Call for Expressions of Interest for British Council Footprints Project

The British Council is looking for young people who have an interest in exploring past and present relationships between Africa and the UK by documenting the personal histories of families over three generations, highlighting shared experiences, and creating fresh understanding to build new relationships for the future. Footprints is one of the regional projects that together constitute Africa 2007, a three-year programme in East and West Africa. The programme aims to explore notions of culture and identity to generate fresh ideas and create new understanding between individuals and communities in Africa and the UK. It will focus on current identities and future possibilities, enabling people in Africa and the UK to explore relationships, trace journeys in the past and understand them from new perspectives. Participants should be aged 18-35 with strong communication skills, evidence of interest in family history, evidence of Africa-UK and UK-Africa links, evidence of strong stories, linked to the project's aims, good understanding and appreciation of local culture and available for the project period ( up to 2 years). Applicants will be short listed by 7 September 2007. Application forms must be returned by 3 September 2007 to: Sarah Nicholas, British Council Connect Youth, 10 Spring Gardens, London SW1A 2BN. Tel: 0207 389 4617 sarah.nicholas@britishcouncil.org

United Nations Global Compact Issues International Call for Responsible Business Education

The United Nations has issued a call for business schools and academic associations to do their part to advance corporate social responsibility worldwide. The Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME), were unveiled at the 2007 Global Compact Leaders Summit in Geneva in July to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and hundreds of leaders representing business, civil society, government, and academia from around the world. The Principles of Responsible Management Education are a framework for academic institutions to advance the broader cause of corporate social responsibility and a call for the incorporation of universal values in curricula and research. The initiative was developed by an international task force of sixty deans, university presidents and official representatives of leading business schools. It was co-convened by the United Nations Global Compact, the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International), the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD), the Aspen Institute’s Business and Society Program, the Globally Responsible Leadership Initiative (GRLI), and Net Impact.

Groundbreaking Studies Show Benefits of Corporate Responsibility

Three groundbreaking studies by organizations such as the UN Global Compact and Goldman Sachs presented today at the Global Compact Leaders Summit show that an increasing number of business leaders see corporate responsibility as a way to compete successfully and to build trust with stakeholders – and that sustainability front-runners in a range of industries can generate higher stock prices. A report released by Goldman Sachs, one of the world's leading investment banks, showed that among six sectors covered – energy, mining, steel, food, beverages, and media – companies that are considered leaders in implementing environmental, social and governance (ESG) policies to create sustained competitive advantage have outperformed the general stock market by 25 per cent since August 2005. In addition, 72% of these companies have outperformed their peers over the same period. Goldman Sachs analyzed the companies with respect to three areas: ESG performance; how well they are positioned vis-à-vis long-term industry trends; and the strength of their underlying financial returns.

UN Global Compact Releases its first Annual Review

At the recent UN Global Compact Summit, the UN Global Compact released its first Annual Review, a comprehensive survey that monitors the extent to which companies have implemented the ten Global Compact principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. Among the key findings were: a majority of survey respondents have policies in place related to human rights, labour conditions, the environment and anti-corruption. 75 per cent of respondents have engaged in cross-sector partnerships with one or more of the following sectors: non-governmental organizations, business, academia, the UN, and other multi-lateral organizations. 63 per cent of respondents said they participate in the Global Compact to increase trust in the company. At the same time, there are important "performance gaps" in implementation, as highlighted by a complementary survey of chief executives participating in the Global Compact. The survey, prepared by McKinsey & Company, revealed that more than 90% of CEOs are doing more than they did 5 years ago to incorporate environmental, social and governance issues into strategy and operations. 72 per cent of CEOs said that corporate responsibility should be embedded fully into strategy and operations, but only 50 per cent think their firms actually do so. 59 per cent of CEOs said corporate responsibility should be embedded into global supply chains, but only 27 per cent think they are doing so.

South Africa’s Strate Develops E-Learning for Securities Industry

Strate is committed to educating individuals working in, or interacting with parties who operate in the securities industry. In an effort to offer the best training available, Strate has developed an E-learning solution for training in this sector. E-learning is a vehicle, which uses technology to enhance the traditional approach to learning. Historically Strate has offered the traditional lecture / classroom style training where candidates have attended either evening lectures or participated in a half day or full day seminar. Strate E–learning has now been launched and allows for training “anytime / anywhere”. The benefits and advantages of E-learning include encouraging students to take responsibility for their learning; overcoming timing, attendance and travel difficulties and eliminating the problems associated with different instructors teaching slightly different material on the same subject; Knowledge Disks have been created in order to tailor the training material to a specific topic which is then aligned to specific chapters of either the Equities or Bonds Handbooks. The Equities E-learning program consists of 11 modules – each module is presented in a separate Knowledge Disks. The Bonds program consists of 10 Knowledge Disks. Strate-training@strate.co.za or phone 011 759 5352).

South Africa’s Top Business Schools Awarding Training Prizes

Leader.co.za has teamed up with the top business schools in the country to offer a substantial investment in the development of broad-based management and leadership skills. Leader.co.za in association with South Africa’s leading business schools is giving managers, executives and entrepreneurs an opportunity to win R150 000 worth of leadership, management and career related programmes, courses, workshops and events. The Leader.co.za competition is open to managers, executives, entrepreneurs and just about anyone who would like to change their world. Enter now at www.leader.co.za/competition or contact Leader.co.za on (011) 680-0714 for further information. The competition runs from the 15th August to 5 October 2007.

Most US Working Mothers Prefer Part-time Jobs

TA sharply increasing portion of America's working mothers say their ideal situation would include a part-time job, rather than working full time or staying at home, a new national survey finds. The Pew Research Center survey found that only 21% of working mothers with children under 18 viewed full-time work as the best arrangement, down from 32% in 1997. 60% of the working mothers said a part-time job would be best, up from 48% 10 years ago. And 19% said not working at all would be ideal — roughly the same as in 1997. The survey also found a shift in preferences among stay-at-home mothers. Only 16%of them said their ideal situation would be to work full-time outside the home, down from 24% in 1997. Conversely, 48% of them now say that not working at all outside the home is the best arrangement, up from 39% who felt that way in 1997. Fathers with children under 18 had a different outlook — 72% said the ideal situation for them is a full-time job, with 12% saying they would prefer part-time work and 16% saying not working at all outside the home would be best. According to the latest federal figures, 70.5 percent of American women with children under 18 work outside the home — including 60 percent of mothers with children under 3. And the newly emerging preference for part-time work doesn't mesh with current reality: three-quarters of the working mothers have full-time jobs. Pew Research Center: http://people-press.org/

Vancouver's Lundin Group Commits $100 Million to Clinton Giustra Sustainable Growth Initiative

Vancouver-based Lundin for Africa, the philanthropic arm of the Lundin Group of Companies, has pledged $100 million to the Clinton Foundation's recently announced Clinton Giustra Sustainable Growth Initiative (CGSGI), which is aimed at alleviating poverty and building sustainable local economies in developing countries. The Lundin for Africa commitment will be aimed, in large part, at approved projects in Africa, where the Lundin Group has significant mining, oil and gas interests. The contribution, announced by former President Bill Clinton, matches the $100 million individual donations made by Canadian mining financier Frank Giustra and Mexican businessman Carlos Slim when the initiative was launched last month in New York. Giustra says that he expects the CGSGI to complement the aid work Lundin for Africa is already carrying out in five African countries. CGSGI will focus on alleviating poverty in the developing world and build on the Clinton Foundation's successful record of implementing and scaling-up development initiatives in other countries. The Clinton Foundation will act as the implementing partner, bringing together key stakeholders from the natural resources sector as well as the business community in the developing world. Participating companies from the mining industry will have a key role in CGSGI. Source: William J Clinton Foundation

Rwanda Set to Host Connect Africa Summit

Kigali, the capital city of Rwanda is to host this years Connect Africa Summit that is to be held from October 29-30 2007. According to a statement issued by the Geneva based International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the announcement was made by ITU Secretary-General Dr Hamadoun Touré at a Press Conference in Geneva, held jointly with the UN Global Alliance for ICT and Development (GAID).

Call for Applications for Methodology Workshop Series: Training the Trainers

Are you a lecturer in an African university? Do you have responsibility for the teaching of courses on research methods? The Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa is pleased to announce its initiative targeted at those members of the African social research community who have responsibility in their universities for teaching undergraduate and graduate-level course in social science research methods. Over the last decade and half, in cognisance of the multi-faceted crises confronting the African higher education system in general and the universities in particular, CODESRIA has invested itself in offering platforms for postgraduate students and mid-career professionals to be offered opportunities for training in quantitative and qualitative research methods. In the context of the decentralisation of the management of the workshops to various university and advanced research centres, the Council is now proposing to organise an annual training of trainers’ methodology workshop bringing together those who have responsibility for imbuing others with the basic skills they require in order to be successful researchers. Those interested in applying to participate in the inaugural session are invited to submit a written application. All applications must be received at the CODESRIA Executive Secretariat by 20 October, 2007. http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/courses/42486 Source: Pambazuka News

The State, Mining and Development in Africa Conference, Leeds University

Leeds University Centre for African Studies will host a conference on The State, Mining and Development in Africa from 13-14 September, 2007. Africa has a long history of mining. It remains a continent with some of the richest world reserves of minerals and its oil is earmarked by the US and other western consumers. The mining sector is recognised by many international institutions and policy groups as a vehicle for promoting growth and development in the 21st Century. http://www.leeds.ac.uk/lucas/website07/Conferences/ Conference%202007/
LUCAS%20Conference%202007.htm

Dutch MPs Approve Immigrant Amnesty

The Dutch parliament has approved an amnesty for 30,000 illegal immigrants, reversing the previous government’s policies. Under the new ruling, unsuccessful asylum seekers who applied before 2001 will now get residence permits. Ministry of Justice Press said in statement that the general amnesty allows residence to the alien that complies with all of the following verifiable criteria. Successful candidates will receive a residence permit with which they can move freely on the labour market and no longer require an employment permit. The residence permit will last for one year, starting on the date that the general amnesty comes into effect. Barring contraindications, the permit will be converted into a permit for continued residence after one year. Source: Africa News

EU eyes immigration to fill job gap

Portugal plans to for a "realistic" approach to legal migration - one that takes care of social inclusion alongside tight border controls - to help solve Europe’s looming job shortage crisis. According to Commission figures, there are now around three million unfilled jobs in the EU, with the jobless rate falling to 7.1% in June 2007, its lowest level in more than 15 years. Two million new jobs were created in 2006 and, based on the continent’s booming growth rates; the Commission has predicted that another 5.5 million jobs will be created in 2007 and 2008. But the positive economic outlook also creates new problems with a shortage crisis in both the skilled and unskilled labour looming as the population gets older. Portugal’s employment state secretary, Fernando Medina, said that he will push for a "realistic" approach to immigration policy, when his country takes over the six-month EU Presidency.

IFAD unveils new fund to stimulate Business Innovation in Rural Africa

IFAD has announced details of a new multi-donor challenge fund that will help poor rural people in Africa by supporting innovative new businesses. The African Enterprise Challenge Fund (AECF) represents an important partnership between members of the international development community. Donors involved so far include the African Development Bank, the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP), IFAD and the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development. Challenge funds, such as AECF, have a proven track record of stimulating pro-poor economic growth. The AECF will be the first challenge fund to be based in and designed for rural Africa. It will encourage the development of agricultural and financial markets in rural Africa by offering matching grants on a competitive basis of up to US$1.5 million to projects which meet its development goals. The fund is designed to encourage businesses to think of poor rural people as potential entrepreneurs, consumers and employees. Poverty is predominantly rural in Africa, with more than 70 per cent of the continent’s poor people living in rural areas. AECF will run for seven years, starting in 2008. It has already secured most of the capital needed to start operations on schedule. IFAD is an international financial institution and a specialized United Nations agency dedicated to eradicating poverty and hunger in rural areas of developing countries. Source: Africa News

One in Ten Britons Born Abroad

A report from the OECD says that foreign-born people now make almost one in ten of the UK population following a decade of high levels of immigration. In 2005 the proportion of foreign-born people was 9.7 per cent or about 5.8m. Indians made up the largest group with 570,000 followed by the Republic of Ireland 417,000 and Pakistan 217,000. Since May 2004 an estimated 630,000 migrants from the eastern European EU states have registered for work together with an unknown number of self-employed workers from the eight states. The OECD report says that in 2002 there were only 24,000 Polish citizens in the UK, rising to 110,000 in 2005 and to 229,000 in 2006 - including those who had taken British nationality. The report also documents a fall in the number of asylum seekers although Britain remains the second-most-popular destination after France. In 2002 110,000 asylum applications were received but new laws plus a general decline in applications across Western Europe saw this number drop to 30,800 in 2005.

Black Women in the US on Promotion in the Workplace

Black women in the USA aspire to corporate leadership, but they don't feel that hard work and a positive outlook will pay off, finds a new League of Black Women survey. Many feel persistent stereotypes are stifling their talent and potential, and poor utilization of their skill sets and education relegates them to dead-end jobs, which leads to lower engagement and fewer meaningful connections at work. The survey revealed that nearly 80% think racial attitudes diminish their ability to be effective leaders and only 57% feel they can reach their potential in spite of these barriers. Only 20% are "very satisfied" with their overall lives, which is based on the quality of their personal and professional relationships, especially with each other, having black-female executive role models and opportunities for career development . 62% say they give more of themselves at work when they feel valued for who they are, which many feel doesn't happen often enough. Recent data from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission underscores these concerns. Black women remain woefully underrepresented in corporate America, particularly at the management level. They account for 16% of the female private-industry work force - more than Latinas or Asian women - but just 9 percent of officials and managers, the lowest ratio of work force to management of all women of color. The national survey, conducted in partnership with Booz Allen Hamilton from 2005 to 2007, identifies proactive ways companies can increase retention among black women by providing advancement and networking opportunities and promoting authenticity. Source: DiversityInc

Germany Reforms Its Immigration Laws

German’s Parliament has approved a reform of the country’s immigration law that will allow thousands of long-term immigrants to stay legally as long they find work. Deutsche Welle reported that the change implements 11 EU guidelines and affects areas such as spousal immigration, integration and residency regulations. Foreigners will also be required to have basic knowledge of German language before going to the country. Some foreigners will also be required provide a digital photograph and fingerprints while entering the country. The law also allows about 100,000 foreigners whose applications for asylum have been rejected to stay in the country indefinitely provided they find a job by the end of 2009. As a way of promoting integration of immigrants, the new law also introduces obligatory integration course and foreigners who refuse to take the course can be fined. The new law also makes it easier and cheaper for foreigners who wish to immigrate and invest or create jobs in Germany. Source: Africa News.

Call for Abstracts – The State of Philanthropy in Africa

TrustAfrica is pleased to announce the first in a series of publications on the state of philanthropy in Africa. TrustAfrica is soliciting abstracts of papers that can help measure the state of philanthropy in Africa. Successful abstracts will be developed into book chapters that will be published in the beginning of 2008. Abstracts (250 words maximum) are due no later than September 15, 2007. www.trustafrica.org Source: Pambazuka News.

Report shows UK increasing Reliance on Overseas Academics

Nearly one in five academics in the UK comes from overseas and the UK is increasingly reliant on foreign research talent in the sciences, according to new research from the vice-chancellors' lobby group, Universities UK. In 2005-06, 19.1% of academic staff were non-UK nationals. This group has increased significantly in recent years. Nearly a third - 27% - of all academic staff appointed that year were from overseas. UUK claims the UK has "brain circulation" rather than "brain drain" (or a net loss of academics) in its new report unveiled yesterday. Academics are moving about at different stages of their careers. But the findings highlight the precarious nature of academic research in the UK, particularly in science, engineering and technology subjects.

Nelson Mandela launches the Elders

Nelson Mandela marked his 89th birthday by announcing the formation of The Elders, a group comprising former heads of state, Nobel laureates, leading entrepreneurs and philanthropists who will "contribute their wisdom, independent leadership and integrity to tackle some of the world's toughest problems". Fellow founding members include South African Archbishop emeritus Desmond Tutu, philanthropist Graca Machel, former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, former US President Jimmy Carter, former Irish Prime Minister Mary Robinson and Bangladeshi social banker Muhammad Yunus. In a statement, the new group states that The Elders will use their collective skills and experience to suggest new approaches to tackling global issues. The group will work to complement the efforts of other organisations, seeking opportunities to partner established groups where possible.

Poll Shows Africans Hopeful about Future

Despite the continent’s troubles, a plurality of Africans say they are better off today than they were five years ago and are optimistic about their future and that of the next generation, according to a poll conducted in 10 sub-Saharan countries by The New York Times and the Pew Global Attitudes Project. The results offer an unusual and complex portrait of a continent in flux — a snapshot of 10 modern African states as they struggle to build accountable governments, manage violent conflict and turn their natural resources into wealth for the population. It found that in the main, Africans are satisfied with their national governments, and a majority of respondents in 7 of the 10 countries said their economic situation was at least somewhat good. Face-to-face interviews were conducted in April and May with 8,471 adults in Ethiopia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda. In Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation and top oil producer, the poll results reflect frustration with the way elections are carried out — 67 percent of Nigerians said that their presidential election was not conducted fairly. Yet Nigerians were the most optimistic of all the nations surveyed — 69 percent said they expected that children growing up in Nigeria would be better off than people today. The poll also measured African attitudes to the United States and found that on the whole, 8 of the 10 countries surveyed said they viewed it as a dependable ally. Some countries had negative views of American culture — 82 percent of Tanzanians, two-thirds of Senegalese and about half of the Ghanaians, Malians and Kenyans surveyed. Source: New York Times Online

South African Minister Welcomes Denel Maths and Science Programme

Public Enterprise Minister Alec Erwin has welcomed an initiative by state-owned arms developer Denel, to train young people in the areas of Mathematics and Science. According to the Minister, South Africa does not have enough matriculants with higher-grade Maths and Science and the DYFT seeks to address the shortage of learners with mathematics and science by offering learners a second chance to matriculate with mathematics and science at a higher grade. The DCLD was established to increase local skills and expertise in the aerospace and defence industry. It places emphasis on developing women and previously disadvantaged groups. In this year alone, the programme's intake comprised 70 percent women, mostly from rural areas. According to the organisation, the DCLD is the largest public skills-development and training programme in Africa for the aerospace and defence industry.

Teacher Training through Open and Distance Learning

TA NEPAD strategy for teacher training and teacher development through open and distance learning (ODL) has been proposed for Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mozambique. The proposal involves close cooperation between NEPAD, the University of South Africa (UNISA), African providers of teacher training and Governments of the three countries. The primary challenge in Africa has been defined by the UNESCO Teacher Education Initiative, Sub-Saharan Africa 2004-2007. In addition to the general lack of adequate training of teachers in Africa, UNESCO's focus on teacher training institutions has disclosed insufficient capacity-building of higher education institutions and networks to strengthen college-level and community-level teacher training. In accordance with the findings of UNESCO, Phase One of the NEPAD strategy proposal (2007) focuses on building the capacity and quality of lead teacher training institutions and on strengthening their impact in the education system. Source: NEPAD

Tanzania Plans to Raise Education Standards

The Tanzanian Government has pledged to hire more teachers in the 2007-2008 financial year to improve the quality of education in the country. Education experts have welcomed the pledge. The government allocated 18% of this year’s budget to education and has announced plans to hire more teachers. According to the country’s Education Minister Margaret Sitta, the government will employ 14,490 primary and secondary school teachers to raise standards. The Government will also issue permits for about 600 expatriate teachers for privately owned primary and secondary schools. The Government's efforts to revamp primary and secondary education through its 2002-2006 Primary Education Development Plan and the 2004-2009 Secondary Education Development Plan has, she said, led to significant improvements in the provision of basic education in the country. Ministry of Education records show that enrolment in primary schools increased from 4,839,361 in 2001 to 7,969,884 in 2006, while the net enrolment ratio in primary schools increased from 65.5 percent in 2001 to 96.1 percent in 2006. Source: IRIN

Ghanaian Teacher Awarded $40,000 to Establish ICT Centre

A National Business plan competition and Entrepreneurship Development Programme, Believe Begin Become (BBB), has awarded a 32 year old teacher of Damongo Secondary School (DASS), Prince Yakubu Tahiru, US $400,000 to establish an ICT centre in Damongo, the West Gonja District capital of the Northern Region. Believe Begin Become (BBB) which is under the sponsorship of the Google Foundation, designed and managed by Technoserve, and supported by local businesses and Professionals is aimed at inspiring innovation, providing skills and rewarding entrepreneurial drive as well as leading economic growth. Technoserve and Google Foundation have also joined forces to promote entrepreneurship and private sector development in Ghana through a Business Plan Competition (BPC), and Entrepreneurship Development Programme aimed at helping business growth. Source: Public Agenda

New Report Issued on Progress in Uganda ICT Sector

A new report by the Women of Uganda Network (WOUGNET) assesses whether or not Uganda is on track to meet the information and communications technology (ICT) development objectives laid out in the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Plan of Action. It provides an overview of the ICT status in the country, and presents some of the rapid changes that have happened within the country’s ICT sector. The report highlights the steps taken by the government in realising the WSIS Plan of Action, but also summarises the challenges the country faces. http://www.globaliswatch.org/files/pdf/GISW_Uganda.pdf

Links to Institutions for African Studies and Development

The Cornell Institute for African Development offers numerous fellowship programs for study at the graduate school. Of these, Cornell annually coordinates two of these programs, which are specifically directed to African students; the Institute for African Development (IAD) Tuition Fellowship; and the Provost South African Fund Fellowship. The Institute for African Development offers links to various external Institutions and organizations with fellowships, scholarships and grants for African studies and issues pertaining to African Development. Source: Pambazuka News http://www.einaudi.cornell.edu/africa/funding/other.asp

CIPD Publishes Guide on Age Diversity

The Chartered Institute for People and Development (CiPD) has launched new guidance on recruitment practices to help organizations achieve greater age diversity. The guide, produced with Cranfield School of Management and law firm Beachcroft, gives practical examples of achieving an age-diverse workforce. www.cipd.co.uk/research

US Immigration Fees Rise

An increase in fees for processing US immigration documents has gone into effect, raising the cost by an average of about 66%. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the federal agency, said it planned to collect $1.1 billion a year in new revenue because of the fee increase and would use the money to hire 1,500 new agents in an effort to reduce the processing time for the most common documents by 20 percent by the end of next year. The cost of becoming a United States citizen rose to $675 from $400. The agency reported 115,175 naturalization applications in May, compared with 74,583 in the same month last year. Source: The New York Times Online

Graduate Level Vacancies in UK Rise for 4th Consecutive Year

Graduate level vacancies in the UK are set to rise for the fourth consecutive year, according to the Graduate Recruitment Survey produced by the Association of Graduate Recruiters and based on responses from 219 employers. The survey found that the number of graduate positions was anticipated to rise by 12.7%, a significant increase on last year’s rise of 5.2%. Accountancy and professional services provided most vacancies, followed by banking and financial services. Source: People Management

Empowering Women: OpenDemocracy Research Enquiry

As part of its ongoing 50.50 initiative, openDemocracy is working as a media partner of 'Pathways of Women's Empowerment' to disseminate the work and amplify the voices of this international research consortium. With research institutes based in Brazil, Bangladesh, Egypt, Ghana and Britain, the consortium links academics, activists and practitioners working to advance women's empowerment locally, regionally and globally. Further hubs in Nigeria, Palestine, Afghanistan, Sierra Leone and Sudan will join later this year. According to the consortium, its core objective is to understand what works to enable women to empower themselves and sustain changes in gendered power relations. openDemocracy will be reporting on the work of the Pathways project each month through dedicated articles, podcasts and a regular blog. www.openDemocracy.net is a forum for debate on issues of global politics and culture. We are home to creative international dialogue that builds understanding through access to free thought and informed analysis.

Cape Town Tops Poll of Event Organisers

Cape Town has beaten New York to top the list of long-haul destinations favoured by UK-based events agencies, underscoring the Western Cape's emergence as a destination of choice for conference groups. Cape Town jumped to the top of the list from fourth place last year in the annual M&IT Trends & Spends Survey of readers of Meetings and Incentive Travel (M&IT) magazine, which is circulated to event organisers throughout the UK. The survey polled 76,768 participants, including the 30 UK events agencies with the highest turnover. Of these, 16,327 voted on their favoured long-haul destination. South Africa came second behind the US as the favourite long-haul destination country in the Trends & Spends survey, followed by Canada, the UAE, China, Mexico, Russia, Thailand, Japan, Malaysia and Zambia.

West African Ministers Adopt Regional Plan for NEPAD’s Environment Initiative

West African Ministers of Environment have endorsed the Sub-Regional Environment Action Plan for West Africa (SREAP WA) of the Environment Initiative of NEPAD. The Ministers’ meeting followed a meeting of experts in Accra in June attended by representatives from Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, the Gambia, Ghana, Guinea Conakry, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo. The objective of the meeting of experts was to consider a draft document on the West Africa Sub-Regional Environment Action Plan and submit recommendations for consideration and adoption by the Ministers.