The Africa News Update is a free newsletter published by The Norwegian Council for Africa (NCA) twice a week. The newsletter offers news, background and feature articles from African media. It is part of the NCA’s effort to promote African sources of information.
The Norwegian Council for Africa seeks to challenge conditions in Africa and globally which hinder the just and fair development in and for Africa. The dissemination of information, in particular from African media, African research and African civil society, is seen as an important part of this endeavour.
Whilst political situations in other parts of the world are analyzed politically, occurrences or situations in Africa are often reduced to either tragedies or “feel good” news reports – without placing the situation in a larger political context. Reports about Africa are commonplace, but it is difficult to find insightful and in-depth information about Africa. Stereotyping and social marginalisation generates a mistrust in the continent, both economically and politically. A presentation of articles from African media can, hopefully, serve as a balancing element in this context.
The newsletter is edited by The Norwegian Council for Africa, and some of the articles may be shortened.