Cape Town is a port city on South Africa’s southwest coast, on a peninsula beneath the imposing Table Mountain. Slowly rotating cable cars climb to the mountain’s flat top, from which there are sweeping views of the city, the busy harbor and boats heading for Robben Island, the notorious prison that once held Nelson Mandela, which is now a living museum.
Tag Archives: Africa
Research: How Africa Keeps The Amazon Green
Jet streams sprinkle North African dust over the Amazon, providing the rain forest with much needed nutrients. Changing wind patterns and increasing smoke may shift the system.
Morning News: Ukraine Holds Positions, Africa Divided, Finland Politics
Emily Sherwin and Olga Tokariuk discuss the latest on the war in Ukraine. Plus: a look at why Africa is divided on Russia’s invasion, a flick through today’s papers and an interview with the former president of Finland, Tarja Halonen.
African Lodges: Hoanib Skeleton Coast In Namibia
Hoanib’s eight pale olive, luxury tented suites peak like whitecaps on an ocean of sand. Totally solar-powered, Hoanib has a fresh, contemporary design, with a colour palette reflecting the surrounding desert. The camp (suites, common areas, pool) looks out on a wide, rugged valley that slopes down to the usually dry Hoanib River. One of many highlights: dining under impossibly starry skies, perhaps perhaps at the firepit as a jackal cries, or a lion roars, punctuating the stillness of the inky night.
Explore the Namib Desert’s rust-coloured crags and arid plains in search of desert-adapted wildlife – elephants, lions, hyaenas, giraffes, oryxes among the regular sightings. Take a rollicking drive over the floodplain and dunes to the Skeleton Coast, a wild stretch of the Atlantic where the desert meets the sea, where white sand beaches are littered with whale bones and shipwreck remains. Fly back to camp for an aerial view of what seems uninhabitable, but is full of life. Walk with a guide to witness that life, including the smaller creatures, a fascinating variety of birds and unusual flora. Discover the remnants of Strandloper – Beachcomber – lifestyle from centuries past. Linger in the camp’s wildlife research centre to learn about the latest local conservation initiatives.
Africa Views: A Look At The Health System In Nigeria
Nigeria is rightly taking its place on the world stage. But its health has been neglected. Prof Iruka Okeke and Dr Ṣẹ̀yẹ Abímbọ́lá lay out a positive, achievable vision for a healthy future. Read the Lancet Nigeria Commission: investing in health and the future of the nation: https://www.thelancet.com/commissions…
Nigeria is projected to become one of the most populous countries in the world, and is rightly taking its place on the world stage. The Lancet Nigeria Commission tells the story of the country through a health lens, and details recommendations that will enable the country and its people to fulfil their potential, and seize the opportunity ahead. It has been led by Nigerians for Nigerians. The Commissioners call for the creation of a new social contract that redefines the relationship between citizen and state. They argue that health has, to date, been neglected by successive governments and consequently the citizens of Nigeria, and must be recentred as a vital investment in the population – one that will reap political and economic benefits. Nigeria is poised to define the future of West Africa, the African continent, and the whole world. This Commission lays out how best to realise that ambition.
Africa Views: ‘Safari Train’ From Tanzania To Zambia
1970 marked the start of construction work on the Tanzania-Zambia Railway, or “Tazara” for short. Some 1,860 km of tracks were laid through thick forest, uninhabited savannah and mountainous terrain as part of one of Africa’s boldest infrastructure projects.
The route was inaugurated in 1976. It links the coastal city of Dar es Salam in northeastern Tanzania with the town of Kapiri Mposhi in central Zambia. Local people have an affectionate nickname for it – “Uhuru” or freedom, symbolizing the people’s hope for a more self-determined life.
But some of the stations along the line have been out of operation for years. Drivers always need to be on the lookout for monkeys, elephants, lions, hippos and giraffes. For passengers, the ticket includes a free safari. Leaving the Selous Game Reserve behind, the Tazara enters the most dangerous and spectacular section of the route.
Drone footage shows dramatic images of a largely unknown area sliced through by the railway line.
Africa Views: Ivory Coast Agriculture Goes Digital
Climate change, land degradation and deforestation have severely damaged Côte d’Ivoire’s natural surroundings. Many farmers are worried about their future. But Digitalization is bringing new hope.
Côte d’Ivoire is a West African country with beach resorts, rainforests and a French-colonial legacy. Abidjan, on the Atlantic coast, is the country’s major urban center. Its modern landmarks include zigguratlike, concrete La Pyramide and St. Paul’s Cathedral, a swooping structure tethered to a massive cross. North of the central business district, Banco National Park is a rainforest preserve with hiking trails.
Views: Saving The White Rhinos Of South Africa
Poachers kill at least one rhino a day in South Africa. Their horns are in huge demand on the black market, and are worth more than gold. Anti-poaching squads are now increasingly better equipped: with night-vision equipment, drones and thermal imaging cameras.
Covering some 20,000 km2, Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It’s home to the biggest population of white rhinos in South Africa – and also the highest number of rhinos killed by poachers. One major problem for ranger teams is their small size in comparison to the vast area of territory involved. Another is the widespread poverty in the many villagers bordering the park – and it’s here that you ultimately have to begin if you want to win the battle to save the rhinos.
Vince Barkas has 30 years’ experience working in wildlife conservation, and little confidence in the current system’s effectiveness in protecting rhinos. In 1992 he founded the anti-poaching unit “Protrack”. Its teams operate in the Greater Kruger, which includes private wildlife reserves neighboring the national park.
Over the decades he says he’s seen no change, despite rangers being better armed and equipped, and wants to see new options: “We’ve shot poachers, arrested poachers, beaten up poachers. Everything. But we’ve never sat down and spoken.” Vince Barkas believes in the power of dialog rather than violence. He and his son Dylan made their way to Mozambique – where many of the poachers who kill rhinos in the Kruger National Park hail from.
Their journey takes them to the town of Massingir, where Barkas Snr. first began talking to poachers a number of years ago. The problem, he says, is rooted in the very concept of wildlife conservation: “We’ve made wildlife a rich white man’s thing – where white people hunt and benefit from it, and go to lodges etc. And we’ve kept black people out of it – behind a fence. We’ve got to change that approach.”
Morning News: Russia & Ukraine Media, EU-Africa Summit, South Korea
We take a look at how Russian media outlets are portraying the Ukraine crisis. Plus: the EU-African Union summit kicks off in Brussels, South Korea’s forthcoming presidential elections and the latest urbanism stories.
African Lodges: Zannier Hotels Sonop In Namibia
The opulence of old-world safari is alive and well at Zannier Hotels Sonop, a luxury tented camp set in the wilds of Namibia’s southeastern corner.
Conjuring up an image of rugged explorers, the word ‘safari’ is one of the most evocative in the history of travel. Zannier Hotels Sonop effortlessly captures this old-world charm with opulent tents, separate cocktail and cigar lounge, open-air cinema and gastronomic restaurant.
The 10 spacious tents are constructed on top of boulders, reflecting the life of yesteryear’s wealthy explorers. Furnished with antiques, colorful carpets and precious wood, these lavish accommodations capture the look and feel of a bygone era. Panoramic views look out onto otherworldly desert landscapes, while in-tent telescopes invite dreamy stargazing moments.
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