by Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, 2014

There is a buzz around the US-Africa Leadership Summit to be held in Washington DC, this coming week. There are a few issues that I would have said had I been at this Summit.

1. Africa is a continent and not a single country, and therefore its diversities of culture, economies, politics are as important as its common perspectives and vision as expressed in Agenda 2063 or the Africa Common Position for Post 2015.

2. Africa is filthy rich (peoples, land, minerals, cultures) though most Africans are poor; with African women licking the spoon which they do not even own! It is crucial to shift from the dominant, traditional and single narrative of Africa and poverty, which masks the true range of issues such as trade flows, tax justice, procurement and licensing policies, corruption and governance among others

3. Real security  is human security and not militarization. The US security relation with Africa should centre on economic development and opportunities for its people. The  US and African must trade less in arms and more in education, technology, innovations, knowledge transfer and other forms of social and economic investment.

4. The demographic data is telling that the future is young, the future is female and the future is knowledge and information based! Therefore investment in young people especially in girls and technology makes long term economic sense. This demands prioritisation of education; health and more programs in STEM and an ending within a single generation some of these harmful and retrogressive practices like child marriage.

Engage people, it’s all about participation and rights of citizens. http://www.whitehouse.gov/us-africa-leaders-summit

Source: Nyaradzayi’s Blog

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