AfricaVox 2007

What news do I take home for my people?

Collins Vumiria

As far as I can tell, everyone who's attended the G8 Summit here in Heiligendamm leaves it with mixed feelings. Some are bitter that the G8’s announcement of $60 billion to fight disease failed to mention when it would arrive. Others complain that the Gleneagles promises have yet to be fulfilled.

But out of all this, what do I have to tell my people back home in Uganda when I return?

To get a steer, this afternoon I rushed down to a news conference given by two musicians who for years have been campaigning to rid Africa of poverty and disease: Bob Geldof and U2’s Bono.

I find Geldof describing the Summit as a total mess. “I do not want to see 2005 reiterated endlessly,” he tells the assembled journalists. “The richest countries of the world, trillions of dollars, swirling around that table… do me a favour! Get serious guys! This wasn’t serious. This was a farce. This was a total farce.”

All very well, I think to myself. But I need specific information for my own people, not just these soundbites. I had hoped for something more constructive to communicate to my people in Mbarara than this emotional dismissal.

Next it’s question time for the journalists. “My name is Collins Vumiria, I am a journalist from Uganda.” Faces turn to look at me. “After this summit, what news do I take home for my people?”

Referring to the title of the final document released at the close of the Summit, ‘Growth and responsibility in the world economy’, Geldof says:

“Conserving growth and responsibility in Africa? It’s absolutely sickening cynicism for this weekend. I am sick to my heart.” 

So do I take this back to Radio West? Hmmm. It sounds a little downbeat.

Kumi Naidoo

But another contribution comes in from Kumi Naidoo, the chairman of the Global Call to Action Against Poverty. He tells me:

“Ugandans and all Africans need to know that we have a responsibility to hold our leaders back home accountable. Whatever monies have been put on our table, African civil society need to mobilise to ensure that [it] is delivered to the people in need… in terms of anti-corruption, human rights, gender and other aspects.”

I think to myself: this sounds like something my people will want to take on. I just hope they do.

Africa: master of its own destiny

Thabo Mbeki

The South African president, Thabo Mbeki, is on his way to Heiligendamm to take part in Friday’s outreach talks at the G8 Summit.

But Thabo Mabaso says it’s worth remembering that the G8 isn’t the only global forum where decisions about Africa are made.

This week at the Alternative G8 Summit in Rostock I talked with Hassen Lorgat, a well-known NGO lobbyist in South Africa.

He mentioned an important, yet little acknowledged fact: while African nations and groups recognise the importance of bodies like the G8, there is growing discomfort that this club of rich nations does not speak for everyone, especially the African continent.

Most importantly, he added: “We recognise that nothing can happen for us without us”.

Africa faces what to some may seem to be insurmountable problems. HIV and AIDS, poverty, the effects of climate change, underdevelopment. The list is long. There have been countless attempts to try and sort these problems out. But these have failed dismally for various reasons.