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Jul 5th, 2007 - 08:47:51 |
Emmanuel Dennis
Invitation to public forum
Theme: Is Kenya set to deliver on the Millennium Development Goals?
2007, is an important year for Kenyans as it marks the half way mark set by the governments around the world to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Seven years to the target date of 2015, opinion is divided on Kenya's performance. Recent statistics released by the government indicate that the country is experiencing 6% growth rate yet levels of poverty are still high in most parts of the country. While the country has performed well on education and water some critics feel that there is room for improvement in the areas of health and gender.
In a bid to add a Kenyan voice on ongoing global debate on Millennium Development Goals, the Global Call to Action Against Poverty, Evangelical Association of Kenya, Education for Life Institute (EfLI) and the UN Millennium Campaign have organised a public forum to be held on 6th July 2007. Issues to be discussed will include:
* Progress by Kenya on the MDGs.
* The constituency development funds and how they contribute to the achievement of MDGs.
* Governance and its impact on poverty
* The role of faith based organisations in the fight against poverty
VENUE: All African Conference of Churches, off Waiyaki Way
Date: 6th July 2007
TIME: 4.30 – 6.30 p.m.
MODERATOR: Ken Njiru
PANELISTS: Dr. Wellington Mutiso - Secretary General, Evangelical Alliance of Kenya
Rev. Gibson Gichuki - Project Coordinator, PCEA
Mwangi Waituru - GCAP National Coordinator
Saida Maki – Embassy of Finland
For further information please contact Mwangi Waituru 0723 363 241 Irene Irungu 0721 854 021
Jul 5th, 2007 - 08:45:26 |
Emmanuel Dennis
Towards achieving and exceeding the MDGs by 2015: Taking the half term score 2000-2007
The MDGs are a commitment by the government to the citizens, a roadmap to end poverty. "In 2000, member states of the United Nations, and the global financial institutions, publicly promised to halve poverty by 2015 by achieving the eight Millennium Development Goals.
2007, is an important year for the world as it marks the half way mark set by the governments around the world to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). This therefore means that the governments in the rich nations have seven years to fulfill their promises on increasing Aid, cancellation of debts and ensuring fair trade. On the other hand the developing countries need to utilize these resources to ensure their citizens live a dignified life through the achievement of the MDGs.
The Micah Network, the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) and the Global Call to Action against poverty have created the Micah Challenge campaign to grasp a moment of unique potential. A moment when the intention of all of the world's leaders to half poverty by 2015, echoes something similar to the call by Prophet Micah 6:6-8. A moment when the world has the means to dramatically reduce poverty and hunger!
Micah Challenge is a member of the Global Call to Action against Poverty. The campaign aims to deepen Christian engagement with impoverished and marginalized communities, and to influence leaders to fulfill their promise to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Blow the halftime whistle- Kenya campaign!
2007 is halftime for the Millennium Development Goals, from commitment in 2000 to achievement in 2015. The current situation in Kenya is that while some significant progress has been made in meeting some of the targets, in many cases progress is patchy, too slow or non-existent. Popular support for MDGs as development bench marks is waning both among the development workers and the government.
STRATEGY
1. Football game
On 20th June, the Civil society on MDGs(GCAP-Kenya), partnered with UNMC and the NGO Board in a football game between members of Parliament, Bunge FC and the NGO board dubbed the NGO week supports the MDGs. Bunge FC lost 2-1 to the Civil Society. During a cock-tail after the game, the Members of Parliament present committed use parliament as a platform to pursue fulfillment of the government's pledge to meet MDGs by 2015.
2. A Bishops' breakfast
Attended by 25 bishops on 28th, this breakfast meeting to enlisted the participation of the churches in the 'Blow the Whistle' campaign. The objectives of the Breakfast were:
a. Create an awareness on the Millennium Development Goals and the role of the Church,
b. Create an understanding of the Micah Challenge Campaign and the role of the Church in its actualization.
c. Synergize efforts by the Church and Development Agencies in support of the Micah Challenge Campaign - Kenya.
d. Agree on appropriate strategy for 'Blow the Whistle' campaign on and before 07/07/2007
3. GoK/CSOs partnership consultative meeting- 29th July
Convened by the Civil Society Campaign on MDGs (the Global Call to Action against Poverty-Kenya) in partnership with the United Nations Millennium Campaign, Action Aid International Kenya and MDGs vocal point at the ministry of Planning and National Development, representative from the civil society, the Ministry of planning, UNDP and the Finnish Embassy held a consultative meeting on energizing and harmonizing the efforts geared towards achievement and exceeding the MDGs by 2015. A joint facilitation was set up to advance this agenda.
4. Media breakfast July 6th
The breakfast will bring together media and the clergy creating an opportunity for the church to enlist the support of the press in the campaign. This is in recognition of the important role of the media in creating public awareness and goodwill.
5. Public forum/debate
Devolved funds have been taunted as the most effective way of fighting poverty on the strength of their ability to bring governance closer to the people thereby addressing their priorities. Despite the numerous claims of mismanagement of devolved funds especially the Constituency development fund, Local Authorities Transfer Fund, and the Constituency Bursary Fund, the funds are said to have achieved much in improving the lot for the poor. There is however a need for public interrogation of the extent to which the devolved funds are helping realize the MDGs.
On July 6th, a public forum will be convened for this purpose. In the panel will be the clergy who will argue that while taking application of funds closer to the consumers- the people is desirable, financial support to community efforts such as church sponsored schools and churches could be quick gains. It is worth to note that in the 70 th, the government took over running of educational institutions formally founded by the church. A Members of Parliament will argue the case for the current structure. In the panel will be voice to chair experience a development partner in applying funds closer to the people.
6. Blow the half time whistle events
1. The Evangelical Alliance of Kenya in conjunction with the Global Call to Action against Poverty and United Nations Millennium Campaign have mobilized Christians for 'a blow the half time whistle' campaign. Churches have been mobilized to fast for twenty four hours on 7.7.7 to thank God for his blessings and give a part of the daily meal to the needy among us. On 7.7.7, the Christians will gather at City Stadium from 8.00 -11.00 am to blow the half time whistle and call the attention of the leaders to the need to fast track the MDGs campaign.
2. Christ is the Answer Ministries (CITAM) that brings together 7 churches in Nairobi, one in Kisumu entered a one week fast which will culminate in a service on 777 from 7.00am – 11.00am
3. On 777, Destiny Africa will partner with AAR- a private medical insurance company and the provincial medical office among others, in a medical camp in Kisumu. The medical camp will be preceded by a Boda Boda cyclists' competition that will raising public awareness and goodwill towards MDGs.
4. On 8.7.7 churches all over Kenya have been petitioned to hold special MDGs prayers. Firm commitments have already been received by evangelical churches in Nyahururu, Nyandarua and Machakos.
7. Media Campaign
The People's Daily and the Daily Nation Newspaper and Kass FM radio have carried reports on the mid-term activities. Campaigners are taking part in talk shows with Fm radio stations Radio Simba, Radio Waumini and Kameme FM. Between 5 th and 7th July, five FM radio stations will raising public awareness through presenter mentions. Advertisement will be carried in a print media on 5th and 6th July.
8. Upcoming events
Preparations are underway to perform the poverty requiem as a central mobilization strategy around the International Day for Eradication of Poverty, October 17th. Spearheaded by Education for Life Institute with support from KYCEP, GCAP Kenya, UNMC, Willart Promotions and Oxfam Novib, the poverty requiem campaign is targeted to mobilize 500 000 Kenyan's to 'stand up and raise their voices against poverty.'
For more information please contact Irene at info@efli.or.ke, Dr. Wellington Mutiso, Tel 254 720417877 / 254 2721269 or Charles Mwangi on waituru@gmail.com
Tel: 0723363241, 311196 or 241915 or visit www.whiteband.org, www.povertyrequiem.org
May 22nd, 2007 - 02:13:26 |
Emmanuel Dennis
Dear Friends,
Our YES Global Newsletter Site May edition is already on line:
http://yesweb.org/Youth-Quake.htm
There you will find exciting news from YES HQ and YES networks around the
world. I included below of this e-mail a summary of the sections and
articles you will find in this newsletter. Please share it with all your
contacts in your country and spread the word on the YES success!
We want to specially thank to the following YES Coordinators who has been
contributors for this edition: Bernardo Lopez (YES Costa Rica), Dhikra A.
Alhmadane (YES Iraq), Emmanuel Dennis (YES Kenya), Emmanuel Edudzie, (YES
Ghana), Frank T. Mukama (YES Rwanda), Guillermo Leverman (YES Guatemala), *
*Omar Mansoor Ansari (YES Afghanistan), Samuel Gonzalez (Fundacion E/YES
Latin America) and Vanessa Saliezar (YES Honduras).
We are already working in the Spanish version of this newsletter. As well,
as we are already working in the next edition of the YES Global Newsletter.
So if you want to share the success of your Organisation at the global
level,
please contact me in order to reserve you a space in the next newsletter.
Thanks in advance, Emmanuel
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*YES GLOBAL NEWSLETTER*
*MAY 2007*
http://yesweb.org/Youth-Quake.htm
*SECTIONS OF THE NEWSLETTER*
*PRESIDENT PONDERS *
*Youth Quake!*
*Poonam Ahluwalia, YES Inc. President speaks about the impending Youth Quake
and how the newly set up YES Fund strives at creation of youth employment...
**
*.......................................................................................................................................
*IN THIS ISSUE: *
*OUR INSPIRATION*
*Prof. Mahesh Sharma **
**President Cambridge College*
**
**
*FEATURE *
*YES Fund: Creating Markets, Unleashing Entrepreneurship **
*Youth across the globe have yet another reason to celebrate. YES announced
the Global Fund for Youth Entrepreneurship, a 2006 Clinton Global Initiative
that strives at building a coalition of partners, creating markets and
unleashing entrepreneurship. The pilot site was launched in India ...* *
..........................................................................................................................................
*YES AROUND THE WORLD *
*Moving Forward With, For and From YES! **
*Dacil Acevedo Riquelme, YES Inc. Global Networks Coordinator, shares the
accomplishments from the previous year and some of the plans for this year…
**
..........................................................................................................................................
Honduras Training Young People for a Better Life *
*"Being a part of this project was a novel experience. I greatly benefited
from this vibrant initiative which offered me a chance to understand the
minds of our young people — their craving to learn, to feel useful, to
reflect back and the tendency to move on… **
..........................................................................................................................................
*Costa Rica Works for the Unemployed People* *
**YES Costa Rica reached out to the workers rendered jobless. With support
from Levi Strauss Foundation and Fundación E, YES Costa Rica trained 277
workers, giving them a new ray of hope for a sustainable future*
..........................................................................................................................................
*YES Ghana Establishes Career Resource Centre* *
**"Poonam Ahluwalia, is the dreamer who started it all , were the words of
Emmanuel, when the Career Resource Centre was established to serve as a
one-stop shop for information and advisory services for the youth. UNDP made
this dream a reality...
*
**
*..........................................................................................................................................
***
*YES Kenya 2006 Creates a Domino Effect
*During the third global summit in Kenya in 2006, members of YES Kenya had
an opportunity to meet and interact with the world leaders. This has simply
set the momentum for the change process, which even months later rolls on
and shows no sign of slowing down... *
*
**
..........................................................................................................................................
*Yes Rwanda : Actions Speak Louder than Words *
*"Youth Employment is probably the most pressing challenge facing the
country. To significantly deal with it many stakeholders have to be brought
on Board …*
..........................................................................................................................................
*YES Iraq Undeterred through Trying Times *
*The conditions in Iraq are no big secret. Violence, unrest, anti social
activities, is the order of the day, leaving the young vulnerable. Under
such conditions, YES Iraq emerges as a silver lining, all set to lead the
youth of the country to a better, brighter future… *
..........................................................................................................................................
*MEDIA MIRROR *
*Poonam Ahluwalia Globally Employs Affirmative Thinking *
*It s not often that one finds social leaders being featured on the cover of
prominent newspapers. This is the power of the YES Campaign and the force
behind it, Poonam Ahluwalia, who recently got featured on Boston Women
Business. Here are some excerpts from the story by **Helen Graves** of
Boston Women Business …*
..........................................................................................................................................
*IN ADDITION *
*YES Guatemala Participates in the IADB Annual Assembly of Governors *
*YES Guatemala is a live example of solidarity and how it can change the
face of our society living in conditions of insecurity and violence. The
IADB Annual Assembly allowed sharing of its good will with other
international players… *
..........................................................................................................................................
*Chronicle of a YES Coordinator *
*Memoirs of our YES Afghanistan Coordinator, Omar, from his recent trip to
India during the YES Fund launch only goes on to prove that YES is more than
a global campaign it s a big family. And what binds all together is the
common mission of creating entrepreneurship opportunities for our youth all
over the world… *
..........................................................................................................................................
*NEW PARTNERSHIPS *
*YES Finds a New Home in Cambridge College ( Read
more)
*
*YES Fund, a Clinton Global Initiative, Launches a Pilot Site in India -
Incubated by IGSSS and Funded by Microsoft *
..........................................................................................................................................
*UPCOMING EVENT *
*YES Coordinators Forum; Alexandria , Egypt ; August 27-31, 2007*
*YES Coordinators Forum will take place in Alexandria , Egypt from August
27-31, 2007. Planned as a mid-campaign event, the Forum (an invitations only
event) will focus on building the capacity of the YES Coordinators to
participate in the YES Fund... ***
..........................................................................................................................................
*USEFUL RESOURCES *
*YES Campaign has, over the years, generated a rich resource base. Here are
some of the publications that you may find useful in your work… *
*..........................................................................................................................................
*
*ANNOUNCEMENT *
*Business Plan Competition Challenges Entrepreneurs* *
*Deadline is May 31, 2007 …
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
Dacil Acevedo Riquelme
YES Global Network Coordinator-Coordinadora Global de Redes YES
yesWEB!
www.yesweb.org (Global)
www.yesamericalatina.org (Regional)
E-mail:dacil@yesweb.org (global)
dacevedo@yesamericalatina.org (regional)
Fundación E (Representante Regional de YES en América Latina)
www.fundacione.org
Mobile: (507) 6619-6899
Skype: dacila
MSN: dacilacevedo2003@hotmail.com
PO Box/Apartado Postal
0819-04942, El Dorado
Panama City, Republic of Panama
Global Institute for Innovation and Enterpreneurship Development
Edificio 214, Oficina 414, Acelerador Tecnológico de Empresas (ATEP)
Ciudad del Saber, Clayton, Panamá
Fax: (507) 317-0100
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
YES Country Networks: Creating ACTION in the YES Campaign!
www.yesweb.org/yesnetworks
-------------------------------------------
..........
Emmanuel Dennis Ngongo
National Chairperson & Country Coordinator
Youth Employment Summit (YES)
Kenya Country Network
Upper Hill, Lower Hill Road,
Duplex Apartments, Apartment 20.
P.O . Box 8799 - 00200
Nairobi Kenya
Tel: +254 20 2718398
Cell: +254 722619005
Fax: +254 20 2714406
www.projects.takingitglobal.org/YES-kenya
www.yesweb.org
May 22nd, 2007 - 01:46:30 |
Emmanuel Dennis
AfricaFiles
Title: Southern transnationals: The new kids on the block?
Author: Kavaljit Singh
Category: Economic Justice
Date: 5/16/2007
Source: Pambazuka News 302
Source Website: www.pambazuka.org
Summary & Comment: This article offers an interesting examination into the growing number of transnational corporations that are emerging in developing nations. Although it does not focus specifically on Africa, it does offer insight into South-South cooperation. JP
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Southern transnationals: The new kids on the block?
Since the 1990s there has been an emergence of transnational corporations (TNCs) in the developing world. Kavaljit Singh assesses the economic and environmental impact on the both the host countries and the outflows between the South-South multinationals. The mid-1990s witnessed the dramatic emergence of transnational corporations from the developing world. Although much of the investment by these corporations is concentrated in other developing countries, South-South, they are increasingly investing heavily in developed countries, South-North, as well. The South-South and South-North FDI (foreign direct investment) flows are growing much faster than the traditional North-South FDI flows. However, 87 per cent of the total outward FDI flows in 2004 originated from just ten developing countries.
In terms of foreign assets, the majority of top 50 Southern TNCs are headquartered in Asia (32), followed by Latin America (11) and Africa (7, all of them in South Africa). What is interesting to note is that the increase in FDI outflows is concentrated in many of the same countries that receive the bulk of FDI inflows to developing countries such as China, Brazil, India, South Africa, and Mexico. Outward FDI from China increased from a meagre $400 million in 1980 to $38 billion by the end of 2004. China is also the second largest investor in Africa, after the US. In the case of India, there were 136 outward investment deals valued at $4.3 billion in 2005. The value of outward foreign investment by Indian firms almost nears the level of inward foreign investment.
With the lifting of international sanctions and the relaxation of capital controls, South African TNCs such as the Anglo American Corporation, De Beers, and SABMiller have become dominant players in the African region. In the words of Graham Mackay, CEO of SABMiller, 'If there was any more of Africa, we would be investing in it. The return on investments here (Africa) has been fantastic.' [1] The motivations behind cross-border investments by Southern TNCs are not different from others. To a large extent, competition pressures arising from globalisation processes (such as liberalisation of imports and inward FDI) drive Southern corporations to invest abroad. Like their Northern counterparts, the Southern TNCs are investing abroad to gain access to natural resources, markets, skills, and technology. In some recent cases, acquiring brand names (such as the acquisition of IBM's personal computer division by China's Lenovo) seems to be the prime motive.
To a large extent, the expansion of South-South and South-North investment flows reflects the increasing integration of developing countries into the world economy. A number of important factors including regional integration through trade and investment agreements, trade and financial liberalisation, increasing wealth as well as limited market size and resource base at home have encouraged Southern TNCs to invest abroad.
Instead of investing in greenfield projects, however, Southern transnationals are increasingly undertaking investments through acquisitions. Recently announced buyout deals (such as Beijing-based Lenovo's purchase of IBM's PC business and the acquisition by Mexican company Cemex of the UK's RMC) suggest that Southern TNCs are more actively engaged in M&A deals. The bulk of India's outward FDI is in the form of mergers and acquisitions, mainly in telecommunications, energy and pharmaceuticals. Even though most of the buyouts by Southern TNCs may still be under the billion dollar range, they portray an increasing outward orientation of big business in the developing world.
According to Joseph Battat and Dilek Aykut of the World Bank, South-South FDI increased from $15 billion in 1995 to $46 billion in 2003, accounting for some 35 per cent of total FDI flows in developing countries [2]. Despite their small size, South-South FDI flows are significant to many poor countries such as Lesotho, Mongolia, and Nepal. As far as South-North FDI flows are concerned, OECD countries received $16 billion of FDI in 2001, up from a mere $1 billion in 1995. The bulk of South-South FDI flows are regional. For instance, nearly two-thirds of FDI into China originates in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Taiwan. Similarly, transnational corporations from Chile, Brazil, and Argentina operate largely in the Latin American region. Russian investments abroad have primarily been in the countries of the former Soviet Union while South African investments are almost completely located in Southern Africa.
In addition, the majority of South-South FDI flows are concentrated in the infrastructure and extractive sectors such as oil and gas. It is mainly state-owned corporations that dominate investments in these sectors. State-owned oil companies from China and India are rapidly acquiring oil and gas fields in Sub-Saharan Africa, Central Asia, and Latin America. For instance, almost half of China's outward FDI went to acquire natural resource projects in Latin America in 2004. Similarly, India's state-owned firm, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, invested heavily in oil and gas fields in the Russian Federation and Angola.
Given that state-owned corporations are a significant source of South-South FDI flows (particularly in extractive industries and infrastructure), such investments may be driven not only by economic but also by political, strategic and diplomatic factors. The billions of dollars worth of investment by China in Africa is a case in point. The Chinese companies are involved in the building of oil refineries, dams, roads, and big infrastructure projects in several African countries including Sudan, Liberia, Angola, Chad, and Central African Republic. However, China's investments in Africa are not purely driven by economic factors. To some extent, such big investments also help China in earning international goodwill and securing political support for its own agenda, particularly to isolate Taiwan diplomatically (out of total 26 countries that have full diplomatic relations with Taiwan, seven belong to Africa).
It is interesting to note that outward investments by Southern TNCs are also supported by their respective governments through removal of capital controls, fiscal incentives, and investment protection measures. China, Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore have created special mechanisms to provide preferential treatment and insurance against risks through credit guarantees schemes. For instance, the Chinese government adopted a policy ('Go Global') in 2000 to encourage its firms to invest abroad. China's Export-Import Bank provides loans to firms for outward investments in resource development and infrastructure. If the investment is undertaken in an aid-recipient country, Chinese firms also receive preferential loans. Fiscal incentives are also provided to firms which bring machinery, plant, and equipment to their overseas ventures.
Some regional arrangements, such as the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), also provide various incentives (including lower tax and tariff rates) for outward investment within the regions. Apart from fiscal and financial support, bilateral investment treaties and double taxation treaties between developing countries are growing. To secure access to strategic assets, some Southern TNCs have also invested in developed countries such as Australia and Canada. In addition to the extractive and infrastructure sectors, there are also a few cases of large-scale South-North investments involving M&As (mergers & acquisitions). In particular, Chinese corporations have been active in acquiring several well-known consumer brand names, such as Thompson, RCA, and IBM.
Interestingly, tax havens are favorite destinations for many Southern TNCs as they are for Northern TNCs. The Cayman Islands, Bermuda, and Cyprus are the main destinations for Brazilian, Indian, and Russian outward FDI. Hong Kong plays an important role for the overseas expansion of Chinese corporations. However, it needs to be emphasised here that some South-North investment deals have been subjected to intense political backlash in Northern countries. Several recent cross-border investment bids by Southern TNCs (for instance, the proposal by a Chinese company, China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) to take over US oil company, UNOCAL) reflect growing unease among policy makers in the North.
Given the fact that most developing countries are usually capital importers, the rise of Southern TNCs poses new policy dilemmas. The policy makers in the developing world are increasingly finding it difficult to strike a balance between the country's interest as a host country and its newly-found interests as a home country. How should the new and growing phenomenon of outward FDI from the South be assessed? Are South-South FDI flows favorable to the host economy? Are the strategies and behaviors of Southern TNCs different from their Northern counterparts? Do Southern TNCs maintain better transparency, environmental, and labor standards than their Northern counterparts? What are the developmental impacts of investments by Southern TNCs? Who benefits from South-South investments? Who loses? Should South-South investment be promoted as an alternative to North-South investment flows?
Unfortunately, the answers to such pertinent questions are hampered by the lack of in-depth studies and reliable data on South-South and South-North FDI flows. Despite such information gaps, one thing is certain: this new and growing phenomenon is going to play an important role in the global economy in the coming years.
Notes:
1. Remarks made by Graham Mackay at Africa Economic Summit 2005, Cape Town, June 1-3, 2005.
2. Joseph Battat and Dilek Aykut, "Southern Multinationals: A Growing Phenomenon," note prepared for the conference, Southern Multinationals: A Rising Force in the World Economy, Mumbai, November 9-10, 2005.
* Kavaljit Singh is Director of Public Interest Research Centre, a policy research
institute, based in New Delhi. He is the author of widely published books:
Questioning Globalization (Zed Books, 2005), Taming Global Financial Flows (Zed
Books, 2000), and The Globalization of Finance: A Citizen's Guide (Zed Books,
1998). His previous publications on foreign investment include: The Reality of
Foreign Investments (Madhyam Books, 1997) and TNCs and India (with Jed
Greer, PIRG, 1995).
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Apr 24th, 2007 - 00:52:38 |
Emmanuel Dennis
AfricaFiles
Title: Who tells the African story? - the World Social Forum in Nairobi
Author: Kwesi W Obeng, Assistant Editor, African Agenda
Category: Africas Image: Africa in the Media
Date: 3/28/2007
Source: Third World Network Africa vol 10 No 1.
Source Website: www.twn.org
Summary & Comment: It will take more than infrastructure for Africans to tell their own story in a globalized world. The World Social Forum in Nairobi illustrates how Africa struggles to portray its own issues, tell its own story from an African perspective and project itself. Donors promised the WSF Organising Committee resources but delayed in transferring the funds and often tied the money to specific actions. DN
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Who tells the African story?
- the World Social Forum in Nairobi
The World Social Forum in Nairobi has again highlighted how Africa continues to grapple with its image as far as telling its story and projecting itself are concerned. The first to be held in Africa, the 2007 World Social Forum was billed to be the biggest global event to be hosted by the Kenyan capital of Nairobi with an estimated 150,000 people to be in attendance. In the end, however, a little less than half showed up. This in itself could be due to a myriad of factors including the high cost of air travel to and from Africa, general disquiet about the capacity of an African country to host such a big event and insufficient publicity.
Admittedly, the corporate media (ABC, BBC, CNN, etc) of the Western world would not turn its antennae on Africa except for the wars, deprivation, political instability and negative images that lend themselves to the stereotype. For the whole week that the WSF took place in Kenya, not a full report of it was carried by the major world news media. Meanwhile, the World Economic Forum (WEF), which the WSF is held in opposition to, had hourly reports even days before it started in some western media. In a media like CNN, it was almost like media blitzkrieg to blot WSF out as though the WEF began almost at the tail end of the WSF they spent their prime time on WEF even as it had not started.
But what about the African media? When a world event like the World Social Forum takes place in Africa and Africa fails to make capital of it to tell her story, something must have gone wrong. Just days before the event, there was hardly much about the WSF even in the local media. By the start of the jamboree on Saturday, January 20, most Nairobians were unaware of the WSF. Coverage in the Kenyan media was at best insignificant. KTN, a leading Kenyan TV station even buried the well attended opening carnival in the middle of it primetime news at 9.00pm local time.
It was not until two days into the forum that Kenyans became aware that their capital was hosting the rest of the world. And by the third day major local newspapers, Daily Nation and The Standard, were beginning to dedicate a page to WSF activities and splashing colourful front page pictures of placard-bearing and chanting participants. Some blame the organisers for being 'publicity-shy', euphemism for not putting sufficient funds in the local media for a sustained media campaign. For some media workers even the nightmare one had to go through at the Media Centre of the WSF was enough disincentive as there were power cuts and frequent internet connectivity breaks that hampered work.
While some of the problems are to do (to) inadequate infrastructure others could be attributed to Africa's attitude to media. *As Fatma Alloo, herself a journalist and member of the African Social Forum Organizing Committee, points out to Emrakeb Asefa and Diana Mulilo in this interview, it takes more than infrastructure for Africans to tell their own story.
On the role of the media (African) in today's globalised world, Fatma says:
'I think the media need to have education on what it means to be globalised. Because in this globalisation world, Africa always gets marginalised. So the media have to learn how to cover stories from the African perspective.'
Is another media possible?
'Another media is possible. Africa does not have a strong media. I mean look at Europe. It is because they have a strong media that their issues are put at the forefront. Why can't Africa do the same? We should get our act together and have our own pan-African media which portrays our issues from our perspectives. We owe it to this continent.'
What can a forum like this to address shortcomings like inadequate resources and training to strengthen and empower African media?
It is not only forums like this. It is our governments too. They must be committed to a portrayal of Africa from the African point of view. They cannot continue to NOT be committed. And forums like this are pressure points where we are telling our governments 'enough is enough.' Governments have to listen to the voices of the people and the wishes of the people.
The WSF organizing committee publicity machinery was at best inadequate. For instance there were hardly any flyers, banners or billboards advertising WSF in the week leading to event. The 20-minutes taxi ride from Kenyatta Airport to central Nairobi had only one billboard promoting the world event. Taxi and bus drivers, key couriers and sources of information in cities around the world including Nairobi were simply unaware of WSF. The radio stations hardly mentioned WSF.
Inadequate publicity
Put to him about the poor, indeed the lack of an effective media and communications strategy, the chair of the WSF Organising Committee, Prof. Edward Oyugi admitted in part that 'the communication aspect of the forum was not very effectively managed'. But he flipped the crisis down to a lack of resources. Donors who promised resources either delayed in transferring the funds or tied the money to specific actions, he told African Agenda.
Any wonder WSF fever did not grip the Kenyan public's imagination until about the last two days of the forum. And these two days witnessed some of the most dramatic scenes at the Nairobi forum. Perhaps the most dramatic display of people's power was the invasion of the outdoor restaurants of two of the Kenya's most luxurious hotel chains granted exclusive right to provide food and beverage services at the Moi Sports Complex (Kasarani).
A large group of participants stormed the restaurants to demand reduction in the price of food and drinks which were many times higher than they were elsewhere in Nairobi. After two days of protest led by the Progressive youth Organisation against the sale of food by Windsor and Norfolk hotels at twice the price of meals in the Kenyan capital, protesters largely made up of ordinary Kenyans including street children and slum dwellers charged the restaurants and made away with drinks and cooked food. Taken by surprise the police reaction came too late - the harm had long been done by the time they rallied themselves.
*Kwesi Wrekon Obeng is assistant editor of African Agenda.
[Interviews and comments are form the African Flame, official newspaper of the World Social Forum]
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