Mobile technology can bridge the divide

In Europe the biggest issue for the mobile phone companies is the semi-permanent distrust of civic watchdogs over the rollout of masts. In Africa however, the Economist leads this week by arguing that mobile technology is the only viable way for ordinary Africans to bridge the digital divide. The School Net Nigeria is one such example.

Botswana: an African success story?

Interesting BBC report on Botswana, which Transparency International has down as Africa's least corrupt country.

Commission report: Our Common Interest

The Commission for Africa launched its report in the historic Africa Hall in Addis today. According to the BBC the jury is out. The challenge will be corruption (endemic in many African countries) on one hand and the closed attitude of the west such as:

...subsidising Western farmers to compete against African ones; selling arms
into war zones; demanding repayment of dubious mega-debts and warehousing
stolen state funds in Western banks. And calls for an extra $25bn a year in
aid to Africa by 2010, more so at calls for a further $25bn a year by 2015.

Bob Geldoff believes the onus is now on Blair and Brown to sell the report to the richest nation on earth:

Tony and Gordon have to prepare to ring up George [Bush] and say 'do this, George, do this one thing for me, it’s going to cost you f***-all, do it for me'. Hopefully with the relationship that exists between Blair and Bush he will be able to go to the president and ask for this to bo done.