After decades of structural adjustment, social security is back on the African agenda. New evidence confirms that social security programmes are one of the most effective and sustainable ways of lifting people out of poverty. African social security systems are playing a vital role in the development…

Dar es Salaam:  African nations have been urged to reassess their current status of governance if attainment of sustainable development through good and democratic governance is to become a reality.   The call was made yesterday by Mr Oscar Fernandez-Taranco, the United Nations Resident Coordinator…

Ottawa:  It was a policy born of a shining promise-that decentralized governments would help empower tens of millions of women in developing countries. But has shifting more power and resources to
the local level really improved women's lives? Has it resulted in more girls going to school, more…

Kinshasa:  African nations will intervene in the conflict in Congo unless warring parties agree to a cease-fire, a Tanzanian official said, as analysts warned of a growing risk the violence may erupt into a regional war. ``Africa must intervene and it will,'' Tanzanian Foreign Minister Bernard Membe…

Lagos:   A World Bank report has revealed that policies that facilitate geographic concentration and economic integration, both within and across countries as well as within the global economy, will promote long-term growth.  The new World Development Report 2009 with a theme 'Reshaping Economic Geography',…

Tunis:  The African ministerial conference on the global financial crisis opened on Wednesday, November 12, 2008, with some 300 participants in attendance.

African leaders on Tuesday urged the G20 summit to give special consideration to the needs of the continent, as it struggles with falling growth rates and the fallout of the global financial crisis. President of the African Development Bank Donald Kaberuka described the economic outlook for Africa…

Durban:  The public service was not an employer of choice for many people and it had difficulty attracting the "brightest and the best", the public service commissioner, Phelele Tengeni, said in Durban on Tuesday.  The reasons for this included comparatively low salaries, the negative image of the…

Limuru:  Representatives from different church organisations have said that the Church has a significant role to play in advocating for good governance to alleviate the suffering of the people caused by poor governance.  They called for maximum participation of all adding that it is more…

Abuja: Plans are afoot to commit the Federal Government to spend N522.283 billion  on the execution of designated National Programme of Action (NPoA) activities next year, under the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) /African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) in Nigeria.

Kampala:  President Museveni has performed poorly in his current term of office compared to previous terms, with many Ugandans critical of his government's failure to fight corruption, a new poll commissioned by Daily Monitor reveals.  Conducted by Steadman Group, a respected research firm, the poll…

Lagos:  Arthur Mbanefo,  a renowned Chartered Accountant and former Nigerian Permanent Representative to the United Nations, is not only regarded as an outstanding statesman whose views on economic and political issues are always taken seriously one of the busiest articlate minds in the country. For…

Johannesburg:  Jacob Zuma, the ANC president, has blasted the "slow" pace of government's service delivery and has called for "useless" ministers to be removed, even if it means "breaking friendships".  Zuma was addressing community "opinion makers" in Mitchell's Plain, Cape Town, on Saturday as part…

Nairobi:  Many donor-dependent countries are worried that the global financial meltdown and impending recession will lead to reduced foreign aid.  African countries, in particular, are worried that domestic financial problems will force rich countries to cut down the amount of resources allocated…

London:  Oxfam is to cut up to 45 jobs as charities experience a drop in donations because of the financial crisis. The charity needs to make savings of up to 15 per cent from its operating costs as it prepares for a fall in the amount of money it receives from supporters.  The fallout from the banking…

Cape Town:  Some charities and NGOs in South Africa have closed down because of the global downturn, and others face a tough few years with funds drying up. GreaterGood South Africa's community networking website - www.greatergoodsa.co.za - which has over 1 300 South African non-profit organisations…

Johnnesburg:  One of former president Thabo Mbeki's most trusted lieutenants, Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi, the former minister of public service and administration, has landed a top job with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).  Fraser-Moleketi, who resigned in September following the recall…

Nairobi:  Women in Kenya are not getting their fair share of top positions in the public service, Cabinet Minister Esther Murugi said.  Ms Murugi, the minister for Gender, Children and Social Development told a gender conference that this was despite a presidential directive that women should be give…

Cotonou:   "Every change is a step backwards in this new era. It's disheartening," is Claire Houngan Ayémona's response to Benin's newly-appointed cabinet. Ayémona is a former minister for families and social programmes, and currently of president of the non-profit Loving Heart based in Abomey-Calavi…

Kigali:   In a bid to boost women entrepreneurship in Rwanda, 15 women entrepreneurs were awarded grants worth Rwf12 million. This was during the closure of the National Roundtable of Women Entrepreneurs yesterday at Prime Holdings, Kimihurura.  The grant value was awarded by the Ministry of Gender…