African Countries Large Recepient of Remittances

Gallup surveys in 135 countries reveal about 3% of adults worldwide live in households that receive remittances -- either in the form of money or goods -- from someone in another country. In 35 countries, however, 10% or more report their households get this type of help. These countries are primarily concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa.

Read more here http://www.gallup.com/poll/147446/Three-Percent-Worldwide-International-Remittances.aspx

At Least 1 in 5 African Youth Plan to Start a Business

Gallup surveys in 27 African countries and areas underscore the interest young people in the region have in entrepreneurship. A median of one in five Africans between the ages of 15 and 24 who are not already business owners say they plan to start their own business in the next 12 months, although they are less likely than those aged 25 to 35 to have these plans. In general, young women are as likely as young men to report plans to launch a business.

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Gallup finds African youth believe they can rely on social networks to launch their businesses. A median of about 6 in 10 African women (57%) and men (61%) between the ages of 15 and 24 say they trust someone other than a family member enough to make them a partner in starting a business. Similar proportions of women and men in the older age group (aged 25 to 35) say the same.

Young Africans -- whether they are currently thinking about starting a business -- paint a mixed picture in terms of starting and running a business, be it a formal or informal venture. They are relatively positive about the safety of assets and the potential financial success of their business, but fewer find the paperwork process and access to loan money easy enough for would-be entrepreneurs. It is important to note that young people in the older age group as well as both genders share similar views.

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Young people in different countries, particularly those in sub-Saharan and northern Africa have different views about some aspects of entrepreneurship. Young people residing in northern African countries are less likely than their counterparts south of the Sahara to say they plan to start a business. Young people's perceptions about business outcomes in northern Africa are generally less positive than those in sub-Saharan Africa. At the same time, young people in each region found more agreement with respect to ease of business entry and trust in business partners.

Gallup finds other country differences across income groups. Intent to start a business among those aged 15 to 24 is highest in low-income rather than middle-income countries, and ranges from 3% in Morocco to 40% in Uganda. In many of the countries and areas surveyed in Africa, majorities of young people believe they can trust non-relatives to be their business partners, although in the Central African Republic, Chad, Djibouti, Egypt, Libya, and Tanzania, less than 50% of young people believe they can.

For complete data sets or custom research from the more than 150 countries Gallup continually surveys, please contact SocialandEconomicAnalysis@gallup.com or call 202.715.3030.

Read more here http://www.gallup.com/poll/148271/Least-African-Youth-Plan-Start-Business.aspx

Sudan: Fight for the soul of the North

AlJazeera Feature: As Sudan is split into two, the government in the North faces growing resentment over the loss of national pride. Indeed, we are living in interesting times.

African Institute For Remittances (AIR) Project

This project is led by African Union with the support of the World Bank and the European Commission, and in cooperation with the African Development Bank and the International Organisation for Migration.

The core objectives of the African Institute Remittances project are to:

(a) Facilitate the process leading to the creation of the Institute; and

(b) Build the capacity of the Member States of the African Union, remittance senders and recipients and other stakeholders to develop and implement concrete strategies and operational instruments to use remittances as development tools for poverty reduction.

The overriding purpose of these consultations is to involve the broadest possible spectrum of stakeholders from Africa and the Diaspora in a discussion on remittances and how they are sent and used.

If you could take the time to complete this brief and basic survey, it would be appreciated.

Click here for survey

The AIR project would work on implementing the following activities:

• providing technical assistance to government institutions (central banks, Ministries, financial and non-financial institutions) on establishing and operating the necessary regulatory frameworks;
• carrying out required training and capacity building programmes of relevant institutions and organisations (e.g. national statistical services departments);
• studying remittances flows within Africa (including North Africa);
• conducting policy research and dialogue and sharing information on how remittances can better contribute to the development of African countries;developing content and technology platforms for country-based payment and settlement systems for remittances;
• developing partnerships between African central banks and remittance service providers and non-bank correspondent agencies to improve financial access;
• andDisseminating data and research findings on good practices through annual reports, conferences and workshops for stakeholders as well as meetings with the region’s policy makers.

We want to hear your thoughts and views about this project specifically and also hear your wider opinions about remittances in Africa – how they are sent and used, challenges, costs, alternatives, changes, suggestions and any other thoughts you have.


Read more here http://www.au.int/pages/fr/remittance/about and World Bank Africa Diaspora Program

Photos by Flickr Dahabshiil Money Transfer Branch in Juba, South Sudan

2011 AFRICA AWARDS FOR ENTREPRENUERSHIP

Legatum is the owner and founder of the Africa Awards for Entrepreneurship. Legatum is a private investment group, based in Dubai, with a twenty-five year heritage of global investing. We manage a multi-billion dollar fund of proprietary capital which is allocated to businesses and programmes that promote sustainable development. For more information, please visit Legatum’s website at www.legatum.com.

Legatum is pleased to be joined by Omidyar Network as a major sponsor of the 2011 Africa Awards. Omidyar Network is a philanthropic investment firm dedicated to harnessing the power of markets to create opportunity for people to improve their lives.To learn more, visit www.omidyar.com.

The objectives of the Africa Awards for Entrepreneurship are:

• To promote the value of entrepreneurship as a driving force of today’s Africa
• To celebrate the standards of business excellence within Africa
• To encourage small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs to embrace the challenges and rewards of entrepreneurship
• To build strong networks of African entrepreneurs as a source of learning and sharing of best practice
• To attract more venture capital inflows towards good businesses across Africa

Enter Now

The Africa Awards for Entrepreneurship recognises and rewards business leaders who serve as role models to Africa’s aspiring entrepreneurs and who demonstrate business excellence, innovation and profitability.

Online entries may be submitted until 24 August 2011. Entry is open to all firms that have revenues between US$ 1 million to $15 million; have been profitable for at least two years; are independent, and not a subsidiary of a larger organisation; have more than 10 employees; are fully registered in their home country and free of legal actions.

One Grand Prize of US$ 100, 000 will be awarded along with five further prizes of US$ 50,00 each; two of these prizes will be reserved for businesses with less than US$ 2 million in revenue.

Read more here http://www.africaawards.com/ and here www.legatum.com.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?

GDP per head grew fastest between 2001 and 2010 in Equatorial Guinea and lowest in Zimbabwe.

Read more here http://www.economist.com/blogs/dailychart/2011/06/gdp-growth

EVENTS: SOUTH SUDAN COUNT DOWN TO JULY 9TH 2011

YOUNG PROFESSIONALS IN FOREIGN POLICY & THE ETHIOPIAN LAWYERS’ ASSOCIATION OF NORTH AMERICA

COUNTDOWN TO JULY 9, 2011: PROSPECTS FOR A PEACEFUL AND THRIVING INDEPENDENT SOUTH SUDAN

Discussion with: Francis Deng and Gabriel Abraham Wednesday, June 8, 2011 06:30 PM-08:30 PM Panel Discussion and Q&A FOUNDATION FOR THE GLOBAL COMPACT 801 Second Avenue 2nd Floor New York RSVP Required: hello@elnaonline.org

The Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed between the Government of Sudan and the Southern People's Liberation Front ended decades of civil war and paved the way for a peace process culminating with last January's referendum and South Sudan's anticipated independence. What difficulties has South Sudan faced in its transition to independence and what challenges lie ahead upon formal grant of statehood? What is the outlook for stability and democratic governance? What will be the nature of South Sudan's relationship with its neighbors and what will be the implications of its independence on the wider Horn of Africa region?

Francis Deng Since August 1, 2007 Mr. Deng has served as Special Adviser for the Prevention of Genocide and Mass Atrocities, to the United Nations Secretary-General, with the rank of Under-Secretary General. From 1992 to 2004 he served as Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General on Internally Displaced Persons. Mr. Deng also served as Ambassador of Sudan to Canada, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden and the United States and has served as Sudan's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs. He has also been a Wilhelm Fellow at the Center for International Studies of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and a Research Professor of International Politics, Law and Society at Johns Hopkins University Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies. Mr. Deng holds an LL.B from Khartoum University and an LL.M and a J.S.D. from Yale University and has authored and edited over 30 books in the fields of law, conflict resolution, internal displacement, human rights, anthropology, folklore, history and politics and has also written two novels on the theme of the crisis of national identity in the Sudan.

Gabriel Abraham Mr. Gabriel is Senior Project Manager at Deloitte Consulting with many years of experience in post-conflict environments. As an Advisor to South Sudan's Minister of Cabinet Affairs he is ensuring that key functions of government are in place. As principal advisor on the Referendum Taskforce established to address the needs of government during the transition to a nation state, he designed the vision and objectives for the Taskforce, coordinated with key ministers and donors to see the implementation of key government functions. Prior to his assignment in Southern Sudan, Mr. Abraham served as Chief of Party in Kosovo on the Local Government Initiative Project, and the Effective Municipalities Initiatives project. Prior to his assignment in Kosovo, Mr. Abraham served as acting Chief of Party on the Afghanistan National Development Strategy project. From 2003-05, Mr. Abraham provided advice to the governorate of Najaf, Iraq. Advisory services included training, household survey of all 155,000 households and the implementation of local council elections. Mr. Abraham has been an instructor at Tufts, Harvard and Columbia and earned a BSc from Haverford College and graduate degrees from Columbia.