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Vortrag: Wole Soyinka (Februar 2004) - AFRICOME 2004-2006
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Millenial Challenges for the African Continent |
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Vortrag des nigerianischen Literatur-Nobelpreisträgers Wole Soyinka auf der Africome-Auftaktveranstaltung
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Discussing plans for Africa’s resuscitation: a Sysphean task |
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Die vollständige Rede als PDF-Version (160 KB)
The African continent is very much on the mind of the world these days – but that is nothing new. The number of conferences and sessions that have been devoted over the years to the resuscitation of a continent assailed by such multiple afflictions are numerous and sometimes overwhelming. I have myself participated in some three of four on this specific concern and could have made a tally of a dozen or more, if I had wished.
However, apart from those with a higher threshold for that peculiar form of masochism that is associated with treading the same spoor over and over again, I found myself constantly assailed by a sense of a Sisyphean curse. The problems are so obvious, the solution sometimes equally obvious. Indeed, it would appear, sometimes that, as remedial action is being taken in one spot or another along the paths meticulously set out by truly committed leadership, the result of informed considerations by equally committed thinkers and planners for society, identical fires flare up in another spot, as if no serious thoughts have ever been dedicated to that particular issue.
I recall two sessions of the meeting of minds that I attended during the past decade: one was part of a series entitled AUDIENCE AFRICA, an initiative of the immediate past Director General of UNESCO, some of whose sessions I even chaired. It was in AUDIENCE AFRICA that we tried and – I hope my memory serves me right here - succeeded in adopting the proposition that dictatorship a crime against humanity, one that must be terminated before the end of the millennium. Much good that has done the continent! I believe there have been some five or six successful military coups since then, Sierra Leone being the most notorious for its later consequences.
However, it is another, and the last of such participations to which I would particularly like to call attention. It was called at the initiative of the Secretary-General of UNESCO, Kofi Annan, and consisted of several sessions that began in Abuja, travelled southwards to Maputo and ended in Ivory Coast. I found myself able to attend only the last, and we shall have a bit more to say about that nation in a moment. What was remarkable about that series, made up entirely of African intelligentsia, technocrats and business, was its comprehensiveness. I believe we thought we had it in us to remake the African continent entirely, and set its face resolutely towards a new millennium. The conference made a point of calling attention to the fact that this initiative was not new, did not ignore similar efforts in the past, but would attempt to build on earlier reflections and calls to action, as reflected in the following excerpt from the preamble:
“The Commission has taken note of other efforts such as the Lagos Plan of Action, the Arusha Declaration, UNESCO’s Audience Africa, MAP, OMEGA” – I honestly do not recall what those acronyms stood for – “plus a number of other encounters, some of which have crystallised into The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), whose principles were adopted by African Heads of State at Lusaka. The major economic objective of that document is a targeted 5.2% growth economic growth rate between the period 1995-2002, and from 6-7% by 2015."
"While lauding this, among other initiatives, the Independent Commission" – that’s us, the Millennial Commission - "believes that this vision should be taken even further. We believe that the recommended growth rate falls below what is needed to eradicate the crushing poverty that has become the hallmark of the African continent. In addition, we believe that a concerted programme is needed to mobile our people, and especially women and youths, for a successful implementation of NEPAD."
Here are two more excerpts. They are subjectively selected since they reflect some of my own personal concerns, but also to indicate the seriousness of approach and detailed attention that almost exceptionally characterized these encounters, quite different from those pre and immediately post-independence era when what was almost uniformly expected at such gatherings was an over-indulgence in the rhetoric of denunciation against capitalism, colonialism and neo-colonialism. Those familiar, and rightly target scapegoats had served their purpose. The continent of Africa was now faced with herself.
I quote:
"Scientific and technological education should focus on innovation and creativity. In this connection, we strongly recommend the creation of an African Millennium Institute for Science and Technology, and call upon the African Development Bank and its partners to undertake a leading role in the realization in this initiative."
The passage goes further:
"An aggressive effort not only to stem the current brain drain from the African continent, but to woo back the scattered talents from the continent, who are presently devoting their genius to the development of over endowed societies outside the continent. Again, we call upon internal resources, such as the African Development Bank, to assist with the necessary resources those nations that put forward credible plans for creating the necessary conducive conditions for this repatriation of the intelligence bank of the continent."
I cannot overstress the crucial importance, and relevance, of such an agenda for a meaningful partnership with the outside world. |
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10. Februar 2012
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Veranstaltungs-
dokumentation |
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18. Afrikafestival
Zum 18. Mal hat sich das größte europäische Afrikafestival in Würzburg präsentiert. Mit zahlreichen Konzerten, Fußballspielen, Filmen, Diskussionen und afrikanischen Basars. |
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