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Theme:
“Achieving Strong and Sustainable Economic Growth in Africa
to Curb Unemployment and Promote Regional and Continental
Integration Dynamics".
Title:
Fostering Effective Partnerships of Equals
with the North in the Africa-Diaspora Collaboration in
Leveling the Playing Field
Second Congress of African Economists
Abidjan , Côte d’Ivoire
November 24-26, 2011
The Dream
Albert Gyan
Development Consultant
Perspective
The
The Progressive Agenda for Economic Justice / Catholic
structure:
Social Teachings
Hypothesis
The rules of the “market place” are rigged in favor of the
North; Africa requires among others strategic partnerships to
level the playing field
Arguments
Proportion of ownership of natural resources to wealth (GNP)
Asymmetrically (unfairly) rewarding factors of production
Change regime by changing the rule-makers
The moral imperative - a rights-based approach
Findings
Hope: Berlin wall, apartheid regime, Debt discourse, BO 2008
Acknowledged: Diaspora = Brain Bank and Financial Capital
An untapped potential: “Diaspora Intelligence”
Conclusion
AU with the Diaspora, engage UN FFD and the BWI/IFI
We live to pursue our
processes, to articulate and advocate the ethical and moral
dreams.
imperative for creating just and fair trade and finance regimes
Key policy recommendation
Build strategic alliances and develop a concerted program to
harness and use intelligence in leveling the playing field
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Perspective
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The Progressive Agenda for Economic Justice
and Catholic Social Teachings
Not unique to any particular Faith nor Religion - shared core values that are
expressed in the preamble of the UN Millennium Declaration - justice and fairness
In 1998 Marking the UN Year of Africa – EU Youth to initiate a campaign for
transforming all subservient relationships with the African continent into
partnerships of equals. The questions we asked then were: How much have
things changed since the first Europeans sailed down to Africa to exploit the
continent over 500 years ago?
25 ears of operating from a vintage point of the idealism of an activist, with the
naiveté that persistent advocacy and agitation within the established dominant
development paradigm, will lead to the continent its rightful place at the table as
an equal partner
practicing the catholic social teaching progressive agenda of as the ecumenical
movement with its roots in the anti-apartheid and the “anti-globalization”
movements.
Un processes 80s 90s – millennium declaration / mdgs
Culture of ubuntu (I am because we are) economy of solidarity – practice in a
united Africa – economic justice
Values and principles that underpin fair business and trade practices
Hypothesis
The rules of the “market place” are rigged in favor of4
the North. Africa requires among others strategic
partnerships to level the playing field
Africa is one of the richest continents on the globe. There is no moral
justification for over half its population to live in dehumanizing poverty
Nearly 80% of the strategic minerals the U.S. requires are found in Africa,
90% of the world's cobalt, 90% of the platinum, 40% of the gold, 98% of
the chromium, 64% of the manganese, and one-third of the uranium.
Africa also accounts for 18% of U.S. oil imports, compared to 25% from
the Persian Gulf, with Nigeria and Angola, with new oil rich countries
AU is operating in a framework that is hostile to the aspirations of the
continent and its people; driven by profit at all cost -- even human life and
environmental (disregard for the “rights of mother earth”
We’re hitting a wall.
This paradigm is perpetuated by crony capitalism dominated by
oligarchies & monopolies with a culture of greed, which has created the
widest income disparities since 474
To achieve the dream of “strong and sustainable economic growth” we got
to level the Playing Field to compete fair and squarely in the global market
place
Africa requires among others strategic partnerships
to level the playing field
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To achieve the dream we got to level the Playing Field to compete fair and
squarely in the global market place
“Think different”? No, this is not for the crazy ones; though it’s they who
think they can change the world are the ones who do!
Rational: Real lessons from recent struggles:
Campaign against the iron curtain that lead to the fall of the Berlin
wall and despotic regimes of the Eastern Bloc
 The ant-apartheid struggle that united a rainbow of forces and
brought an end to deplorable epoch of the human race,
The unprecedented Demand for the cancellation of the debt of poor
countries by the Jubilee Campaign changed the discourse on Debt
forever
The Wall is no accident.
My first national election, which halted a political dynasty and
elected the first African-American President (from the “outhouse” to
the White House) - BO ’08
The Arab spring…
Effective partnerships of Africa and the Diaspora can help in leveling the
playing field via strategic entry points
Arguments
A rigged trade and finance regime that has over the past five
decades systematically unfairly rewarded capital and
technical know-how at the cost of labour and land
“We can't change the rules until we change who's making
the rules”
Making of the Rules
Managing and enforcement of the Rules
Monitoring and evaluation of the efficacy of the Rule-base
processes
equal and effective representation
active participation
We’re facing a wall.
resource distribution
rewarding capital and technological know-how more than
lobor and land
wealth distribution
consumption patterns
carbon footprint
life expectancy
death rates from preventable and treatable diseases
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Building strategic alliances: A concerted effort to harness the
intelligence within the various corridors of power to defend and
promote the agenda for a strong and united Africa with a
progressive agenda for .
With the civil society organizations and ecumenical social
movement(s), to advocate and articulate the ethical and moral
imperative for creating just and fair Trade and Finance Regimes
Business: To engage the private and the public sectors (with the
civil society) in shaping a charter for a just and responsible
business standards and norms, and help promote the set of values
and principles that can underpin a just and fair environment
for business and trade with(in) the continent
Let’s start with the
divisions among us.
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Arguements
Potential entry points for engagement
Build the capacity with the Diaspora to engage with the UN and the IFI
processes especially the FFD process – which has as its hallmark a
multi-stakeholder process for the active participation of all in the solutionseeking process. The UN FFD process should be transformed into a
functional commission on Financing for Development. As against the selfappointed G8 and G20 (A following-up on the G77 proposal
post Monterrey Consensus)
New and alternative voices of public outrage in the North:
US - The Rebuilding the American Dream Movement (MoveOn.org) /
Occupy Wall Street/ We are the 99% - and their common agenda to build
“An economy that works for all” (the goal is to make sure that they are
aware of the interdependence of economies and not limit their focus to
only America but to include Africa as well)
The time to act is now.
Adequate and proportional representation at the decision-making table
may change the dynamics of the rules-making process, but effective
representation requires acknowledging and making adjustment to
accommodate the limitations and handicaps of all parties; this can only be
achieved through rigorous campaigning and vehement agitation from
within – strategic alliances is a must.
Acknowledged potential of the Diaspora: Brain Bank and Capital transfer
(via remittances and direct investments)
An untapped potential is the “Diaspora intelligence”; the Trojan horse for
leveling the playing field from within the North corridors of power: From
Corporate elites set the lies in place.
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They gain power and money.
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They started with lies.
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Conclusion
Potential entry points for engagement
Build the capacity with the Diaspora to engage with the UN and the IFI
processes especially the FFD process – which has as its hallmark a multistakeholder process for the active participation of all in the solution-seeking
process. The UN FFD process should be transformed into a functional
commission on Financing for Development. As against the self-appointed G8
and G20 (A following-up on the G77 proposal post Monterrey Consensus)
New and alternative voices of public outrage in the North:
US - The Rebuilding the American Dream Movement (MoveOn.org) / Occupy
Wall Street/ We are the 99% - and their common agenda to build “An economy
that works for all” (the goal is to make sure that they are aware of
the interdependence of economies and not limit their focus to only America but
to include Africa as well)
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Key policy recommendation
Build strategic alliances and develop a concerted program to harness and use
intelligence within the various corridors of power in leveling the playing to defend and
promote the agenda of a United Africa with.
Strategic entry points:
With the civil society organizations and ecumenical social movement(s), to advocate and
articulate the ethical and moral imperative for creating just and fair Trade and Finance
Regimes
With the private sector: AU in consultation with the public sector and civil society engage
the private in shaping a charter for a just and responsible business standards and norms,
to help promote a set of values and principles that can underpin a just and
fair environment for business and trade with(in) the African continent
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