DAWN March-April 2021

#The Africa We Are

In case you’re interested: The current

population of #Africa is 1,365,019,068.

The Africa Population (Live) counter shows a continuously updated estimate of the current #population of Africa delivered by Worldometer's RTS algorithm, which processes #data collected from the #UnitedNationsPopulationDivision.

• The current population of Africa is 1,365,019,068 as of Thursday, March 25, 2021, based on the latest #UnitedNations estimates.

• Africa population is equivalent to 16.72% of the total world population.

• Africa ranks number 2 among regions of the world (roughly equivalent to "continents"), ordered by population.

• The population density in Africa is 45 per Km2 (117 people per mi2).

• The total land area is 29,648,481 Km2 (11,447,338 sq. miles)

• 43.8% of the population is #urban (587,737,793 people in 2019)

• The median age in Africa is 19.7 years.

The Yearly Population Growth Rate chart plots the annual percentage changes in population registered on July 1 of each year, from 1951

to 2019. This value can differ from the Yearly % Change shown in the historical table, which shows the last year equivalent percentage change assuming homogeneous change in the preceding fi ve year period.

What Can We Learn From Africa's Experience of Covid?

By Laura Spinney

Though a hundred thousand people have died, initial predictions were far worse, giving rise to many theories on ‘the African paradox’

AS AFRICA EMERGES FROM its second wave of Covid-19, one thing is clear: having officially clocked up more than 3.8m cases and more than 100,000 deaths, it hasn’t been spared. But the death toll is still lower than experts predicted when the first cases were reported in Egypt just over a year ago. The relative youth of African populations compared with those in the global north – while a

major contributing factor – may not entirely explain the discrepancy. So what is really going on in Africa, and what does that continent’s experience of Covid-19 teach us about the disease and ourselves?

“If anyone had told me one year ago that we would have 100,000 deaths from a new infection by now, I would not have believed them,” says John Nkengasong, the Cameroonian virologist who directs the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Incidentally, he deplores the shocking normalisation of death that this pandemic has driven: “One hundred thousand deaths is a lot of deaths,” he says.

It’s also an underestimate. Under-reporting is happening all over the world, but the fragility of many African health systems and relative inaccessibility of tests – of which more than 35m have been carried out since the pandemic began, in a population of 1.2 billion – are exacerbating the problem there. A study soon to be published in the British Medical

48327v1.full), which involved postmortem PCR testing of 364 bodies at a university hospital morgue in the Zambian capital, Lusaka, showed that one in five were infected with the virus. Most had died before reaching hospital, without being tested.

Christine Jamet, the Geneva-based director of operations for the medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), says that it will take time to establish the full impact of the African epidemics, but the idea that the continent has had a mild brush with Covid-19 is wrong. Many African countries put measures in place at the same time as Europe last spring, before they had reported any cases – and flattened the initial curve far more effectively as a result – but they have been hit hard by the second wave. In the current hotspots, which include Eswatini, Malawi and Mozambique, “the hospitals are overrun,” Jamet says. “We have put tents up beside them to care for patients who wouldn’t otherwise have beds.” The situation has been aggravated by a shortage of oxygen – one reason, Nkengasong says, why the average case fatality rate (CFR) across Africa has recently overtaken the global average of 2.2%. It now stands at 2.6%.

The CFR is itself a blunt instrument, since a “case” is harder to define – and with regard to managing the pandemic, less informative – than an infection, whether that infection produces symptoms or not. But testing is not good enough across Africa for the more useful infection fatality rate to be calculated. And yet, even accounting for under-reporting, Nkengasong believes that death is visible enough in African communities that he can say with confidence that overall, the disease has been less lethal there than in other regions. Along with his scientific colleagues on the Africa Task Force for Novel Coronavirus (Afcor), he agrees that this paradox can be explained mainly by the youth of African populations – the median age is 18

– and the relatively low prevalence of comorbidities including obesity and diabetes, especially among the poorest.

It’s hard to discern cause and effect in messy epidemiological data, especially when such data is scarce, but there is now substantial evidence supporting the idea that the most powerful predictors of Covid-19 mortality are age and comorbidities – something African experts say their local experiences confirm. The immunologist Hechmi Louzir, who directs the Pasteur Institute in Tunis, says that Tunisia – which was widely praised for its handling of the first wave, but has been less successful second time around – accounts for less than 1% of Africa’s population, but 6% of its reported Covid-19 cases to date. With a median age of 33, Tunisia has one of the oldest populations in Africa.

In South Africa, meanwhile, the government’s chief adviser on the pandemic, the epidemiologist Salim Abdool Karim, points to surveys conducted

TA teacher reads temperatures at a school in Lusaka, Zambia. Research suggests the nation’s death toll may be under-reported tenfold. Photograph: Xinhua/Rex/Shutterstock

by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases that indicate white people are dying at higher rates than black people – the opposite of the situation in the UK and US. South Africa’s white population is older than its black one, on average. But within a given age group, Karim says, black people are slightly more likely to die than white people – an effect that is probably due to black people coming

Tanzania Swears in S

Samia Suluhu Hassan as First Female President By Ebby Shaban, Bethlehem Feleke and Reuters (edited by Dawn staff)

President Samia Suluhu Hassan. By Ebby Shaban, Bethlehem Feleke and Reuters (edited by Dawn staff)

www.cnn.com/2021/03/19/africa/tanzania-samiasuluhu-hassan-president-intl/index.htm

TANZANIAN VICE PRESIDENT SAMIA SULUHU HASSAN was sworn in on March 19th as the country's first female president, two days after the death of President John Magufuli was announced. Hassan took the oath at the statehouse in the city of Dar es Salaam in a televised ceremony on state TV. In an address shortly after she was sworn in, Hassan said Magufuli's body would be moved to several locations around the country over the next few days for private and public farewell events. He will then be laid to rest in his hometown, Chato, on March 25, she said. Hassan announced the death of Magufuli, age 61, in a televised address Wednesday in which she said he "died of a heart ailment that he has battled for over 10 years." Described as a soft-spoken consensus-builder,

Hassan will also be the country's fi rst president born in Zanzibar, the archipelago that forms part of the union of the Republic of Tanzania, Reuters reports. Her leadership style is seen as a potential contrast from Magufuli, a brash populist who earned the nickname "Bulldozer" for muscling through policies. She will be faced with the task of healing a country that was polarized during the Magufuli years, analysts told Reuters, and building her own political base to govern effectively.

First Black-Owned Mutual Fund Secures $200 Million to Launch ‘Project Black’

ARIEL INVESTMENTS, THE FIRST black-owned mutual fund firm in the USA, announced the launch of Ariel Alternatives and the Project Black initiative. The firm is stepping into the private fund business with a $200 million commitment from JPMorgan Chase. Led by Ariel Investments co-CEO Mellody Hobson and global investment manager Leslie A Brun, the fund seeks to invest and scale minorityowned businesses to close the racial wealth gap. “It is no secret that the racial wealth gap in America continues to widen, day by day, says Brun in a release. “While we have been encouraged and inspired by the supply chain diversity commitments recently made by large corporations, we believe that it is time to accelerate these promises with real, measurable steps. Our work will aim to bring operational excellence, financial resources, minority ownership, and leadership to these companies.”

Introducing Ariel Alternatives ‘Project Black’ Initiative Founded in 1983 by John W. Rogers, Jr., Ariel Investments (www.arielinvestments.com) has grown to manage $15 billion in assets by leveraging a patient investment philosophy. Now, the company is embarking on a new journey through the establishment of its private asset management firm, Ariel Alternatives. The firms’ first mission: Project Black. The goal is to invest and scale minority-owned businesses that can become leading suppliers to Fortune 500 companies. The project will focus on suppliers to various industries, including transportation, technology manufacturing, and media and marketing, Project Black Vision According to a release, Project Black (www. arielinvestments.com/content/view/3991/1850/) will invest in middle-market companies that are not currently minorityowned. The entities will be transformed into certified minority business enterprises, as well as existing Black and Latinxowned businesses. The team hopes that Project Black will “forge a new class of Black and Latinx entrepreneurs” and support supply chain diversity goals. These goals will have a trickle-down effect, boosting economic activity, increasing jobs, and providing access to opportunities for underrepresented populations at all levels. Ultimately, the project will play an instrumental role in closing the racial wealth gap. “Through Project Black, we plan to ultimately disperse opportunity throughout underrepresented communities. We want to change the narrative and foster true action and demonstrable change,” says Ariel’s co- CEO Mellody Hobson, in the release.

Ariel Investments co-CEO John W. Rogers, Jr.

JPMorgan Chase Provides Initial Funding According to the Chicago Tribune, Project Black was born from a conversation between JPMorgan CEO and Hobson. In 2018, JPMorgan Chase elected Hobson to its board of directors. Dimon and Hobson discussed ways to promote minority-owned businesses and the new fund was created. JPMorgan is supporting the efforts of Project Black by providing $200 million in initial funding. This investment is part of the firm’s goals to advance racial equity. In October, the firm announced a $30 billion commitment. Over the next five years, this capital will provide economic opportunities to underserved communities. (see pages 60-61) “Systemic racism is a tragic part of America’s history,” said Dimon in a statement. “We can do more and do better to break down systems that have propagated racism and widespread economic inequality, especially for Black and Latinx people. It’s long past time that society addresses racial inequities in a more tangible, meaningful way.”

15-Year- Old Faith Odunsi Wins Global Open Mathmatics Competition

By Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

A YOUNG NIGERIAN TEENAGER HAS recently beat out contestants from around the globe in a mathematics competition. According to AfroTech, Nigerian student, Faith Odunsi, 15, took part in the Global Open Mathematics competition and emerged victorious as she beat competitors from China, the UK, the US, Africa, Europe, Asia, and Australia in a global math competition. As the winner of this competition, Odunsi not only walked away with the title, but she has also secured the top prize of $1,000. The 15-year-old Odunsi is currently in her fi nal year as a high school student as she is attending the Ambassadors School, Ota Ogun State. Her father is a doctor and her mother is a businesswoman and she attributes her math skills to her father, which she thanks him for. In an exclusive interview with Punch magazine, Odunsi mentions that she has taken part in numerous competitions that have, in part, prepared her for this latest one. She also spoke of the medals she has won in previous competitions. “Yes. I have been taking part in the national Olympiad since I was in JSS2. I have also taken part in Kangourou Sans Frontieres, South African mathematics Olympiad, American Mathematics Competition, and Pan-African mathematics Olympiad. For the national Olympiad, I was made the Queen of Mathematics from JSS3 to SS2. For the South African Mathematics Olympiad, I got medals. I got a silver medal in the Pan-African mathematics Olympiad in 2019. I was also made an ambassador of my school.” She also stated she wants to study abroad. “I would like to study outside Nigeria because the facilities are better abroad and the experience is better. I don’t think I will be limited in Nigeria; I just think the opportunities will be better abroad.”

NBA's Basketball Africa League to Debut May 16 in Rwanda By Marc J. Spears

THE NBA'S NEW BASKETBALL AFRICA LEAGUE plans to make its long-awaited debut on May 16 in Kigali, Rwanda. The new league will include 12 teams from across Africa playing its inaugural season in 26 games at Kigali Arena in Rwanda rather than the initial plan of playing in different countries in Africa. The BAL was initially expected to debut on March 13, 2020, beginning in Dakar, Senegal, but it was postponed 10 days before that because of the coronavirus pandemic. The BAL, which is a partnership between the NBA and the International Basketball Federation, includes club teams from Africa and is the NBA's fi rst collaboration to operate a league outside of North America. "We are thrilled that the inaugural Basketball Africa League season will take place at the worldclass

Kigali Arena," said BAL president Amadou Gallo Fall. "Through the BAL, we will provide a platform for elite players from across the continent to showcase their talent and inspire fans of all ages, use basketball as an economic growth engine across Africa, and shine a light on Africa's vibrant sporting culture." The BAL says it has created "robust health and safety protocols" for the 12 teams and their personnel traveling to Rwanda due primarily to the COVID-19 virus. The BAL says its health and safety protocols are from the guidance of public health officials and medical experts from the World Health Organization and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. The BAL adds that the competition will tip off with an 18-game group phase with the 12 teams divided into three groups of four. During the group phase, each team will face the three other teams in its group once. The top eight teams from the group phase will qualify for the playoffs, which will be single elimination in all three rounds. The fi rst BAL Finals will be held on May 30.

The 12 teams include:

• Algeria's GSP (Groupement Sportif des Pétroliers),

• Angola's Petro de Luanda (Clube Atlético Petroleos de Luanda),

• Cameroon's FAP (Forces Armées et Police Basketball),

• Egypt's Zamalek,

• Madagascar's GNBC (Gendarmerie Nationale Basketball Club),

• Mali's AS Police (Association Sportive de la Police Nationale),

• Morocco's AS Salé (Association Sportive de Salé),

• Mozambique's Ferroviàrio de Maputo,

• Nigeria's Rivers Hoopers BC,

• Rwanda's Patriots BC,

• Senegal's AS Douanes (Association Sportive des Douanes) and

• Tunisia's US Monastir (Union Sportive Monastirienne). Champions from the national leagues in Angola, Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal and Tunisia

earned their participation in the inaugural season. The remaining six teams, from Algeria, Cameroon, Madagascar, Mali, Mozambique and Rwanda, secured their participation through BAL qualifying tournaments conducted by FIBA's African regional office across the continent in late 2019. "We are extremely happy to fi nally launch the highly anticipated fi rst season of the BAL," said FIBA Africa and BAL board president Anibal Manave. "FIBA and the NBA have been working closely together to develop protocols to address the health and safety of all players, coaches and officials. The experience of hosting the FIBA AfroBasket 2021 Qualifiers in Rwanda late last year will contribute to a safe and successful inaugural BAL season."

Agriculture - Business - Commentary Development - Education - Governance History - Investment - Lifestyle/Culture - Technology/Science

"Awakening the African Giant Within"

The Africa Business Association (ABA) is pleased to invite you to be an integral part of our publication the DAWN - Awakening the African Giant Within. DAWN is a voice through which public and private entities and people share pertinent information and market business and investment opportunities in Africa and the African Diaspora. Gain access to these trillion dollar markets via ABA DAWN outreach and advertising opportunities.

• Outreach to Africa Business and Investment

• Outreach to Diaspora Business and Investment

• Advertorial/Feature story advertising

• Profiles

• Bid and Tender opportunities

Our readers are Diaspora Africans, African small business owners, African American Chambers of Commerce members, business owners, corporate buyers, prime contractor’s, importers-exporters, community organization members, elected officials and civic/social leaders in Africa and the United States. Don’t be left out. Advertise in this door opening publication.

Reserve Your Ad Space Today!

Call: +1 (240) -467- 6811 or

E-mail: DAWN@AFRICABUSINESSASSOCIATION.ORG

Advertising Opportunities

Double Page Spread (Front of book) $1,875.00

Premium Full Page (Front of book) $1,250.00

Full Page with or w/o bleeds $1,000.00

Half Page Vertical or horizontal $625.00

Two-Thirds Page vertical only. $750.00

Third Page vertical only. $425.00

Cover - Inside Front $2,500.00

Cover - Inside Back. $2,200.00