Andrew Young Lecture At Embassy

The Africa Society of The National Summit on Africa and The Ghana Embassy in Washington DC jointly held The Ambassador Andrew Young Lecture Series on Africa at the Chancery on Thursday.

The lecture, which was supported by Discovery Communications, Inc, featured the Congressman Hon. Donald M. Payne, Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Africa and House Committee on International Relations.

Hon. Donald Payne spoke to a large audience of Africanists that included policy makers, international development managers, members of the Africa diplomatic corps and journalists, on, Congress and Africa: Perspectives of Congressman Payne and the CBC.

Hon. Payne said Africa is gradually coming of age and that America ignores it to its own disadvantage. Africa, he said, ‘is more peaceful today than it was in the last 20 years.’ and explained that what Africa needs is ‘resources to deal with the multiple challenges it faces.’

Even though United States assistance may total $2billion annually, we must ‘focus on strengthening Africa’s own capacity to be self-sufficient, we must assist farmers and create markets for Africa’s products,’ he said

To Congressman Payne, it is ironic that the U.S. Government on subsidies spends several billions for American farmers making it virtually impossible for farmers in Africa and the Caribbean to compete in the market.

He expressed faith in The New Partnership for Africa’s Development and said the Congressional Black Caucus is convinced that strengthening ties with Africa is good for the US and that a well thought-out policy of engagement in Africa will also be in the interest of the US,’ however, what is missing he added, is, the US foreign policy that lacks the will.

‘We must have a clear vision and strategy. We must avoid being too pessimistic. We must also remind ourselves of the failures we contributed to in Rwanda while we must be proud of our contribution to the abolition of apartheid.’

He admitted there are also serious problems like HIV/AIDS, which is devastating, and which over the last decade has claimed over 17 million lives in Africa where in South Africa, every one of ten people is infected and in Botswana where, forty percent of the adult population is HIV infected. This situation he said will need to be carefully addressed.

While President George Bush’s $15 billion HIV/AIDS initiative for Africa is pleasant news, there are serious problems of eligibility, which can disqualify about half of African countries from benefiting from it.

He wondered how such a huge initiative has no development partners like the United States Agency for International Development in its conception and implementation and assured the audience that the Congressional Black Caucus is working on possible amendments.

Honorable Congressman also talked about African’s mineral resources, which he said is a blessing to the continent. Though Nigeria is the fifth largest supplier of petroleum to the United States, the extraction of oil has led to the degradation of the environment and also to civil war as was prevalent in Angola.’

Honorable Payne however ended on a note of optimism stating that many of the current policies successes in Africa have been African initiatives.

Ghana’s out-going Ambassador to the United States, His Excellency Alan Kyerematen said in a welcome address that in today’s competitive global world where countries have to do hard negotiations to get what they wanted, ‘we need to ask who speaks for Africa’? Africa he said should go beyond that to find out if what she says is listened to. He paid tribute to the Honorable Donald Payne for championing the cause of Africa at that high level.

Other speakers at the function included the President and CEO of The Africa Society of The National Summit on Africa, Leonard H. Robinson, Jr. and Judith McHale, President and CEO of Discovery Communication, Inc.