Friday 3 September 2010

Darren Olivier

Where in Africa is Afro Leo?

It's Friday and Afro Leo has decided to take a break from it all. What better than to explore a country described as "having some of the continent's most gracious people". Here are some clues:

  • it is nearly twice the size of Texas and five times the area of the UK
  • it has the fastest growing economy in Africa and one of the fastest in the world
  • it gained independence in 1975 after 400 years of colonial rule
  • it was a flashpoint during the cold war
  • it has a single class application system for trade marks and you get charged according to the size of the specification
  • inventions need to be worked within a period of three years from date of grant to avoid compulsory licensing provisions
  • the chip off the old block has been described as the "Kuwait of Africa"

Darren Olivier

Darren Olivier

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11 comments

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Kasia
AUTHOR
3 September 2010 at 08:19 delete

Have fun in Angola Afro-Leo :)

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Martin Chinnery
AUTHOR
3 September 2010 at 09:21 delete

Afro Leo is in Angola. Do I get a prize?

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Nevashni Pillay
AUTHOR
3 September 2010 at 10:25 delete

Darren, would that be Equatorial Guinea? I stand to be corrected, however I believe that independence was gained in the late 1960s.

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Nevashni Pillay
AUTHOR
3 September 2010 at 10:33 delete

Actually it could be Angola :-)

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Martin Chinnery
AUTHOR
3 September 2010 at 13:47 delete

I think you'll find that Equatorial Guinea is a member state of OAPI, folks...

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Kasia
AUTHOR
3 September 2010 at 14:12 delete

Not to mention it is a rather small country - much closer to being a tenth of the size of Britain than five times. And it gained independence in 1968 :)

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3 September 2010 at 15:27 delete

I think the clues are inconsistent.

Angola fits the size. Equitorial Guineau fits the moniker, "Kuwait of Africa." Unless there's another one.

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Nevashni Pillay
AUTHOR
3 September 2010 at 15:31 delete

Correct...the wonders of Google people ;-)

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Kasia
AUTHOR
3 September 2010 at 16:07 delete

Omar - I Googled it now, and it seems like the phrase 'Kuwait of Africa' has been used in reference to both Equatorial Guinea and Angola.
Angola fits all the other clues anyway, so this one might be just slightly misleading I think, but all the other ones clearly point to Angola for me :)

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Nevashni Pillay
AUTHOR
3 September 2010 at 21:44 delete

Did not see your comment Omar... Ater conducting a google search I found that the other clues collectively point to Angola. Agree with Kesia on the 'Kuwait of Africa' clue.

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4 September 2010 at 06:56 delete

Afro Leo has awoken from his slumber to enjoy this debate. He is indeed in Angola - no prizes unfortunately.

The province and oil rich enclave of Cabinda to the north of the country is the "chip" off the old block-like Angola which has controversially been referred to (and perhaps incorrectly if you agree with this article -
http://www.polity.org.za/article/cabinda-not-the-kuwait-of-africa-2010-05-13) as the Kuwait of Africa. It was not meant to be misleading and apologies if it was.

Today, Afro Leo will be masquerading as an oil baron accompanied by his companion "Portuguese for Dummies". Next week he travels to...

Cheers
AL

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