---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 28 Mar 2002 15:13:55 -0800
From: charlotte utting <[log in to unmask]>
Reply-To: [log in to unmask]
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [WASAN] FW: ADNA Update: AI Statement on NEPAD meeting in Abuja
----------
From: "Nunu Kidane" <[log in to unmask]>
Reply-To: [log in to unmask]
Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2002 23:23:28 -0800
To: "ADNA E-mail List" <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: ADNA Update: AI Statement on NEPAD meeting in Abuja
ADNA Update: 020327
Message from: Amnesty International
For contact information see also:
http://www.africapolicy.org/adna
Africa: Human Rights must be at the heart of the New Partnership
for Africa's Development
"Human rights must be central to the New Partnership for Africa's
Development (NEPAD)," Amnesty International said today as
African leaders gathered in Abuja, Nigeria to fine tune their initiative
to develop the continent.
Amnesty International welcomes that the NEPAD texts specify
that "the expansion of democratic frontiers and the deepening of
the culture of human rights" are to be a foundational element of the
NEPAD. The organization joins African political leaders in their
hope that a "democratic Africa will become one of the pillars of
world democracy, human rights and tolerance".
However a commitment to a "culture of human rights"must not
stand alone. Governments must acknowledge the interdependence
of all human rights; economic and social, civil and political, and
ensure there are detailed provisions on how human rights progress
will be monitored. While African leaders have committed
themselves to take joint responsibility in "promoting and protecting
democracy and human rights in their respective countries and
regions, by developing clear standards of accountability,
transparency and participatory governance at the national
and subnational levels", they have so far failed to specify exactly
how governments will be held accountable to guarantee the
enjoyment of international human rights standards for their citizens.
An "appropriate peer review mechanism and a code of conduct"
was only alluded to in the final communiqué of last year's Abuja
meeting in October 2001.
Recognising the commitment contained in the NEPAD to promote
peace, security and conflict resolution and to combat the
proliferation of small arms, light weapons and landmines, the
organization also emphasizes that African leaders have special
responsibility to actively contribute to the solution of African
conflicts. Ensuring the protection of human rights must
always be the primary concern of peace-keeping and peace-
building initiatives.
"The Abuja summit on the NEPAD has to come out with tangible
results on how to operationalise accountability of governments in
Africa to guarantee full enjoyment of human rights for the citizens
of this continent," Amnesty International stressed.
Background
The NEPAD was drafted by the governments of Algeria, Egypt,
Nigeria, Senegal and South Africa and is based on a "firm and
shared conviction, that [African leaders] have a pressing duty to
eradicate poverty and to place their countries, both individually and
collectively, on a path of sustainable growth and development". The
NEPAD highlights peace, security and political and economic good
governance as "conditions for sustainable development". The
NEPAD document will be promoted to western governments
at the G8 summit in Canada in June, where it is expected to
become the cornerstone of western support for development in
Africa.
---------------------------
This message from Amnesty International is distributed through the
Ad vocacy Network for Africa (ADNA) via IDEX
Nunu Kidane
Advocacy Network for Africa (ADNA)
Communications Facilitator for IDEX
International Development Exchange - IDEX
827 Valencia Street, Suite 101
San Francisco, CA 94110
Tel: (415) 824 8384
www.idex.org
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Next WASAN meeting is Wednesday, April 24, 2002. Location: Safeco Jackson Street Center, 306 23rd Ave. S @ S. Main St, Suite 200, Seattle (enter parking lot off of S. Main, between 23rd and 24th)
7:00 PM WASAN business meeting
7:30 PM PROGRAM: "Kenya: Development Challenges and Successes form the Grassroots" with Wriko Waita. A free event.
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
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