PR TIMES AFRICA PRTimesAfrica (March 2016) | Page 4

EDITOR’S DESK
The global Public Relations scene has continued to evolve, with the lines
between traditional advertising, marketing and PR becoming ever more blurred.
In Africa there is a greater awareness about the crucial role that effective brand
communications plays in determining how an ever more informed consumer
relates with brands on a daily basis. In this edition we have quite a few articles
that touch on the role of decision makers in taking ownership of their brand
communications in today’s ever dynamic market place.
Africa has continued to astound itself, despite the biting effects of lower com-
modity prices, which many had feared would lead her down the slippery slope of
an economic meltdown. There are still challenges, but African economies con-
tinue to move forward, drawing up grand plans for even more expansion. The ar-
ticles in Africa Today highlight the strides being made by this beautiful continent
while pointing to the leaders a number of areas where we can focus to create
even more streams of income for the component nations of Africa. The issue of
out-of-school children is highlighted in one of our articles, bringing to the fore
this menace that threatens our future in a knowledge economy.
Diplomatic Corner is bigger and better with greater insights from diplomats both
from Africa and partner nations like Finland. It is our very strong belief at the very
highest levels of this project that Africa needs to further explore the massive op-
portunities that exist for trade within Africa and also trade with non-exploitative
partners.
This edition is packed with interesting and educative pieces that celebrate the
indomitable spirit of Africa. That indomitable spirit is personified by the everyday
African, represented by our Five Stars, who beat the odds on a daily basis and
keep surviving an environment that is supposedly disadvantaged to rise to the
very top of their chosen areas of endeavour. While a tip of the iceberg that is Af-
rica’s natural beauty is expressed in a piece on Tanzania’s tourist sites.
Please enjoy flipping through the pages and taking in insights into the evolving
Public Relations and brand communications arena as well as celebrating the
African dream in forward motion.
BASAH MOHAMMED
4 | PRTIMES AFRICA MARCH 2016