11 March 2008
Cape Town — Twenty-three Africans are among 245 executives, scientists, journalists, sports stars and other public figures named by the World Economic Forum as "Young Global Leaders" for 2008.
The forum announced in Geneva on Tuesday a list of Africans aged 40 or younger who, it said, had earned their places on the list "for their professional accomplishments, commitment to society and potential to contribute to shaping the future of the world."
They included President Joseph Kabila of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Lalla Salma, Queen of Morocco. Others came from Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan and Uganda.
Business leaders formed the biggest group. There were two journalists: Andrew Mwenda, political editor of The Monitor in Uganda, and Ferial Haffajee, editor-in-chief of the Mail & Guardian in South Africa.
The full list of Africans is:
Cameroon
Achankeng Leke
Partner, McKinsey & Company
Democratic Republic of Congo
Joseph Kabila
President of the DRC
Kenya
Mugo Kibati
Group Chief Executive Officer, East African Cables Ltd
James Shikwati
Founder and President, Inter-Region Economic Network
Morocco
Merieme Chadid
Explorer/Astronomer, Concordia Research Station, Antartica
Lalla Salma
Queen of Morocco
Nigeria
Kola Karim
Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Shoreline Energy International
Senegal
Karim Wade
Special Advisor to the President of Senegal
South Africa
Yolanda Cuba
Chief Executive Officer, Mvelaphanda Holdings
Kuseni Dlamini
Executive Chairman, Richards Bay Coal Terminal
Natalie Du Toit
Athlete and Ability Rights Activist
Theodore Ernest 'Ernie' Els
Founder, The Ernie Els and Fancourt Foundation
Ferial Haffajee
Editor-in-chief, Mail & Guardian
Michael Jordaan
Chief Executive, First National Bank, FirstRand Ltd
Lisa Kropman
Founder, Investec Ltd
Tumi Makgabo
Head of Communications, 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee
David Munro
Deputy Chief Executive, Corporate and Investment Banking, Standard Bank Group Ltd
Sunette Pienaar
Executive Chairperson, Heartbeat Centre for Community Development
Allon Raiz
Founder, Raizcorp
Mark Williams
Chief Executive Officer, Teba Bank
Paul van Zyl
Executive Vice-President, International Centre for Transitional Justice
Sudan
John Bul Dau
Founder, John Dau Sudan Foundation
Uganda
Andrew Mwenda
Former Political Editor, The Monitor Publications
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Last time I checked, there were 53 countries in Africa...not 8! Fully agree with previous post, that it’s almost strange that not one PALOP country has a representative. I'd like to know the criteria behind the selection, and why so many countries were left out thanks to RSA's landslide representation, which I do not dispute - but I definitely think is excessive, and at the cost of other nations striving to make a difference...
As usual there's always bias towards the economic powers of Africa like South Africa. It'd be obvious that South Africans would dominate because they get all the press and all the symphathy. This is not a true reflection of the talent that resides in Africa. I dont take it seriously.
I fully agree, the list is too South African and I don't understand why they say it's for sport,science and various categories whereas it is mostly business executives who're featured,plus Ernie Els is featured not as a sportsman but an executive...how come Liberia's George Weah is not listed? This list raises many questions.
The absence of representation from Zimbabwe where young business people, sports persons, human rights activists and particularly journalists are winning the day against the pinnacle of adversity is a clear oversight
Could't find one young leader of note in Lusophone Africa? Vergonha! Try harder.