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Some African governments are spending millions to spy on their citizens – stifling debate and damaging democracy

Some African governments are spending millions to spy on their citizens – stifling debate and damaging democracy

GOVERNMENTS around the world use surveillance technology to monitor external threats to national security. Some African governments are also spending vast sums on mass surveillance of their own citizens. They are using mobile phone spyware, internet interception devices, social media monitoring and biometric identity systems. Artificial intelligence for facial recognition and car number plate recognition is another digital surveillance technology in their growing toolkit. TONY ROBERTS, Digital Research Fellow, Institute of Development Studies I recently led research which found that governments in Nigeria, Ghana, Morocco, Malawi and Zambia were collectively spending over US$1 billion a year on these digital surveillance…
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Musicians launch drive for more funding for arts in Africa

Musicians launch drive for more funding for arts in Africa

PERFORMERS from Ghana, Ethiopia and Tanzania have helped launch a five-year project to try to secure more funding for arts and culture, aiming to persuade African governments to allocate at least 1% of their budgets. The project, called Connect for Culture Africa (CfCA) has been started by the African Union in collaboration with Selam Ethiopia, a non-governmental organisation that uses film, music and circus performances to address issues such as women's rights. "We want to empower artists. A lot of artists want to participate in these discussions about good governance, human rights but they are scared of the consequences," Lucy…
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Smart ID’s are taking Africa by storm

Smart ID’s are taking Africa by storm

CONRAD ONYANGO, BIRD STORY AGENCY GIANT payment processing firm Mastercard has begun a push for public-private partnerships with African governments to leverage its digital ID infrastructure - Community Pass - as digital identities become a key way to include even the most remote communities in a global digital economy. During a recent US Vice President Kamala Harris's visit to Zambia, Mastercard's Division President of Sub-Saharan Africa, Mark Elliott, called for a rethink in national financial inclusion strategies, to close the digital divide. "To date, we have enabled 2.4 million individuals in Africa – mostly smallholder farmers – to participate in…
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Botswana warns of dangers in dash for African minerals

Botswana warns of dangers in dash for African minerals

AFRICAN governments must be wary of the risks created by rising global competition for the continent's minerals, Botswana's mines minister said, as world powers seek new sources of metals needed for the transition to a lower carbon economy. "When there is a rush, people come in, take whatever they want to take, and go, leaving gaping holes in Africa," Lefoko Moagi, whose remit also includes energy and "green technology", said in an interview with Reuters. "If you want to push production because there is money that is being dangled, you start compromising on how you legislate, how you do your…
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New report ranks how friendly – or not – African governments are towards girls

New report ranks how friendly – or not – African governments are towards girls

THERE are approximately over 308 million girls below 18 years on the African continent. While the African Union’s legal and policy framework does refer – patchily – to the rights, interests and plight of girls; continental bodies and national governments can and should do more to protect girls, provide for them and ensure that they participate fully in society. RONGEDZAYI FAMBASAYI, Doctoral Researcher: Faculty of Law, North-West University Not only do governments have legal obligations to protect the life and well-being of girls, doing so also has economic benefits. For instance, it’s argued that every dollar invested in a girl’s…
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