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The African Publishers Network (APNET) is a pan-African and non-profit network that exists to connect African publishing associations in order to exchange information and promote indigenous publishing.
Prior to the foundation of APNET in 1992, [1] publishers in Africa had difficulty sharing information and learning from one another’s experiences. There was no publicly-accessible database containing the addresses of libraries, bookshops or fellow publishers, and there was no networking structure connecting the agencies. [2]
After several conferences and seminars focused on solving problems within the African book trade, it was considered necessary to set up an umbrella body which would be a network of publishers in Africa. [3] In 1992, delegates from nine countries founded the African Publishers Network at a conference in Harare, Zimbabwe. Headquarters were located in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, with a research and documentation centre in Harare. However, due to the political situation in Côte d'Ivoire, APNET's headquarters was moved to Accra, Ghana.
APNET has evolved to become a diverse network representing most regions across Africa. It lists 41 national publishers associations as members. [4] The governance of APNET consists of four key parts which are interdependent: the General Council represents the totality of African members and meets once a year; the board is representative of Anglophone, Francophone, and Lusophone Africa and is the executive arm of the council; the Secretariat, which consists of Executive Secretary and Administrative Officer, manages the daily concerns of APNET and aims to ensure it runs smoothly. The Secretariat also conducts unctions such as organizing training workshops, conferences and fundraising; the project committees oversee pertinent activities such as fulfilling research opportunities.
In addition, membership to APNET consists of four levels: full membership (granted to national publishing associations); founding membership (among the publishers from the nine countries that started APNET); affiliate membership (for those interested in the work of APNET – booksellers, editors, printers, designers, etc.); and associate membership for those with “an outstanding record of service to African publishing”.
APNET can claim many concrete achievements since its formation; in general, as an evaluation of APNET states: “The formation and revitalization of many national publishers associations are a direct result of APNET’s networking activities, most consistently through person-to-person contact and the publication of the African Publishing Review”. [5] The African Publishing Review(APR) is a bi-monthly newsletter sent out to publishers’ associations, book development councils, libraries, etc., and other subscribers. For publishers in Africa, the APR is free of charge; however, other subscribers must pay a small fee. The African Publishing Review is the only pan-African publishing journal published in Africa with news, analysis, and in-depth perspectives of African Publishing. A survey was conducted and it showed that the APR is the “second most important source of information” [5] to publishers after the national publishers associations. A survey by SIDA showed that the APR is the most frequently used form of APNET service. APNET has produced six other publications, including The Story of APNET, The Development Directory of Indigenous Publishing, African “Rights” Indaba, APNET Children’s Books Catalogue, the Catalogue of Agricultural Books Published in Africa, and Towards an African Publishing Institute.
The African universities lack programmes and classes for creating professional publishers: university training in this field is available only in Kenya, Uganda and South Africa, and these courses fall short of what is required. Based on the curriculum that was developed for the institute, APNET has conducted over 30 workshops in 18 countries.
Other publications of APNET include a development directory which contains 70 entries on key African book-development organizational and professional bodies; essays and reports on publishing in Africa; a resource centre which is a source of published and unpublished research on publishing in Africa.
APNET was jointly responsible with the Kenya Publishers Association for organizing the 2023 Nairobi International Book Fair, at which a significant publishing rights initiative was launched. Publishing professionals from Kenya, Ghana, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda conferred with counterparts from Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany, India, Italy, the Netherlands, the UK and the USA at the fair's Right Café on such topics as trading and translation rights. [6]
APNET advocates for the African publishing industry through attending book fairs, both in Africa and internationally. APNET goes beyond attending and providing materials for the book fair; it enables other African exhibitors to attend through financial support. In addition, when a book fair is being organized in Africa, APNET offers its support by arranging its major meetings to occur during the dates of the event so that all will be in the area to attend.
Dialogue with the World Bank has proved to be a success for APNET. As the World Bank has reached a better understanding of APNET and dialogue has continued between the two, “APNET has been in a position to send out World Bank monthly operational summaries to the National Publishers Associations, which provides information and possible opportunities for publishers” [5]
A trade and promotion programme is conducted through APNET, which allocates catalogues of African books and sources and disseminates orders to publishers.
UNESCO provided support for the KAWI project (also SAP KAWI project) to produce and illustrate popular science books for children in national and minority languages in Africa. [7] African authors and illustrators were used to create the content which was translated into various languages. [8]
The Frankfurt Book Fair is the world's largest trade fair for books, based on the number of publishing companies represented. The five-day annual event in mid-October is held at the Frankfurt Trade Fair grounds in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. The first three days are restricted exclusively to professional visitors; the general public attend the fair on the weekend.
The World Book Capital (WBC) is an initiative of UNESCO which recognises cities for promoting books and fostering reading for a year starting on April 23, World Book and Copyright Day. Cities designated as UNESCO World Book Capital carry out activities with the aim of encouraging a culture of reading in all ages and sharing UNESCO's values. The nomination does not provide a financial prize.
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The World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) is a non-profit, non-governmental organization made up of 76 national newspaper associations, 12 news agencies, 10 regional press organisations, and many individual newspaper executives in 100 countries. The association was founded in 1948, and, as of 2011, represented more than 18,000 publications globally.
Bethwell Allan Ogot is a Kenyan historian and eminent African scholar who specialises in African history, research methods and theory. One of his works starts by saying that "to tell the story of a past so as to portray an inevitable destiny is, for humankind, a need as universal as tool-making. To that extent, we may say that a human being is, by nature, historicus.
The International Programme for the Development of Communication is a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) programme aimed at strengthening the development of mass media in developing countries.
The International Publishers Association is an international publishing industry federation of national publisher associations representing book and journal publishing, founded in 1896 in Paris. It is a non-profit and non-governmental organization, to promote and protect publishing and to raise awareness for publishing in the context of economic, cultural and political development. The IPA represents the interests of the publishing industry on an international level.
The National Book Trust of Uganda (NABOTU), founded in 1997, is a non-government organization that brings together associations and institutions within Uganda’s book sector to promote authorship, publishing and a culture of reading in Uganda.
The South African Book Fair is an international book fair in Johannesburg, South Africa. It is one of many similar events around the country. The fair started through a joint venture between the Publishers Association of South Africa (PASA) and the Frankfurt Book Fair. It was established in 2006 partially in response to the discontinuation of previous literary events, such as the Harare Book Fair and the Zimbabwe International Book Fair. The South African Book Fair features events including "authors’ readings, book launches, panel discussions and seminars".
Ernest Aryeetey, is an Emeritus Professor at the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) at the University of Ghana. Until 31st July 2024, he was the secretary-general of the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA). He was also previously vice-chancellor of the University of Ghana (2010-2016). Prior to his appointment as vice-chancellor, he was a senior fellow and director of the Africa Growth Initiative at the Brookings Institution, Washington, D.C. He had also been director of ISSER at the University of Ghana for the period February 2003 to January 2010.
The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Harare, Zimbabwe.
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Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi is the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees and President of the American University of Sharjah, Chairperson and President of Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park (SRTIP), Chairperson of the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority, Chairperson of Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa), Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Kalimat Group, Founder and Chairperson of Kalimat Foundation, Chairperson of Sharjah Book Authority, Founder of the Emirates Publishers Association, Founder of the UAE Board on Books for Young People and past President of the International Publishers Association. Her father is His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi, who has served as Ruler of the Emirate of Sharjah since 1972.
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Barbara Makhalisa, also known by her married name as Barbara Nkala, is a teacher, Zimbabwean writer, Ndebele translator, novelist, editor and publisher, one of the earliest female writers published in Zimbabwe. She is the author of several books written in Ndebele, as well as in English, of which some have been used as school textbooks. Barbara is married to Shadreck Nkala. They have three adult children and six grandchildren.
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