Blog Camps Abidjan: Bridging the Franco Techno Gap

From the Rising Voices website:

[Ivoirian blogger Theophile] Kouamouo is now trying to bring many more of his countrymen and women to the blogosphere by organizing a series of “blog camps” around Abidjan in which current Ivorian bloggers can discuss the issues affecting them and show new bloggers how to join their ranks.

For the most part, however, West Africa (and particularly Francophone West Africa) has been left out of the booming global blogosphere. That is starting to change. Panos West Africa, in partnership with Highway Africa and Global Voices, recently announced the winners of the Waxal - Blogging Africa Awards. Next year we can expect to find many more Ivorians on that list as Théophile Kouamouo sets out to organize a series of events that will bring dozens if not hundreds of Ivorians to the blogosphere. Abidjan Blog Camps will also promote more pan-African online interaction by teaming up with existing blog camp movements in Madagascar, Kenya, Uganda, Mauritius, and South Africa.

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Malagasy blogger wants Kenyan-inspired transparency initiative

In a recent editorial  on civic participation and transparency in Madagascar, blogger Lova Rakotomalala recommends the adoption of Mzalendo, a digital government watch system used in Anglophone Kenya:

On en vient  au sujet de l’importance d’une plus grande transparence dans les  actions gouvernementales. Si les malgaches  ne l’exigent pas, cela ne se fera pas. Par exemple, il me semble important qu’une ligne  verte pour  le report de suspicions de fraude pour les prochaines échéances électorales (Quelles qu’elles puissent être) soit mise en place et soit gérée par une entité indépendante... Une plateforme numérique citoyenne de contrôle du parlement  comme Mzalendo au Kenya serait aussi un progrès considérable.  Exiger que le compte-rendu  bancaire de toute personne s’engageant dans le cabinet exécutif du pays soit accessible au public est une pratique acceptée dans de nombreux pays.

We come to the topic of the importance of increased transparency in governmental actions. If Malagasies do not demand it, it will not happen. For example, it seems important that a green line for the reporting of suspected fraud for the next election be put in place and managed by an independent entity ... A digital platform for parliament accountability like Mzalendo in Kenya would mean great progress. Demanding that the bank accounts of anyone employed by the country's executive cabinet be accessible to the public is an accepted practice in many countries.

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African bloggers ponder the Franco Gap

Carnets d'un étudiant Africain asks (FR) why francophone Africans are less dynamic than their anglophone neighbors. His answer: the difference between catholic and protestant work ethics as well as a tendency in French culture to shun those who succed via hard work.

Anglophone blogger Subsaharska echoes the protestant work ethic theme while reminding us that

when countries in Africa were nonchalantly carved between various European powers, they not only took on the common language of the Colonist, but also a great deal of their religious and cultural ideology.

He adds:

currently countries like Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, and yes, Nigeria are either up and coming or in general, doing quite well. Then on the other hand, countries such as all the Guineas, both Congos, CAR, Cote d'Ivoire, and others still have a ways to go in a great number of issues. There are exceptions to this gross generalization of course in that Senegal and Benin are doing rather well and Zimbabwe is not.

Konngol Afirik, another anglophone blogger adds important nuances to the debate:

• The excessive centralization of power and administration in the French way of doing things;

• "France has introduced in its colonies the system of direct rule while the British, out of pragmatism, preferred indirect rule. That system has erased all the traditional structures and hierarchies and thus facilitated the emergence of despotic and predatory power";

• "The umbilical cord between the former motherland and its colonies was not cut: generally, France exerts a too great political, economic and cultural influence which paralyzes her former colonies. The Heads of State of these formally independent countries are linked to France by defense agreements that keep French troops on their territories, they place willingly their stash in France, accumulating there villas and luxury coaches and so on and French companies control large sectors of the economy."

Français


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Des blogueurs Africains s'interrogent sur le Franco Gap

Carnets d'un étudiant Africain se demande pourquoi les africains francophones sont moins dynamiques que leurs voisins anglophones. En guise de réponse, il blâme en gros les différences entre le catholicisme et le protestantisme, ainsi qu'une certaine tendance dans la culture française à dévaloriser ceux qui travaillent dur pour réussir.

Subsaharska, un blogueur anglophone, reprend le thème de l'éthique protestante du travail (EN) en rappelant que

when countries in Africa were nonchalantly carved between various European powers, they not only took on the common language of the Colonist, but also a great deal of their religious and cultural ideology.

quand les pays d'Afrique furent nonchalamment partagés entre des puissances Européennes diverses, ils prirent non seulement la langue de leurs colons mais aussi une grande partie de leurs idéologies religieuses et culturelles.

Il remarque que le Ghana, le Kenya, la Tanzanie, l'Afrique du Sud et le Nigéria, tous anglophones, se portent plutôt bien tandis que les Guinées, les Congos, La République Centrafrique, la Côte d'Ivoire et autres pays francophones ont beaucoup à faire sur certains plans. (Il souligne cependant des exceptions à cette vue d'ensemble: le Sénégal et le Bénin qui se portent mieux que le Zimbabwe.)

Konngol Afirik, autre blogueur anglophone ajoute des précisions importantes: (EN)

• La centralization excessive du pouvoir et de l'administration dans le système Français;

• Les Francais ont gouverné directement, contrairement au style indirect des Anglais, effaçant toutes les structures et hierarchies traditionelles et facilitant l'émergence de despotes;

• La France a eu plus de mal a couper le cordon ombilical après la colonisation point de vue présence militaire et maintient des liens incestueux avec les nouveaux chefs d'Etat.

English

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