---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sun, 19 Jan 2003 02:11:33 +0000
From: Charlotte Utting <[log in to unmask]>
Reply-To: [log in to unmask]
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [WASAN] FW: ADNA UPDATE: Africa Social Forum
----------
From: "Nunu Kidane" <[log in to unmask]>
Reply-To: [log in to unmask]
Date: Sat, 18 Jan 2003 16:57:22 -0800
To: "ADNA E-mail List" <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: ADNA UPDATE: Africa Social Forum
ADNA UPDATE: 030118
Message from: International Development Exchange
For contact information see also:
http://www.africaaction.org/adna
Dear friends:
As many of you know, the African Social Forum just concluded in
Addis Ababa Ethiopia. The following Declaration by the ASF was
sent to us by Demba Dembele Moussa from the
Forum for African Alternatives in Dakar, Senegal.
Nunu
AFRICAN SOCIAL FORUM
ADDIS ABABA CONSENSUS
ANOTHER AFRICA IS POSSIBLE!!
The Second African Social Forum (ASF) was held in Addis Ababa
(Ethiopia), from January 5-9, 2003. Over 200 African women, men
and young people from 40 countries participated. They represented
social movements, trade unions, peasants’ organizations, NGOs
and research institutions.
We reaffirmed our opposition to and rejection of the global neo-
liberal system, its institutions and clubs, namely, the World Bank,
the International Monetary Fund, the World Trade Organisation, the
G 8 and the World Economic Forum.
Presentations were made on various thematic issues, including
international trade, privatization, debt, the African Union, wars and
conflicts, agriculture, the question of food security; health; African
cultures, etc.
Following the discussions and debates on these issues we
reaffirmed our strong conviction, contained in the Declaration made
by the first African Social Forum(ASF), held in Bamako (Mali), that
“Another Africa is possible”.
We also reviewed our practice as social movements in Africa since
the Bamako meeting. Much progress has been made to develop
and strengthen the ASF, to consolidate its place within the world
anti-neoliberal movement, and to build popular struggles for
economic justice on the ground. These include our participation in
the Second World Social Forum held in Porto Alegre (Brazil), the
establishment of national Social Forums in some African countries,
and the march against neo-liberalism during the World Summit on
Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg (South Africa).
The Forum observed that past and present economic policies
implemented by African governments have failed to improve the
lives of ordinary Africans. We concluded that only a dynamic civil
society organized in strong and active social movements can and
must challenge the neo-liberal political economy of globalization.
The consensus was that we need to build a new African state and
society, where public institutions and policies will guarantee
cultural, economic, political and social rights for all citizens.
There was also a consensus that African unity and social
integration are fundamental aspirations of the African Social Forum.
Unity has to be organized and achieved through democratic
mechanisms and institutions built with the popular participation of
the African masses. This is why the ASF expressed deep concern
and dissatisfaction with the neo-liberal orientation of the African
Union through its adoption of NEPAD as the paradigm of Africa’s
development.
The ASF challenges national, regional and global institutions that
continue to undermine our efforts to build a democratic society
based on gender equality and social and economic justice. In that
perspective, the African Social Forum commits itself to developing,
promoting and popularizing, in a participatory manner, an
alternative development paradigm, based on fundamental principles
of democracy, human rights, gender equality and social justice. A
development process designed and controlled by the African
people and based on their historical experiences. That paradigm
will therefore be built on the following principles:
- The maximum participation of the African working classes,
peasants, women and youth in decision-making processes, at
local, national and regional levels in matters that affect their lives.
- The use of African cultures, not only as means of resistance to
foreign domination, but also as a tool for building the economic,
social and political framework for the Other Africa.
- The rejection of privatization of basic social services in Africa. We
demand of our governments that they not relinquish their
responsibility of providing basic social services such as water,
energy, health and education to the people. To subject these to
the demands of profits of the private sector is a violation of the
citizens’ basic human rights.
- The rejection of Africa’s illegitimate external debt. That debt has
been paid many times over. It is used to undermine Africa’s self-
reliant development and is the main cause for the continent’s
continued poverty. Therefore, the African Social Forum renews its
call for the unconditional cancellation of that debt. It also calls for
mass action for a collective repudiation of the continent’s debt. In
addition, the ASF demands the repatriation of all stolen wealth kept
in American and Euopean countries. Moreover, we demand
reparations for the past and present damages caused to Africa by
an unjust and unequal global system and its institutions.
- The rejection of the processes of decision-making and dispute
settlement of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), and the
manipulation of our political leadership by the Quad countries to
impose on Africa forced trade liberalization. In particular, we
oppose the four Singapore issues (investment, competition policy,
government procurement and trade facilitation). We call for a
moratorium on GATS negotiations. We also call for the removal of
TRIPS from the WTO altogether. We demand of our governments
that they defend Africa’s interests in the WTO and call for a
rollback of the powers and controls of that organization.
- The development of the ASF based on the participation of
grassroots social movements, supported by NGOs, institutions and
professionals who act in line with the principles of the ASF.
- The development and use of methods of struggle which allow the
maximum participation of the grassroots, through mobilization,
education and action.
African farmers, most of whom are women, do not benefit from
AGOA/Cotonou type of agreements. Women are especially
disadvantaged, because of their unequal access to development
opportunities. The ASF challenges African governments to remove
agriculture from the WTO so that Africans are in control of
agricultural production and food security.
On the issue of information and communication, it was observed
that the marginalisation of women is due to poor access arising
from poverty, illiteracy and other gender discriminatory barriers. The
neoliberal political economy of globalisation has deepened gender
inequalities and reduced opportunities for women.
Africa is weakened by division and internal strife. These arise out
of Africa’s colonial past, foreign intervention, and the continuing
poor African leadership that thrives on tribal and ethnic divisions.
The ASF demands of African governments that they resolve
differences among African peoples by peaceful and constructive
means based on using Africa’s indigenous resources and
institutions.
The Empire has declared a permanent war on the peoples of the
world. The ASF resolves to support all peoples under threat from
imperialist aggression and wars which endanger the lives of
millions of innocents in Palestine, Iraq, North Korea, Colombia,
Cuba, Indonesia, the Philippines and in other countries.
The ASF in Addis Ababa reiterated its commitment to
strengthening alliances with other regional Social Forums, such as
the Asian, European and Latin American Forums, and to work
within the World Social Forum to challenge neoliberal globalization
and build the foundations of the Other Possible World. Thus, the
ASF serves as the space for convergence between the various
components of the African civil society to strengthen and deepen
national, regional and continental unity. The ASF also serves as a
space for the democratic expression of views and alternatives to
neoliberalism for the transformation of the state and society in the
interests of the well-being of all African peoples.
The Addis Forum has adopted the Charter of Principles and
Values, which will be the philosophical and moral basis of our
movement. It has also proposed a number of organizational
mechanisms with the view to building a more democratic African
social movement.
Africa is a continent, rich of its natural resources, its cultures and
the creativity of its people. It is by relying on this tremendous
richness that we will build Another Africa, that is independent, self-
reliant and prosperous. It is this unwavering faith that guides us in
our struggle.
The ASF reaffirms that globalization from below, thought out,
owned and implemented by people’s organizations, is both
necessary and possible.
ANOTHER AFRICA IS POSSIBLE!
ANOTHER WORLD IS POSSIBLE!
Addis Ababa, January 9, 2003
------------------------------
This message from the International Development Exchange is
distributed through the Advocacy Network for Africa (ADNA)
Nunu Kidane
Advocacy Network for Africa (ADNA)
Communications Facilitator for ADNA
Africa Action
1634 Eye Street, NW, #810,
Washington, DC 20006, USA.
Tel: (202) 546-7961 Fax: (202) 546-1545
www.africaaction.org
To unsubscribe your e-mail address from this group,
send an email to: [log in to unmask]
To ensure that the ADNA database is updated correctly,
please also send a copy of your request, or any other
request for changes in your membership information,
to [log in to unmask] For additional assistance
with the adnalist, write to [log in to unmask]
Next WASAN meeting is Wednesday, January 22, 2003. Location: Safeco Jackson Street Center, 23rd Ave and E Main St, 2nd Floor.
7:00 pm Business meeting
7:30 pm Program: (none in Jan, next one is in February - watch this space for details.)
Everyone is welcome).
We usually meet the fourth Wednesday of the month. For a calendar of local Africa events see http://www.ibike.org/africamatters/calendar.htm . To post a message: [log in to unmask] To subscribe send a message to [log in to unmask] To unsubscribe send a message to [log in to unmask] . All past postings are archived at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wa-afr-network
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface
at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html
To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to:
[log in to unmask]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
