2005, the year of Africa

With Britain as leader of the G8 and President of the EU, the government is uniquely placed this year to ask the world to take a good look at Africa. The Commission for Africa, launched by Tony Blair last spring, reports this spring. Critics say the Commission could be just another talking shop, worse still a diversionary tactic, designed to make people think something is being done – when it isn’t. Developments invited five young Africans, from different countries, to describe what they felt the Commission must address in order that its report can genuinely help usher in a new era for the continent.

• "Africa is on fire" say students in the Democratic Republic of Congo
• "Let's make Africa beautiful" says Alice Musabende in Rwanda
• "Start on the right foot" says Karim Bah in Sierra Leone
• "Just listen" says Bornwell Mwewa in Zambia
• "Give us a break" says Allan Ssekamatte in Uganda

What is the Africa Commission?

In the Spring of 2004 Tony Blair, the UK Prime Minister, launched the Commission for Africa. Along with Chancellor Gordon Brown, International Development Secretary Hilary Benn and the rock star turned Africa advocate Bob Geldof – whose persistent lobbying had inspired the Commission.

Mr Blair said that the Commission would take a fresh look at Africa’s past and present, and the international community’s role, in order to agree clear recommendations for the future. The intention was to provide new inspiration on promoting development on the continent just as the UK in 2005 is in a pivotal position to put new ideas into practice.

Comprised of 17 Commissioners – including nine from Africa, with different areas of expertise – the brief of the Commission is to generate new ideas and action for a strong and prosperous Africa, using the 2005 British presidencies of the G8 and the European Union as a platform:

• To support the best of existing work on Africa, in particular the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) and the African Union, and help ensure this work achieves its goals.
• To help deliver implementation of existing international commitments towards Africa.
• To offer a fresh and positive perspective for Africa and its diverse culture in the 21st century, which challenges unfair perceptions and helps deliver changes.
• To understand and help fulfil African aspirations for the future by listening to Africans.

There are six principal thematic areas:

• The economy
• Natural resources
• Governance
• Peace & security
• Human development
• Culture & participation

What the key players have to say

Meles Zenawi, Prime Minister of Ethiopia and Commission Member
"While Africa has made a lot of progress over the past decade or so, there have been a number of notable failures too. This Commission will give us the opportunity to review what has worked and what has not worked, with a view to coming up with better alternatives. It is a Commission composed of Africans and non-Africans and therefore … takes into consideration the views of all the partners of development in Africa. It’s not a talking shop. We need to make a real dent in poverty in Africa."

Tony Blair, UK Prime Minister and Commission Member
"It is 20 years since Live Aid gave that incredible mobilisation of public support to do something about the tragedy in Africa. So I hope very much that the commission will come up with specific solutions in relation to development, conflict resolution, governance and economic questions that allow us to gather international support behind its recommendations. I have said on many occasions that I believe Africa is a scar on the conscience of the world and I think it is right that we continue to treat this as an absolute priority over the coming years. Africa is the only continent to have grown poorer in the past 25 years, 44 million children do not go to school, millions die through famine, or disease, or conflict, and Africa risks being left even further behind."

Dr Anna Tibaijuka, Under-Secretary-General & Executive Director of UN Habitat, Tanzania and Commission Member
"Any action for Africa must be driven from Africa’s own aspirations. We must overcome misconceptions of the continent, begin a process of self sustained growth and development, reduce aid requirements and address trade issues globally."

Bob Geldof, rock singer, entrepreneur and political activist
"The old bromides have not worked. We know that because Africa remains the single continent in decline. We therefore need new thinking from original minds if we are to address this situation from a fresh perspective. Will we come up with something new? Who knows? But by talking, writing and debating with some of the more interesting people on the planet we may give a new impetus to a tired debate, leading to political action that may hopefully prevent the daily dying on an unsurpassably beautiful continent that lies a mere eight miles south of Europe."

The following short quotes are from Africans and others who have contributed to the online consultation element of the Commission.

"The Commission should explore ways of delivering aid which build local institutions, rather than bypassing them."

"While the north sees Africans as savages who cannot rule themselves and take arms at the least provocation, it is the developed countries that in many cases sell the guns."

"Aid agencies often fail to co-ordinate their demands, field untrained, inexperienced and sometimes incompetent staff, and act in an authoritarian manner towards sovereign governments."

"The Commission must push agriculture right up the agenda."

"There isn’t a simple answer to building effective states that are accountable to the needs of their populations."

"I have seen communities transformed and lives completely changed with the availability of funds to provide water for a community, schools for children and microcredit for women groups."

"No initiative against corruption shall succeed unless it starts with Presidents themselves."

"We need to start incorporating cultural mapping and cultural impact assessment into African development processes."

"Africans have extremely high aspirations for mobility outside [their] country (or continent) of origin ... We have to question what makes people want to leave their homes."

"The Commission should assist African nations with their efforts to build strong local governments because they reach the most people, are closest to the people’s control, and engender democratic practice."

"Cultures are only alive when they are in flux."