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Dear people,
We hereby send you the third position for the online debate: SHAPING A NEW
AFRICA.
Spread the word by sending it to your friends and networks.
We look forward to seeing you online.
to go straight to the debate:
http://www.baobabconnections.org/forum.php?mag=8
Greetings
The Baobabconnections team.
Position 3: 'Investing in People' ( 17-21 November 2003: )
The Africa policy paper pays insufficient attention to the need to make use
of local best practices and solutions, whereby modern and traditional
knowledge is combined, (local) access to information is strengthened and
informal networks are used, including the links with the African diaspora
abroad.
INTRODUCTION
Socio-economic development and democratic leadership in Africa depends on
the quality and capacity of its people to participate in the socio-economic
and political spheres.
Unfortunately, most African nations lack the political will, strategies and
resources to invest in their people. Investment in African people has
received inadequate attention from both African governments, as well as
their Western development partners. Despite 40 years of development
cooperation, many people in Africa still live on 1 US dollar per day, many
people lack access to safe drinking water and basic medical services and
many families cannot afford a square meal. Meanwhile, access to good
education is limited to the privileged few.
The burning question facing Africa, and indeed the developed world, is: How
to invest in, and retain, Africa's human resources for the development of
Africa? Africa continues to loose a high number of its people due to
HIV/AIDs, violent conflicts, (forced) migration and 'brain drain'.
Solutions are not easy to find. However, it is clear that, especially with
HIV/AIDS, changes in mentality and attitude are fundamental requirements
for any meaningful solutions. This primarily means education, communication
and social control mechanisms, all of which are deeply embedded in the
local social and cultural context, which finds itself torn between
tradition and modernity. The African Diaspora face this clash between the
two social settings when they migrate from traditional societies to modern
cities, and therefore, may be of help in reconciling these dilemma's.
REACTION OF THE MINISTER TO POSITION 3:
COOPERATION WITH STRONG PEOPLE IN AFRICA
The Africa policy paper carries the title 'Strong people, weak states'. A
whole world is hidden behind this title. It symbolizes the content of the
above-mentioned position and also expresses that the Netherlands pays
attention to the importance of these aspects.
This title was given to the Africa policy paper with the aim to express
that even though many Africans live in difficult circumstances, they often
have an admirable vitality and capacity to continue. They extract their
strength, amongst others, from their traditions and cultural setting. The
question is how the Netherlands can contribute to sustainable development
in the best way, especially when the relation between the traditional
setting to the increasing globalization is taken into account as the
differences between continents and cultures have become less clear due to
globalization.
Co-operation with these strong people in the African countries is of great
importance to the Netherlands. Obviously the first aim is that these people
remain strong. The increasing HIV/AIDS-epidemic poses one of the biggest
threats for the continent and its people and is a tremendous challenge for
the Netherlands. The fight against HIV/AIDS has become a priority in the
Dutch policy for Africa. It is a matter of great importance to continue the
contribution to capacity building, or at least maintaining the existing
capacity.
In other words: the focus is on the people.
The Africa policy paper is written from a political point of view.
Nevertheless, with the implementation of the paper, at the country level,
the aspects that are mentioned in the position above will be taken into
account. These aspects are crucial for sustainable development.
It is true that the African Diaspora has not been involved enough. This
will change in the future. The African Diaspora is in the exceptional
position to provide information, serve as an exchange of ideas and even
exert influence both ways, in the Netherlands and in Africa, and that
contribution is highly appreciated.
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