SA website wins international award

BIA Online was presented with a bronze statue (designed by a German artist Loni Kreuder) for the Best Website Award. According to the awards' judges, Business in Africa Online "is an excellent online resource for information on business in Africa".

The judges highlighted the site's "user-friendly look and feel, and the ease with which one can navigate to the right information". They also praised BIA Online's selection of useful links to further information and relevant contacts.

Business in Africa Online is owned and published by Business in Africa Group Ltd. Responding to the award, CEO Everest Ekong, said: "Good quality information is an essential resource for profitable decision-making. We are delighted that Business in Africa Online has been recognised as the best in providing trustworthy information on the continent."

Other runner-ups were Mbendi.com and Ipanet.net, who came second and third positions respectively.

Over 200 people attended the gala ceremony from the world of business, media, government and civil society. Hosting the event, Lord Blyth, Diageo chairperson, talked of the increasing importance of Africa to Diageo's global operations.
He said by promoting more widespread reporting of business in Africa, the awards would "encourage potential investors to look more closely at the opportunities the continent has to offer".

Professor Wiseman Nkuhlu, executive head of the New Partnership for Africa Development (Nepad), said there is a need to attract more investment to Africa and commended Diageo for its efforts to raise the profile of business in Africa.

Other award winners were: Issac Umunna (Africa Today) - 'A partnership of giants' as Best Published Feature, Grant Ferrett and Caroline Pare (BBC Newsnight) - 'Coca-Cola comes to Mogadishu' as Best Television Feature, African Business (IC Publications) as Best Publication, and Anver Versi, as Best Journalist.

Now in their second year, the Diageo Africa Business Reporting Awards were established to recognise and reward journalists and editors providing quality coverage of the business environment in Africa. They are part of a broader Diageo-led programme looking at Africa and the media.