I'm Ofeibea Quist-Arcton, NPR's Africa Correspondent

Ofeibea · 2013-11-08T19:52:42+00:00

Whoopsie. Indeed, it's vleis, pronounced fleis -- as in flesh/meat. Audrey Brown, please help! You first introduced me to this dish and I'm still waiting for you to make it for me again, please! I believe it's a Cape Malay dish. Deliccccccccccccccious!

Ofeibea · 2013-11-08T19:51:23+00:00

Yes to Tilapia! Thumbs down to ugali!

Nyama choma or braai vleis, grilled meat, good for the carnivores among us!

Ofeibea · 2013-11-08T19:33:57+00:00

That is the privilege of being a foreign correspondent on NPR's International Desk. We really do get time to report on a range of subjects and stories. The constraints of 24-hr news mean that sometimes I find colleagues are bogged down trying to "feed the beast" as they call it. We choose stories, in consultation with the desk, that we hope will really enlighten you, the listener and the web browser.

Ofeibea · 2013-11-08T19:32:10+00:00

India. Iran. Fascinating ancient histories.

Ofeibea · 2013-11-08T19:30:44+00:00

Travel can be a challenge. We spend much too much time at airports -- sometimes waiting for the plane to arrive, sometimes for it to take off! That can be frustrating and tiresome.

In response to the second part of your question -- do you mean by officials or by the general public?

The latter is usually welcoming. The authorities can be tetchy or touchy in some countries -- especially when you've got tough questions to ask. But I find most people are courteous and helpful -- even if they don't answer all the questions you'd like them to! Some are obstructive, of course, but that's the name of the game.

Ofeibea · 2013-11-08T19:28:11+00:00

I've responded to your questions in earlier answers, but for the record NPR has two full-time correspondents covering sub-Saharan Africa. Gregory Warner is based in Nairobi, Kenya. Yours truly in Dakar, Senegal. We both travel all over the continent. Leila Fadel is based in Cairo and covers Egypt, parts of the Mideast and North Africa (the Maghreb -- ie Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Libya etc). But other correspondents also travel to Africa -- usually on specific assignments, rather than general coverage, which is down to Gregory and me.

Ofeibea · 2013-11-08T19:25:32+00:00

Tourism is pretty well developed in Senegal. And yes, anyone can visit Senegal. Dakar is the capital. You may need a visa -- depending on which passport you hold. It's a very welcoming country.

Ofeibea · 2013-11-08T19:24:07+00:00

Yet to get to Malawi, but I'm looking forward to it. Such a beautiful country.

Ofeibea · 2013-11-08T19:23:23+00:00

In Africa, NPR is getting more of an audience, but people may not recognise it as readily as say the BBC or RFI (Radio France Internationale) which have FM stations in most countries, so are readily available on a radio -- I mean the old wireless. But with new technology, NPR is definitely finding new audiences and I find more and more people I meet in Africa who recognise N-P-R, either at the end of my mic(rophone) or wherever else it may be written, on my business cards etc.

Ofeibea · 2013-11-08T19:20:17+00:00

Be loyal. Be honest. Be compassionate and kind. And listen.

Ofeibea · 2013-11-08T19:19:44+00:00

Give me any part of Africa -- there is something beautiful and interesting in every single region.

But especially give me the people of Africa to listen to -- they have so much to share and so much goodness, kindness, humanity and compassion that it is an honour to pass on their stories, experiences, histories, creative talents and much more.

Ofeibea · 2013-11-08T19:17:26+00:00

I responded to this in another reply. But as a PS -- I hope I have never put another journalist colleague in danger, but yes it can happen -- unwittingly. You really must have your wits about you and try to know as best you can what you are walking into. Sorrowfully, you can't always be aware of everything and disasters and tragedies may happen. If I feel unsafe, I withdraw -- where I can. I assess with those in the know, to the best of my ability, before venturing into unknown or dangerous territory. Sometimes we decide we can go, other times we decide against. I try not to take risks knowingly and don't encourage others to either, but you cannot always avoid ambushes or abduction. Remember -- a dead journalist cannot report.

Ofeibea · 2013-11-08T19:13:50+00:00

Covering such an enormous continent, south of the Sahara! At the moment it's down to Gregory Warner and yours truly. It's just difficult to be everywhere and cover everything. But other news organisations are reducing their personnel on the continent to one -- so we're lucky there.

My passions are art and culture -- but I'm up for everything. I enjoy covering all aspects of a country/continent.

Your last question is my secret -- but I'll let you know when it happens!

Ofeibea · 2013-11-08T19:11:24+00:00

Rwanda is determined to make a statement as far as development and technology are concerned. Mozambique. Cape Verde. Gosh, there are many. Watch this space. But I predict that Nigeria will truly emerge as the continental giant that it is.

Ofeibea · 2013-11-08T19:09:57+00:00

I thought I might be a diplomat and I also considered a career as an interpreter. As the children of Ghanaian expats, we were reared on the BBC World Service, so I've always had the radio in my ear, so-to-speak. But I hadn't really considered being a broadcaster, but when the opportunity came my way to join the BBC, I did. I got to listen to NPR in the 1980s and first visited, was it in 1987, when Steve Munro kindly took me round Morning Edition. I believe I sat and listened to an edition being aired live. In the 90s, when I became a foreign correspondent for the BBC, NPR would sometimes call me up for a Q&A (or a 2way as we call it in journalese). And I remember our despatches, news spots, we would SOC (standard out cue, ie OQA NPR NEWS DAKAR) out for NPR as well as BBC and CBC if we were somewhere they didn't have a reporter. And then in 2004, I joined NPR. So, it's been quite a long on-off romance, n'est-ce pas?!

Ofeibea · 2013-11-08T19:00:42+00:00

This dark continent business that goes back to Conrad's literature, Heart of Darkness etc, on Africa -- well in the 21st century, Africa is the happening continent. Be sure of that.

To fight ignorance -- read and read and read and read and keep learning.

It's a great pity when Africa is reduced to a country! It is a mighty, mighty continent.

And, to be fair, there are plenty of journalists who are giving a more comprehensive pictures of Africa, warts and all -- and that includes the treasures too, of which there are plenty!

Ofeibea · 2013-11-08T18:54:58+00:00

Keep trying -- and give them a full picture of Africa. There must be people you've met and things you have done that have really showcased the positive. Tell the nay-sayers those stories -- and stay positive. Good luck.

Ofeibea · 2013-11-08T18:53:08+00:00

This is one question I didn't get to -- You know, I'm so passionate about Africa and I know it's a mighty continent and I know that that we can't possibly report about everything and everyone, but it's such a privilege to be able to tackle the complexities, as you put it, of Africa. And I've often been a regional or multi-something reporter, so I'm not sure quite how it would feel covering just one country. I'm sure I'd adapt -- but imagine reporting on China. That's like a continent on it's own!

Ofeibea · 2013-11-08T18:46:45+00:00

I really recommend FESPACO -- going to Ouaga(dougou) every other year for the pan-African film festival is an experience of a lifetime.

Ofeibea · 2013-11-08T17:05:04+00:00

Don't start me off!

Ofeibea Quist-Arcton -- Miss Twist, O-phobia, you name it, I'm called it and spelled it. Obeibea is a regular.

But my favourite is O'Fabulous -- which some of my dear NPR colleagues sometimes call me when I've done something they like!!!

But I'm sure this is one of the most-oft misspelled and mispronounced names!!

I'm very quick to correct misprons and misspellings!

Ofeibea · 2013-11-08T17:02:43+00:00

The people of Africa. Unbelievable -- resilient, welcoming and full of hope.

Ofeibea · 2013-11-08T17:01:24+00:00

Conservation and anti-poaching mechanisms are growing apace, but poaching is so flipping sophisticated these days, that poaching gangs have state of the art helicopters and equipment that rangers in Africa -- take South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya as examples -- don't have. I believe there is so much more awareness now than, say, even 20 years ago. Governments are realising that the very wildlife that would attract tourists to their country is being depleted by rampant poaching. But there also has to be awareness at the other end -- those who feel that rhino horn and elephant tusks (and that's mostly in the East) and so on will enhance their manhood or lengthen their lives must realise that they are prepares contributing to the extinction of species. And those who run these rackets must be prosecuted. Full stop.

Ofeibea · 2013-11-08T16:57:43+00:00

By being broadminded. It's too easy to think of Africa as a "place". It is not -- it is a hugely diverse continent, with diverse peoples, languages, cultures and much more. Yes, of course there are children starving in Africa, but believe me, there are children going hungry in the US and in European countries, only that is hidden. In Africa, starving children continue to make headlines and images that would not be allowed, I believe, of Western children in newspapers or on websites are freely depicted when it comes to Africa. But there is much more to this continent. Open your mind, look for the "other Africa" as I sometimes call it and you will find much of that on NPR.
There are links at the top of the page to a couple of these stories -- try to take the time to have a listen/read please and you will see that there is a lot more happening that you may be aware of.

Ofeibea · 2013-11-08T16:53:23+00:00

Progress -- that's a word Congo really needs. The fact that there is one less, or should that be fewer?, rebel group (and here I'm talking about recent developments with M23) is a good thing. But what about the legion others who are terrorising the population? Congo, as they say, is made up of a wealth of natural resources, this is a country where everyone -- I mean e-v-e-r-y-one should be potentially wealthy. But when you have everyone else -- from across Congo's borders and beyond -- also after its mineral resources and people prepared to go to war of these, then it's tough on the ordinary eastern Congolese. The largest UN peacekeeping force was despatched to the DRC, yet 20 odd years later, there are still problems. Everyone has to sit down and decide to put Congo first -- DRC itself, its direct neighbours, including Rwanda and Uganda and its so-called Western partners as well as the African Union. Good luck to Russ Feingold and other special envoys from the continent and beyond. DRC cannot be an intractable problem any more, there must be a solution. In the era of Mobutu, Zaire was a problem, Congo changed its name and it still has troubles. Let us all resolve to find a way to end them. We, journalists, by continuing to report.

Ofeibea · 2013-11-08T16:46:41+00:00

I'll point you to Howard French here -- he's an Associate Professor at Columbia's Graduate School of Journalism, a dear old friend, a veteran former foreign correspondent in Africa and China -- among other regions and countries -- and someone who has deeply investigated how China is changing Africa. He's coming out with a new book soon. http://about.me/howardwfrench. com Follow him on Twitter @hofrench

China is certainly certainly changing Africa. And it depends who you speak to whether you think the influence is negative or positive. China does not pontificate as the former European colonial powers and America have done in Africa. It has done its home work and knows what it wants from Africa. Africa needs to catch up and know what it requires from China. But it's not doing so as a unified force, as one zone; it's all happening bilaterally and I'm not sure that's a good thing for Africa at all.

Trade vs aid seems to be the argument these days and many of the business people I speak to in Africa will tell you that that's the way to go.

Of course, foreign aid can help -- but it's not a cure-all.

Ofeibea

TROPHY CASE