Download Press Release (31kb PDF) 2005 DIAGEO AFRICA BUSINESS REPORTING AWARDS - Short-list announced London, 6 June 2005 Diageo today announced the short-listed entries for the 2005 Diageo Africa Business Reporting Awards. They are (in no particular order): Best Published Feature Robert Rose (Business Day) - African route beckons for retailers Issac Umunna (Africa Today) - A partnership of giants Jonathan Offei-Ansah (NewsAfrica) - Sino-Africa relations Best Journalist Amina Accram (Business in Africa) Orla Ryan (BBC) Anver Versi (African Business) Best Publication African Business (IC Publications) African Energy (Cross-border Information) The Economist Best Television Feature CNN International – Global Office case study: Kumba Resources Newsnight (BBC) - Coca-Cola comes to Mogadishu Africa Report (CNBC Europe) – Libya’s geat man-made river project Best Website Business in Africa www.businessinafrica.net Mbendi www.mbendi.com Investment Promotion Network (MIGA/World Bank) www.ipanet.net Winners will be selected by a judging panel comprising Prof. Wiseman Nkuhlu (New Partnership for Africa's Development); K.Y. Amoako (United Nations Economic Commission for Africa); Commissioner Louis Michel (European Commission); Peter Woicke (formerly International Finance Corporation); Alhaji Bamanga Tukur (African Business Roundtable) and Tidjane Thiam (Aviva plc). Paul Walsh, Diageo's Chief Executive Officer, will chair the panel. Commenting on this year’s short-listed entries, David Hampshire, Chairman, Diageo Africa, said, “Diageo established these awards to recognise those journalists and publications committed to covering an aspect of Africa that is, unfortunately, too rarely reported in the media. We want to honour their achievements, which are an important contribution to a more balanced view of Africa. As the Commission for Africa has recently reported, Afro-pessimism is having a detrimental effect on investment on the continent. However, if the perception of Africa improves, so too will the investment flows. It is incumbent upon all of us – businesses and the media – to ensure that the positive stories from Africa are told.” “I would like to congratulate this year’s short-listed entrants and thank all those who entered the 2005 awards. We received many excellent examples of high quality journalism. It was particularly pleasing to receive a number of strong entries from African journalists and publications. Regrettably, there was limited interest in one of the new categories, Best Photographer, and we shall not, therefore, be presenting this award in 2005.” The winners of the 2005 Diageo Africa Business Reporting Awards will be announced at a gala ceremony at Guildhall, London, on Monday 4 July. CONTACTS Bev Burnham, Communication Manager, Diageo Africa, +44 (0)20 8978 6587, bev.burnham@diageo.com Robert Watkinson, Awards Secretariat, +44 (0)20 7462 7589, rwatkinson@africapractice.com NOTES TO EDITORS: 1. Diageo plc Diageo is the world's leading premium drinks business. With its global vision, and local marketing focus, Diageo brings to consumers an outstanding collection of beverage alcohol brands across the spirits, wine and beer categories including Smirnoff, Guinness, Johnnie Walker, Baileys, J&B, Cuervo, Captain Morgan and Tanqueray, and Beaulieu Vineyard and Sterling Vineyards wines. Diageo trades in some 180 countries around the world and is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE). For more information about Diageo, its people, brands and performance, visit us at www.diageo.com 2. Diageo Africa Diageo Africa is active, particularly in brewing, but also in distilling, in the majority of the sub-Saharan African countries. For Guinness, in particular, the connection with Africa is a long one; the first recorded exports of Guinness to Africa were to Sierra Leone in 1827. Now Guinness is brewed in over 20 countries throughout Africa and is exported to many others. The popularity of the brand is going from strength to strength in Africa - Nigeria is the third largest Guinness market in the world. Several of the larger Diageo companies in Africa are quoted on local stock exchanges. Guinness Nigeria, for example, has over 60,000 shareholders. All of these companies have active corporate social responsibility programmes, covering initiatives in water, health, education and other areas of value to the communities in which we operate. 3. Diageo Africa Business Reporting Awards The Diageo Africa Business Reporting Awards were established in 2004 as a practical contribution to promoting more prolific reporting of the business environment in Africa. The New Partnership for Africa's Development has described them as "an innovative approach to encourage more prolific reporting of African business in the international media." The Diageo Africa Business Reporting Awards are part of a broader programme to encourage a more balanced view of Africa in the media. This includes the development of an interactive CD-Rom - Newsdesk: Business Africa - to build capability among aspiring journalists.