Top Ten Priorities for Africa for nytaf@ursula; Fri, 11 Feb 2000 12:05:31 -0500 Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit source - "William G. Martin" ASSOCIATION OF CONCERNED AFRICAN SCHOLARS Memo Re: Top Ten Progressive Priorities for the U.S. and Africa The membership of the Association of Concerned Africa Scholars, at the last meeting in November 1999, approved the circulation of a list of concrete priority areas and policies for progressive work in relation to Africa that we support. This list is the result of a workshop, follow-up discussions and an internal survey of our membership over the last few months, and reflects in general those discussions. The Executive, in consultation with the Board, has sought through the attached document to reconcile the many different views about both the specifics of progressive action and the priorities that should be attached to different topics. Further revisions may occur as members send in comments and rankings with their membership renewals. We circulate this version in response to requests from members for a public copy of the list for use at the National Summit. Several ACAS members have been participants in the National Summit on Africa discussions that are cumulating in the meeting this February in Washington. They will be circulating this list at the Summit. The membership at the meeting last fall encouraged all ACAS members who attend the National Summit to circulate the Top Ten Priority List as an example of a "minimum platform" for progressive action on Africa. ACAS Research Committee Co-Chair Meredeth Turshen will be attending the National Summit meeting and will be the contact person for additional information and copies of this document; she is staying at The Grand Hyatt at Washington Center, (202) 582-1234. In addition, the ACAS Executive encourages members and others to copy and distribute this list as widely as possible. Below please find a text version of this document. **************** Top Ten Progressive Priorities for the U.S. and Africa Association of Concerned Africa Scholars February 5, 2000 Through workshops, discussions, and internal surveys of its members, ACAS has been constructing a list of concrete priority areas and policies for progressive work in relation to Africa. Any progressive program of action must include at the minimum the following points: 1. Cancel All Debt and End Structural Adjustment: Cancel debt owed by African countries to the US and all international institutions without imposing conditionalities, and end all U.S. contributions to the World Bank or the IMF until these institutions stop imposing structural adjustment programs; 2. Support African Peacekeeping and Reconstruction Programs, End U.S. Militarism: Terminate all bilateral U.S. military aid programs, arms sales and training programs in Africa, including the Africa Crisis Response Initiative (ACRI), and refocus U.S. assistance toward United Nations or African peacekeeping and reconstruction efforts. Support refugee assistance and reconstruction efforts equal to those elsewhere in the world--emphasizing African leadership and assistance to women and youth; 3. Fully Fund U.S. United Nations Obligations: The U.S. must fully pay its treaty obligations immediately without imposing new conditionalities; 4. Support Public Health: Rebuild the innovative 1970s-era "Primary Health Care For All" program. Refocus health care policy away from single disease threats such as AIDS and toward a comprehensive public health service that prevents and treats all illnesses without undermining the public health sector. Support the public drug sector, essential drugs policies, and African drug production or cheap drug imports; 5. Reparations Now: Demand the U.S. support reparations for death and forced labor under slavery and colonialism, and the creation of representative, international organizations towards that end. The role of European and American states and firms in slavery and colonialism should be openly recognized and written into K-12 curricula, and national memorials and museums should be erected in memory of the African holocaust; 6. End Slavery: End slavery in all of its forms, and reject solutions that involve buying slaves. Boycott international companies, such as Talisman, that invest in countries practicing slavery, and deny trade and other benefits to countries such as Mauritania where slavery is practiced; 7. Ban Landmines: The US should ratify the International Treaty to Ban Landmines; 8. Education for All: Demand the U.S. government create a "Marshall Plan" to ensure education for all African children, an end to inequality of access and funding by gender, race, class or region; and the revision of Africa's appropriate place in US school curricula; 9. Restore Foreign Assistance: Raise the level of international aid to $2 billion per year channeled through the Development Fund for Africa in consultation with representative African organizations, and target programs that aid postwar reconstruction, put women and men (not children) back to work, and avoid subsidizing multinational corporations and international NGOs; 10. Support Fair Trade: Oppose the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act. Recognize that free trade policies have historically increased inequality, gender inequity, poverty and dependence, and support instead economic relationships that benefit both Africa and the United States, and lead to balanced, equitable development. Association of Concerned Africa Scholars: http://acas.prairienet.org ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= nytaf-02.11.00-12:05:28-8545