AFRI CONVERSE 2021#4 COVID-19: A Wake-up Call For Africa’s Ingenuity, Productivity, and Capacity

The COVID-19 pandemic is a defining global health crisis of our time and the greatest challenge the world has faced since the World War II. Countries have raced to slow the spread of the disease by testing and treating patients, carrying out contact tracing, limiting travel, quarantining citizens, and cancelling large gatherings. A year on, as of the beginning of 2021, the virus had infected over 2.5 million people in Africa and claimed over 60,000 lives.

The session will examine the impact of COVID-19 in Africa, its coping mechanism, collaborative response applied and homegrown solutions which have been emerged and enhanced through the waves of the pandemic.

Date: 25^th June 2021 18:30-20:00 (JPN)/ 12:30-14:00 (Ethiopia)

18:30～18:35　Introduction

18:35～19:05　Primary presentation by each speaker

19:05～19:30　Interaction with a moderator

19:30～20:00　Q&A

- Venue: Online（Zoom）

- Participation: Free

- Language: English (no interpretation provided)

- Presented by JICA and UNDP

 
Registration: Required from the website below. 
https://undp.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_FhS2b3BQSXuZJaQIybfbPw

On the 10th of June Team South Africa unveiled the kit the team will wearing at the Tokyo Games.

The broadcast of this event can be viewed HERE.

Africa Dialogue Series 2021
Online Event on “Boosting Africa’s Transformative Power of Tourism”
Harnessing Technology & Innovation, Youth & Women Entrepreneurship
Follow-up Event to the Africa Dialogue Series 2021, building towards TICAD 8 in Tunis, 2022

As a follow-up to Africa Dialogue Series 2021, this event will feed into the global discussions on the preparation of TICAD8, aiming at scaling up the international community’s collective support to Africa’s recovery and building back better.  Further information on the background of this event can be read HERE.

Event details are as follows:

Date: Monday, 21 June 2021

Time: 10:00pm - 00:00am JST (9:00am - 11:00am EDT)

Venue: Virtual Zoom Meeting

Registration: https://undp.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_BAcpAb_3Qw-8T_8FeaHbMw

The co-organizers of this event include, the Permanent Mission of Japan to the UN, Permanent Mission of Tunisia to the UN, UN-OSAA, AU, UNDP, WB.

The SACCJ's second online General Assembly (GA), held on May 12th, was featured in the Times Gallery May Edition, managed by Sustainable Japan. 

Take a look at the attendees over HERE.

*Photo: https://www.fnn.jp/articles/gallery/190668?image=2

According to experts, the Southern Ground Hornbill is a rare species that has been designated endangered.  It is known to mainly inhabit South Africa, but in August last year, it was spotted in a residential area in Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture.

More on the fascinating sighting of this carnivorous bird can be read HERE.

*Photo: TeamSA

The first squad of athletes to represent Team SA in athletics, climbing, cycling, gymnastics, hockey (men and women), sailing and surfing at the Tokyo Olympics has been announced with just 57 days to go before the start of the Olympics.

This is the first announcement as Team SA is sending a large squad to represent South Africa at the Olympic Games.

The names of the athletes for each sport can be read HERE.

*Photo: Getty Images

South African, Shaun Norris, won his 5th title on the Japan Golf Tour on May 23rd in a three-way play-off with Zimbabwe's Scott Vincent and Japan's Tomoharu Otsuki.

More on how the play-off unfolded can be read HERE.

*Photo: Robert Deaves

If all goes according to plan, South Africa will have two boats in the Olympic sailing programme in Tokyo this year.  More can be read on the teams progress HERE.  

May 16th marked 100 days to the Tokyo Paralympics.  The South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) together with its sponsors and well decorated Team South Africa Para-athletes, celebrated the 100-days to go milestone before the Tokyo Paralympics, at an event held at the Olympic House. 

SASCOC President, Mr Barry Hendricks, and the Chef De Mission for Team South Africa at the Paralympic Games, Leon Fleiser, were two of the speakers addressing the attendees.  More information can be read HERE.

Watch how Team SA will be #bringingbackubuntu HERE.

Ebrahim Patel, Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, set out the Department’s future strategic focus at Budget Vote 2021 in Cape Town, South Africa on the 18th of May.

Toyota and NTT are amongst the projects announced as listed in the highlights above.

The full speech delivered at Budget Vote 2021 by Minister Ebrahim Patel, can be read HERE.