尼日利亞第一銀行首席執行官雅各布·阿耶基貝說，傳統銀行在非洲的分支網絡非常有限，而且大多分布在城市，難以滿足鄉村人口的需求。 肯尼亞股份銀行首席執行官詹姆斯·姆旺吉說，傳統銀行主要與公司打交道，而微型金融機構主要服務個人，兩者業務重合的部分非常小，因此並不衝突。 與會代表還指出，非洲國家需要加快制定微型金融機構相關政策，為微型金融機構的發展創造條件。
We must pay attention to see if there is one aspect of this very large injustice which catches us: is it the economic participation in entities that support the Sudanese genocide? Socially responsible investing in general? The location of the Olympics in China in the first place? If you are concerned about socially responsible investing, I would suggest visiting Amy Domini’s website – she received an honorary doctorate from Berkeley Divinity School last year, and is a powerful force for good in the investment world. If you would prefer to target investment that supports genocide in Sudan, I recommend visiting this Sudan divestment page, which gives a map of the United States and various divestment efforts happening in them. Finally, if you are opposed to the location of the Olympics in China in the first place, I encourage you to start up discussions with friends, to raise the question from your pulpits, to write about it on your blogs. I hope to preach about an aspect of this issue during my work as a camp chaplain this summer, and I also plan to raise the question of human rights in every conversation I have about the Olympics (and there will be many, since my love of the Olympic games has not waned since childhood).
達爾富爾問題猶如一把利劍﹐隨著抗議達爾富爾問題的運動員影響力逐漸擴大﹐中國政府、奧運讚助商﹐還有運動員都面臨嚴峻的挑戰。 這對讚助商的利益而言事關重大。北京奧運會開幕式預計將是全世界首次有超過10億人觀看現場直播的體壇盛事。某些公司為了取得這屆奧運會讚助商的身份﹐不惜投入8,000萬美元的重金。隨著中國這個快速增長的消費市場在跨國公司全球戰略中的地位越來越高﹐再加上此乃中國舉辦的第一屆奧運會﹐因此跨國公司都想借此機會在中國樹立形像。 據CSM媒介研究(CSM Media Research)的數據﹐自2006年4月份以來﹐官方奧運讚助商在中國的廣告投入累計已超過41億美元。然而達爾富爾的負面新聞會威脅到讚助商們的精心策劃。
美國著名導演斯皮爾伯格表示，他將辭去北京奧運會藝術顧問職務。他指責中國沒有做出足夠努力，結束蘇丹達爾富爾暴力。 斯皮爾伯格在一項聲明中說："我已經決定正式宣佈停止參與北京奧運會開幕式和閉幕式的藝術顧問工作。" 他表示："蘇丹政府對於正在發生的暴力負有大部分責任，但是國際社會，特別是中國應該做出更多努力，結束達爾富爾地區的人間苦難。"
this year, you can fork out for Valentine's Day and help the developing world, so that even if you're all alone on the sofa watching a Richard Curtis movie tomorrow night, you'll feel confident that you're making somebody, somewhere very, very happy. (RED), the charitable brand coalition spearheaded by Bono to combat Aids in Africa, has raised $58m (about £30m) since it was launched in 2006. Now, it has produced an array of limited-edition Love (RED) products for Valentine's Day, including an Armani bracelet designed by Julia Roberts, a manicure at Cowshed in Soho, central London, or chocolates from Montezuma's.
2007年12月25日12:46 在 電力緊缺的非洲大陸﹐20歲的威廉•坎關巴(William Kamkwamba)有一個夢想：利用風力造福自己的祖國馬拉維。 迄今為止﹐他已經利用藍桉木樹和自行車零部件在自家的院子裡建起了三架風力發電風車。其中最高的一架高39英尺﹐聳立在這個經常刮風的村莊中。隨著風車嚓嚓地轉動﹐電力源源不斷地輸向了坎關巴家裡僅有的幾件電器上──10個6瓦燈泡、一台電視機和一台收音機。這架風車甚至還吸引來了附近村莊的訪客。 坎關巴自學成材﹐自從在一本舊教科書上看到一張風力發電風車的圖片後﹐他便自己開始動手鑽研。眼下﹐他正為一架風車的設計圖紙忙碌著﹐這架風車輸出的能量足以完成從井裡汲水以及為馬斯塔拉村(Masitala)提供照明的任務。馬斯塔拉村共居住著大約60戶人家。 坎關巴的下一個願望是為馬拉維各地的其他村莊修建更多的風車。看好坎關巴前途的投資者們已經將他送入學校深造。 坎關巴這樣解釋他如何想到了風力發電。“我當時在思考關於電力的問題﹐在思考我希望家裡有些什麼東西﹐在思考‘我能做些什麼呢？’” 為了滿足自家日益增多的電力需求﹐坎關巴新近安裝了一台從商店裡買來的嶄新的風力發電風車﹐位置就在院子裡那台最高大的風車旁邊﹐他還安裝了太陽能板。坎關巴手中還有另外一台尚未打開包裝的風車﹐他將把這台機器安裝在70英里以外他在馬拉維首都利隆圭(Lilongwe)的住處。坎關巴現在正在利隆圭求學。 幾年前﹐坎關巴為馬斯塔拉村的小學建造了一架風力發電風車﹐並用這台設備開設了一門有關風車建造的課外課程。最近﹐坎關巴主動提出幫助村里一個維修工建造一颱風力發電風車。 發展經濟學家對“能源貧困”這個課題抱有極大的興趣。所謂“能源貧困”是指世界貧窮地區現代燃料和電力供應不足的情況。坎關巴家的風車將這裡變成了好事者的駐足地：那些穿越馬拉維貧瘠平原的人們不時到訪此地。坎關巴家的幾間磚房居高臨下地建在村旁的一座小山上﹐如今村民們經常爬上土坡給自己的手機充電。 吸引這些人紛至沓來的就是用藍按木樹枝捆扎而成的一個塔樓。從遠處看﹐它很像是一座破舊的石油鑽機井架。坎關巴利用壓平的塑料管做出了扇葉片。而渦輪則來自自行車零部件。風刮起來時﹐扇葉片飛速轉動﹐以至於整個塔樓都在劇烈地前後擺動。 坎關巴對風力的迷戀始於六年前。因為家裡負擔不起每年80美元的學費﹐他輟學了。 坎關巴幫助家裡耕種花生和大豆﹐在農閑的時候﹐他就會捧起書本。他無意中在一本捐贈給當地圖書館的教科書上看到了風力發電風車的圖片﹐於是開始自己建造風車。在父母和馬斯塔拉村的其他村民看來﹐這似乎是在浪費時間。 他的媽媽艾格尼絲•坎關巴(Agnes Kamkwamba)說﹐“我們起先嘲笑他﹐我們覺得他做的這件事毫無用處。” 當他將自己的風車和一根細銅線﹐一塊汽車蓄電池﹐以及家裡主要居室每個房間的燈泡連接起來的時候﹐嘲笑聲也戛然而止。 坎關巴的家人很快開始享受現代生活的種種樂趣：一台收音機﹐還有最近添置的電視機。他們不必再用煤油燈了。坎關巴的六個姊妹中有兩個為了學業常常要熬到深夜。 坎關巴的媽媽說﹐“我們的生活現在更快樂了。” 欣賞他的人也接踵而至。去年11月份﹐馬拉維教育家哈特福德•麥卡齊默(Hartford Mchazime)聽說了風車的事情﹐於是和一些記者開車來到坎關巴的家。這則消息在博客圈發佈以後﹐一些在非洲尋找新想法的企業家鎖定了坎關巴。這個名為TED（TED代表的是Technology Entertainment Design）的組織經常邀請前美國副總統戈爾(Al Gore)和U2樂隊主唱波諾(Bono)這樣的人物與會。今年早些時候該組織請坎關巴參加了一次頭腦風暴會議。 6月份﹐坎關巴在坦桑尼亞的一次TED會議上登台講話。他在歡呼聲中用結結巴巴的英語說道﹐“我得到了有關風車的信息﹐我努力嘗試並最終獲得了成功。”會議之後﹐一個企業家團體以及非洲博客寫手和風險資本家們允諾負擔坎關巴的教育費用﹐他們中的一些人在坎關巴講話時眼中含著淚光。 坎關巴的資助者還向他提供了許多新的科技產品﹐包括一部帶有嘻哈音樂鈴聲的手機、筆記本電腦和一個iPod音樂播放器。（美國女歌手凱莉•克萊森(Kelly Clarkson)的Breakaway是他現在最喜歡的歌曲。）這些資助者還將他家的電線線路重新佈置﹐將坎關巴自製的開關裝置換成了觸發器零件。 廣告 他們出資讓坎關巴進入首都利隆圭的一所收費不菲的國際學校就讀。這所學校的學生多是外國使節和援助人員的子女。不過﹐對坎關巴的一根筋以及人們對他的關注﹐坎關巴的老師洛萊麗•麥克蓮(Lorilee MacLean)有些擔心。 麥克蓮最近表示﹐“我不希望人們將他看作是‘風車製造者’。”坎關巴靜靜地做著家庭作業的時候﹐他的同學們卻在忙著聊天或者是查看Facebook檔案。 坎關巴教會了家人在他離家上學時如何修理風車。他的姊妹多麗絲(Dolice)和堂兄弟傑弗里(Geoffrey)可以飛快地爬上在風中搖擺不定的塔頂進行維修。 經常會有好事者來到坎關巴的家──而且大多數情況下都是悄然而至。對於這個內斂的家庭來說﹐這些訪客令他們不安。 一天下午﹐兩個馬拉維的醫療工作者來到這裡﹐並見到了坎關巴。坎關巴的家人迅速走開﹐只留下特意為此行穿著襯衫、打著領帶的兩人尷尬地站在院子裡。 其中一個人終於開口了﹐“我們聽說了風車﹐希望能親眼看看。”坎關巴走過來和他們握手﹐很快又走開去招呼另一個訪客。 嫉妒在這一地區是社會的禁忌﹐不過在溫貝(Wimbe)工作的教育家弗雷德•姆瓦勒(Fred Mwale)說﹐坎關巴一家的好運氣引發了一些壓力。馬斯塔拉村地處溫貝管轄範圍內。 他說﹐“人們確實希望自己也能碰上這樣的好事。他們來到這裡欣賞一番。他們認為﹐如果他們也能造一架風車﹐那麼也能得到一樣的資助。” 在山下﹐村里的維修工在秘密研究過坎關巴的風力發電風車後﹐開始建造自己的風車。一陣大風吹掉了風車的扇葉片﹐他最初的幾次努力也隨之化為泡影。坎關巴提出幫助他重建﹐不過並沒有得到回應。 坎關巴說﹐“我在等著看他是不是認真的。”
Ethiopia's fine coffee sector is aiming to reach out to the many players who promote its distinctive specialty coffees around the world. To do this, Ethiopia is creating a new international network of licensed distributors of its fine coffees. It has signed up 35 companies in USA, Japan, UK, Holland, Canada and South Africa to date.
The representative of the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Mr Sha Zukang, Under-Secretary-General of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, said that innovative ways were needed to extend the reach of ICT to the most remote corners of the continent. "I am confident that with the entrepreneurial spirit of the African private sector working with their international partners, the support of the international community and the commitment from governments, universal connectivity in Africa is no longer a utopian dream." "This is not a technology problem — the technology is waiting to be deployed," said Mr Craig Barrett, who serves both as Chairman of Intel Corporation and the United Nations’ Global Alliance for Information and Communication Technologies and Development. "We now need the government priorities, decisions, and policies to drive the implementation of a pan-African infrastructure."
創業一定是為了賺錢，但是我們在這些開發中國家看見賺錢之外，創業其實是找出社會上的需求，然後去解決它，而不只是看市場上什麼好賣，而隨波逐流。例如肯亞的Adopt-a-light公司，看到貧民窟裡因缺乏公共照明而引發許多暴力、意外傷害，於是想出引介企業到貧民窟架廣告燈箱的計畫。燈箱在台灣或許不算什麼，但是在擁擠、漆黑的貧民窟裡，卻是最好的路燈。貧民窟裡的勞工階級人數眾多，對企業來講也是潛在的消費者，使得這項計畫得以順利推動。幾年下來，這樣的計畫讓各地的貧民窟夜晚不再黑暗，無形中避免了許多遺憾。
Calvert views the situation in Darfur as the most urgent human rights and humanitarian crisis in the world. As part of our commitment to work to end the genocide and suffering in Darfur, Calvert supports a targeted divestment approach as a timely and essential complement to the diplomatic pressures being brought to bear on Sudan. We believe that a targeted divestment campaign can be successful, as it focuses sharply on those companies whose presence in Sudan directly contributes revenues and capabilities that help the Khartoum regime fund the atrocities in Darfur.
Luxurious lingerie sold in Victoria’s Secret stores in US malls may seem an unlikely source of hope for women tilling the soil in Burkina Faso. But a pledge by the brand’s owners to help the west African country boost its small but growing organic cotton harvest has already been greeted as cause for celebration.
The African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF) will bestow its annual Global Corporate Philanthropy Award on the research-driven pharmaceutical company Merck & Co., Inc., here tonight during its 50th anniversary gala. Also honored will be AMREF founder Dr. Thomas D. Rees for his life-time humanitarian achievements. "For Merck, philanthropy is at the core part of its business strategy," said Professor Miriam Were, Chairperson of the International AMREF Board of Directors and former UNFPA/CSTAA Director in Ethiopia. "Merck is at the forefront of efforts to improve access to medicines for the poorest people in the developing world, from the Merck MECTIZAN Donation Program, to its involvement in the fight against HIV/AIDS. We hope Merck's record of exemplary corporate citizenship will encourage other corporations to act likewise in helping to address the health and survival of women, men and children throughout Africa."
全球化浪潮下，許多國家均面臨兼顧環保與經濟成長的難題，以下兩篇文章，「酸甜滋味」與「以法國為師」，將分別敘述迦納及中國面臨的情況。 中國打算興建一座產能達400百萬瓦特的水力發電廠水壩，迦納則承諾供應中國可可原料，Carbon Copy部落格的Rory Williams指出，此經濟合作將造成大規模森林濫伐，直批經濟合作背後的負面效應。
Executive director Kafanchan based Fantsuam Foundation, Dr John Dada, has said that in order to survive the high cost of having access to bandwidth, his organisation has embraced shared access formula.
（中央社記者周盈成日內瓦二十八日專電）蘇丹在北部的尼羅河谷兩地區興建水力發電站，迫遷居民，嚴重侵害人權，聯合國適足居住權特別報告員柯塔瑞緊急呼籲蘇丹政府，在完整和獨立的人權調查完成之前暫停施工。 在聯合國今天公布的聲明中，柯塔瑞引述報導說，在過去幾週，美羅威水壩壩區內上升的水位已摧毀數十戶住宅，並繼續威脅更多房舍，令居民不得不離開他們的家園。居民不僅在水位上升前未獲警告，家園淹沒後也得不到政府的任何協助。 柯瑞塔說，美羅威和卡吉巴兩地受工程影響的居民人數達六萬，當居民起而抗議，蘇丹政府以暴力回應，任意逮捕甚至射擊抗議人士，並鎮壓有意報導此事件的新聞媒體和記者。 這些爭議工程涉及多國利益，柯瑞塔特別點名要求投資於美羅威和水壩工程的國家，「尤其是中國、沙烏地阿拉伯、科威特、（阿拉伯聯合大公國的）阿布達比、阿曼及阿拉伯國家聯盟」，確保這些計畫的實施不會侵害人權，包括適足居住權。 他還要求承包施工的中國哈爾濱電站工程公司、德國雷米爾工程顧問公司及法國阿爾斯東電機集團暫停施工，並呼籲這些國家的政府確保國籍公司的作為不涉直接或間接的人權侵害。 柯塔瑞呼籲蘇丹政府採行一切必要措施保障受影響地區內居民的安全和適足居住權，並盡速讓聯合國的人權調查人員前往當地，對強迫遷移所造成的影響進行獨立的評估。 兩年前也曾對台灣的樂生療養院事件發表關切的柯塔瑞在聲明中強調，根據國際的人權規約，這些工程的計畫和施行，無論如何都不該排除受影響居民的參與，也不能以他們的人權為代價。他要求蘇丹政府完整遵守國際人權標準，把工程對當地居民人權的影響減到最低。
Lighting Africa officially launches on 4 September, when organisers will unveil a competition for the design and delivery of low-cost, green lighting products for low-income consumers in sub-Saharan Africa. More than 350 companies have already expressed an interest - from Africa-based small businesses to multinationals like Philips.
Because Chinese companies do not have the social pressure to operate according social and environmental standards that were being demanded of western based companies, (think Talisman in Sudan – shareholders demanded their withdrawl and in comes a SINOPEC, a Chinese company. Is the situation better off?) there was a fear that the emergence of China was going to create a bit of a race to the bottom effectve where companies, in order to be competitive with the chinese, were going to not have a choice but to forgoe any investment in social and environmental iniviatives.
「我們聽說國家有石油，但是我們看不到希望。」助產士Maratangou說。 Bongor的官員表示，中國投資在這裡的錢可以修整學校和醫院，提供新工作機會和修建新的道路。根據Chad法律，當地石油收入的5%要用於社會建設。 「我們有很高的期望，」Bongor地區政府常務秘書長 Khalifa Malloum說，「如果西方國家不願投資我們，就讓中國人來，我們歡迎。他們並沒有要我們做什麼，就能帶來發展機會，他們是好夥伴。」 但是Bongor的社區組織人士Limassou Saleh對此深表懷疑，他說，「Chad或許是世界上最腐敗的國家，我們擁有長期違反人權的歷史記錄，資源探勘也缺乏透明度。但中國同樣有腐敗問題，他們也違反人權法規，透明度也很差。這樣的國家能帶給我們什麼呢？」
Shared Interest, a leading New York-based social investment fund, has received a $1 million investment from The United Methodist General Board of Pension and Health Benefits to support small and micro-enterprise development in South Africa’s most impoverished communities, signifying the pension fund’s commitment to invest in economically marginalized communities like those served by their African clergy.
中石油集團擴大在蘇丹的石油業務，可能招致持有中國石油股票的美國投資者再度對其施壓。07年5月份，富達投資(Fidelity Investments)在一份提交給監管機構的檔案中表示，已將減持九成以上的中國石油股票。儘管富達投資沒有公開表示減持是否與蘇丹問題有關，但從減持的時間看，恰逢它大舉從蘇丹關聯公司撤資之時。 06年5月，加州公務員退休基金(California Public Employees' Retirement System, Calpers)將中國石油與其他8家與蘇丹有牽連的公司一道列入它停止投資的黑名單。其他州的基金和包括哈佛大學(Harvard)在內的大學捐贈基金也拋售了中國石油的股票。
Some big investors are responding. Kansas, taking cues from California, this month passed a law prohibiting the state's largest pension fund from investing in companies that operate in Sudan. And the University of Illinois in recent weeks joined dozens of other U.S. universities in vowing to sell investments in companies that do business there. "I think the groups are trying to shed some light on the connection between outrageous behavior in some part of the world, like genocide, and the money connection to the average investor through their company-sponsored retirement plan or their pension plan. They're trying to make a connection between two seemingly different worlds," said Jeff Tjornehoj, an analyst at Lipper Inc., which tracks funds.
卡諾州指控輝瑞藥廠「以人道援助之名為掩飾，祕密地利用兒童當作天竺鼠進行藥物實驗」。初步公聽會訂在6月4日進行。
The use of divestment as a tool to fight the genocide in Darfur can come in large projects, like Senator Collins' bill divesting the whole state's pensions, or it can come in small projects, like divesting one's own assets from Sudan. Here is your opportunity to find out how you can make decisions about your investing that align with your commitment to human rights, in Sudan and around the globe. James Brewer, a licensed financial advisor, will educate attendees on using socially responsible investing to align their values with their financial planning. James will discuss the process of adding value screens such as the environment, human rights, etc. into picking investments.
衣索比亞是咖啡的故鄉，然而國際咖啡交易對於衣索比亞的咖啡農來說卻並不公平。因為生產相對分散和貿易剪刀差的存在，衣索比亞的咖啡農往往得不到相應的回報，大量的利潤被國際咖啡零售巨頭星巴克等拿走。從去年開始，衣索比亞政府開始向美國專利商標局提出，希望能夠將產自其境內錫達莫、哈勒爾和耶加雪啡等三個地方的咖啡豆以產地命名並注冊商標，此舉卻遭到了星巴克等咖啡零售巨頭的阻撓
Starbucks has reached a deal with the Ethiopian government to recognise the importance of Ethiopia's speciality coffee beans in its marketing.
Africa - Which areas of innovation hold the best promise for enabling economic development? This first-ever public ThinkPlace Challenge is a three-week online event designed to foster global collaboration on innovations that can fuel economic growth and improve the standard of living on the African continent.
「搶救達佛聯盟」今天加緊反蘇丹政府運動，他們向兩家美國企業施壓，要求出售投資蘇丹石油產業開發的中國石油天然氣股份有限公司股權。 聯盟執行長魯班斯坦與記者舉行電話會議時表示，柏克夏海瑟威與富達投資公司投資中國石油天然氣股份有限公司，正「支持達佛的種族屠殺」。
為了反對蘇丹政府不人道的做法，有團體發起「自 蘇丹撤資」(THE SUDAN DIVESTMENT MOVEMENT) 運動， 訴求的主要目標，就是透過資金撤出蘇丹，逼使蘇丹政 府拿出辦法解決問題。說服了釵h像哈佛、耶魯、史丹 佛等大學，以及加州、伊利諾、愛荷華等地方政府，售 出在蘇丹的資產。
拿蘇丹來說，我看到前一陣子就是有一個外國的記者採訪中國的一位石油官員，就說你們向蘇丹出口那麼多石油，你們沒有考慮到那裡在進行種族大屠殺，你們怎麼能夠不顧這種道義不顧良心，然後向那邊進口石油。 中國這位石油官員怎麼說，他說：「我們不管，哪裡有油我們往哪裏去，這些種族屠殺跟我們沒有關係。」所以他是出於一種非常冷酷的，只要有油什麼地方什麼事情我們都能幹，這麼一種心態去的，實際上在伊朗方面也顯示出同樣問題，我覺得是一個非常不道德的做法。
When the stockholders of Berkshire Hathaway meet in Omaha, Nebraska, on Saturday 5 May 2007, they will hear from those urging a socially responsible investment policy toward corporations doing business in Sudan. The Rev Dr Bob Edgar, general secretary of the National Council of Churches USA (NCCUSA), will be among those speakers. "The NCCUSA was very active urging divestment in South Africa during apartheid," says Dr Edgar. "It's time for large investors to do the right thing and stop subsidizing the genocide in Darfur."
