Africa is rising

In 2009, Oxford and Harvard graduate and New York Times bestseller Dr. Dambisa Moyo was named by Time Magazine as one of the "100 Most Influential People in the World."In 2010, the Republic of South Africa was the very first African country to host the FIFA World Cup.

In 2011, Miss Angola Leila Lopes became the 2011 Miss Universein Brazil. She is the second African beauty queen to be crowned Miss Universe since Miss Botwana Mpule Kwelagobe in 1999.This year, Malawian politician Joyce Banda became the second female African President and Malawi's first female president.

Every year, good news emerges from the African continent. As a journalist student from Cameroon, I am disappointed by the poor international media coverage my continent receives.

Where are all the journalists who rushed to write and to photograph poverty, dead bodies and disasters during African civil wars? Why do the international media give so little attention to the rising of Africa?

While I am still trying to figure out answersto my questions; the few facts I cited above prove that positive changes are happening at this end of the world. Even though these events may be insignificant to the rest of the world, they are big deals for any proud African.

Dr.Dambisa Moyo, an internationaal economist from Zambia, writes on the macro-economy and global affairs in an African perspective. The world is listening to her as she brings a fresh and a new angle on the table- an angle is often muted on the international scene.

Having the19th FIFA World Cuporganized on the African soil was a source of pride and joy for millions of Africans. Until the last minute, septic questioned the ability of South Africa to meet the challenges. The 2010 FIFA World Cup was a success. The following year, Angola beauty queen Leila Lopeswas selected as the most beautiful woman of the world. Millions of African women (and probably African descents) around the world were surely flattered by her achievement. And the list goes on. Forbes listed newly elected Malawian President Joyce Banda and Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf on its world's 100 most powerful women.They are respectively ranked 71 and 82. This implies that their influence goes well above their country and their continent's borders. As Ian Birrell fromThe Guardianstated in a recent article, our [international] image of Africa is hopelessly obsolete.The numerous positive changes that had occurred on the continent are completely ignored by the west. He added that “the continent is on the edge of economic takeoff similar to those seen so dramatically in China and India.”

While I hope to read more similar articles on my continent, my current goals are to raise awareness about the current positive changes on my continent but also to encourage everyone to get curious about them.

Africa isrising. World, are you watching?