Live blog of the 1st panel discussion. Check back later for the audio to get the full discussion.
To open we started with Politics and governance. What is the stereotype of Africa? One of the panel members talked about the perception of Africa as the Black Hole where funds to to die. But the truth that democracy is spreading in Africa with half of African countries being considered Democracies by Freedom house. So the trend is a transformation of politics. Another trend the moderator mentioned . There has been a transformation related to all the Africans who have left and gone to the West. 20% of people from SSA with post secondary education are working outside out of Africa. This has a huge impact on the continent. Especially in the medical field a 1/4 of African doctors are working in the UK. The negative impact this has in continent is huge. On a smaller scale we have REasporans…. Africans in the diaspora we are returning. Then a topic close to the heart… remittances and their power for change. The tech area is a innovative and growing in Africa. This is not something the world is aware of, but African driven innovation tremendous… Ushahidi, being a huge example.
Brain drain can not be underestimated… the UK us recruiting nurses, and then at the same time the UK is training nurses in Africa. The right hand does not what the left hand is doing!
People who want to make a change can be tempted to try and get the state out of the way as it is frustrating and stifling, but one of the panelist really does think this is a dangerous trend… as much as we need to push innovation we need to also have a place for accountability so that the content and projects are responsible.
There has been a tendency to circumvent the state. This has weakened state structures… this is a negative trend. If there is no state regulation and corporations negotiate with citizens with no government oversight. By circumventing the state, they become weaker, we need to focus on making the states more democratic and not eliminate them.
Most political scientists will agree that democracy depends on a thriving middle class. The challenge is that there is not a strong government or a middle class, exacerbated by the brain drain. What can be done? Some organizations go in on the bottom and build entrepreneurs. Bakers, tool makers etc. Projects that build business help create the needed foundation for a strong stable democracy. A strong dynamic middle class.
When you come from the outside, you must be humble and learn the culture. What you think going in is not necessarily the way you should go. If you want to make a difference, commit to be there for the long term.
The way to help Africa is NOT AID! It is building business. (I love this!)
People who are working on projects must learn to listen to the local citizens. Solutions must be tailored to the local situation. People know what they want and need and listening to them and filling these needs or helping them fill the need will lead to long term success.
Nokia in Africa: Why? What is the potential in Africa? Nokia research goal it to bring the Africa user experience to the company to help understand what people on the ground need. So there is a new team full of big brains, trying to understand what the services and devices that need to be rolled out in the next 5-10 years. This will shape the long term R&D.
How do they engage local resources to do that. The research ideas come from the ground for the devices. For example the calculator on the phone is hard to use but it is something that a local entrepreneur would need. They take that back develop the product, then take it back and field test the model to see if it solves the need.
Question: Are there forums where people can look on-line to discover these needs. Response… you need to go there. Technology is great but it does not replace actual experience. There are places where people talk to each other, and you can get a sense of some of it, but not a full vision.
Government and small business: You need to Government to make small business to work, and yet the local population does not trust the government. You need to tackle government, in order to have lasting change.
What’s going on within the universities for IT training that will drive the African Innovation engine. The answer is to get people educated at home not to send them to the West. That just causes more brain drain.
The idea of the Hero plan, that will save the world is dangerous. But the reality is many tiny small changes will make for the big change. A common law approach to change.
You also need to be aware how long it really takes to make change, develop strong government, build a middle class, develop infrastructure. etc. It takes time and incremental change.
From and African perspective. You want to help? Why? Plus Africans need to make a change and think not they are poor, but in fact Africans are rich.
Applying our model as Americans to another society makes no sense. It has to be tailored to the culture it applies to, it needs to organically grow out its culture and truly be of the people.
Education in Africa.
One of the things that has been distressing to watch is that failure of African universities to flourish the way they should. Institutions with rich histories that have struggles of the the last 20-30 years. This is an open field where students are looking for connection, opportunity, internship, jobs.
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