Focus On Agribusiness

Africa

Africa needs to embrace economic diversification and focus on agribusiness to lift the continent out of poverty and put it on the path to prosperity, according to the Director General of the UN Industrial Development Organization, Kandeh K. Yumkella. "Agriculture is the most important sector of the African economy and will have to be its driving engine out of poverty," he said. He added that Africa is also urbanizing at a fast rate, noting that "in order to turn bright prospects into employment opportunities for its young people, Africa needs to embrace economic diversification."

 Combat Internet Crime

Uganda

The Ugandan Government has established a specialized unit under the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) to combat Internet crime in the country. The Computer Emergency Response Team will monitor the Internet to expose hi-tech crimes that include cyber-based terrorism, computer hacking, online sexual exploitation, and cyber fraud. The UCC said the unit has received some of the specialized equipment and installation is expected to start in October.

 Airlines Swoop

Africa

Successful African airlines like Ethiopia Airlines, Kenya Airways and South Africa Airways are moving to swoop on the profitable West African air transport market, which has traditionally been dominated by Nigerian airlines. Ethiopia Airlines established Asky, operating in Benin, Kenya has a 49-percent stake in Precision Air, based in Tanzania with an eye on the West African market and South Africa Airways has stakes in RwandAir set to expand in the subregion. These airlines aim to take advantage of the demise of Nigeria Airways and Air Afrique.

 E-Learning Gaining Ground

Kenya

Multinational and local firms seeking to develop their Kenyan employees' skill set are discovering e-learning as the next frontier in company training. According to a new report developed by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), companies are finding the flexibility, sophistication, innovation and value for money of e-enabled learning as a major benefit. ACCA Kenya Business Relationship Manager Joyce Njogu said drivers such as the increasing burden of regulation and compliance and the need for greater productivity and efficiency in the workplace have prompted several companies to incorporate e-learning.