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empowered by internet and smart phones can do wonders.

You know, countries of the African continent are leaders in mobile banking today. In my last trip
to the tiny nation of Malawi, I visited the picturesque lake Malawi. For a landlocked country, this
beautiful lake with white sand beach is a major tourist attraction. My local driver Chikondi
bought fish on the way back with all the money he had with him for his family. Then came a call
from his sister. She came to know that brother was visiting the lake side on duty and wanted
some fish too. It is very much like the practice in Ukraine; when we buy 'Bichki' on the way
from Odessa to Kiev. Chikondi confessed he used all spare money to buy fish for his family and
can only buy for her if she sends some. In no time came a signal on his mobile device. An
c u l t u r e intimation of money being transfered from his sister and Chikondi bought fish instantly on the
c u l t u r e
roadside. Indian company Airtel has made a major investment in that region.

Is Africa that far?

Whenever I start a discussion on Africa, in Ukraine, in most culture of the these places. It’s quite natural that when you
of the cases I come across dogmas, myths and stereotypes. don’t know somebody, you are apprehensive about them.
Deadly diseases like AIDS, Ebola, Malaria and pictures of
extreme poverty come into the mind at first. Pathetic stories For some unknown reason, many in the world refer to the
of drowning immigrants close to the European shores and continent Africa as if it’s a large country as a whole. It is
pictures of malnourished children on television screens amusing, just like the way most Americans refer to the vast
certainly do not add appetite to Soviet Union as Russia. The
explore the region any closer. continent of Africa contains
looked like we were to stay on the road for quite sometime
Sudan. Fresh Tilapia at the Source of Nile in Uganda or Nile
Moreover, the continent is too fiftyfour sovereign countries My job takes me to many countries in different continents. I have seen traffic jam in all the major
and offered a service of connecting to Wi-Fi for an hour in his
Perch at the Junction of two Niles at Khartoum can meet the
far from home territory and is and the land of the Africa can capitals. Dar Es Salam is also notorious for its traffic jams, especially on their airport road. We
expectations of any demanding taste buds. No wonder ‘Visit
car. I paid close to a dollar and spent most productive time
quite unknown, still hidden house whole of China, India, got stuck at the jam. The hotel taxi driver said, it looked like we were to stay on the road for
Rwanda’ is the sponsor of the English football team Arsenal
in a traffic jam.
behind dark mysterious contiguous US and much of quite sometime and offered a service of connecting to Wi-Fi for an hour in his car. I paid close to
for the season 2018-2019.
legends. Europe. People and cultures of a dollar and spent most productive time in a traffic jam.
Africans starting from Egypt You know Ghana to be a leader in testing “blockchain” for
For centuries, we have been to South Arica is as different their land and property registration process. I am fortunate We start the day with a sip of Arabica (a region in Ethiopia),
relish the tests of Cacao from Ivory coast, greet the loved ones
to have met the famous university professor whom the
fed by media, which has and diverse as that of Siberia You know Ghana to be a leader in testing “blockchain” for their land and property registration
President has appointed as an advisor for this purpose.
with Kenyan roses, engagement rings with diamonds from
generally shown Africa in dark to Uzbekistan. process. I am fortunate to have met the famous university professor whom the President has
shades. From childhood, we appointed as an advisor for this purpose. Congo and dance with rhythms of Africa - Africa somehow
are brought up by the stories One beauty of Africa today Ukraine, being a bread basket, has a lot to offer to the helps us celebrate our lives. So maybe it’s high time to know
where ‘the good’ fights ‘the is that the continent is developing countries of Africa in the field of food security. Africa closer?
With rich experience and expertise Ukrainians can be of much
evil’ and good always turns extremely Ukraine, being a bread basket, has a lot to offer to the developing countries of Africa in the field
help to the agricultural and food sectors in Africa, where in
Suvra Chakraborty, Dubai, UAE
out to be the winner. If you young. Around half of the of food security. With rich experience and expertise Ukrainians can be of much help to the
many cases they are at the early stages of introduction of
Director AMC Overseas FZE// Promoter of Ukrainian
observe carefully, you will see population of 1.2 billion agricultural and food sectors in Africa, where in many cases they are at the early stages of
modern cultivation, irrigation and storage. In addition to
products in the Middle East & Africa//
in popular cartoons we raise people is less than twenty- introduction of modern cultivation, irrigation and storage. In addition to direct supplies of
direct supplies of readymade food products like poultry,
Official Representative of the Ukrainian Chamber of
children with character traits, five years of age. These young readymade food products like poultry, dairy, vegetable oil, Ukraine has a lot to offer to the
dairy, vegetable oil, Ukraine has a lot to offer to the nation
like “Lion King”, “Bamby”, populations empowered by nation building aspirations in Africa with Commerce and Industry in the Federal Democratic Republic
of Ethiopia//
“Nu pogodi”, the evils and internet and smart phones can building aspirations in Africa with their expertise in heavy their expertise in heavy engineering, mining
International Consultant of ITC (UN & WTO), Geneva, IT
engineering, mining equipment, infrastructure development,
the villains are depicted in do wonders. equipment, infrastructure development, post-harvest grain handling, food processing and
post-harvest grain handling, food processing and IT sectors.
distinctive dark colors. In The true size of Africa sectors. Switzerland//
classic ballet “Swan Lake” we You know, countries of the Visiting Lecturer of Maastricht University, the Netherlands//
During 11th-15th May 2018 in the major event - Fifty-first
Visiting Lecturer of Polytechnic Institute of Tomar,
see evil Odile clad in a black African continent are leaders During 11th-15th May 2018 in the major event - Fifty-first Session of the Economic Commission
Session of the Economic Commission for Africa and the
Portugal//
attire among the ‘’snow white good ones’’. The colour black is in mobile banking today. In my last trip to the tiny nation for Africa and the Annual Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic
Development - finance & planning ministers of fifty-four countries gathered under one roof in
still waiting its turn to be glorified some day! of Malawi, I visited the picturesque lake Malawi. For a Annual Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning Honorary President of Kyiv Classic Orchestra, Ukraine
the UN headquarter Addis Ababa (https://www.uneca.org/cfm2018). There, once again I felt the
landlocked country, this beautiful lake with white sand beach and Economic Development - finance & planning ministers
diverse aspirations of different African countries and also their aspiration and desire to create a
The recent history of Africa is marred with colonialism, is a major tourist attraction. My local driver Chikondi bought of fifty-four countries gathered under one roof in
continental free zone for business.
apartheid, slavery, ethnic conflicts, genocides and the fish on the way back with all the money he had with him for the UN headquarter Addis Ababa (https://www.uneca.org/
continent have had very few opportunities to be glorified in his family. Then came a call from his sister. She came to know cfm2018). There, once again I felt the diverse aspirations
front of the world. It does not mean, that the world did not that brother was visiting the lake side on duty and wanted of different African countries and also their aspiration and
know about Africa. Western Europe smelled the wealth of some fish too. It is very much like the practice in Ukraine; desire to create a continental free zone for business.
those regions and reached those borders centuries ago and when we buy ‘Bichki’ on the way from Odessa to Kiev.
eventually concurred and colonized them. They lived there, Chikondi confessed he used all spare money to buy fish for For any business, that is willing to explore the opportunities
ruled there, looted them out of their wealth completely for his family and can only buy for her if she sends some. In no in Africa, the first and most important step is to identify the
more than a century. It won’t be an overstatement to say that a time came a signal on his mobile device. An intimation of areas of focus. Small countries can show good prospect, but
major source of Europe’s wealth is Africa. When Africa came money being transfered from his sister and Chikondi bought individually offer small clientele. Therefore, considering the
out of its colonial days, like in Asia, they not only found their fish instantly on the roadside. Indian company Airtel has ground realities like logistical and financial aspects, one has
wealth looted but also found that the overwhelming share of made a major investment in that region. to decide on an effective entry plan.
their population were kept far away from the light of basic
education for generations. My job takes me to many countries in different continents. I Africa is large and diverse, you can find there; the pristine
have seen traffic jam in all the major capitals. Dar Es Salam is beauty of Zanzibar (Tanzania), wildlife extravaganza of
Meeting with Ms Vera Songwe, Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission on Africa
Ukraine fortunately has no such colonial past across ocean also notorious for its traffic jams, especially on their airport Maasaimara (Kenya), the remains of the oldest human Meeting with Ms Vera Songwe, Executive

For any business, that is willing to explore the opportunities in Africa, the first and most
and may be therefore not that well versed with people and road. We got stuck at the jam. The hotel taxi driver said, it Lusy in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) and unknown pyramids of Secretary of the Economic Commission on Africa
important step is to identify the areas of focus. Small countries can show good prospect, but
individually offer small clientele. Therefore, considering the ground realities like logistical and
financial aspects, one has to decide on an effective entry plan.
D I VA - I N T E R N AT I O N A L D I P LO M AT I N T E R N AT I O N A L D I P LO M AT - D I VA

Africa is large and diverse, you can find there; the pristine beauty of Zanzibar (Tanzania),
wildlife extravaganza of Maasaimara (Kenya), the remains of the oldest human Lusy in Addis
Ababa (Ethiopia) and unknown pyramids of Sudan. Fresh Tilapia at the Source of Nile in
Uganda or Nile Perch at the Junction of two Niles at Khartoum can meet the expectations of any
demanding taste buds. No wonder ‘Visit Rwanda’ is the sponsor of the English football team
Arsenal for the season 2018-2019.

We start the day with a sip of Arabica (a region in Ethiopia), relish the tests of Cacao from Ivory
coast, greet the loved ones with Kenyan roses, engagement rings with diamonds from Congo and
dance with rhythms of Africa - Africa somehow helps us celebrate our lives. So maybe it’s high
time to know Africa closer?

Suvra Chakraborty, Dubai, UAE

Director AMC Overseas FZE// Promoter of Ukrainian products in the Middle East & Africa//
Official Representative of the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the Federal
Democratic Republic of Ethiopia//
International Consultant of ITC (UN & WTO), Geneva, Switzerland//
Visiting Lecturer of Maastricht University, the Netherlands//
Visiting Lecturer of Polytechnic Institute of Tomar, Portugal//
Honorary President of Kyiv Classic Orchestra, Ukraine