Mbeki outlines bold plans for the new year

[Yann]

Mbeki outlines bold plans for the new year

December 31 2004 at 10:00PM  


Helping countries on the African continent solve their political, economic and social problems will be a key area of South Africa's foreign policy in 2005, says President Thabo Mbeki.

In a new year's message on Friday, he said particular attention would be paid to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi and Ivory Coast

"Our continent of Africa has continued to make progress towards solving its political, economic and social problems. We will continue in the new year to contribute whatever we can towards the achievement of this objective.

"In particular in the new year, we will have to focus on working with the governments and people of the DRC, Burundi and Cote d'Ivoire as they prepare for and hold democratic elections, as well as the Sudanese people as they engage the challenge of post-conflict reconstruction..Full Article

[Tyehimba]

Having experienced centuries of abuse and underdevelopment at the hands of European nations, African countries have the opportunity to use that experience to develop alternative models for national growth and development. This however would involve examining the role of history and utilizing indigenous principles and values in shaping national policies. It cannot involve mimicking the greed, dishonesty and ignorance of the colonisers.At the heart of such policies should be a well articulated African world view that acknowledges the possibilities for Diasporic African involvement. Trade and cultural ties between Africans outside the continent and continental Africans is best done within the context of our common indentity, and our similar experiences at the hands of the white power structure. Only within this context do i see Mbeki's thrust towards economic, social and political progress having any lasting significance.

[ptaured7]

Too bad you are not one of the people making the decisions on the ground where it really counts.  What you say would strengthen the world. Diversity and orignality promotes life......sameness and uniformity weakens it.   One suspects that African solutions will not just benefit Africans but will produce valuable information and experience to be traded  with the rest of the world ( I almost said shared, which didn't sound right at all under the circumstances you mentioned)
P7