Africans to Obama: "We Want Change We Can Believe In Too!"

(photo courtesy of voanews.com)

President Obama is preparing for his first trip to Africa since being elected. African advocacy and grassroots groups from all over the continent hope that Obama will use this historic trip to Ghana, Africa as an opportunity to start new and more respectful relations between the U.S. and Africa. In a previous article we quoted Emira Woods, Co-director of the Institute for Policy Study's Foreign Policy in Focus who stated that "President Obama has advanced a bold vision for a global green economy, yet Africa is often not referenced in these discussions."

Organizers with the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance share Emira's excitement over Obama's vision for a new Green Economy and call for change. PACJA states in their press release: "the US must make efforts that correspond to their historic responsibility and economic capacity in order to work together with Africa and to ensure Climate Justice."

What would Climate Justice for Africa mean? Visit www.pacja.org for more info.

To support renewed US and Africa relations sign the Petition Du Jour courtesy of Foriegn Policy in Focus on our site to the right!

Also check out this slideshow from the Washington Post of Ghana Preparing for Obama's visit.

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G8 Leaders Eat Fancy Breakfast While Negotiating Hunger in Africa

How can the World live up to it's promises to Africa? Today world leaders gathered together to address that question and the state of the world during the closing sessions of the G8 summit in Italy. This year's topics ranged from the global economic crisis, food security to climate change. Chinaview.cn reported that African leadership from various countries on the continent including Ethiopia, Senegal, Egypt and the African Union met with members of the G8 and the G5 (group of 5 of the leading developing nations, includes China) for a closing breakfast to discuss issues like climate change, food security and development in Africa.

"The key message for us is to ask the G8 to live up to their commitments."

Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi told Reuters this week before flying to Italy for the half-day meeting. Members of the G8 hoped to reassure African leaders that they would indeed follow-up on their word. At the closing of the G8 summit the leaders of "developed" nations pledged 15 billion in aid for food security and the development of agricultural programs. chinaview.cn reports the g8 leaders also pledged to increase the $15 billion to $20 billion over three years. The annual G8 summit brings together the top 8 developed (from a capitalist perspective) nations in the world for talks and negotiations on world affairs. The G8 includes the United States, Japan, Germany, France, Britain, Italy, Canada and Russia.

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How to Create Energy Independence for the US and Africa Too!

Today most people are out of summer school and off of work ready to celebrate the Fourth of July. Al Gore and the Alliance for Climate Protection are calling for Americans to "Declare Your Energy Independence". That means breaking the addiction to dirty forms of energy like coal and oil. All this comes at the same time that President Barack Obama prepares for his first trip to Africa as President of the United States. A group of some of the leading African Advocacy organizations, including the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS), Africa Action, Transafrica Forum, Global Aids Alliance, Africa Faith and Justice Network, Priority Africa Network, American Friends Service Committee and Association of Concerned Africa Scholars are calling for Obama to use this trip to Ghana to begin the formal creation of a new U.S. relationship with the continent of Africa; one that is based upon "mutual collaboration and respect between Africa and the United States.

So what would that mean in the dawning of the new Green Economy? Emira Woods, Co-director of IPS' Foreign Policy in Focus states,

"President Obama has advanced a bold vision for a global green economy, yet Africa is often not referenced in these discussions..."

The coalition of organizations is asking for your support in making sure Africa can also have energy independence. Woods goes on to say, "President Obama could bring political leverage for technology transfers and investment incentives in solar, wind, and tidal industries. Creating innovative new jobs can sustain the environment while allowing Africa to leapfrog its development in creative ways and also expanding opportunities for U.S. alternative technologies firms." The coalition hopes this trip to Africa will guide Obama and the US government in pushing for a Global Climate Fund. This fund will help support developing nations in transitioning to a green economy, remove African debt and take the foot of Dirty energy off of Africa's neck.

To read more and sign on to a letter calling for Obama to make his upcoming trip to Ghana the first step in a new and better relationship betweeen Africa and the US Click on the "Petition Du Jour" on the side bar or visit http://www.change.org/ips-dc/actions

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African Youth Unite for Climate Justice!

Check this video out, Nia Robinson, Director of the Environmental Justice and Climate Change was able to go to South Africa to train youth activists as part of 350.org's international campaign for real solutions to Climate Change. Read the article below to find out about Phil Aroneanu of 350.org's experience on his trip to South Africa.

By Phil Aroneanu July, 24th on Itsgettinghotinhere.org

We came from throughout the continent and beyond — from fishing communities in Zanzibar to townships in South Africa, from villages in Zambia to teeming capital cities across the continent. More than 40 youth climate activists from throuhgout Southern and East Africa traveled by boat, car, taxi, bus, train and airplane to Johannesburg South Africa for the inaugural 350Speaks Climate Leadership Workshop, organized by 350.org.



For four days, we shared our stories, learned organizing skills and planned campaigns in our countries and our communities leading up to October 24, the International Day of Climate Action. From my experience, as one of theh conveners of the workshop, It was an incredibly powerful experience to be with all of these thoughtful, excited and savvy youth leaders.

In the rest of the world, we often think of Africa as bearing the brunt of many of the effects of climate change — flood, drought, storms and disease are already increasing in intensity, frequency and range throughout the continent. That’s why it was so important for me to see that African youth, in solidarity with climate organizers all over the world, won’t be satisfied with the status quo.

As Emmanuel from Uganda said to me, “We don’t just need a …. we need a fundamental change.” The 42 activists and organizers who came to the 350speaks workshop are committed to fundamental change. They’re not going to let world leaders make decisions about their future without hearing from them. They’re also not going to wait around for developed countries to send over money or technology. Since those leaders are dragging their heels, African youth climate activists are developing African solutions to the climate crisis, from planting millions of trees on the continent to building solar stoves and biogas digesters. Don’t take it from me — watch them tell us how they’re going to make some noise in the video above.

From my perspective as a US-based global organizer, there’s nothing more important right now than collaborating with youth all over the world to build a larger and broader movement. Nothing short of a global grassroots movement is going to force our leaders to act fast enough and commit to a 350ppm target. I’ve been lucky enough to have the chance to meet some of those change agents, work together with them to build our voices into a truly diverse, global movement.

In preparing for the summit, I came across this great quote from Gandhi, who spent a fair amount of his young life in Johannesburg, South Africa working with Africans, Indians and other groups to fight for their rights:

“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win”

I’m not sure where we fall right now on Gandhi’s timeline, but I know that if we keep building the movement by connecting and mobilizing each activists from all over the world, we’ll get to that last piece soon enough.

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