Mobile communications had been around for a long time, but always as a limited market, constrained by the radio spectrum.
— Mo Ibrahim
In a world of growing food demand, Africa is home to two-thirds of the world's unexploited arable land.
Africa is progressing but maybe not in the way you think it is. Even if the overall picture looks good, we must all remain vigilant and not get complacent.
Transfer pricing is causing huge problems in Africa.
Billions of dollars are thrown at African countries.
Challenging vested interests requires a government's full commitment.
For citizens to become fully engaged in holding their leadership to account, accurate information is required to see where action is needed, to measure the results of policies and programmes, to build support for courageous decisions and to consolidate political legitimacy.
Experience counts in government even more than in business.
The Security Council represents the situation from 1945 - you had the Allies who won the war who occupied that. The defeated guys - the Germans and Japan - were out. The occupied countries had no voice. That was fine in '45, but today, Germany rules Europe, frankly. They are driving Europe but have no voice.
There is a crisis of leadership and governance in Africa, and we must face it.
Every man, woman and child knows about Mugabe, but people say, 'Mogae, who is that?'
Africa's success stories are delivering the whole range of the public goods and services that citizens have a right to expect and are forging a path that we hope more will follow.
We need to keep pressure on our own governments to force more and more transparency.
The African Development Bank is one of the most aggressive advocates of regional integration.
I never set out really to build a financial empire or to be a wealthy man.
Africa was perceived - it still is to some extent - as a place which is very difficult to do business in. I don't share that view.
Botswana had three successive good presidents who served their legal terms, who did well for their countries - three, not one.
All we hear about Africa in the West is Darfur, Zimbabwe, Congo, Somalia, as if that is all there is.
Compared to developed countries, or even to some major emerging countries, burdened by aging populations, financial crises, widening budget deficits, faltering faith in politics and growing social demands, Africa has become the world's last 'New Frontier:' a kind of 'it-continent.'
The U.S. has been a great friend all these years, but as soon as Africa found itself starting to move up, the U.S. is really disengaging.
Make as much money as you can, but can you please pay your taxes, because this is a major problem.
Mobile phones play a really wonderful role in enabling civil society. As well as empowering people economically and socially, they are a wonderful political tool.
Mexico established a unique three-part governing system shared by the government, the information commission and civil society organisations.
It's time Africa started listening to our young people instead of always telling them what to do.
Young people, all too often, find their interests overlooked and their voices ignored.
The issue with international institutions is that there is a crisis of legitimacy. Trust in these institutions is a serious problem.
Positive market incentives operating in the public interest are too few and far between, and are also up against a seemingly never-ending expansion of perverse incentives and lobbying.
Africa is rich, and why are we poor then if our continent is rich. It is not right.
If economic progress is not translated into better quality of life and respect for citizens' rights, we will witness more Tahrir Squares in Africa.
The leakage of information means you're going to be able to read everybody's e-mail.
Young people are better educated. They grew up in a society which is well connected, well informed. They are able to communicate to one another, to know what is happening.
African leaders work really under severe limitations and constraints.
I think we need to look at ourselves first. We should practice what we're preaching. Otherwise, we are hypocrites.
Of course, Nelson Mandela, everybody knows Nelson Mandela. I mean, he's a great gift not only for Africa but for the whole world, actually. But do not expect everybody to be a Nelson Mandela.
While the Marshall Plan was important for Europe's recovery, Europe's prosperity was really built on economic integration and policy coherence.
Now is the time for Afro-realism: for sound policies based on honest data, aimed at delivering results.
Before any investor goes into any country, he is looking for the exit door.
It is very difficult for any dictator or any incumbent to falsify the results of an election and just get away with it.
Mobile phones could not work in Africa without prepaid because it's a cash society.
Remarkably, governments are beginning to embrace the idea that nothing enhances democracy more than giving voice and information to everybody in the country. Why not open their books if they have nothing to hide?
Electoral turnout is falling among the young, and political apathy is on the rise.
Look at the international bodies that came out of U.N. - international, publicly funded bodies that neither you or I know their names, because they are completely outdated and still publicly funded because there are no sunset clauses.
Africa offers the highest return on investment in the world.
Modern slavery is a hidden crime and notoriously difficult to measure.
Africa is underpopulated. We have 20% of the world's landmass and 13% of its population.
We measure everything - why not governance?
Nobody messes with China, nobody messes with the United States, or with Europe, because these are really big entities with a lot of clout and a lot of economic power. They have a place at the table.
The way forward for Africa is investment.
Africa has 53 countries. And you find that three or four countries in these 53 are dominating the news.
Cape Verde produces good people.
