Ghana Ce 17,000 I Kenya KShs 190 I Nigeria N 300 I South Africa R 17 May/June 2009 Vol.10 No.1 Switzerland CHF 5.– I UK £ 2.20 I Euro Countries € 3.50 THE VOICE OF AFRICA IN THE DIASPORA Afro-Pfingsten: S.Kuti Kourouma Book Prize Photo News: Tunisia © Creamer Media Six receive Africa Link Solidarity South Africa: Thirteen Parties Make it into Awards the New Parliament Mike Mueller Charities: Women Evaluating the first 100 days of Obama Empowerment, Children Education… Presidency FOLLOW YOUR INSTINCTS TO AFRICA FLY THIS AUTUMN AT FANTASTIC PRICES Fly to 14 African destinations this autumn at down-to-earth prices. Book before 30 September for fl ights up until 30 November, and make your Africa dream a reality! For more info and conditions, see brusselsairlines.com ABIDJAN, BANJUL, BUJUMBURA, CONAKRY, DAKAR, DOUALA, ENTEBBE, FREETOWN, KIGALI, KINSHASA, LUANDA, MONROVIA, NAIROBI AND YAOUNDE brusselsairlines.com AWARDS ADDRESS “We understood this responsibility requires commitment and sacrifice” IMPRINT ISSN 1661-44-29 (Being the speech of Johnson Oduwaiye, President Africa Link Organisation at the 2nd Edition AFRICA LINK of Africa Link Solidarity Award held on April 4 2009, in Gümligen, Switzerland) (Registered in Switzerland) A service to Africa and Humanity (All protocols observed) Published by AFRICA LINK ORG. On behalf of Africa Link Organisation I tɨFQSPNPUJPOPGNVUVBMMZCFOFmDJBMMJOLT Postfach 156, 8914 Aeugst am Albis welcome you heartily to the 2nd Edition between the economies of African States Switzerland of the Africa Link Solidarity Awards in and that of Switzerland and the neighbor- which we recognize tonight individuals ing countries of Europe; Tel. +41 44 776 25 60, Fax +41 44 776 25 63 [email protected] and organisations that in the opinion of tɨFQSPNPUJPOPGCFTUQSBDUJDFTJOHPPE www.africalink.ch our readers and the solidarity awards jury governance, democratic values and people- have made contributions worthy of hon- centered development in the nations of Editor-in-chief our prior to and in the course of the year Africa. Mr. Johnson Oduwaiye 2008. We started Africa Link Tel. +41 79 664 13 54 [email protected] magazine as an information One out of our six award win- channel through which these Editor ners, Mrs. Evelyne Matthys- aspirations and objectives could Mr. Atsen Ahua Kraft, will receive her award be articulated and the public [email protected] posthumously, as she is no made aware of the activities Associate Editors more with us in the flesh, hav- of the African community in Mr. Mohomodou Houssouba ing departed to the great beyon the country, and their positive Misseli M.Bationo after receiving the news of her contributions in various ways Contributing Editors award. I must also mention highlighted. Mrs. Folake Idowu, Dr. Priscilla Bowens (US), that just as we were concluding J. Oduwaiye As pioneers of the organisa- Sherlock Fortuin, Mr. Gerome Tokpa, arrangements to receive our tion, we understood from the Mr. Paul Nzeshi (Nigeria), Mr. Dennis Champion of Democracy for this edition, onset that taking on this responsibility would Onyango (Kenya), Alhaji Dr. Ahmed Tejan Kabba, former require commitment and sacrifice and would president of Sierra Leone, we got the sad not yield any financial returns in the short Technical Editor Write to Express news that his beloved son passed away and run. We however hoped and continue to hope so he had to sadly cancel his appearance in that Africans and friends of Africa would Pictures person here tonight. Please also hold him in eventually see the value of the organisation All by Africa Link, your thoughts. and the magazine in particular and step onto except otherwise stated Your Excellencies, honoured guests, before the plate to provide the sustainable support PR Officer we proceed further, may I request that we rise that we need to attain our full potential. Mr. Carlson Ngwa and observe a minute’s silence in memory ɨFmSTUJTTVFPG"GSJDB-JOL BQBHF and honour of Mrs. Matthys-Kraft and Mr. bilingual (English & French) newsletter came Editorial Board Members Tejan Kabba Junior. out in April 2000. Mr. Peter Hevi, Dr. Sarah Kamau, May their souls rest in perfect peace! For the first five years, members had to Mr. Carlson Ngwa, Mr. Dirk Visser, Africa Link Organisation was founded in continuously dip their hands into their pock- Ms. Carole Soricelli April 2000, and registered in canton Zurich ets as well as to sacrifice time and energy to Layout under Swiss law as a benevolent and not-for- LFFQUIFQVCMJDBUJPOHPJOHɨJTXPVMEOPU Typefact, Zürich profit organisation with membership open to have been possible without the support of our all individuals that share its aspirations, aims printer, Mr. Rolf Lichtenstein, who made it Account No. 0276-813239.40N and objectives that include: possible for us to continue production even UBS Bahnhofplatz 10 CH-8910 Affoltern am Albis tɨFQSPWJTJPO PG B QMBUGPSN GPS QPTJUJWF when resources were not available for us to interaction among Africans, African Di- pay our bills on time. We have since received Opinions published do not necessarily aspora communities and people of African support from some of the African Missions in reflect those of the editorial board descent in Switzerland, the neighboring Berne and Geneva as well as some companies All correspondence to countries of Europe and world-wide; that have supported us with their advertising. AFRICA LINK, Postfach 156 tɨFQSPNPUJPO PG DVMUVSBM BOE NVUVBM ɨJTIBTFOBCMFEVTUPJNQSPWFPOCPUIUIF 8914 Aeugst am Albis, Switzerland understanding between African Diaspora technical presentation of the magazine as well or E-mail to [email protected] communities and their host communi- as our editorial offering and to establish our © by Africa Link Org ties worldwide to enhance harmonious presence on the web with increasing access cultural, economic and social integration; to our website from Diaspora communities May/June 2009 3 CONTENTS AND HIGHLIGHTS Award Adress 3 Swiss-Line 6 2009 Africa Day Celebration’s New Initiative Interview 8 Mike Mueller Charities Promise Women Empowerment, Youths’ Education… Book Award 10 Kossi Efoui wins Ahmadou Kourouma Award 2009 Africa Day Celebration page 6 Election 11 “An eloquent lesson in democracy” Photo News Tunisia 12 Election 13 Thirteen Parties Make it into the New Parliament Award 15 Africa Link Solidarity Awards Ends On A High Note Health 21 Algeria’s Presidential Election page 11 Rolling Back Malaria FIFA to Use Football as Health Enhancement Business&Economy 23 Investors convinced Africa is biz destination Politics&Diplomacy 24 The First 100 Days of the Obama Presidency Celebration 26 “We are proud of our achievements” Africa Link Solidarity Awards Photo News page 16–17 Echoes 27 Exhibition 28 Geneva International Book Fair: Salon Africain Religion 29 “Loving Everyone, Trusting No One” Entertainment 30 Afro-Pfingsten Festival Celebrates Jubilee South Africa Freedom Day Celebration page 26 4 May/June 2009 AWARDS ADDRESS from other regions of the world. We are very grateful to all who have supported us in cash and kind these past nine years. We want to reassure you of our commitment to being a clear, mature, effective and sustained African voice that becomes a reliable reference point for the African community and its friends not only in Switzerland but also worldwide. Your Excellencies, distinguished guests ladies and gentlemen, it would be stating the obvious to say that we need an information organ here if we want to project our good image and disabuse the minds of the public of the unpalatable ways in which we are be- ing projected. Atsen Ahua reading the citation for H. E. Masri at the Awards ceremony Just recently at Nigerian Investment Business Forum for Nigerian Governors, Four out of our six recipients of the Africa heads that have shown outstanding perform- Ambassador P. Helg, former Swiss Ambas- Link Solidarity Awards tonight are Swiss ance in the physical and human development sador to Nigeria, now political head at the people that have been nominated by Africans of their communities. Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs remarked in in appreciation of their contributions to ɨF"XBSET$PNNJUUFFIBTBMTPEFDJEFE his goodwill message to the forum that Swiss changing lives positively in the continent. UIBUUIFFWFOUXJMMCFCJBOOVBMɨFCFJOHUIF investors were “wrongly afraid” to invest in We have concurred and give honour to who BXBSET UIFOFYUFEJUJPOJTUIF /JHFSJBɨFGFBSJTEVFUPMBDLPGHFOVJOF merits it. We hope other communities and XIJDI DPJODJEFT XJUI UIF th anniversary and positive information about the country. individuals that have the capacity to reach out of the Organisation. We invite nominations He is able to say this because he has lived in in friendship and support will be encouraged for the various categories, namely, Champion the country, interacted with the people to to step out and be counted also. of Democracy for good governance and understand the huge positive potential that Your Excellencies, distinguished guests, transparency at national level, Champion the prospective investors were not aware of ladies and gentlemen, it is a fact that the of Development for contribution to human and are therefore afraid for lack of proper global economic turmoil has touched eve- and physical development at sub-national information. He later advised Nigerians on ryone that is in any way connected to the level, Friend of Africa for contribution by the need to provide more positive informa- global economy. If anything is to be learnt non-Africans to making a positive difference tion about doing business in their country to from it, it has proved beyond all reasonable to the lives of Africans and their communi- disabuse the minds of investors especially the doubt that while there is enough on this ter- ties anywhere in the continent and Envoy of iOFXDPNFSTwɨJTTBNFBEWJDFJTSFMFWBOUUP restrial ball for all our needs, there can never Excellence, to African diplomats and inter- many an African country. be enough for the greed of even a few of us.