Africa Rising: Discussing the changing face of Africa at Electric Picnic
The Africa Rising panel at Electric Picnic discussed the often untold story of Africa's growth and potential.
Did you know that six out of the world’s 10 fastest growing economies are in Africa? Or that Nigeria’s Nollywood produces more movies than America’s Hollywood?
Africa is an enormous and incredibly diverse continent, yet perceptions of it in Europe and elsewhere are often too tied to a simplistic narrative of conflict and hunger.
While huge challenges face many countries and regions in Africa, there is also another story to be told – one of rapid economic growth and incredible innovation and creativity.
Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs teamed-up with the Electric Picnic this year to host ‘Africa Rising’, a panel discussion about the often untold story of Africa’s progress and potential.
BBC journalist Fergal Keane hosted the discussion, which also saw contributions from Leon Diop (Black and Irish), Claudia Hoareau (Tik Tok), Mabet Van Rensburg (Embassy South Africa) and Taika Fantaya (Ireland Fellow).
“People's understanding of Africa in Ireland is improving but you're fighting a huge backlog of perceptions which are based on a media portrayal of Africa that's always been about famine, about genocide, about Civil War,” said Fergal Keane. “There's a whole other African experience that I've been lucky to encounter and to report on and all of these things are vital to our understanding of a continent which I'm convinced is going to be hugely important.”
Taika, from Ethiopia, spoke about the need to change our perceptions of the continent.
“A lot of people see Africa as the continent extending hands for aid and a lost cause,” she said. “It’s no longer a cause, it is a potential to be a trading partner to the world and to actually contribute to building sustainable development and peace and security.”
Building links and partnerships across Africa is one of Ireland’s key foreign policy objectives. Read our Africa Strategy to find out more.