Future of Sports and Entertainment in an Economically United Africa
It is still too early to gauge how the AfCFTA will affect the sports and entertainment industry, since the agreement is still in its early stages of implementation
January 1st, 2021 marked the start of trading under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement. In ratifying the agreement, 34 African countries have created the largest free trade zone in the world by country participation. This is a historic point for the continent, it is the beginning of what is hoped will, at the very least, form a workable framework for a modern African economy. An African economy that will allow free movement of labor and goods within member States – a drastic change from the current siloed economic structures, and hopes to foster intra-African trade, industrialization and self-reliance.
Economic co-dependency or cooperation between sovereign States is not a new economic strategy. Europe has sought to achieve this at the regional or supranational level through the establishment of the European Union. However, the recent decision of the United Kingdom to leave the EU shows that the goal of integration is not without its challenges.
The United States has functioned for so long as a collage of economic co-dependent states that few pay much attention to the analogies with modern supranational regional organizations such as the European Union. However, on closer inspection, it is clear that the same rules of a shared currency, open borders and the full economic integration of the states played a large and important role in the growth, stability and development of the US. There are similar associations in Asia – the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN); and in the Arab region – the Council of Arab Economic Unity (CAEU).
Africa has also championed regional economic integration, but never at the level or scale of the AfCFTA and, indeed, not as successfully as in other world regions. African economic communities like ECOWAS, SADC, EAC and others, have failed to substantially integrate their disparate national economies which would have served to protect the region from exploitation by its neighbors to the east and the west.
With consumer population projections favouring Africa, and a combined consumer and business spending projection of $6.7 trillion by 2030, [1] the time is now for Africans to look inwards for solutions to the continent’s economic woes. The sports, media and entertainment industry is one space where the continent continues to show promise. African content competes favourably on the radio and streaming networks on a global scale, spurring key investments from media giants like Disney and Netflix. The continent is also a major contributor in the world sports industry particularly in consumption and talent exportation. The discussion must now revolve around the question of how the AfCFTA and intra-African collaboration can be best employed to secure these industries’ futures.
The answer: developing local industrialisation, production and distribution infrastructures for the consumption of sports, media and entertainment. This is key to the success of the AfCFTA in these industries. It will be near impossible to unlock the true value of this agreement without Africa first fixing its infrastructure deficit and this is relevant even beyond the sports and entertainment sectors. African countries must aim to localize its production and distribution processes as much as possible to control a larger part of the African market.
For example, the music industry today is primarily dominated by streaming consumers and with the rise of movie streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon TV, the film industry is leaning towards this model as well. From the onset of the digital revolution, China was branded “isolationist” for regulating the entrance of businesses like Google and Facebook into the country to give local alternatives a chance to develop. This move may have been branded as a security move, but it has also proven to be an economic boon to Chinese competitors in these spaces. With this agreement, the time is ripe to develop African digital infrastructures to leverage upon the continent’s population resource in industries like music and film where there is already an appreciable global presence. It is indeed the right time to create our own entertainment giants!
In the sports arena, rather than constantly exporting our best talents, local investment in sports like football, for example, can provide the required infrastructure to ensure that African athletes can thrive right here on the continent. This will serve to effectively reduce talent flight, a major challenge in the industry today. It could eventually place African leagues at par with the popular European leagues where so many players of African descent consistently perform excellently.
It is still too early to gauge how the AfCFTA will affect the sports and entertainment industry, since the agreement is still in its early stages of implementation. We are also yet to observe how committed member States are to this intended collaboration. One thing is for sure though; any initiative that welcomes the free movement of goods and services within Africa and promotes intra-African investments and cooperation on intellectual property rights is a huge step in the right direction for a continent with much to benefit from greater economic integration.
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA):
Ethiopia doesn’t happen by accident
By Yilma Adamu
Shakspeare’s Macbeth has fascinated me since grade 11, may God bless Mr Jones, our literature teacher of flares. Even with an expected faltering memory, I can still recite many of the acts.
1st Witch: “When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?”
2nd Witch: “When the hurly-burly’s done, when the battle’s lost and won.”
On the surface, it appears somebody’s victory is somebody else’s loss. Not exactly the case. It’s grief, hunger, revenge and vulnerability that follows. That environment opens doors for vultures, local and otherwise. It’s when the messengers of mayhem, the witches, get hard at work, poking wounds, arousing grudge, eroding trust, breeding opportunistic individuals and encouraging unholy alliances.
The aftermath is probably uglier than the actual battle. Worst still, its effect lingers for a long, long time. We need wise leaders to navigate the testing period ahead. All of us need to be more wise than brave.
It troubles me deeply that many, myself included, equate the Tigray debacle to a Premier League soccer match between a Manchester United and an Arsenal team. The time has come to step out of our primordial emotion and think hard and fast. Let’s think of the staggering cost the war brought to our fragile economy. Let’s think of the national debt as we contemplate to revamp a thinly spread defense force with a depleted arsenal. Let’s think of an economy that is, in addition, victimized by the global COVID crisis.
It gives me shivers trying to put myself in Abiy Ahmed’s shoe as he ploughs through sleepless nights juggling the multi-faceted challenges of our country.
On the diplomatic front, we are witnessing unfavorable headwind coming our way. As much as the world was sympathetic towards Abiy as he confronted renegade TPLF, it’s apparent concern about humanitarian crisis has taken priority over justification for war. As a result, there is global coming together of sorts to put pressure on our government to bring the conflict to an end. The confirmation hearing of the new Secretary of State has made America’s position quite apparent.
I believe Abiy needs to work with sense of urgency and prepare blueprint that addresses the concerns of allies. It’s important to understand launching of an effective and preemptive diplomatic initiative requires the competence of proven lobby firms without which no power corridors open in the US.
Ethiopian origins living abroad need to step up to the plate, meet the cost and contribute in the diplomatic initiative. I am a firm believer in setting up state level fundraising committees, here in the USA, for example. They will be more productive than the pompous ones of past. My wife and I are ready to do our part. Let’s ask ourselves, “If not now, then when?”.
A better Ethiopia doesn’t happen by accident, by empty rhetoric or by the power of prayer. It happens by the power of material contribution.
The writer can be reached via Yadamu@hotmail.com
Ethiopia’s bright future: When everyone wakes up
By Abush.nl
This is intended for Ethiopian millennials.
In what follows, I will continue with my opinion on the incredible opportunities for progress that are coming to Ethiopia from outside. As a reminder what I call externally created opportunities are: Globalization and Movement of People; the Internet (social media); the Peace with Eritrea; other outside forces and events; and along the way, my remarks on the good and the bad which is unfolding in our planet. Last time under internally created opportunities, I have discussed Globalization and Movement of People. How it is facilitating the exchange of ideas and exposing people to different cultures and how these can lead to significant changes in worldview.
Globalization requires countries to produce high-quality products and services at a low price. High-quality and low price are decisive to get a competing chance in the global market. It seems countries like Ethiopia have lost long before the game even started. In short, every aspect of globalization seems to be deliberately designed to help rich countries keep the advantages that they have long been enjoying.
Globalization created an international economic system that facilitates the movement of capital. This system gives developed countries and their multinational corporations both the chance to write the rules of the game and play in it. For example, technologically advanced countries usually excel in the global financial market. Political globalization, on the other hand, requires secularity, democracy, and free trade. Social globalization facilitated the destruction of local culture, history, and identity. And with little consideration to historically disadvantaged countries, it calls for cultural assimilation. Besides, some developed countries still waver to take full responsibility for their role in the destruction of the ecosystem.
So where do globalization driven development opportunities and possibilities arise for Ethiopia?
Here is the fun, there are at least four elements that indicate the possibility of development in a given country: Human resources, Natural resources, Capital formation, and Technology.
Now think about Human capital and Natural resources in your country. And ask yourself: why did Africa fail to use its human capital and natural resource for the development of its people? Why did Ethiopians fail to use their natural resource to generate capital? Where do you think the essential apparatuses for modern technology come from? Why do you think about paying a gratuitously high price for a product just because it is imported from some specific country? How come an Ethiopian in Addis Ababa is happy to pay that much for a cup of coffee, which was planted by an Ethiopian farmer in Kaffa processed in the Emirates, and then imported back to Ethiopia? Why is Anbessa Shoe so uncomfortable at the same time affordable and why pay more when the same leather takes a trip and comes back with a tag Made in somewhere? What do you think about countries like China? Why do you think your leaders kept shaming their citizens virtually at every stage? When did some of us turn to actual werewolves? And what can be done about the unimaginable crimes committed in the country?
Dear Ethiopian millennials, a country looks just like its people. The answer to those questions can only be found within each person. While you try to fully understand your country, remember, for each one of those million issues, together Ethiopians can come up with millions of possible solutions.
It is said that millennials are a social media generation. But how can Ethiopians use that to their advantage, as opposed to their destruction? The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) recently published its Investigative Report on the Violence & Human Rights Violations following Musician Hachalu Hundessa’s Assassination. In this report, EHRC has a recommendation to the media and millennials:
To media and activists/social media influencers. To recognize there is an increasing vulnerability to atrocity crimes and taking into consideration the current complex ethnic, religious and political tensions in the country, to avoid sharing/producing content that, directly or indirectly, promotes discrimination, suspicion and hatred thereby aggravating the risk for violent conflicts (EHRC, 2020).
Despite non of the hijackers in the September 11 attacks were from Afghanistan or Iraq, the USA together with the UK started airstrikes in Afghanistan. In March 2003, 41 other countries joined forces to invade Iraq: War on Terror. In 2009 President Obama received a Nobel Peace Prize. According to the Nobel Committee: ”for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.” In his new book A Promised Land the president talks about the paradox between getting a peace prize and expanding war that HE DID NOT START:
I couldn’t help but think about the daily fighting that continued to consume Iraq and Afghanistan and all the cruelty and suffering and injustice that my administration had barely even begun to deal with. The idea that I, or any one person, could bring order to such chaos seemed laughable (Obama, 2020, p. 499).
A decade later, the current Prime Minister of the FDRE received a Nobel Peace Prize. According to the Nobel Committee: “for his efforts to achieve peace and international cooperation, and in particular for his decisive initiative to resolve the border conflict with neighbouring Eritrea.” Got that? For resolving the border conflict with neighboring Eritrea!
In his lecture, PM Ahmed underscored the role of African millennials in peacebuilding:
(I)t is estimated that some 70 percent of Africa’s population is under the age of 30. Our young men and women are crying out for social and economic justice. They demand equality of opportunity and an end to organized corruption. The youth insist on good governance based on accountability and transparency. If we deny our youth justice, they will reject peace. Standing on this world stage today, I would like to call upon all my fellow Ethiopians to join hands and help build a country that offers equal justice, equal rights, and equal opportunities for all its citizens (Ahmed, 2019).
Mindful that the majority of his fellow citizens were beside him, PM Ahmed extended his arms to the international community to join Ethiopia’s efforts of building enduring peace and prosperity in the Horn of Africa.
The renowned Egyptian scientist Farouk El-Baz, whom NASA named an asteroid after his name said this in an interview:
It is a matter of ignorance on our part because Ethiopia is the place where the rain falls and comes through Sudan to us. It is the source of the Nile River. Our grandfathers and grandmothers learned about this and made good relationships with Ethiopia and Sudan. We have forgotten that, especially in the last fifty years. We forgot that we are a partner of African countries (Farouk El-Baz, 2019).
Finally, ‘‘Populism’’ and ‘‘Trumpism’’. Populism is anti-establishment irrespective of any particular political ideas. My opinion, here, however, focuses on ‘far-right Populism’ that we have been observing in Europe and the USA in recent years. I believe race and religion or simply racism is at the core of today’s far-right populism. Injustice and bigotry are at the foundation of most Western democracies. Incidents like the slaying of George Floyd have alarmingly been everyday occurring. The wrongs of racism, slavery, colonialism will not go away just because we don’t talk about them or try hiding or even altering facts. Today’s rage and hatred are no original to the Donalds. Far-right populists thrive by deceiving ordinary people: the establishment is broken, and only I can fix it; all the bad, is the doing of ‘the others’-the blacks; the immigrants, the Muslims, the Moroccans, the Mexicans, etc…
In migration studies, for example, concepts like social capital and social network assisted by (social media) are seen as enablers of migration. Social networks, through providing information and other kinds of assistance facilitated further migration. However new studies prove the changing role of social networks in migration. A study in The Netherlands indicated more and more migrants are taking the role of get-kippers. A Moroccan migrant in the Netherlands, today, more likely to discourage a friend or family member from moving to Europe. By doing so, they try to shield their loved ones from the far-right rhetorics.
I will settle with a quote from Hillary Clinton:
You could put half of Trump’s supporters into what I call the basket of deplorables. Right? The racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamaphobic – you name it. And unfortunately, there are people like that. And he has lifted them up. He has given voice to their websites that used to only have 11,000 people -now how 11 million. The other half feel that the government has let them down and desperate for change. Those are people we have to understand and empathize with as well (Clinton, 2016).
New COVID variant looms over Ethiopia
Ethiopia finds suspects of the new COVID variants after preliminary research by the Ministry of Health /MoH/.
Dereje Duguma, /MD/, State Minister of Health told Capital that there are some suspected cases in which the ministry is working to figure out the type and the condition of the case. “Scientists are working to learn more about these variants to better understand,” said Dereje.
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to consume the Public Health sphere as multiple COVID 19 variants circulate globally. Several new variants emerged in the fall of 2020, most notably from UK, South Africa and the new one in Brazil. These variants seem to spread more easily and quickly than other variants. On variants, the WHO Emergency Committee /EC/ called for a global expansion of genomic sequencing and sharing of data, along with greater scientific collaboration to address critical unknowns.
As Dereje said, MoH in collaboration with other public health agencies is monitoring the situation closely to differentiate the type of the variant. As he said after full investigation and findings the ministry will officially disclose the case to the public in the coming week.
According to the center for disease control and prevention, the new strain has key gene changes to its spike protein that help the virus pass more easily from person to person. It is estimated to be about 50% more contagious than the main versions of the coronavirus circulating now. It was first detected in the U.K. called B117 strain and has forced England, Ireland, and Wales into another round of tight lockdowns as patients overwhelm hospitals there.
On 4th of January, South African health officials announced they, too, have detected a new, seemingly more contagious strain. Called the B.1.351 lineage, the new strain identified in South Africa is thought to be more transmissible.
As reports show, the B117 strain appears to spread much more easily than previous strains of COVID-19 that it spreads up to 70% more easily.
‘How widely these new variants have spread, How the disease caused by these new variants differs from the disease caused by other variants that are currently circulating How these variants affect existing therapies and vaccines’ is still under investigation by CDC.
In the United Kingdom (UK), a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 (known as 20I/501Y.V1, VOC 202012/01, or B.1.1.7) emerged with an unusually large number of mutations. This variant has since been detected in numerous countries around the world, including the United States (US) and Canada.
In South Africa, another variant of SARS-CoV-2 (known as 20H/501Y.V2 or B.1.351) emerged independently of B.1.1.7. This variant shares some mutations with B.1.1.7. Cases attributed to this variant have been detected outside of South Africa.
In Brazil, a variant of SARS-CoV-2 (known as P.1) emerged and was identified in four travelers from Brazil, who were tested during routine screening at Haneda airport outside Tokyo, Japan. This variant has 17 unique mutations, including three in the receptor binding domain of the spike protein.
