your frustration is understandable, but again I urge you to find out more
about the reasoning behind the Summit before writing it off.
There ARE concerned people in these United States who have every right to
try to reign in the ecxesses of its own government.
On Wed, 22 Mar 2000, tester testers wrote:
> Excuse me:
>
> Answer this question. "If the United States of
> America has little regard towards its citizens of
> color (especially black folks), what makes you think
> they would take the African continent with any
> seriousness, except if it benefits them." I can cite
> many examples even in recent years of diminishing U.S.
> interest in African states. Even though there are 2
> or 3 congressmen (or even the President who may raise
> a brow), the system is such that decisions are made by
> the majority in the house. East Africa has been
> plagued with massive disasters and little was done to
> remedy their plight.
>
> To cut a long discussion short, why with all the
> turmoil in Africa, the U.S. as well as its allies are
> turning away from Africa with each passing day.
> Africa has internal problems that are deeply rooted in
> its culture for the most part. It is for us as
> africans to rid ourselves of such ills before trying
> to build western relations. All we've ever got from
> the western world has been mostly detrimental. Seek
> help from your neighbor, not your enemy.
>
> May I be excused.
>
> Essa
>
>
>
>
>
> --- Ylva Hernlund <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> > Essa,
> > Perhaps you have not been following earlier e-mails
> > regarding the Summit
> > which explains its history and purpose. It IS about
> > how the United States
> > should conduct its dealings with Africa. A
> > constituency of
> > African-Americans, Africans in America and friends
> > of Africa who care
> > about the way the United States deals with Africa
> > have worked on this
> > document in order to improve both US policy towards
> > Africa and the general
> > level of awareness about Africa in the US (which in
> > turn will obviously
> > greatly affect US support for things like debt
> > relief). It is NOT a
> > document that seeks to tell Africa how to run
> > itself. I believe there are
> > other Summits going on, for example in Italy, which
> > will address how other
> > powers positions themselves towards Africa.
> > I would strongly urge you to visit the Summit Web
> > Page for more
> > information; in particular the Historical Background
> > paper on US Africa
> > policy is very informative and may still some of
> > your concerns. Best,
> > Ylva Hernlund
> >
> > On Wed, 22 Mar 2000, tester testers wrote:
> >
> > > It's amusing that that all 10 recommendations need
> > the
> > > U.S. help/aid/support. It looks like "U.S. summit
> > in
> > > Africa". Why do we ahve to ask the U.S. to take
> > the
> > > lead. The fact is every country on this earth
> > exists
> > > for the well being and interest of its citizens.
> > I
> > > believe the U.S. will effect full participation if
> > > they see great forthcomings in the short run.
> > >
> > > Essa
> > >
> > > --- Ylva Hernlund <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> > > > NATIONAL SUMMIT ON AFRICA: TOP TEN PRIORITY
> > > > RECOMMENDATIONS
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > During the National Summit, delegates
> > deliberated
> > > > and adopted the following
> > > > 10 priority recommendations (two for each of the
> > > > National Summit on
> > > > Africa's five themes) for immediate action, and
> > to
> > > > serve as the anchors to
> > > > the National Policy Plan of Action for
> > U.S.-Africa
> > > > Relations in the 21st
> > > > Century.
> > > >
> > > > Economic Development, Trade and Investment, and
> > Job
> > > > Creation:
> > > >
> > > > 1. The U.S. should
> > take
> > > > the lead in providing
> > > > prompt and meaningful debt relief for Africa by
> > > > forgiving all Africa public
> > > > sector debt owed to the U.S. The U.S. should
> > also
> > > > support and encourage the
> > > > favorable renegotiation, restructuring or
> > > > cancellation of African debt held
> > > > by private and multilateral creditors, as well
> > as
> > > > that held by other
> > > > creditor nations.
> > > >
> > > > 2. It is absolutely
> > > > necessary for the U.S. to
> > > > stimulate direct trade and investment between
> > Africa
> > > > and the U.S. because
> > > > without it democracy will fail and the human
> > needs
> > > > of the people cannot be
> > > > met. This should be done with particular
> > emphasis on
> > > > small- and medium-sized
> > > > businesses between Africans and
> > African-Americans.
> > > > There must be support for
> > > > the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act in order
> > to
> > > > foster trade and
> > > > investment in Africa and enable African
> > countries to
> > > > develop mutually
> > > > beneficial partnerships with the U.S. so as to
> > > > accomplish these goals.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Sustainable Development, Quality of Life, and
> > the
> > > > Environment
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > 3. In the interest
> > of
> > > > sustainable development
> > > > and the goals of self-sufficiency and economic
> > > > independence in Africa, the
> > > > U.S. should support and strengthen access to
> > potable
> > > > water and waste
> > > > management; the prevention, control, and
> > eradication
> > > > of infections and
> > > > diseases through the use of non-traditional,
> > > > traditional, and herbal
> > > > medicines. Prevention of all major diseases in
> > > > Africa should be supported
> > > > in partnership with African governments, civil
> > > > society and non-governmental
> > > > organizations, the private corporate sector and
> > > > other multi-lateral and
> > > > bi-lateral donor agencies. Moreover, the U.S.
> > must
> > > > champion debt
> > > > cancellation so African governments can redirect
> > > > those resources toward
> > > > these efforts. The U.S. should work
> > collaboratively
> > > > with organizations in
> > > > Africa to support efforts to provide disability,
> > > > refugee, and mental health
> > > > services. HIV/AIDS should be given special
> > > > emphasis. These collective
> > > > actions will also ensure the future of Africa's
> > > > children.
> > > >
> > > > 4. The U.S. should
> > > > invest in and support
> > > > African initiatives to provide basic necessities
> > > > through the development of
> > > > sustainable infrastructure. Addressing these
> > issues
> > > > requires commitment to
> > > > human capital, gender issues (with emphasis on
> > > > women), education, capacity
> > > > building, participatory development involving
> > the
> > > > inclusion of
> > > > non-governmental organizations, community-based
> > > > organizations, and reliance
> > > > on expertise from Africa, as well as
> > establishing
> > > > linkages with
> > > > African-Americans. All existing and future U.S.
> > > > government projects, U.S.
> > > > non-governmental organizations and businesses
> > should
> > > > adhere to the same
> > > > environmental protection standards that they
> > would
> > > > need to meet in the U.S.
> > > > and should be required to sign on to a list of
> > > > principles that promote
> > > > sustainable utilization of land, water, forest,
> > > > wildlife, marine,
> > > > biodiversity, and coastal resources. The U.S.
> > > > should strictly enforce the
> > > > prohibition of transporting, selling and dumping
> > of
> > > > toxic and hazardous
> > > > substances. Therefore, the U.S. through its
> > > > Department of State, agencies,
> > > > and Congress can play key enhancing roles by: 1)
> > > > increasing the foreign
> > > > assistance budget; 2) sustaining and expanding
> > > > information technology
> > > > infrastructure 3) using its relational leverage
> > with
> > > > other donors to boost
> > > > the livelihood of grassroots communities; and 4)
> > > > supporting efforts at land
> > > > reform which sustains small holder agriculture
> > and
> > > > food security.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Peace and Security
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > 5. The U.S. should
> >
> === message truncated ===
>
> __________________________________________________
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