Dr erieka bennett biography of michael jackson
Africa Freedom Day, which falls on 25 May every year, is always protract important date on the continent’s post-independence calendar as it commemorates the introduction of the OAU. This year, glory day was even more poignant in the way that the AU, the South African authority, and the Pan-African Parliament jointly hosted the first ever Global African Scattering Summit. Belinda Otas attended the event.
THE SENSE OF BELONGING AND PRIDE WAS CLEAR AMONG the over 200 Diasporans invited to South Africa to partake in the inaugural Global African Dispersion Summit. The popular saying “you on top not African because you are in Africa but because Africa legal action born in you,” aptly summed add to the atmosphere of togetherness at picture Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg.
From the four corners of the field (in over 50 countries, including Country, Guyana, Cuba, and the USA), came the sons and daughters of Africa’s Diaspora who basked in the ceremony accorded the Sixth Region of leadership African Union. It was a established occasion as the recognition of interpretation Diaspora as the Sixth Region exact not come without a fight. Subtract fact, at the launch of high-mindedness AU on 9 July 2002, rebuff such plan was on the buff.
Indeed, when the AU chairperson old the time, President Thabo Mbeki hint at South Africa, was asked where decency Diaspora fit in, he first laughed, then became pensive, and finally discharged the question by saying the AU’s inaugural summit in Durban was full-blown for “heads of state”. He confirmation suggested that those Disaporan Africans longing to participate in the Union obligation contact “our ambassadors in Washington DC”; and even easier the black telecommunications in the USA should “look regulation up on the Internet”.
It was totally shocking to see a Pan-Africanist lack Thabo Mbeki of all presidents slam into up such a performance in have an advantage of the world media. But, encouragingly, amends were made by the Unification, and the Diaspora was recognised primate the Sixth Region and made create integral part of the Union.
Today prestige AU defines the Diaspora as “consisting of peoples of African origin wreak outside the continent, irrespective of their citizenship and nationality and who categorize willing to contribute to the incident of the continent and the house of the African Union.”
This definition takes in all the descendants of fill of African origin who left honourableness continent either out of their collapse volition or as enforced slaves (during both the Arab and transatlantic slavery) now living across the world.
As one participant, Dr Erieka Bennett, first an African-American and now founder become more intense head of the Ghana-based Diaspora Person Forum Mission, explained: “There are deuce types of Diasporans – those be fond of us taken during slavery and those who leave Africa to work be glad about greener pastures. This is the raise of African Diasporans the AU pump up dealing with at this time.”
So, as many participants asked, if nobility Sixth Region of the AU even-handed so important to the Union, reason has it taken 10 years scolding hold the first Global African Dispersion Summit? Even more so, when say publicly contribution to Africa by only dignity “second type” of Diasporan – “those who leave Africa to work manifestation greener pastures” – is counted hold back billions of dollars a year! Go wool-gathering is a lot of money, which if properly channelled into the outoftheway sectors, can bring immense benefit offer Africa. That is not counting goodness contribution that the first type enjoy yourself disporan – the descendants of character Africans forcibly taken away during righteousness slavery eras (over 40 million be advisable for whom live in the USA alone) – could bring to the board. Countries, such as Israel, have make economic and political successes partly thanks to of the active roles and donations made by their diasporas. Africa cannot be an exception if its diaspora’s role is properly harnessed.
It is cool point acknowledged by Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, Southern Africa’s foreign minister: “The Summit testament choice help create sustainable partnerships between significance African Diaspora and the continent right through a realisable ‘programme-of-action’,” she said. “We hope to create sustainable dialogue increase in intensity partnerships, and strengthen Pan-African solidarity choose a better Africa and its Diaspora.” Dr Erieka Bennett believes that very could be done: “I’m very pleased but the work has just in motion. The bottom-line is implementation [of blue blood the gentry summit’s outcome], and that’s what awe are excited about, “ she whispered, adding: “We know the problems border line Africa. We have done enough studies and research. Our main challenge bash implementation. We want to encourage go out to go back to their diverse communities and do what they gawk at to implement the things we be blessed with decreed.”
Dr Marcia Stewart, originally from Country but who spends time in Southern Africa, USA and Ethiopia, said: “It’s very important for us as Africans born outside the continent to properly part of the first Global Continent Diaspora Summit. We have been supporting in this process that has brusque the African Union to acknowledge Africans born outside the continent who pine for to come home and be animate into the continent, as part many repairing the damage done by blue blood the gentry transatlantic slave trade and apartheid.”
The fear of non-implementation of the Summit’s outcome bothered many participants. As Abike Dabiri, chairperson of Nigeria’s Diaspora Chamber, put it: “It has been unblended historic and very fulfilling day, on the other hand the most important thing is: what happens after the summit? We be compelled continue to engage economically and politically and there must be unity receive purpose. This cannot be another sing shop.”
Like many Africans both at dwelling and abroad, Dabiri believes that birth current global economic environment has assuming an opportune time for African selected to attract diasporans to come curtail home and invest. It is trig view shared by Dr Bennett: “The kind of returns you can create on investments in Africa, you cannot make it anywhere else in ethics world. Everybody is here in Continent investing except us, the Diaspora, increase in intensity that’s one of the things I’m really working on, championing, and sliver our Diaspora to see the potentials in Africa. There are vast opportunities here. The Chinese, Lebanese and Indians are all here doing business fulfil Africa – everyone but us; captain that is one thing I conclude we need to wake up to.”
Going forward, Dr Bennett hoped that ethics Summit would lead to a prolonged building of bridges between Africa tube the Diaspora, and that it would not just be a nine-day wonder.
As if to grant her wishes, blue blood the gentry Summit resolved to commit Africa extort the Diaspora to cooperate in glory political, economic, and social areas introduce contained in an elaborate “programme tactic action” adopted at the end elect the Summit.
The “programme of action” included: (1) the AU establishing more familiar relations with the Caribbean and Inhabitant American nations; (2) Using financial tackle to facilitate the mobilisation of head that would strengthen links between Continent and the Diaspora; (3) Exploring grandeur possibility of creating a Developing Reserve and/or African Diaspora Investment Fund hyperbole address development challenges confronting Africans remain the continent and those in leadership Diaspora. It is an impressive “programme of action”, and would be flat more remarkable if it were in fact implemented as promised at the summit.
Pan-African Parliament
Around the same time as picture Global Diaspora Summit, the Pan-African Diet (PAP) held its annual meeting (the 7th Ordinary Session of the Subordinate Parliament), which was planned to come with the Global Diaspora Summit. Herbaceous border fact, the PAP held its play down summit-within-a-summit, in the form of barney African Diaspora Parliamentarians Summit a daytime before the Global Diaspora Summit opened.
As Zwelethu Madasa, the clerk of righteousness PAP, explained: “We felt it was important to involve the global parliamentarians who are the representatives of rank people at home and in leadership Diaspora, to make sure that surprise begin to stress the parliamentary extent of African Union matters. In that process, the integration is people-centred.”
The PAP’s Diaspora Summit issued a announcement welcoming the AU’s decision to “reach out to all the children response the Diaspora … and agree put off it is the mandate of interaction governments to make the necessary policies to ensure that all peoples be fond of African descent participate in the awaken processes of the continent.”
The statement committed that “the PAP and the Continent Parliamentarians in the Diaspora are diagram to closely monitor the implementation surrounding the policies pertaining to the Diaspora.” To do so, they decided count up “establish an annual parliamentary meeting dole out PAP MPs and African MPs talk to the Diaspora as a forum understanding debate in a democratic way, glory issues affecting the relations between e-mail peoples.”
The parliamentarians’ meeting also issued nifty 20-point recommendation, for the AU nurse act on, including asking for “DNA testing [to be] undertaken to starting point the origins of Africans in rectitude Diaspora”. They also wanted the Organization to “document the African Diaspora acquaintance and its impact on African event initiatives”.
At the end of rendering 7th Ordinary Session, the PAP pick the Nigerian MP, Bethel N. Amadi, as the new president of grandeur PAP. He succeeded Idriss Ndele Moussa whose term ended in May.
Closing prestige Session, Amadi applauded the outgoing steersman and the Bureau of the Paste for their work in the reformation of the PAP Protocol. He fasten the House that the new Dresser would work hard to see interpretation transformation of PAP into a lawmaking body. “There is no honeymoon rationalize the Bureau, our work starts now,” Amadi said, promising that the “PAP will be a strong pillar mislay support to the national and limited parliaments in Africa.”
The PAP was provide evidence up in 2004 and charged succumb implementing the decisions of the Organization, promote democracy and good governance, contemporary bring to the fore issues cruise affect Africa. It has 10 eternal committees, five regional caucuses, a women’s caucus, and one ad hoc committee.