The APP Bulletin

Africa is rising and African economies are growing faster than those of almost any other region in the world. However, the current pattern of trickle-down growth is not benefitting many people stuck in a spiral of poverty. Indeed, benefits measured by poverty reduction, maternal mortality and childhood survival fall far short of what Africans have a right to expect.

Last week’s Guardian news story on UK Prime Minister David Cameron’s role in a post 2015 Millennium Development Goal (MDG) committee, highlighted the importance of making a no-holds-barred push to meet the current MDG targets, in Africa and elsewhere. While many African countries have registered significant advances during the past decade, overall the continent will miss 2015 goals by a wide margin at the current rate.

Deepening and consolidating the democratic transformations taking place in Africa, as well as strengthening regional and global governance arrangements, remain key challenges for African countries. As two recent developments in West Africa demonstrate, the prospect of collapse remains an ever-present threat, even in countries deemed to be role models in the practice of democracy. Some believe that this is consistent with American political scientist Larry Diamond’s thesis that democracy is receding around the world.

Last week, the Peace Nobel Prize was awarded to three women for their non-violent struggle in favour of “women’s rights to full participation in peace-building work.” Two of them are African. This decision has been welcomed with great enthusiasm, including by our African Panel members. Graça Machel is thrilled to see that her African sisters have achieved their life’s work, “through collaboration and compassion, instead of competition and conflict”. She also praised Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, a pioneer as Africa's first elected female head of state and Leymah Gbowee, “who has never held political office but whose activism brought peace to a country torn apart, by mobilising the power of women.”

The G8 Gleneagles Summit (2005) was an extraordinary moment for Africa. The world’s largest economies came together, looked at Africa in a concerted way and made ambitious commitments to double their aid to Sub-Saharan Africa by 2010. This was not business as usual! These commitments gave Africa, civil society, advocacy groups, and governments around the world -not least G7 governments (Russia made no commitments, hence G7) – a reference point to measure the fulfilment of aid promises –until 2010.

Media headlines have lately almost exclusively focused on two stories. The first story is Libya and Qadaffi’s heavy handed response to demonstrations against his rule; together with the UN Security Council resolution 1973, authorizing a ‘no-fly zone’ over Libya aimed at protecting civilians under attack. The second, Japan’s devastating earthquake, tsunami and nuclear threat which brought the world to halt as it witnessed one of the wealthiest countries look as vulnerable as some of the poorest.  Few would argue that these horrible situations, one man-made (and hence avoidable), the other a natural disaster are not worthy of media attention. But these are not the only two stories deserving our attention.

The greens won, and there’s a sense of euphoric, suspended disbelief in Kenya. The vote on the referendum, one of the measures set out in the National Accord brokered by Kofi Annan in 2008, on whether to adopt the new constitution, was peacefully conducted, and the ceremony was a national celebration. The sense of optimism on the streets is now palpable.

What are development advocates and anti-poverty campaigners to make of the recent G8 and G20 Summits? That the world’s most powerful governments are willing to coordinate their efforts to sort out the global financial system is positive. Macro-economic stability is a must for growth, job creation and the battle against poverty. The importance given by the G8 to maternal and child health, food security, Africa and green recovery are all welcome too. But many remain unconvinced. ...The G8 communiqué is well wordsmithed, but conceals as much as it reveals

As the World Cup unfolds, the buzz goes beyond the vuvuzelas. South Africa has been both hailed and criticized for the way it is hosting the event but the fact that the tournament is taking place in Africa is an undoubted source of pride across the continent. For the next few weeks, the world will hold its breath and dive into a universe where countries compete on level playing fields, where the rules are clear and the results visible. But that bubble will break and beyond the satisfying accomplishment of hosting such a mega-event, what will be left for Africa after the World Cup?

The New Year has been dominated by security issues. Most high profile have been the failed plot on Christmas Day by a Nigerian student- the so-called ‘underpants bomber’- to blow up a plane over Detroit, and the attack last week on the Togolese football squad in Cabinda. The last thing Africa needs is intensified global media focus on violence and extremism and further negative stereotyping.

At a time when investment, remittances and aid levels from OECD countries are in doubt or declining, Chinese investment is good news for Africa. Investments in areas as diverse as infrastructure and agriculture are helping to create jobs, reducing the cost of basic goods, and softening the blow to African countries of the global economic downturn.

Is the international consensus around Africa’s development in danger of crumbling? The last decade has seen remarkable achievements including the Millennium Declaration and mobilization around the MDGs, Monterrey, the creation of the Global Fund and GAVI, the campaigns for debt relief and to double ODA to Africa, and a consistent focus on Africa by rich countries, including the G8.

What do LDCs need in order to mitigate the worst impact on their economies and people of the global meltdown, one that has “made in the north” stamped all over it?

Gordon Brown’s Africa credentials are strong, and the UK is one of the few G8 countries that is sticking to its aid promises. But with so many other priorities on the G20 agenda, and western politicians focused on domestic issues, there is a real danger that the G20 leaders’ ´meeting will result in more lofty rhetoric rather than time bound plans.