Today we learned that Archbishop Desmond Tutu who played a pivotal role in the fight against Apartheid in South Africa passed away at 90. News Organizations, including many in the United States, have written extensively celebrating and honoring Tutu’s life. This includes CNN, The New York Times, The Hill, The Washington Post, and The Wall…
The 2021 UN-organized Climate Change Conference or COP26 was held from October 31 to November 13 in Glasgow, United Kingdom. As a region most vulnerable to the effects of climate change, coverage on Africa’s agenda at COP26 focused on climate finance and justice. Going into COP26, the African Group of Negotiator’s message to developed nations was…
I liked and enjoyed watching Chris Cuomo and his program Cuomo Prime Time on CNN. The host was probably one of the smartest people on American prime-time TV. There are a lot of others with TV shows who simply read off the script and are not masters of their subject. Even while journalists are encouraged…
The prestigious 2021 Goncourt Prize has been won by Mohamed Mbougar Sarr, with his novel “La plus secrète mémoire des hommes”, or “The most secret memory of men.” The book was published in France by Philippe Rey. Mohamed Mbougar Sarr thus became the first writer from sub-Saharan Africa to receive France’s most prestigious literary prize.…
On Friday, Nov. 5, Denver-based Africa Agenda held its 6th Annual Africa Summit where attendees participated in a variety of table discussions. Centered on the subject of Resilient Africa, the discussions highlighted lessons the African continent can offer towards bouncing back and thriving in the face of adversity. Conversation topics included peace and justice, human…
Hanna Bogale is one of 7 candidates running to fill two at-large positions on the Aurora, Colorado city council. As a second-generation Ethiopian American, she believes it is critical for more Africans to become involved in politics to encourage the younger generation to get their voices heard. “Everybody in the African community hears American politics and…
I’ve written about US news media coverage of the African continent over the course of many years. In my analysis of the coverage seen, the emphasis continues to be on what’s wrong with the continent, with little effort made to report progress made over many decades of African social, economic, and democratic change. The coverage…
The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA) has been a topic of controversial discussions for the last few years. While the topic remains important, recently its been overshadowed by other subjects. Even so, the impact of a decision by a US federal judge who declared the program illegal has thrown the future of thousands of…
The country of Haiti has been demonized for years in the international media. The Caribbean nation has been called everything, from a failed state to a nation of gangs. The assassination of President Juvenal Moise in the dead of night on July 7, while engendering sorrow around the world, gave plenty of ammunition to media in…
A destabilizing war between the government in Yaoundé, Cameroon, and Anglophone separatists has been going on for more than four years. Hundreds of civilians have died as a result. Thousands have been displaced and are now refugees in neighboring countries. Most negotiations to resolve the conflict appear to have failed. With each passing day that…