Africa Day 2011

On Wednesday 27 October 2011, I was asked by my friend Ben to stand in for him and make a presentation on Africa Day in The Hague. Ben is the Chairperson of Great Lakes Organization (GLARO) in the Netherlands and he was in charge of organizing the workshop: “Trade not Aid” as the way forward for Africa.

Unfortunately for Ben Twine, he got a malaria attack while in Uganda and he was unable to travel back. He asked me to be a presenter and Ibra Ndaula, the moderator.

Africa day (Afrika Dag in Dutch) is organized annually by Evert Vermeer Stichting (EVS) in the Netherlands capital; The Hague. During the Africa Day, NGOs and other organizations that deal with Africa present themselves to those interested in Africa. Visitors can also participate in over 20 workshops and debates organized on the day.

The EVS, an independent organization that is closely linked to the ideas of social democracy and the Dutch Labour Party (PvdA) believes that all the people in the South and the North have equal rights to be self-sufficient, to prevent poverty, to develop democracy and to preserve their natural resources and environment. On the basis of this vision it draws attention to international cooperation and sustainable poverty alleviation. ……organizes campaigns, debates and conferences and tries to interest as wide an audience as possible in issues such as sustainable poverty alleviation, conflict prevention, good governance, human rights, environmental protection and a fair trade policy. (http://www.wiserearth.org/organization/view/5e07c2c9f667b5441255a310fd7d5da8)

At the time we founded Pearl of Africa organization in 2003/4, we approached EVS for networking, but we were ignored. During the preparations for Africa day, I was blunt in my condemnation of this act by the organizers; EVS. I was not aware that I would make a presentation! For 6 years I did not attend the day nor encourage Ugandans to attend! The current EVS Director Mr Arjen Berkvens read my mail to our network and made atonement with an offer of 2 tickets to the Uganda community. I hope Mr Ndaula followed up.

When Ben asked me to stand in for him, I accepted only because he is my friend and Mr Berkvens had assured us of a better future working relationship. Our workshop was fully booked. There were over 20 workshops and debates, but we managed to get around 100 people though others were turned away for lack of space!

Dr Dambisa Moyo and Andrew Mwenda, who are strong advocates of aid not trade, inspire me. It was therefore easy for me to come up with points for my presentation.

My presentation included the trillion dollars so far transferred to Africa since 1960 with nothing to show, how the western media perpetuates aid by reporting hopelessness and despair, the development of China, India and Brazil without massive aid and of course how it is better to give a hungry man a rod to go and fish instead of providing the fish.