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liberian organizations [ Profil ] |
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Re: [gyanghana] Partnership, Not Patronage --- Oped By Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Paul Kagame, Seretse Khama Ian Khama and Abdoulaye Wade
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| Envoyé: |
Aug 9th, 2009 - 12:40:02 |
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Hello,
I am pleased to know that GYAN is gathering ideas along side President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Paul kegame and others inputting Africa's Problems to the Secretary of State for Africa Mrs.Hillary Clinton as she vist this Very important continent of ours.
As it suggest, "PARTNERSHIP NOT PATRONAGE" which seem to be a good thing to put forth but we as a people MUST leave the selfish,mean and too much of perrsonal belief and alongside the big CURRUPTION which is now eating all of Africa.
It is a goos sign if only we can put hands around ourselves.
Moses Zayee, Jr.
Liberia
--- On Wed, 8/5/09, GYAN Ghana wrote:
> From: GYAN Ghana
> Subject: [gyanghana] Partnership, Not Patronage --- Oped By Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Paul Kagame, Seretse Khama Ian Khama and Abdoulaye Wade
> To: "liberian networking organizations"
> Date: Wednesday, August 5, 2009, 8:07 AM
> Partnership, Not Patronage
> By Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Paul Kagame, Seretse Khama Ian
> Khama and Abdoulaye Wade*
>
> Just three weeks after President Barack Obama's triumphant
> return from Africa, the real challenge to achieving
> strategic change lies in Secretary of State Hillary
> Clinton's own upcoming visit. Left unsaid as the president
> boarded Air Force One is the fact that Africa seeks not
> patrons but collaborators who will work "with" rather than
> "for" the continent. If the Obama administration wishes to
> truly make a difference, it must do so as an equal partner,
> addressing several low-cost, high-impact priorities.
>
> To start, developed partner countries must curb corruption
> abroad. Efforts by African governments to strengthen
> democracy and governance are weakened if money stolen from
> the continent can find safe havens in secret accounts in the
> West. Chillingly, major OECD countries have yet to prosecute
> a single defendant for fraudulent and corrupt practices
> overseas. Poorly enforced international covenants won't
> deter collusion and bid-rigging in large African
> infrastructure contracts.
>
> Economic equations need to change as well. Since 1970,
> Africa's share of global exports has declined from 3.5% to
> 1.5%. To reduce poverty and sustain growth, Africa must
> reverse this decline. Secretary Clinton has an opportunity
> to secure a quick win while in Nairobi, Kenya, for the
> Africa Growth and Opportunities Act forum this month.
> Expanding AGOA--the showpiece of America's trading
> relationship with Africa--to include a larger number of
> agricultural and processed commodities will help. But if
> Clinton does not address U.S. agricultural trade subsidies
> that distort the forces of the marketplace AGOA will never
> realize its potential--nor will Africa be able to trade its
> way out of poverty.
>
> The global recession has hurt Africa. The surge in private
> capital flows to the continent, driven by efficiency gains
> from policy improvements, has helped fund badly needed
> infrastructure development. Since the economic crisis,
> however, these private flows--which topped $53 billion in
> 2007, exceeding foreign assistance for the first time--have
> fallen by 40%. There remains an annual $40 billion
> infrastructure financing shortfall.
>
> The deficit can be quickly addressed by catalyzing private
> partnerships to raise equity finance and by increasing
> funding to companies that want to invest. In addition, only
> a quarter of Africa's population has access to electricity.
> Public-private investments in hydropower would offer a
> carbon-neutral solution.
>
> Loan guarantees by the U.S. Export-Import Bank for American
> firms wishing to invest in Africa amounted to $400 million
> in 2007. That year, China's Export-Import Bank guaranteed
> loans of $13 billion to Chinese firms investing in Africa.
> Closing this gap would do much to project Africa as an
> investment-grade destination.
>
> In extractive industries, U.S. companies should be
> encouraged to change the practice of building extensive
> private rail, power and port assets that remain detached
> from the host country's often sparse infrastructure network.
>
>
> Ultimately, Africa's quality of life will depend on the
> health of its citizens. The centerpiece of U.S. support for
> HIV/AIDS in Africa--the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS
> Relief--has helped expand life-saving treatment. President
> Obama has an opportunity to make PEPFAR more effective by
> moving from emergency to long-term support--as in the
> Millennium Challenge Corporation's five-year partnership
> model, with each country taking ownership of the design of
> its programs.
>
> Finally, we need more effective and predictable development
> lending. The U.S. remains the main exception to the common
> donor practice of channeling development assistance through
> financial systems of recipient countries. Done with
> sufficient safeguards, this strengthens country ownership,
> responsibility and accountability. The U.S.'s reluctance to
> embrace shared multilateral approaches limits the impact of
> its foreign assistance.
>
> President Obama's charisma, oratory and heritage have
> excited Africa as never before. Now substantive action that
> realizes the promise of his visit needs to be on Secretary
> Clinton's agenda during her visit to seven African
> countries.
>
>
> * Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf is president of Liberia;
> Paul Kagame is president of Rwanda; Seretse Khama Ian Khama
> is president of Botswana; and Abdoulaye Wade is president of
> Senegal
>
>
>
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