always wondered why people (myself included) and organisations struggled to understand why sustainable development is of paramount importance. Sustainable Development is defined as ‘development that meets the needs of current generations, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.’ When you read it, it seems pretty obvious and makes complete sense. However, actually doing it right was not obvious at all. Today, the world (governments, businesses, NGOs, citizens) have Sustainable Development Goals. These are 17 goals for people and for the planet. These Global Goals define how we must move forward if future generations are to have the ability to meet their own needs. So back to my ‘wondering’, I began to ask myself, why hadn’t I learned about sustainable development in school or in university, given what’s at stake? Education for sustainable development In 2021, I decided to dig deeper into this, by focusing my master’s degree research on mainstreaming education for sustainable development into Kenyan universities. According to UNESCO, education for sustainable development ‘empowers learners of all ages with the knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes to address the interconnected global challenges we are facing including climate change, environmental degradation, loss of biodiversity, poverty, and inequality. Education is the foundation of a competent citizenry and workforce. Education shapes how we, as people, citizens and residents, think and act in our lives; and, as a result, education determines a country’s trajectory. The number of universities in Kenya has grown exponentially. In the 1990s Kenya had only four universities, in 2007 there were seven universities. Today, the 2019 national census disclosed that the country has 30 public universities, 30 chartered private universities, and 30 universities with Letter of Interim Authority (LIA). The same census showed that 3.5% of the country’s population (approx.1.7million) has attained an undergraduate degree. From these statistics alone, universities have a key role and responsibility in equipping youth – their students – with the knowledge, skills, and values to drive Kenya’s development. Effective nation-building is the responsibility of both citizens and the state. (A small diversion: the state is created by and composed of people, who are themselves citizens and/or residents. The state is not just a thing, a building, lifeless entity – despite legal definitions. In reality, it is a very large group of people/citizens, a.k.a civil servants, whose responsibilities and mandate are to build their country for the better. Now back to the main road.) My research focused on one of Kenya’s leading universities, Strathmore University, and specifically on their business school’s undergraduate programmes. This focus was born from my career in business and sustainability. As such, this research was a case study. In late 2019, Kenya’s Ministry of Education published ‘A Guide to Mainstreaming Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and Global Citizenship Education (GCED) into Kenyan Universities.’ I used this guide to appraise how the University’s business school was mainstreaming the Education for Sustainable Development only; intentionally leaving out the Global Citizenship Education component due to research constraints. The guideline encouraged universities to mainstream ESD into: The Ministry’s guideline presented seven ESD concepts for this: 1) Energy Conservation, 2) Climate Change and environmental sustainability, 3) Disaster awareness, preparedness, and management, 4) Food and nutrition, 5) Sustainable production and utilization of resources, 6) Poverty eradication, and 7) Water and sanitation. The current state of play in universities* From a broader and global context, the research evidenced that: (Watch a video on Kenyan perspectives on ESD and universities) The research analysis on Strathmore University’s Business School showed that: *This is based on the research conducted on mainstreaming education for sustainable development into Kenyan universities: A case study. Charting the way forward Taking the research’s insights into consideration, Strathmore University proactively convened a university educators stakeholder session engaging with their peers on how local universities and business schools can take a greater role in embedding sustainable development thinking and practice for Kenya’s future. At this session, university leaders acknowledged that universities must prepare students for the complexities of the future, and for contemporary life in Kenya. The educators also acknowledged that they would face challenges: adapting existing learning and pedagogy, with resources, capacity building, and curriculum change; to mention a few. And, perhaps, the most hopeful of all, university educators committed to working together to mainstream education for sustainable development and global citizenship into their universities. As the saying goes: If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together. With only eight years left to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals in 2030, Kenyan universities are taking up the baton to do their part in shaping Kenya’s and our world’s sustainable future. I, for one, will definitely be watching this space! May the spirit of Ubuntu light the way… *** *If you are in university, college—actually any student; please ask your institution e.g. a faculty, teacher, a manager, dean of students, student leader; etc. if the education you are receiving is empowering you with the knowledge, skills,
Video: Kenyan perspectives on the role of universities in sustainable development
In 2021, UNESCO published The World in 2030 Survey which highlighted the challenges and hopes of youth for the future. As part of my dissertation presentation on Education for Sustainable Development in Kenyan universities, I undertook a dip stick survey of the same UNESCO challenge; but this time, asking Kenyans to highlight the challenges from a Kenyan context and also asked about the role of universities in addressing these challenges. Here’s the video highlighting these Kenyan perspectives: Kenyan Insights, Role of Unis For more information on education for sustainable development and global citizenship education, visit: UNESCO Education for Sustainable Development Education for Sustainable Development in Kenyan Universities
Education for Sustainable Development in Kenyan Universities
Instruction in youth is like engraving in stone. ~Moroccan Proverb Sustainable Development Education is the foundation of a competent citizenry and workforce. Education shapes how citizens think and act in their lives and, as an outcome, determines a country’s trajectory. While SDG 4: Quality Education is a goal within the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) importantly, this goal also has the muscle and means to facilitate the attainment of all the other 16 goals. This is through embedding the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes that empower learners to take informed decisions and make responsible actions for environmental integrity, economic viability and a just society (or education for sustainable development). It is important to point out that, all levels of education have an integral role to play in shaping the minds and hearts of young Kenyans of all ages. This particular journey I highlight below focuses specifically on universities; from my master’s dissertation research. Universities & Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) The number of universities in Kenya has grown exponentially. In the 1990s Kenya had only four universities, in 2007 there were seven universities. Today, the 2019 national census disclosed that the country has 30 public universities, 30 chartered private universities and 30 universities with Letter of Interim Authority (LIA). The same census showed that 3.5% of the country’s population (approx.1.7million) has attained an undergraduate degree. From these statistics alone, universities have a key role and responsibility in equipping youth – their students – with the knowledge, skills and values to drive Kenya’s development. Effective nation building is the responsibility of both citizens and the state. In late 2019, the Ministry of Education published ‘A Guide to Mainstreaming Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and Global Citizenship Education (GCED) into Kenyan Universities.’ In early 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic hit and reminds us that we getting the basics development in order; healthcare, social protection, food security, building reliance on local business and industry, environmental protection etc; is vital for society’s wellbeing. In late 2021, climate scientists put the world, and particularly developing countries, on high alert to the realities and consequences of climate change. The hard fact is that people rely on the environment (nature) to live – water, air, sun, rain, soil, etc – and we take these for granted to our detriment. Society, business and the economy are wholly dependent on the environment (nature) to existand the past few years have brought this to the fore. It is a changing world– education must prepare youth for these changing times and the emerging new world. Education for Sustainable Development allows learners to leverage systems thinking and address arising challenges. I have worked in sustainability for over 20 years with companies in the private sector. In my mission as a sustainability champion, the biggest challenge I faced centred on internally creating awareness and an understanding of what sustainability is, and why it matters to all of us. This was not unique to the organisation’s I worked with, as my peers experienced the same thing. This led me to question whether we were learning about environmental integrity, economic viability and a just society or the nested interdependencies of planet, people, peace and prosperity; before going ‘out into the world’ to join the workforce, start a business; and build our country. With this in mind, I focused my Msc. Sustainable Development dissertation research to delve into this question. I decided to case study Strathmore University Business School (SBS), one of Kenya’s leading business schools, to analyse how they were mainstreaming Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) based on the Ministry of Education guide, published in late 2019. My research focused on the ESD component only of the ministerial guide, and specifically on SBS undergraduate programmes. The focus on the business school was based on my particular interest in business and sustainability. In late November 2021, Strathmore University brought together leaders and stakeholders in university education to discuss how universities can take a greater role in advancing sustainable development in the country through their tertiary education. My research findings highlighted that education for sustainable development is becoming the new normal for university education around the world. But as a new normal, embedding it into university education will not be without its challenges. As an institutional leader in sustainability, Strathmore University has embedded sustainability thinking into its strategy integrating the SDGs into its strategic direction; in its operations with green buildings; driving research and excellence in climate innovation, via the Kenya Climate Innovation Centre; as well as advancing sustainability leadership in the private sector through executive education programmes targeting business managers and leaders. Despite this progress, the research showed that more needed to be done to empower learners in their undergraduate programmes and extra-curricular activities with knowledge, skills, values and attitudes for environmental protection, economic viability and a just society. Strathmore University was the case study for my dissertation research. The institution took the opportunity to leverage the research findings and insights into a dialogue session with other university education stakeholders to foster partnership and cooperation on shifting university education towards sustainable development and citizenship education for Kenya. Charting The Way Forward Through this event, university education stakeholders acknowledged that for undergraduate programmes, universities: With only eight years left to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, Kenyan universities are determined to do their part. This will entail shaping minds and hearts to deliver sustainable development for the needs of the current youth generation; and they, in turn, will ensure future generations can also meet their own needs. Watch a video with Kenyan perspectives on ESD and universities here: Kenyan insights, role of unis
If you kill time, you’ll bury opportunities – The African free trade agreement
Photo by Omotayo Tajudeen from Pexels This article was originally published on Qazini. The African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) is an ambitious trade accord signed by 54 out of 55 African countries and brokered by the African Union with the goal of creating the world’s largest single market for goods and services in the African continent. Ratified in Kigali, Rwanda on March 21, 2018, the deal is set to have a huge impact on how Africa conducts business across the continent and with other countries and trading blocks around the world. In the past, African countries have mainly pursued multilateral trade agreements with immediate neighbours. For instance, the East African Community (EAC) brought together only the six countries in Eastern Africa; the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) serves those in Western Africa; and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) serves the Central, Eastern and Southern African countries. In context, the AfCFTA deal brings together over 1.3 billion people spread out across the continents 55 countries. It has a potential gross domestic product of about $3.4 trillion which compares well to other regional blocks. For instance, the European Union’s Single Market is the world’s largest single market area of 27 countries with a population of over 447 million people and GDP of close to $20 billion. While the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is 10 countries with a total GDP of $2.5 trillion (3.4% of global trade) and a population of over 660 million people. Thus, AfCFTA could have even a bigger impact possibly lifting Africa’s millions out of poverty and accelerating development and trade. Seen as the successor to the United States Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) which is set to expire in 2025, AfCFTA focus is intra-African and is better placed to promote Africa’s integration. Though AGOA was created in 2000 to establish stronger commercial ties between the United States and sub-Saharan Africa, it seeks to see Africa as a single market. The main, and perhaps most important, difference is that AfCFTA is more inward looking and seeks to facilitate enhanced trade among African countries with the removal of trade barriers that hinder intra-continental trade. According to Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General – AfCFTA, the accord requires a major paradigm shift in the African political and economic mind-set. Speaking during the 29th Brookings AfCFTA Forum, Wamkele indicated that African nations need to change how they view custom tariffs and duties. He highlighted that, custom regimes as they have existed in the past are seen as protectionist policies and a source of government revenue. However, Wamkele views them as barriers to industrialization and expansion of industries and market opportunities. To achieve the dream of AfCFTA, member states need to create the right environment. Again, Wamkele argues that member countries need collaboration and support from international bodies such as the EU that have experience in market integration to create a working legal and custom infrastructure that supports Africa’s industrialization. So far, AfCFTA has a lot to celebrate. Wamkele indicates that current data shows that 87.6% of intra continental trade is taking place under AfCFTA. With such momentum Africa will be likely become the largest single market in the world. Another key goal of AfCFTA is the creation of a common currency to facilitate trade. Past discussions on the creation of a common African currency have not borne fruit with the US dollar largely used in the region. Consequently, the continent suffers massive inefficiencies in currency conversion. Speaking at the Brookings event, Landry Signé (Senior Fellow – Global Economy and Development Brookings Instute, Africa Growth Initiative) put the cost of currency conversion at over US$ 5 billion annually. This cost erosion is a hindrance to the growth of the intra-African market that is placed at about $ 5 trillion and expected to hit $7 trillion by 2030. However, the COVID-19 pandemic also has thrown a spanner in the works. Since the commencement of the pandemic in 2020, African countries have been slapped with travel restrictions by the developed world. While these restrictions are put in place to stop the spread of the virus, Wamkele views them as trade restrictions guised as COVID regulations. The western world has been very fast to impose travel bans on African countries when they report a relatively small spike in infections compared to when such reports are made by their fellow western countries. For example, the discovery of the recent Omricon variant of C-19, which was flagged to the world by South Africa led to travel bans on Southern African countries by the developed world; when in reality, the Omricon variant was already in the developed world (The Netherlands) before it was detected in South Africa. Another key challenge for the full realisation of the AfCFTA is the political pettiness among member states. Some countries have been imposing arbitrary custom requirements for some imported products and services where countries feel their local markets are threatened. Such political decisions are largely influenced by lobby groups. For example, Kenya and Tanzania have been putting on and off custom duties and even visa requirements across their borders. Such knee-jerk and retaliatory practices need to be addressed fully if the AfCFTA is to achieve its intended goals. The AfCFTA is a significant opportunity for Africa to prioritise and lead its own development agenda in a way that benefits its people today and for the future. We must join hands and move forward together as a continent. For thousands of years Africa’s history was of great civilisations and trade across the continent. Our continent’s recent past of slavery, annihilation and colonialism by others – although horrific – must never hold us back from where we must get to for our future. Useful Information Africa Free Trade Zone (Inside Story, Al Jazeera) – YouTube History of Africa (BBC Africa documentary series) – YouTube