NDC Germany Sets Out Agenda

Germany holds both the EU Presidency and is chairing the G8 group of the most powerful industrialized countries in 2007. The NDC in Germany will be making the best use of its cooperation with the SPD Ruling Party and the links between the G8 and the Presidency to bring to fore through the Policy mechanisms of the SPD onto the Agenda of the German Government and thereon at the EU and International Global Level.

There is much work to be done but the NDC in Germany is very much opportune to be involved in the shaping of Policy within the Germany body politics for the benefit of the NDC as a Party, Ghana and Africa as a whole. We are looking to use the vehicle of this Committee to push through a number of initiatives unto the German Government calendar and by so doing unto the European Union Agenda. Amongst some of these issues include:

1. An EU wide General Amnesty for undocumented Africans in Europe within a period of 5years. There is currently a huge number of our brothers and sisters in Germany and around Europe who are undocumented Aliens and subject to excessive unacceptable levels of hardship. NDC Germany will be pushing for a Policy to regularize the Status of these our brothers and sisters in these difficult circumstances.

2. The importance of the European Union to reduce its Farm subsidies to agricultural products which are in direct competition with products in Africa. EU and US Farm subsidies continue to devastate the agricultural economies of Africa and creating hardships amongst our Rural folks. NDC Germany in our Dialogue with the ruling Party will emphasize on the need for EU Farm subsidy removals.

3. The importance of German and EU Companies abiding by the EU Corporate and Social Governance Regulations. A number of EU Companies still go to Africa to practice unacceptable behavior and Standards which carries severe penalties in Europe. We’ve had examples like Chrysler –Daimler Benz, Norwegian Telenor and a host of others conniving with corrupt Government officials to defraud African countries. It’s our aim to push for Policy initiatives to penalize European companies involved in these retrogressive habits and to impose sanctions (travel ban, seizure of EU based assets etc) on African Officials found to be conniving with these EU firms in corrupt activities. In this respect our cooperation with the Transparency International Headquarters in Germany will continue to be strengthened.

4. The need to continue strengthening the Democratic Institutions and structures in Ghana so that the country continues to be the trail-blazers in the new political dispensation on the African Continent

5. The need to strengthen the Ghanaian Electoral Commission to prevent any potential fraud in the 2008 elections.

As a member of the African Committee of the SPD Ruling Party, we are glad that we’ve had a number of Meetings with the SPD Parliamentary Caucus to push some of the above initiatives unto the German Political Agenda and onto the EU Political platform in Strasbourg and Brussels.

NDC Germany in 2007 will also be supporting the continuing building of the structures of the NDC EU Group, a network of NDC Branches in Europe. And in this respect we are glad to throw our full support behind the Chairmanship of the Swedish Branch Mr. Hein Dechor whose outfit has offered to host the forthcoming EU Group Meeting in Stockholm at a date to be announced soon to discuss amongst other things, the visit of Professor Atta-Mills to Europe in the later part of this year. We continue to encourage all sympathizers in the various EU countries to join their individual Branches. We count on the support of our numerous members and admirers to make 2007 one of our best years ever. And we take this opportunity to wish Ghana and Africa in general a Happy 50th Anniversary Celebration of our Independence.

German Coordinator Mr Kwasi Tamakloe

NDC German Branch*

(NDC EU News)

*Member of the NDC EU Group- comprising Germany, Sweden, Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland