[wanabidii] The African Executive Issue 475

Good People,


Begin forwarding and share.........!!! See also what AUC Chairperson, H.E. Dr. Nkosazana
Dlamini Zuma had to say on Africa Forward thus:


Agenda 2063: Africa's Unifying Factor


Cheers!


Judy Miriga
Diaspora Spokesperson
Executive Director
Confederation Council Foundation for Africa Inc.,
USA
http://socioeconomicforum50.blogspot.com



--------------------------------------------



Click the link for more information on:


US-Africa August 2014 Meet: A Review
http://www.africanexecutive.com/index.php?magazine=499


====================================


On Wed, 5/28/14, Gilbert Mundela- <gtmundela@yahoo.com>
wrote:

Subject: Fw: Fwd: The African Executive Issue 475
To: "Judy Miriga" <jbatec@yahoo.com>,
"Prof. Sulayman Nyang" <sulaymann@yahoo.com>
Date: Wednesday, May 28, 2014, 12:34 PM



On Wednesday, May
28, 2014 12:21 AM, Gilbert T. Mundela
<gtmundela@yahoo.com>
wrote:


The story has been printed. Read it!

Sent from my
iPad
Begin forwarded message:

From: The Editor <editor@africanexecutive.com>
Date: May 27, 2014 at 11:55:26 PM EDT
To: gtmundela@yahoo.com
Subject: The African Executive Issue
475
Reply-To: The Editor <editor@africanexecutive.com>

28 - 04 June
2014


US-Africa August 2014 Meet: A Review



This is in response to Melvin P Foote, President of The
Constituency for Africa's post US-Africa Meet: What
Africa Must Do


Since Africa's wealth and resources have emerged as the
primary supply for the World's Emerging Market, it is just
right that Africa formalize a Responsible Partnership with
United State to forge for a more serious constructive,
sustainable and credible Institutionalized progressive
Development entrepreneurship Plan of Action…A chapter that
shall provide a Legacy to African historical values.


To maximize the opportunity for a successful Summit, African
Diaspora need to be fully incorporated and be involved in
the business planning with executions.


African Leadership Summit to Washington In August is a
"Rare Golden Opportunity of a Life Time" for people of
African Descent with Specific Agenda for Africa/USA
Partnership for sustainable Development between USA and
Africa. If well planned, Africa shall engage
profitably with a focus on "The Emerging Markets resource
supply" that comes from Africa which is the reason for the
scramble for Africa which is impacting Africa negatively.


Diaspora members from the group of "African Forward"
share many points of convergences between the Mr Foote's
associates on one hand, with members of our committee on the
other. We observe that, there are crucial African
opinions that need to be addressed and attitudes that have
been expressed towards the forthcoming White House African
Presidential Summit notwithstanding. As Advocates for
"Africa Forward," we are obligated to share with Mr. Mel
Foote and his colleagues the following points of
convergence:


1. Considering the historical significance of this summit,
and since President Barak Hussein Obama is the first from
African descent to serve as U.S. President, it is certainly
necessary and significant for him to organize a rare summit.
Historically speaking, it was President John Fitzgerald
Kennedy who took the initiative to invite the leaders of the
emerging African countries soon after Ghana's
independence. President Kwame Nkrumah's first visit
to the United States of America with President Kennedy, was
historically significant to the African people. Because of
this meeting, President Kennedy benefitted from his
pre-presidential contacts with the emerging leaders of
Africa who went to Ghana during the early times of
Africa's independence from their colonial masters. It
should be noted also that, Vice President Richard Nixon
representing U.S.A at that moment, gave the Kennedys an
opportunity to make friends in Africa and as well influence
people. Consequently, at that first African conference of
national liberation movement for African leaders, the
Kennedys' sought African cooperation as a result, their
overtures proved beneficial in their Africa policy.


Mr. Tom Mboya of Kenya, who chaired that meeting in Accra in
1958, later spoke to Senator Kennedy before his election and
inauguration. The relevance of that historical moment
is evident in the Late Tom Mboya memoirs contained in his
now widely quoted book, Freedom and After (1964). As we now
speak of a new deal between the United States of America and
the African continent, it is appropriate to remind our
readers about the now forgotten call for a Marshall Plan for
Africa by Tom Mboya. Not only did he cooperate with the
Kennedys in the implementation of the Great Airlift for
Kenyan students, but he himself also contributed a personal
check of five thousand dollars at the time from his family
foundation. The Joseph P. Kennedy Foundation
contributed $100,000 for that venture.


In connecting the dots, it is definitely relevant to state
it here and categorically that, when the late Senator Ted
Kennedy is now celebrated as the Last Lion of the Kennedy
Family who endorsed Senator Obama at American University to
run for the US Presidency, history was again running full
circle. This White House Summit on Africa Leadership to USA,
is another indispensable history in the making between USA
with Africa and where, history between USA with Africa shall
present intrinsic phenomenon to both Mel Foote with us
standing together on familiar ground that which is related
to Africa's progressive values.


2. Taking historical values into perspective, diversity of
opinions are truly healthy and in principle; we hold dear to
historical consideration that gives direction from where we
are coming to where we are going, giving capacity meaning to
real virtue of African lifestyle. For example, if we
take into consideration how the Late Tom Mboya politically
collaborated with African Freedom fighters and engaged
internationally to bring Independence to Africa and Kenya.
It is significant that he planted seeds of continuity. It
all started sometimes in 1958 at All-Africa Peoples
Conference convened by Kwame Nkurumah of Ghana. Tom
Mboya was elected as the Conference Chairman at an early age
of 28.


When Kenya got independence in 1963, Tom Mboya became the
Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, a position
he utilized to shape the future of Independent Kenya.
In 1964, Kenya became Independent with Tom Mboya being
appointed the Minister of Economic Planning and Development.
Because of Tom Mboya, Kenya presently has a remarkable
American school known as "Kenya Starehe Centre" which is
instrumental for positive change and development in the
Kenya/American Partnership which also followed with National
Youth Services in Kenya. Kenya Starehe Center was
founded in 1959 by an American called Geoffrey William
Griffin and Patrick David Shaw "The Crime Buster,"
"Teaching Beyond Teaching." The late Tom Mboya became an
African philanthropist hero from his Charismatic
Pan-Africanist, Freedom Fighter, A Trade Unionist,
Politician and the Greatest President Kenya Never had.
The late Tom Mboya was instrumental with the help of JF
Kennedy in
the Air Lift of the first US students from Kenya to
America, where Obama Snr. Was amongst those students
airlifted to USA. This is African/American history
President Obama became part of, which in our opinion is a
historical value for African Diaspora.


3. The other point of convergence is the common realization
on changed climate of opinions in the world, this no longer
is overwhelmed by the dictates of the Cold War, but are
seriously challenged by the demands of the time, e.g. fight
against poverty, against famine, safety and security which
includes, Social, Political and Economic collapse with
insecurity. It is therefore critical for Africa and
United States to come up with new ideas that have meaningful
purpose which are necessary to provide meaningful
cooperation in the 21st. century.


It is imperative for all of us to press for a new dialogue,
between African leaders and their counterparts in the United
States of America. Such a dialogue can only take place when
we start with what we know and build on what we have. Both
Mr Foote and the advocates for Africa Forward agree on the
urgency for a new deal on American-African relations. Unlike
the old order dictated by the thoughts and practices of the
Cold War, those of us who call for a new day must identify
the new building blocks for social and economic change in
Africa.


What are these stones for the creation of an African
edifice? They are the peoples of the 47 countries invited to
the White House Summit on Africa. Being represented at the
United Nations and other specialized agencies, and being
very serious about their claims for sovereignty, the leaders
of the African Union and the specialized regional entities
must look at the political geography of the continent and
the historical demands from members of their Diasporas. This
turn of events in world history is the result of the new
processes of modernization and globalization. If Africa is
to play a more effective role in world affairs, her leaders
as well as her citizens abroad must construct the structures
of peace-making at home and the development of engagement
strategies between their peoples and others in the world.


4. The fourth point of convergence centers on the urgency
for dialogue between the leaders of the African countries
and their African Diaspora. Not only must they bring better
results from their continental and regional ties, but they
must also draw from the tools of modernity and globalization
to feed on the benefits of social media and the creativities
of their young people. Here the role and place of labor and
finances in the service of Africa comes to play. Again, the
role and place of the women beg for attention. But
while focusing on the points of convergence between the
Constituency for Africa and those of us advocating for
Africa Forward, we should simultaneously underscore the
points of divergence between us that calls for immediate
attention as follows:


a) First, let us remind Mr. Foote and his colleagues that
the New Climate of Global Opinions tells us not to overplay
our Americanism at the expense of American diplomatic
engagement with Africans and others
beyond. By playing politics with the Map of
Africa and by wrapping it under the shadows of the American
Flag; we unconsciously expose ourselves to ridicule and
political jingoism from radical African nationalists who are
most likely vulnerable to the ideological propaganda of the
emerging foes of America in these new days of economic and
political rivalry. Remember, South Africa is a part of the
BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa).


b) The second point of divergence between us and Mr. Foote
rests on his call for a dialogue with the members of the
Cooperate Council for Africa. The Diaspora must be
involved in setting up these things, as presently the
Bloomberg and Chamber of Commerce are not involving African
Diaspora in what they are doing. There is
nothing wrong with such advocacy, but rather, we feel the
proposition is inadequate because it is not collectively
inclusive with all leadership of African Diaspora. It
is dangerous and unwise to call for their participation
without making definite arrangements for members of the
continental African business communities. There are
African counterparts of the members of the Corporate Council
for Africa. In order to do justice to the members of the
African Chambers of Commerce, it is imperative for all of us
to create room for the wider African Diaspora groups. Time
is running fast and without deliberate acts on our part, the
summons
of history will be missed.


c) The Constituency for Africa and the advocates for Africa
Forward are not clear in the inclusion of the African
Diaspora participation and dialogue. Our proposal here is
historical and we feel it should not be left behind to be
forgotten. Not only do we join all interested parties in
making this event success, but we look forward to the post
Obama era. By thinking carefully and critically, we may be
able to point to new directions for what we are beginning to
call Obama's New Ark. Like the Prophet Noah, who save his
people and believing in generations of his humankind, our
President metaphorically could begin to lay the foundations
of re-inventing African Recovery from self-denegation,
self-humiliation through the chains of economic poverty and
political slavery, and self-denial from crass materialism,
political instability and the lack of good governance and
transparency.


d) By avoiding the burning issues that confront the African
leadership, and by not bringing these issues to the
attention of the American people and their leaders, those of
us now calling for a New Deal between America and Africa
must now talk about African resources and African humanity.
With respect to African resources we must pay close
attention to what is happening to these African assets and
what African leaders are doing with them. Caught in the
growing rivalry between developed and the undeveloped
nations of the world, it is important for us to give meaning
to this summit by reminding each other how African resources
constitute major bones of contention at the summit. Water,
Energy, Agriculture, Health, Education, Security, Innovation
and Industrialization transfers are important items in our
list. Africa could play a big role in this day and age. For
example, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) could become
the trillion dollar nation with
respect to water. Water and Energy, should be the new
mantra for those who think and feel New Africa require a
facelift. President Obama and his team must bring about the
spirit of the African Diaspora to heart with the thinking
how advocates shall provide for green consciousness in
America/Africa relations and beyond. Through this new
consciousness, the people of the DRC and the rest of the
continent will make adequate use of their resources such as
water falling from the heavens and the mineral resources
that keep our air force over the earth and the forests that
give the Japanese their tooth –pick. These obvious
examples do beg for immediate attention.


e) Another bone of contention between us and the rest in
this debate revolves around the role and place of
remittances in this whole equation. In our view, Africa is
caught in a paradoxical situation. How is this so?
Truth be told, the African Diaspora, according to World Bank
figures, contribute more than the total direct foreign
investment on the continent. As a result of these
statistics, it is imperative for the advocates for Africa
Forward to include the ideas about remittances at the table.
By urging the leaders of the African Union as well as the
leaders of the numerous non-governmental organization from
across the continent to think about new strategies for the
making greater uses of remittances in Africa. Through such a
summit and through future planning on the part of the
President and his supporters later after his presidency, the
New Ark of the Obama era should mobilize Americans in the
engagement of African leaders for social and economic
changes on the continent. Water is a new demand and
President Obama could play a big role in educating
Americans, Africans and other human communities the
imperatives for better water treatment to humanity that
Water is Life.



Confederation Council Foundation for Africa have constantly
petitioned President Obama that he make a declaration on
USA/Africa Partnership, where, Africa is facing negative
Global Business Interest in the Scramble to Africa, a
challenge that has greatly affected its sustainability to
face mutual fair Development prospects. It is why
African leadership must work equally along the Diaspora
investment interest in Africa through USA/AFRICA
Partnership, to resolve unfair adverse impacts that have
caused great loses instead of gains in the continent.


We also demanded that President Obama provide an enabling
platform between Diaspora and African Leadership Forum to
urgently energize good politics that are conducive to good
business practices with favorable infrastructure that shall
enable investments to take place in an organized
institutionalized well-functioning system. This calls for
trained Civil Society with organized Social Welfare that in
return, shall offer reliable trust that are harmonious and
as well, shall motivate mutual trust and good-will for
International business community, the local stakeholders of
Africa and the Diaspora community on the other hand.

By Judy Miriga

The author jbatec@yahoo.com is
Diaspora Spokesperson and Executive Director,
Confederation Council Foundation for Africa Inc., USA.


http://www.africanexecutive.com/modules/magazine/articles.php?article=7867&magazine=499


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