Billionaire Mo Ibrahim’s Quest To Build A Better Africa
Dr. Mohamed “Mo” Ibrahim (born 1946) is a Sudanese-British mobile communications entrepreneur and billionaire. He worked for several other telecommunications companies before founding Celtel, which when sold had over 24 million mobile phone subscribers in 14 African countries. After selling Celtel in 2005 for $3.4 billion, he set up the Mo Ibrahim Foundation to encourage better governance in Africa, as well as creating the Mo Ibrahim Index, to evaluate nations’ performance. Countries are graded on factors which fall into four main categories: Safety and rule of law, sustainable economic opportunity, human development, and participation and human rights. In 2007 he initiated the MoIbrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership, which awards a $5 million initial payment, and a $200,000 annual payment for life to African heads of state who deliver security, health, education and economic development to their constituents and democratically transfer power to their successors.
Courtesy of Mo Ibrahim Foundation
Mo Ibrahim delivered a rousing address on 12 March 2010 in the Great Hall at the University of Ghana-Legon, which was overflowing with students from universities all over the city. Also in attendance were members of the media, Ghanaian civil society and members of the One Campaign’s Africa trip delegation, including U2 lead singer Bono.
During the lecture, entitled Taking Responsibility: How to fix the mess that Africa is in, Dr Ibrahim called on African leaders to start taking responsibility for their country’s progress, and emphasised the importance of good governance in the continent’s development.
Excerpts from the speech are available. To listen, please follow the relevant link:
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Blokk Movement is an organization of thinkers who have come together in order to address the social and economic conditions of the African, not only in America, but globally. We promote health, discipline, study and spirituality. This is the Blokk.
