PANEL: Spotlight on Africa — Trade, Security, Economy, Development
Keynote: Sierra Leone Information Minister Hon. Alhaji Ibrahim Kargbo
Master of Ceremonies: Johann Koss, CEO of Right to Play
Panelists:
Jimmy Wales, Founder of Wikipedia
Dr. Kandeh Yumkella, Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization
Dr. Paul Sullivan, Georgetown University economics professor
Dr. Joanna Rubinstein, UN Millennium Project Director for Global Health and Science Initiatives
Michael Landau, Chairman of MAP International
Dr. Phoebe Asiyo, UNIFEM Goodwill Ambassador
Noella Coursaris Musunka, Founder of the Georges Malaika Foundation
Johnny Copelyn, CEO of Hosken Consolidated Investments
Nuhu Ribadu, former Executive Chairman of Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
Panel summary by Josh Sanburn, World Policy Journal
The problems surrounding Africa cover a vast range of issues: lack of efficient governance, health crises, misguided leadership, the history of colonization, and resource exploitation by the West are just a few.
But panelists threw caution to the wind and, in a wide-ranging discussion, attempted to address them all and provide solutions to some of the continent’s most frustrating and seemingly insolvable issues.
The discussion at times centered around what Dr. Paul Sullivan of Georgetown University called the “great scramble for resources.” In this scramble, Africa has long been at the receiving end, as major powers have combed the continent for timber, rubber, oil, copper, and other raw materials. Sullivan also recalled how Africa was often used as a strategic tool during the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. Dr. Kandeh Yumkella, the director general of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, said history showed a “plundering of Africa,” but also criticized the way many outside countries have now attempted to aid the continent.
“We’re still dealing with Africa piecemeal,” he said. “Everyone’s doing microfinance. Microfinance is good, but we need to look at wealth creation.” He described a new revolution taking place involving eco-friendly technology. “It is green. It is clean. Can Africa be part of this?”
Much of the discussion focused on how the continent can move forward. While outside countries can do a lot to help, the panelists talked widely about the need for Africans to learn to help themselves. One way to do that is to bring African countries together, suggested the Information Minister of Sierra Leone, Alhaji Ibrahim Kargbo. He suggested that Sierra Leone must cooperate more with its neighbors, Guinea and Liberia, rather than each working in isolation.
Both Dr. Phoebe Asiyo, a UNIFEM Goodwill Ambassador, and Noella Coursaris Musunka, who founded the Georges Malaika Foundation to provide African girls education, focused on the role of women. “We need to invest in the African woman,” said Asiyo, “so she can help negotiate peace dialogues in times of problems. The African woman can succeed in bringing people together.”
Perhaps the most interesting panel participant was Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, who again emphasized Africans helping themselves—but through technology. “The Internet access in Liberia is so slow as to be practically worthless,” Wales said. “I’m interested in the growth of Wikipedia in the languages of Africa. It’s quite far behind, but it’s coming along.” He said there are currently 14,000 entries in Swahili, but far fewer in the rest of the continent’s tongues.
But efficient, legitimate governance, lacking in so many parts of Africa for so long, was an underlying theme.
Nuhu Ribadu, the former executive chairman of Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, said the inability for Africans to address its own problems was tragic. “It’s quite sad,” he said. “We’re mismanaging ourselves. There’s been a terrible failure of leadership that brought us to where we are today. Nigeria has been totally brought down to its knees because of mismanagement.”
Sullivan cited education and the reduction in trade barriers that allowed India to modernize, and he suggested Africa do the same—but that it could take decades. “It’s up to Africans to make Africa the next India,” said Sullivan.