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I think that Africa is a star on the horizon and has always been a vigilante continent in world history. There were impressive civilizations before greed and colonization and since then it has only faced discrimination. Africa is on a shoestring, but well-tied, ready to roll.
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Most Africans, by nature, are law-abiding and respect human rights. All of the abuses in the late ‘70’s and continuing today were engineered by mercenaries and profit-hungry corporations. Future guerrilla warfare will be crushed within minutes after parliament approval with the African Union. An African Air Force and black angel aircrafts are already in production.
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Any woman who feels abused can easily divorce and go. The governments will do everything possible to protect the children. Africa will never face those past hostilities anymore.
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Asiku Stephen Gule, Benghazi-Libya 9 Mar 2002
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We must not forget air transportation. History shows that this industry has proven to be an effective means to bridge gaps between countries and peoples.
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Africa must have its own air transport system. True, this is only one of many needs. However, without a viable air system in place, dependence continues.
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Dawoud Hakim, Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
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The only way that we finally will be able to move the locomotive of our African nations status forward is by equipping the people with a basic understanding of the situation from the local, practical standpoint.
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We should stop defining reality, or level of development, only from a Western point of view, and only by the financial reports of special groups that dictate everything according to their personal wants.
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Even though growth and living standards can very well be described by the annual income of people, GNP, or other calibers widely used, the fact that they are not completely accurate from a real value side perspective make them vehicles of deception for the poor third world population.
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Life should not be determined solely according to the Dollar, Euro or any other 'strong currency', we should find a way of un-entangling the African economy from direct dependence of the IMF or the big economies of the super powers.
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Governments in Africa do have a very hard time operating honestly and representatively mainly because they abide by their financiers wants, or else easily loose power over their own offices.
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Africans need to stop being defined by the West and need to work and deal (trade) with each other.
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Business is always more effective when transacted between equal parties, rather than between donors and recipients.
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So we need to see Nigeria importing from Ethiopia and Sudan exporting to Ethiopia, and vice versa. Then, by the time 2025 arrives, we really will be able to use the same currency and more. We need to stop wasting our time on things that do not benefit us.
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It definitely will happen, but it will take time and some pain.
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Blessings!
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Wondwossen Tadesse, Oakland, California 4 Mar 2002
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I think that the answer lies with a Marshall-type Plan for Africa. This would be an ideal channel for reparations for the Atlantic Slave trade and colonialism by those Northern countries who benefitted from the African Blood & Sweat Tax.
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European Expansion was only successful because of their brutal exploitation of Africans' blood, sweat and tears.
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It was slave labour which built the Historic Architecture of Washington DC, and its general townscape. The same is true for the historic grand architecture found in the City of London's financial district - as well as the rest of London - financed by the Atlantic Slave Trade, as well as cities like Bristol, Birmingham, Liverpool, Cardiff etc.
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Amongst the African diaspora there are a lot of skills which can assist in training Africa's Human Resources in different aspects of infrastructural development. What is lacking is communication between Africans at home, and abroard.
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In my view, there needs to be more public awareness amongst the African Diaspora to encourage them to participate within Africa's development. It's for the AU to promote Africa as "a land of opportunity". This will inspire and encourage more of the African diaspora to identity themselves as being African.
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In other words, Africa needs to import a skilled African Human Resource to assist in the transfer of know-how to its indigenous population.
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I feel that this is a logical way forward, and also cost-effective. If the African Union pushes reparations on the top of the international agenda with a well thought-out plan, the revenue from reparations could then be channelled into continental infrastructural development. After all reparations isn't charity, it's what is owed to Africa for five centuries of slave labour, which allowed the West to develop its infrastructure into what it is today!
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Sophia Ba, London.UK 3 Mar 2002
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African development programs are always set to meet the needs of those financing them, not the needs of the people. Therefore, it's the entire mecanism of financing that we have to change. This means that we will not develop Africa if the only programs are privatisation of what exists rather then new infrastructure.
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Most IMF and WB programs address the issue of privatision of government -owned economic infrastructures and do not address or finance new ventures.
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Privatisation may sound good but what do you do with all the families that are out of work? If Africa has to develop, we should either move out of the IMF and WB or, at least, demand that no IMF and WB fund be used for privatisation. It should be used for new infrastructures. Loans for privatisation should be extended to Africans only, not to multinationals.
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Development will not came from the city, rather the village; and none of the African villages have the infrastructure for phone services or Internet services. Development should be people-concerned not technological concerned.
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Ntet Mitond, Ottawa (Canada) 3 Mar 2002
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My theory is that we build a new Africa based in integrated Infrastructure and Productive resources. This new entity will first be designed virtually, using specially recruited and trained young people from accross Africa, who will live and train together outside Africa, before going back to implement the new idea together.
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The best way to approach globalization, by way of integration of regions, is to create entirely a new Africa that is essentially virtual. By this I mean one that exists electronically and in the minds of those designing and operating it. What this will do is keep political Africa as is, to avoid the delays that attempts to resolve political issue will create.
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With what is here today politically left alone, most egos will be kept intact while a new set of regional boundaries based entirely on economics and development-friendly parameters are created.
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The new regions will be run by development directors or managers who will work to develop the infrastructures and development amenities like transportation networks, telecommunication systems, electricity, education and training facilities, that are designed to serve people and commerce. These regions could be funded with the billions that donor countries funnel into Africa every year, which hitherto has been squandered by the few dictator-leaders and their cohorts.
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To add to that, the nations within each region can be persuaded to donate about 20 to 30 percent of their annual budget to the effort.
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These virtual regional entities will plan towards integration of Africa within 10 years. They will source expertise from accross nations based on skills not politics; they will source natural resources so that related industrial entities are based on economics not politics; they will locate industrial entities based on economy of scale and manpower resource. Every locale will be sourced for what it has best advantage to contribute over others. Locales within each region will be screened for what they could do best economically, so that infrastructure to make that possible are sited and nurtured.
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The concept must be championed by Africans that have purged themselves of their attachement to national boundaries. Two groups come to mind quickly, people that have lived abroad for at least 15 years straight, that have acquired kinds of thinking that make them boundary-blind. Another group are the younger new age CNN-type people freshly recruited from around Africa and trained together abroad for 3 to 4 years so they will learn together, mature in the boundary-blind ideology and have the opportunity to clear their heads and purge themselves of the old politics.
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These must be individuals who can see themselves as soldiers in the fight to repair a continent and save it from decay and anihilation. They must be people who understand that money or wealth has no nation and knows no boundaries.
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One way to facilitate this re-engineering process is to first develop the idea using virtual reality systems, by using the many electronic simulation tools existing today, to capture and model industrial processes so objective changes can be made, vitualized and manipulated until the level of success that is desired can be achieved.
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Industrial Africa can be captured, based on impacting information from accross its nations, such as skill and natural resources, geographical locations, and other important items of interest, like manpower, academic institutions, and etc. Such factors that in real life would influence reality can be captured,integrated, and modeled to operate virtually in the new Africa, so that their effects are manipulation until desired aim is achieved.
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Before implementation, the engineers will have designed and manipulated the virtual Africa for several years with all bumps and stumps placed as expected to accur, so they can gain experience resolving issues that may arise when system is implemented.
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I believe that once this new Africa is completely modelled and functionally integrated for visualization, the benefit to Africa as a free enterprise economy will be impressive and convincing.
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Herbert E. Nwankwo, North Carolina, USA 3 Mar 2002
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Privitization of the infrastructure like the roads and railways will be great. A toll highway from Senegal to Uganda could pay for itself, if a fair business environment can be sustained. That is, the elimination of corruption, cronyism, and all the multiple ills afflicting the continent.
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First, stop all the stupid wars and warlords. Africa can only succeed when the old leaders also moderate their tolerance by accepting democratic principles like free speech, social equity, and the rule of law.
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After some semblance of a rule of law, many Africans in the diaspora (abroad) may come back or model external institutions/businesses that may help further the African Union objectives. Nothing good comes easy. As Kwame Nkrumah once remarked " Africa must unite," else, kiss all the so-called independence goodbye. May Africans keep this union light burning and successful in the spirit of those who started it and those who continue to work towards unification.
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J. D. Ramsey, Detroit, Michigan, USA 2 Mar 2002
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It is clear that first, infrastructures must exist and second, must be integral before one can realistically speak of integration.
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Given Africa's lack of same, it would seem that infrastructures must be specifically designed to fit into the overall plan, that is, if one expects to compete globally. I do not think Africa has the time to meander toward a globally competitive economy.
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So, how does one design an infrastructure? Is it done with the participation and cooperation of the people? Or is it imposed? Who will volunteer to be a "loser" in order to advance the economic "good" of the continent? I don't see such a thing happening en masse.
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Africans should consider carefully whether they have to follow, so exactly, the Western pattern of development.
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Jesse Hutton, USA
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To arrive at the stated, shared goals, there must be an equal distribution of accountability on the part of Africa, its leadership, its people, its donors and partnering governments.
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There should be an international standard of laws that prevents the illegal displacement of money by any regional leadership from becoming a pattern.
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While this is an obstacle, it must be addressed, not only from the standpoint of leadership and accountability, but also because these illegal actions are ignored and supported by the international community of governments and businesses. Once laws and guides are established they can be empowered to promote greater transparency in all operations big and small that determine a nations ability to progress.
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The antique paradigms and models of economic development must also be altered to recognize and incorporate programs and initiatives that solve the problem of the brain drain in Africa.
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Once these issues and many more are addressed, Africa can make progress.
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Ideglobe, Ohio 1 Mar 2002
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As a young African civil engineer living and working in the UK, I believe that African governments (or the AU) must be ready and willing to invest in the infrastructure development of the continent.
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They should also invest in other areas of development such as education, public health etc. I am always shocked to see the very poor level of investment made by African governments into their own economies.
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A strong infrastructure system is the main foundation for a good economy and without it, the AU and indeed Africa will remain a laughing stock.
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African governments must also look at ways of attracting back young, capable Africans, such as myself, who are living abroad. This is necessary in the development of the continent. If not, the "brain drain" will simply continue.
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I also cannot believe how reluctant African governments are to solve problems. Instead, they are always waiting for the "First World" to come in and save the day!
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Ceasar Kerali, London, United Kingdom 28 Feb 2002
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I actually have a question which I wish to have answered by anyone.
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What does it take for countries like Lesotho, Swaziland, the Sudan or Mozambique to develop economically since there is obviously a panacea of deficiencies in any nation i.e. poverty, deseases(HIV/Aids being the problem to date)housing, unemployment, etc?
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I mean, does Africa have the capacity to free itself from these ills, without 'investments' form the so called developed countries? For instance what should LESOTHO do to develop to the level of a Switzerland or a Singapore?
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Mxolisi, Johannesburg (South Africa) 26 Feb 2002
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Unites African States (UAS)
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The coming into being of the African Union (AU) will provide a broader scale in the applicability and enforcement of laws.
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Currently, most of the African states are entrenched so deeply in corruption such that the highest level of court system a criminal can be taken is where the same criminals preside over. With the African Court of Justice, it will provide a legal means to indict public officials who have looted public funds.
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The crumbling of infrastructure in Africa purely lies in the mismanagement of resources due to lack of checks and balances of power. Problems cannot be solved at the same level that created them; therefore, it is imperative to have continental institutions to counter such a vice.
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For too long Africa has been misled to believe that investment has to come from the West or Europe. True investment must be placed on the African people by their systems of government. Africa MUST invest in and by itself.
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The idea of privatization as it relates to Africa is a lie and is intended for confusion. In essence, privatization is not only a disguise but also highly sophisticated, structured, and well-coordinated maneuvers from colonial powers for economic take-over.
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As Africans, we must come to see that we are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality tied in a single chord; such that whatever affects us directly, affects all of us indirectly. We must be weary of the tricks and lies from the so-called donor communities. There's an overwhelming support for African Unity. Let's commit ourselves to it.
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Julius Kenyatta, Atlanta, Georgia, USA 24 Feb 2002
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Two topical areas touch me from the interview with Ms. Johnson Sirleaf.
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1. On the issue of who pays for the cost of Africa's infrastructure building, let it be said that the burden falls flush on the laps of state governments. Prioritizing resource allocations in planning viable economic structures ought to find a system of road networks at the very top of the list.
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Connecting the various sub-regions in the pursuit of harmonized interstate trading is hard to achieve without reliable intrastate networks of roads. Connecting road systems at state boarders will not improve regional trading where farm-market (FM's) connecting spurs within the individual states are non-existent for the most part, or inefficient where they exist.
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What is needed at all links in the economic chain in African trade is a system of a "Network of Networks" of roads. History tells us that the great economies of yesterday and today, started on the road.
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Going out on the limb to pinpoint the source of our problem, I place the blame, again flush, this time not on the laps of the state governments, but rather in the faces of our leaders. Common sense should tell them that freedom of movement of people and goods helps them help themselves. Most of Africa, as it looks today, should not even be considering the term "globalization". Why? We have not even scratched the surface of building our national economies; this word might as well be a "black snake"!
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In this regard, the daunting task facing the African Union is how to get on the road. This begins with devising a much needed work plan to ensure good governance at the state level.
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2. It will take an African Woman to get us on the right track. I have been a student of this school practically all my life. Who has the heart? That's the question. Is it the African Man or the African Woman? I unequivocally assert that it is the African Woman! Why? Can't you see what the men have done all of these years! There is your answer! That "ultra ego" that is man, where has that gotten us today? In virtually a bottomless pit. There too, is your answer.
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It is time to give the African Woman a chance to put in place the pegs needed to climb out of this pit.
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Patrick Sneh Davis, Sugar Land, Texas 24 Feb 2002
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In all of the media in the industrial countries, Africa is referred to as a dying continent. Can you tell me, which businessman from these regions would seriously want to invest in such a continent? At the same time according to statistics, the export of ready-made products to Africa increases every year. So, lets call "a spade a spade."
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While Africa is looking for the right boots wear and take part in the marathon of globalization;
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(1) Africa needs a satellite for self-reliant communications.
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(2) Africa needs to increase regional road construction and draw out a continent-wide railway network, especially for the transportation of goods.
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(3) Africa should patronize and allow ready-made foreign products into Africa only when the producers also have production factories in Africa.
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May God give wisdom to Africa’s future policy makers!
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Lawrence Efoghe, Götingen/Germany 24 Feb 2002
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The most important part of any development or advancement in the world is infrastructure. How could we witness any development when the roads are not passable? When communication is neither efficient or available? With ill-equipped or medical centres? Where housing is insufficient, supply of water is irregular, and there is no adequate plan for a sustainable agriculture that would feed the people adequately and for exports.
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If all these facilities are provided, they will pay for themselves. We only need a non-corrupt policy that can be seriously implemented. Within ten years all money invested by the private sector into infrastructure would be recouped with profits.
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Governments need only to assure and guarantee the private sector of the protection of their investments and to work out modalities on how to get their money back.
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When facilities are adequate and functioning well, people are also ready to pay for them because they know that it is good for their own well-being.
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Prince (Babalawo) Adigun Olosun, Ostbevern, Germany. 23 Feb 2002
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Forgive all past debt, remove trade barriers, then never give Africa another penny, crumb of food, clothes or aid.
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Forgiving Africa's huge debt will enable Africa to start fresh. Africa will be forced to develop its agriculture, industry and democracy once the aid spigot is turned off. As it is, most of the aid empowers corrupt politicians and destroys local industry and agriculture.
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James Luciani, U.S.A. 23 Feb 2002
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Moses hit it right on. (see previous contribution) Africa must have leadership with integrity... Men and women of the People. How much longer will our leaders siphon our resources while the people suffer and want? So let us "start" with honest and trustworthy leadership.
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Boundaries are and have been a serious problem throughout Africa. The leaders of today wrongfully respect colonial borders and a colonial education, not to mention a colonial mentality.
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But how do we rectify this problem? This must be brought before our Council of Ministers. I support the reversing of colonial boundaries in addition to a Pan-African Passport. The regional blocs, which are already established, are more effective and easier to manage. The whole scheme of things must be rearranged according to what is most beneficial to African people, not African resources. Moreover, regional blocs will provide for the entire continent. Think of the production and distribution of food stuffs from Zimbabwe alone! The revenues from Congolese coltan! All of Africa's resources should be for the benefit of African people.
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Lastly, the African Union must open its doors to the millions of African children who have been forcefully dispersed throughout the World. The AU political structure must mandate some kind of African Diaspora inclusion. For instance, citizenship to Africans from America, the Caribbean, Latin America, who wish to repatriate. This would solve more than one problem in Africa, mainly the "brain drain", while forming a stronger public support base. The AU must include official seats for Africans in the Diaspora.
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Let us stretch forth our arms and welcome Africa's children home!
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Look to the historical Vienna Declaration(WCAR) for inspiration. Africans are uniting all over the world on common issues and agendas.
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We should excite this kind of interaction between our families. This kind of unity will solidify our success!
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Asante sana.
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Ikemefuna, USA 20 Feb 2002
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The road to the new future for Africa lies in 3 important points. Africa must be objective, realistic and progessive in her move to achieve its new future.
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Emphasis must be placed on Education and Health because healthy human beings build societies with free market economies. Let the people with the will and finance partner with foreign companies and corporations to build inter-regional development infrastracture such as toll roads, bridges, apartment houses, condominuims, electricity and natural gas services, transportation to forster the needed infrastrature for continuing growth.
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May I also emphasize that most of the educated Africans living overseas must be offered a chance to go back to help rebuild. I know most will come.
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Finally, Africa must move to solidify its currency and monetary systems with a new african dollar peg by our natural resources, either gold or diamonds, but nothing else.
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Issah Zabsonre, Burkinabe from Canada, Toronto, Canada 20 Feb 2002
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Until African nations get their own houses in order, any efforts to create a representative body for the continent will continue to give leaders another excuse to leave behind ailing economies, internal conflicts and suffering populations for expensive summits where they drain the national coffers and devise schemes to keep each other in power.
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Anyone seeking evidence of this can look at the recent inablilty of SADC leaders to stop Robert Mugabe's regime from embarrasing the entire region.
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Ironically, Mugabe's irrational and repressive behavior has brought to the table another crucial factor that must be alleviated if the African continent is ever to find unity -- econmic power.
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While African nations were liberated from colonialism politically throughout the past 50 years, most have yet to free themselves from the control of foreign investors. Any plans to rebuild Africa in the eyes of international corporations will only result in the continuence of economic apartheid.
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Only strong, democratically elected leaders such as Nelson Mandela - and the education and participation of dedicated African citizens - will bring about stability in Africa. In the words of Robert Nesta Marley - "As its been said already, let it be done" - 'Africa Unite'
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Zimbob, New York City 20 Feb 2002
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The whole idea of an African renewal is both a profound and a difficult idea to realise. Much has been said already about a need for a holistic approach in the rebuilding process. Many ideas indeed, come to head but there are not many obstacles standing in the way of progress.
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Very few but decisive obstacles are facing us.
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- Non-existence of functional governments to facilitate the re-birth
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- A continued conpiracy by the developed world to stifle African growth
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- Last but not least, lack of political will from African leaders to fight a common fight
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Until all these few but gigantic obstacles are removed, they will continue to render the idea of African rebuilding a far-fetched dream.
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Khanyisa Ndzuta, Fort Beaufort, South Africa 20 Feb 2002
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It's been said already that Africa in its truest state cannot exist without infrastructure. The real problem here is that our Motherland doesn't have the resources necessary to revamp its land in a way that welcomes intra-African and global trade.
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There are many people here in the US who want to help Africa in some way, but don't know how, especially young people such as myself.
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I agree with Kyalo Muthama Illeli of Grand Junction, Colorado, U.S, (see previous contribution) when he says that African -Americans need to get involved.
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As an entertainer, my first response would be to get African-Americans involved in an entertaining way. Here, we have so many concerts, festivals and fund-raisers for so many different things. We have music concerts, art festivals, literary festivals, sporting contests, etc. We have everything from Save the Whales to Save the Pizza Store down the street! Getting the right people on both sides behind an event like this and creating these events a couple of times a year would ensure some of the money over here gets to the right people in Africa who can channel it towards infrastructure and education.
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There may also be a way to bring this type of festival to Europe to appeal to African descendants there also. It's a way to get Africans throughout the nations together for one common goal: to care for our own country and to help it grow and prosper.
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This does not have to take up as much money as one might think, and if it's done in a clever way in the right areas with the right people, then I think a lot of money can be raised.
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If you start with people in, say, New York and Atlanta, you may be able to generate a spark that, with some help, can turn into a great fire of resources for the Motherland.
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This may help. And it doesn't necessarily have to start with the "powers that be," but just dedicated people who want to do more than preach about the state of Africa. [Those who only preach can be of use in the marketing department.]
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I'm not sure if this is something you want to do, but it could help bring some money to Africa, funded by those who really do care about the Motherland, but see no way of getting money over there in a trustworthy way. I would definitely get involved with something like that.
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Chellie Coleman, Brooklyn, NY 20 Feb 2002
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The events of the whole world have turned and luckily in our time, we are opportuned to decide the good life of our future, if not the near future compatriots. Africa as people is not different from all others who live in other lands.
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First, let me say the issue of integrating Africa in a single nation is good and long overdue. It helps put all of Africa's problems in the hands of all its citizens to solve; the building of highways, steel plants, copper and aluminum smelters. plastic and cement plants are all the bricks we use to build any modern culture and a single currency, single market, single judiciary, single education system, with English as a universal tool makes the dream of our forefathers happen.
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Keep in mind that what is good for all mankind is good for Africans, but what is good for Africans is not necessarily good for all mankind considering the universal cosmic laws.
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Dr. Richardson, Washington, DC
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Africa is often compared to Europe or indeed the Americas as being potentially suited to the economic solutions and patterns that exist in those regions. Politicians and social scientists tend to model Africa's solutions on that of Milton Friedman or Adam Smith's school of economic theories. Those that want to follow current trends are even taking on Thatcherite, Reaganite or Blairite theories of re-nationalisation as models for Africa's economic problem!
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About 12 months ago in a discussion forum sponsored through Nigeria.com, I dared to suggest that "bankrupt African States" should be "re-colonised" in order that world organisations could evoke the Marshall Plan to aid them. I am happy to reiterate the proposition.
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Africa is not ready for grandiose ideas and ideaologies. We have a situation where we are incapable of basic governance. We are not able to feed and house ourselves adequately. We lack basic understanding of the civil democratic process. Those Africans that are educated fail to understand the basic essence of education - which is the understanding of the environment within which they find themselves and the recognition of the limitations of knowledge acquired!
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For example, a qualified accountant cannot be equipped to run the Treasury of a country unless he has specific and adequate experience within that sphere. A medical doctor cannot be responsible for the administration of public health unless adequate training and practice specific to that area of expertise has been achieved. A civil engineer or architect without specific experience of urban regeneration cannot be expected to be responsible for the re-generation programs of our towns and villages or else we will end up with many more "Abuja concept cities" that we can ill afford: If you can't fix or run it properly, leave it and build a new one!
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It seems that Africa's socio-economic problem is so complex as to be insoluble...I disagree profoundly. In fact, I suggest that the solution is simplicity itself. The only problem we have is the ego our politicians and the so-called "elites" with their self interests and grandiose plans that have only been tried and tested in regions with completely different social and economic models (i.e.. Europe and North America).
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May I suggest that maybe before we start creating fantastic organisations and clubs, we should concentrate on having properly constituted civil and local services within individual states.
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The provision of basic social needs does not always require foreign handouts. We need to know how to implement the policies that bring about social change in housing, health and education. It is an obvious statement, but the reality is that 90% of African countries do not have the civil and local service infrastructure to administer such a change and the remaining 10% that have, do not know how to implement it!
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We need to be trained in the proper governance of our individual states. We need to be able to run smaller states(countries) before we can be trusted to run bigger ones(continents).
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Benjamin George, London, England
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The much talked about African Union will remain a dream if the basic infrastructure is not put in place. Each country should endeavor to do the following:
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1) Enact laws that favor private investment for both nationals and foreigners.
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2) Invest in roads, telecommunications and tourism.
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3) Create a stable political environment where the constitution and other laws are not frequently revised to meet the needs of those in power.
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Once this basic infrastructure is in place, most Africans at home and abroad would feel more comfortable about investing in their countries.
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The question of who will pay for these investments is crucial and we must remember that some of these investments in other countries have been done by the private sector. MCI and Sprint have contributed enormously to the development of the telephone system in the United States of America. Why did they do it? Because they were certain that the government will not turn around and nationalize their companies.
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Godlove Ntaw, Port-au-Prince, Haiti
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It is clear that first, infrastructures must exist and second, must be integrable before one can realistically speak of integration.
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Given Africa's lack of same, it would seem that infrastructures must be specifically designed to fit into the overall plan, that is, if one expects to compete globally. I do not think Africa has the time to meander toward a globally competitive economy.
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So, how does one design an infrastructure? Is it done with the participation and cooperation of the people? Or is it imposed? Who will volunteer to be a "loser" in order to advance the economic "good" of the continent? I don't see such a thing happening en masse.
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Africans should consider carefully whether they have to follow, so exactly, the Western pattern of development.
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Jesse Hutton, USA
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I have listened to both parties responding to the dilemma in mother Afrika and I would like to add that I think that there are investors already here in America who have never been given the chance to invest in their country.....Let's look at how to get them involved in Africa which they were taken away from almost 500 years ago. We would love to be involved, but no one has come to us and shown us how to become involved... Lets get connected again. From an Afrikan living in America -
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Kyalo Muthama Illeli, Grand Junction, Colorado, U.S.
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There should be no doubt in the mind of any African that this is the time for Africa to move forward with the union idea. It is a political idea, leading to economic and social emancipation. Lets go for it!
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But what worries me at this point is the fact that, since the African Union was launched, no attempt has been made to involve the ordinary grassroots Africans for them to learn about it (something that affects their very lives).
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As conferences are being held periodically by our leaders to mold and shape things, Amara Essy should be encouraged to inject a new momentum into the African Union movement. A good example of this is the immediate launching of an African union flag, required to be flown by all member states side by side with their respective national flags.
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Also, the African Union idea should be taught in all of our elementary schools as part of the African history curriculum. Educating our children in the classroom regarding the tenets and principles of the African union will go a long way to minimizing conflicts, if not eradicating them totally.
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Anthony Kofi Newman, Atlanta, Georgia. U.S.A.
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African leaders need to be willing to give up power in free elections in order for the AU to work and grow strong... No other way.
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Jaxhar Tymeryder, Bronx, NY
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African countries must first deal with their respective internal ethnic and religious conflicts, which is the biggest obstacle confronting the continent right now.
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The second obstacle that the continent will have to address is the leadership problem within each country. The leaders of tomorrow in Africa will need to be re-educated to the facts that in a democratic society elected office is not a birth right. There should be transparence in the performance of their duties. The fact that they are there to serve the people of their country and not an opportunity to enrich themselves is the way to develop Africa. To quote a famous American president our respective leaders should “ ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country” which should apply to both elected officials and the masses.
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Take the case of Zimbabwe, President Mugabe has been in office well over twenty years and at 78 years of age he should cede the office to younger leaders who can take the country forward and improve the lot of his people, the economy is almost stagnate with no clear cut direction on how to jump start a stalled economy, which is the case in most of the African countries. We have leaders that are not willing to give others opportunity to help develop their countries.
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So the talk of African union is a dream that will be realized when we have cleaned up our masses by 1) stopping ethnic and religious conflicts, 2) creating a safe living environment to help stem the erosion of our intellectual citizens from fleeing to the western world, 3) Introducing and encouraging co-operative farming by providing farm subsidizes to the agricultural communities and helping finance mechanized farming and training in this area, 4) rebuilding our educational systems and encouraging our young minds to think out side the box and be the future African innovators, 5) rebuilding our infrastructure to attract foreign investors into Africa, 6) creating a safe living environment free of armed bandits, 7) encouraging and respecting the human rights of all citizens which to me is fundamental to building a great nation and wonderful African union and continent.
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We need to all live in harmony with each other by respecting and understanding our diverse ethnic and religious differences with zero tolerance toward any tyrannical leaders in Africa.
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Ismaila , Iselin, NJ U.S.A
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There is no doubt in any one's mind that the foremost objective is education. Our past leaders and their associates engaged themselves in a self looting war with the masses and this has resulted in the current situation whereby the gap between the poor and the rich is so diverse. Africa with all its rich resources could feed the world, no less their own.
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Secondly is self determination!, can we do it, do we have the capability to assure ourselves, can we follow the trends of the new era? Yes we can. The potential is there, the zeal is there but what is lacking is practical effectiveness. I live in a country where their only and basic sources of income are fruits and tourism, yet these people live better than in any African country and that is due to the rationalization of their wealth.
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Lets not deceive ourselves. Our development solely depends on us, so let's not rely on others.
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Samuel, Greece
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One of the primary objectives of leadership is to put the interest of the masses before personal riches. If African leaders and their cronies can stop being selfish and greedy, then most of what we see happening on the continent today in the form of factional fighting, wars, hunger and disease would be absent. Investors do not cherish any environment that appears hostile. Africa to most developed countries presents that picture. Africa needs to let go of its old leaders, such as Bongo, Biya, Moi, Mugabe, and many more.
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Moses Timah, Cairo, Illinois USA
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