********************************************************

RENEW YOUR AAM MEMBERSHIP FOR $25!!!!

MAIL YOUR CHECK TO AAM, P. O. Box 1016, MADISON, WI 53701

********************************************************

Nigerian Guardian-Friday, February 13, 2009              

United States of Africa may take off in 2017, says Wade

AHEAD of a proposal for the proclamation of the United States of Africa by 2017, continental leaders will by January next year establish an Authority of the Africa Union to work out the details of the plan.
Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade, who announced the two dates in Dakar yesterday, said that an extraordinary AU meeting would be held to adopt the recommendations of the organisation's last summit early this month in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The summit reached a consensus on the establishment of the AU Authority to coordinate efforts geared towards establishing the United States of Africa.
Opening a two-day international symposium on the Great Green Wall (GGW), President Wade said after this meeting, the countries were expected to adopt the new texts, before promulgating them.
Pan-African News Agency reports quoted Wade as saying that "the United States of Africa will be proclaimed in 2017, to allow for the time needed to work out the different African institutions," he said.
He said at the just-ended AU summit, a "Group of 20 African countries were ready to go their own way and set up a Federal Union. We primarily had the idea of establishing a Federal Union. Eventually, we agreed to the resolutions of the summit providing for the establishment of an Authority."
Also, Libyan leader and AU Chairman, Col. Muammar Gaddafi, yesterday said he would like a United States of Africa to include "Caribbean islands with African populations".
Speaking in Tripoli as AU new chief, Gaddafi hinted that this could include Haiti, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic.
He sympathised with Somali pirates, describing their actions as self-defence.
Last week, he said that multi-party democracy was not right for Africa.
Gaddafi's critics believe he is too erratic to be chairman of the 53-nation AU.
Celebrating his new role at his compound in Tripoli on Tuesday, Gaddafi suggested Caribbean islands should join the AU and become a bridge between Africa and Latin America.
He told the gathering of about 400 guests that Somali pirates were only hitting back against other countries stealing marine wealth from the region's waters.
Gaddafi said the United Nations (UN) should protect Somali waters from the piracy of other countries.
He also said he would use his 12 months at the helm of the AU to try to resolve Africa's conflicts, including Darfur and Somalia.



Date: Thu, 12 Feb 2009 12:46:45 -0800
From: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: What do you think about the United States of Africa? Share your thoughts...
To: [log in to unmask]

******************************************************** RENEW YOUR AAM MEMBERSHIP FOR $25!!!!
MAIL YOUR CHECK TO AAM, P. O. Box 1016, MADISON, WI 53701
********************************************************
Joe and Thomas,
 
I will like to agree with you guys and i think i am going to visit couple of campuses around the Atlanta, GA areas to see how we can shape this debate and turn it into something meaningful. I will be watching out as to when you guys will organize the debate so that i can be a part of the deliberation. If you can contact the Libyan Mission at the UN for help in facililating this workshop that will be great. I am in touch with them. We need to listen to everybody and come up with a consensus. I think MACON can play an important role here.
 
Let keep the debate flowing.
 
Isettro

--- On Thu, 2/12/09, Conduah, Joe - DOT <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
From: Conduah, Joe - DOT <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: What do you think about the United States of Africa? Share your thoughts...
To: [log in to unmask]
Date: Thursday, February 12, 2009, 2:00 PM

********************************************************

RENEW YOUR AAM MEMBERSHIP FOR $25!!!!

MAIL YOUR CHECK TO AAM, P. O. Box 1016, MADISON, WI 53701

********************************************************

Thanks a lot Thomas for breaking the rod of discord.
I think this is an opportune time for the AAM and all National associations to
organize a symposium and talk about this important development rather that
allowing individual sentiments to cloud our thinking.
Over to you AAM, AWA and all African National Associations.
The party is over. Let us get to business.

Joe Conduah

-----Original Message-----
From: African Association of Madison [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
Behalf Of Thomas Adeetuk
Sent: Thursday, February 12, 2009 1:46 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: What do you think about the United States of Africa? Share
your thoughts...


********************************************************

RENEW YOUR AAM MEMBERSHIP FOR $25!!!!

MAIL YOUR CHECK TO AAM, P. O. Box 1016, MADISON, WI 53701

********************************************************

Just a few comments/observations:

1. Let us discuss this important topic with care and great thought and not let
any individual anxieties cloud our critical thinking or contributions to this
discussion. It is certainly not beneficial to infuse our discussion with
statements like " To listen to Gaddaffi talking about a united Africa is
both insulting and hypocrytical". Where is the insult or hypocracy in
Gadaffi's call? And who is he insulting? Isn't Gadaffi an African? And
does he not have the right like any other African to share his views on uniting
Africa? Please live such comments out of our discussion.

2. If we want to start a serious dialog about working to create a United States
of Africa, wouldn't it be better for us to concentrate our efforts in
getting together like minds to braistorm on how best to do this rather than
castigating others who are only trying to rally us to the call? If I may simply
ask, what has the current dis-unity brought Africa so far? I hope forward
looking is better than backwards looking. Even though lessons of the past can
pave the way for the future.

Let us continue the discussions.

Thomas Adeetuk
College Library
Helen C. White Hall
600 N. Park Street
Madison, WI 53706
(608)263-3145



----- Original Message -----
From: Ann Marie Dawson <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Wednesday, February 11, 2009 5:37 pm
Subject: Re: What do you think about the United States of Africa? Share your
thoughts...
To: [log in to unmask]


> ********************************************************
>
> RENEW YOUR AAM MEMBERSHIP FOR $25!!!!
>
> MAIL YOUR CHECK TO AAM, P. O. Box 1016, MADISON, WI 53701
>
> ********************************************************
>
> *"I want to congratulate the Libyan leader for his ascendancy to the
> leadership of the African Union and his bold vision of
> re-articulating the
> dream of having a United States of Africa."
> *
> Settro, surely you must be kidding! Gadaffi has used his country's
> money to
> cause a lot of havoc in various countries in Africa, including Sierra
> Leone, but the blame lies on some of our leaders who have led him to
> believe
> that throwing money around absolves him of all the blood on his hands.
>
> Ann Marie
> On Wed, Feb 11, 2009 at 5:22 PM, Collins Ouko <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:
>
> > ********************************************************
> >
> > RENEW YOUR AAM MEMBERSHIP FOR $25!!!!
> >
> > MAIL YOUR CHECK TO AAM, P. O. Box 1016, MADISON, WI 53701
> >
> > ********************************************************
> >
> > You gotta be kidding,
> > The election of Gadaffi as the chairman of AU probably set whole
> continet a
> > decade or two back.
> > Gadaffi is not the man to champion a united Africa, he neither
> believes in
> > nor supports democracy.
> > I would be willing to listen to that idea of US of Africa if it was
> > espoused by a Lumumba, Nkurumah, Mandela, Annan or any of the other
> greats
> > from Africa.
> > To listen to Gaddaffi talking about a united Africa is both
> insulting and
> > hypocrytical.
> > Besides, a united Africa is the least in the long list of
Africa's
> needs
> > and problems.
> > Until the whole continent is a democracy this idea will remain a
dream.
> > We can't get Sudan to stop killing its citizens, we can't
get
> Somalia to
> > function as a nation.
> > The East African countries can't agree on their
"union", and let's
> not even
> > get started on Zimbabwe, Chad, Zaire or Nigeria.
> > And are you serious that you are glad Gaddaffi is the Chairman of
> AU?
> > Nothing aginst the man, but he neither believes in what the AU
> stands for
> > nor what the rest of the continent is trying to achieve.
> > US of Africa gets a NO vote from me.
> >
> > ---- Isaac Settro <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> >
> > =============
> > ********************************************************
> >
> > RENEW YOUR AAM MEMBERSHIP FOR $25!!!!
> >
> > MAIL YOUR CHECK TO AAM, P. O. Box 1016, MADISON, WI 53701
> >
> > ********************************************************
> >
> > Just recently at the African Union Summit in Ethiopia,
> > Libyan Leader Colonel Kaddafi and other leaders brought back to the
> > podium the idea of forming the United States of Africa.
> > This idea was first propounded by the likes of Nkrumah, Lumumba,
> > Tubman, Sekou Toure et al, during the era of the Organization of
> > African Unity (OAU).
> >
> >
> >
> > I want to congratulate the Libyan leader for his ascendancy to the
> > leadership of the African Union and his bold vision of
re-articulating
> > the dream of having a United States of Africa.
> > This dream is overdue and it is time that we work with the Libyan
> > leader and other well meaning Africans to see this dream come true.
> > Here are few points i will like to state here as a way forward:
> >
> >
> >
> > - that membership into the Union be voluntary;
> >
> > - that the capital city of the union be Johanesburg, South Africa
> if they
> > decide to be a member;
> >
> > - that the governance structure of the Union be based on sound
democratic
> > principle within the
> >
> > framework of the federal system;
> >
> > - that the model of the United States of America be a stepping
> stone in the
> > right direction;
> >
> > - that a serious publicity be launched globally to encourage African
> > governments and Africans to accept this idea;
> >
> > - that debates be held around the continent and the diaspora for
detail
> > resolution in achieving this monumental dream.
> >
> >
> >
> > Such union will unite Africa and bring economic growth to the dark
> > continent of the world. It will also enhance democratic values
> > throughout the continent. It is time that we debate this concept
> and at
> > the end come up with the best proposal to push our continent
forward.
> >
> >
> >
> > I hope the Libyan leader will try to form a coalition of Africans (
> be
> > it poor, middle class or rich ) in achieving this goal. The world is
> > looking and it is time for a change for a better tomorrow on the
dark
> > continent of Africa.
> >
> >
> >
> > Isettro
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > *** Send email to the list: [log in to unmask] ***
> > *** Access AAM list archives:
http://listserv.icors.org/archives/AAM.html***
> >
> > *** Send email to the list: [log in to unmask] ***
> > *** Access AAM list archives:
http://listserv.icors.org/archives/AAM.html***
> >
>
> *** Send email to the list: [log in to unmask] ***
> *** Access AAM list archives:
> http://listserv.icors.org/archives/AAM.html ***
>
>
>
>
>

*** Send email to the list: [log in to unmask] ***
*** Access AAM list archives: http://listserv.icors.org/archives/AAM.html ***

*** Send email to the list: [log in to unmask] ***
*** Access AAM list archives: http://listserv.icors.org/archives/AAM.html ***

*** Send email to the list: [log in to unmask] *** *** Access AAM list archives: http://listserv.icors.org/archives/AAM.html ***






Windows Live™: E-mail. Chat. Share. Get more ways to connect. Check it out. *** Send email to the list: [log in to unmask] *** *** Access AAM list archives: http://listserv.icors.org/archives/AAM.html ***