APP in the media

18 May 2013 This article originally appeared in The Economist. The business climate in Congo “is disgusting”, says an adviser to the government in Kinshasa. Any casual visitor has probably noticed. Traffic police stop cars for no reason, force their way in and refuse to leave until paid off. Tax agents arrive at company offices with seven- and eight-figure demands that—of course—can be negotiated down. Read more ...

16 May 2013 This article originally appeared in Voice of America. GOMA, DRC — The Africa Progress Panel, a research organization chaired by former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, says most Africans are not getting a fair deal out of their countries’ natural resources.  In its annual report, the panel highlights several mining deals in the Democratic Republic of Congo as examples of how, it said, natural resource wealth has...

16 May 2013 This artical originally appeared in The Economist's Baobab blog. LONG before Baobab became a lowly journalist he scraped a living as a lowly academic. “If you’re so clever why aren’t you rich?” was a favourite tease of his less bookish but better-paid peers. The Africa Progress Report, prepared by an expert panel led by Kofi Annan (pictured), a former UN secretary-general, was unveiled last week at the World...

11 May 2013 This article originally featured in Deutsche Welle. A new report by the Africa Progress Panel calls for greater transparency in business dealings with the continent. The report presented by former UN chief Kofi Annan focused on Africa’s extractive industries. The World Economic Forum Africa came to a close in Cape Town on Friday (10.05.2013) with delegates agreeing on the need to reduce bureaucracy and for a greater focus on implementation....

11 May 2013 This article originally appeared in BBC. Tax avoidance, secret mining deals and financial transfers are depriving Africa of the benefits of its resources boom, ex-UN chief Kofi Annan has said.  Firms that shift profits to lower tax jurisdictions cost Africa $38bn (£25bn) a year, says a report produced by a panel he heads.  "Africa loses twice as much money through these loopholes as it gets from donors," Mr Annan told...

11 May 2013 This video originally appeared in the BBC. Over 1,000 business and political leaders have gathered in Cape Town for the World Economic Forum on Africa.They are being warned that the continent is in danger of wasting the opportunity offered by its natural resources.Kofi Annan is the former UN Secretary General who now chairs the Africa Progress Panel.Speaking to the BBC's Lerato Mbele in Cape Town, he said that African people are "not getting...