Today Monday 4 August, President Obama
will welcome 51 Heads of State and Government and other senior leaders from
across Africa to the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit. The Summit, which will take
place over three days, is the first such event of its kind and the largest
event any U.S. President has ever held with African leaders.
It is an unprecedented opportunity to strengthen U.S.
ties with Africa and highlight US commitment to addressing issues that affect
US and Africa collectively.
The US has two main objectives: 1) US Leaders want
African Leaders, and African Citizens, to come away with the clear message that
the United States cares about the African Continent and is committed to an
enduring, multifaceted and mutually beneficial partnership. 2) US Leaders also
want to see the Summit lead to increased American investment on the African Continent
and to more direct linkages between U.S. and African companies.
This Important Summit is coming few weeks after the UN
Economic and Social Council, ECOSOC Meetings June 30 – July 11 wherein issues
relating to Final Push to achieve MDG and Post 2015 Development Agenda were
discussed.
International Society for Poverty Elimination, ISPE /
Economic Alliance Group, EAG made spirited effort to see that good ideas and
pertinent suggestions being made at the recent World Development Report, WDR 2014
Massive Open Online Course, MOOC Discussion Forum had positive influence on the
ECOSOC 3 in 1 Meetings.
The
Open Working Group, OWG on Sustainable Development Goals, SDG Outcome Document http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/focussdgs.html
set out 17 Goals. Many of the proposed SDGs' coincide with good ideas and
pertinent suggestions set out by ISPE / EAG on this Talking Development Change
Blog, WDR 2014 MOOC Discussion Forum and on NEHAP Wiki https://wikispaces.com/join/3NNFMJT
This coincidence / adoption of ISPE
/ EAG good ideas and pertinent suggestions by relevant authorities with
responsibility for developing SDG is Step 1. Step 2 will involve Actually Building
Bridge between Lessons Learning and Lessons Forgetting and Actually Building
Platform for all Community – Global Network Partnerships, Coalition
Partnerships and Consortium Partnerships. Step 2 underlines reasons for the US
Africa Leaders Summit to come up with Practical ACTION Plan for Ending Hunger
and Poverty in Nigeria, Africa, US and World. The US Africa Summit needs to
speak to tackling this challenge.
It is pertinent to note that many of
the SDG Goals Demand New Approach to Sub-national, National and International
Development Cooperation on Developed Countries, Developing Countries,
International Institutions, International Foundations, Universities and
Tertiary Institutions as well as National and International Media sides.
For
example SDG Goal 2.b. correct and prevent trade
restrictions and distortions in world agricultural markets including by the
parallel elimination of all forms of agricultural export subsidies and all
export measures with equivalent effect, in accordance with the mandate of the
Doha Development Round require that US and Africa face New Direction and adopt
New Priorities and this call for overhaul of the entire US National Security
Strategy and Foreign Aid Apparatus that are best tackled by JOINT Action from identified Sub-national, National and International Stakeholders. The US
Africa Summit needs to speak to this challenge.
It
is pertinent to note further that changing from MDG to SDG Post 2015 is likely
to be seen by African Governments and Africa Poor Citizens as changing to a New
Program. The implication is that the MDG Brand is rested and huge funds that
could have been put into Sustainable Development, is now put into Building SDG
Brand. This huge waste is avoidable, if this US Africa meeting could address
this issue now.
It
is 110 Days since Boko Haram kidnapped Chibok Girls. When Nigeria Security
Force could not free the Girls, World Leaders sent World Security Force to
reinforce Nigeria Security Force, but instead of achieving freedom for Chibok
Girls in few days, Boko Haram has let lose vicious attacks on multiple
locations in Nigeria, killing more people, destroying more property and
kidnapping more women and girls.
We
are very concerned that Boko Haram appears more powerful than World Security
Forces. The World Leaders need to remove this Shame now. It is no longer
Nigeria Leaders Shame alone. Each day our young Girls remain in Boko Haram
Captivity is One day too long. A comprehensive package of military solutions
reinforced by practical implementation of SGD 17 Goals catalyzed by Final Push
to achieve MDG in Nigeria, Africa and World is what is needed.
This
US Africa meeting need to consider approving such alternative approach. However,
this approach cannot succeed if there is no reinvigorated effort towards
tackling US Corruption, Nigeria Corruption, Africa Corruption and World
Corruption.
It will be a Mirage seeking to tackle Boko Haram and End World
Hunger and Poverty without first Taming Grand Corruption and Petty Corruption
in the National and International Security System. The US Africa Summit must
speak to this challenge.
The US Africa Summit presents another opportunity to
rescue Nigeria from sliding into failed State by 2015. The conditions for
violent take over, of government in Nigeria, are getting more favorable by the
day, as Boko Haram continues to attack with impunity and Politicians seek to
outdo themselves in vice. Should the inevitable occur in reality of Military
Take Over, can US and other Powerful Countries in our World today have Moral
Courage to chastise and sanction Nigeria for welcoming the Military again? The
US Africa Summit must speak to this challenge.
If you require some clarification or
additional information, please send email to:-
Lanre
Rotimi
International
Society for Poverty Elimination, ISPE /
Economic
Alliance Group
