Past Events

Back to list

African Federation, Inc.
Washington , DC Convening
Date: March 24, 2006
Location: Washington, DC
View Gallery >>

On Friday, March 24, 2006, the Federation of African Organizations (FAO) convened its second forum, a meeting of African-serving organizations and individuals based primarily in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. This event follows the successful launch of FAO in New York in September, 2005, and initiates a domestic outreach strategy for FAO that will help identify and engage the local, grassroots organizations that FAO will serve by providing technical, program development, and fundraising assistance.

Organized in cooperation with the Constituency for Africa (CFA), a leading education and advocacy group, over 40 participants engaged in a lively discussion about the founding purpose of FAO, areas of need for the African immigrant population in the United States, the effective mobilization of the African Diaspora, and other topical issues. FAO, the brainchild of Mr. Benjamin Afrifa of the Ford Foundation, was represented by Mr. Kofi Boateng, Chief Operating Officer of The Africa-America Institute, and Mr. Afrifa.

Opening remarks and other introductory comments were provided by Messrs. Myron Golden, Director of the Francophone West & Central African Region for Africare – the meeting’s host – and Melvin Foote, Chief Executive Officer of CFA. In his comments, Mr. Golden talked about the commitment of Africare and its people to the African development agenda, and to gatherings of this kind that bring together various policy-makers, decision-makers, and other stakeholders. A monthly meeting of the African Ambassadorial Corps is held at Africare.

In his initial comments, Mr. Boateng set the stage for a robust discussion by stating, “The vision is looking at Africans not by who they are, but by what they do…This is a burden for all of us…FAO wants to find a starting position.” Mr. Boateng talked about a recent, pilot FAO initiative to organize absentee Ghanaian voters. Mr. Boateng offered this as an example of the impact FAO can have utilizing a focused, pragmatic approach. He also indicated that FAO has been engaging other groups, including the Asian and Jewish community. Mr. Boateng further discussed the importance of remittances, and how these funds can be managed to help finance development. This area, along with absentee voting, are two specific activities that can influenced by the African Diaspora to put African governments on notice that, according to Mr. Boateng, “…someone is watching.”

A roundtable discussion was preceded by an introduction of FAO by Messrs. Afrifa and Boateng. The roundtable discussion was lively, and the participants proffered ideas and suggestions as to how FAO might most effectively support African-serving organizations throughout the Diaspora. Mr. James Gomez, Director for International Affairs for the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, stated that, “Rarely do you hear Africa as an issue for African-Americans.” He also stated that the immigrant issue in the United States tends to focus less on Africans and more on other immigrant groups.

Participants suggested that FAO should divide between policy and political issues, and that the Diaspora must better educate those in the U.S. who make policy at the federal, state, and local levels. Ms. Emira Woods, Co-Director for Foreign Policy in Focus for the Institute for Policy Studies, encouraged FAO to look closely at the corridor of power, from Washington, DC to New York to Addis Ababa. She discussed the need to develop a strategy to move an African-focused agenda through this so-called corridor.

Dr. Tsehaye Teferra, President of the Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC), provided meeting participants with a historical backdrop on African immigration. According to Dr. Teferra, significant African immigration to the U.S. began in the 1980’s. Prior to this period, most of the African immigrant population settled in countries and regions dominated by communism. Dr. Teferra stated that the total African immigrant population in the U.S. in 1980 was 800, and this number grew to over 25,000 in 2001. He indicated that there does now exist a better understanding of the issues of the African immigrant population, and that these issues impact all of us.

Professor Mbaya Kankwenda, Coordinator of the Congolese Congress in America, urged FAO to develop a narrow agenda and explore how FAO might address the issues in Africa that are country-specific. Mr. Stan Straughter, representing Opportunities Industrialization Centers of America (OICA) in Philadelphia, estimated the African immigrant population there at over 60,000. He suggested that FAO look at opportunities to impact local politics. Mr. Straughter indicated that Philadelphia has a commission on African affairs, and that Washington, DC has also recently established a similar entity. He cited an opportunity for FAO to help organize the African immigrant population, city by city.

Dr. Dominic Ntube, Director of the World Bank Group-IMF African Society, suggested that FAO focus its efforts on four primary issues – PanAfricanism, capacity building, nation building, and wealth creation. He urged FAO to open channels with other Africa-focused organizations and to help improve the coordination between the African immigrant population.

Professor Sulayman S. Nyang, a distinguished scholar representing the Department of African Studies at Howard University in Washington, DC, delivered a provocative keynote address exploring recent developments within the African immigrant population, as compared to other immigrant populations. Professor Nyang talked about the need to re-Africanize our people in the U.S. “Kids need to be taught to retain their African culture.” He also stated that African-Americans still enjoy an advantage in the American moral economy. While not the material economy, Professor Nyang believes that this moral economy advantage can be leveraged to advance the agenda of the African Diaspora through strategic advocacy and education. He also underscored the importance of the ascendancy of African-Americans to prominent roles in America. According to Professor Nyang, people such as Colin Powell, Condoleeza Rice, and others affect the perception of non-blacks in America and worldwide. He also discussed the importance of remittances to Africa, and the need for these funds to be better utilized to further development. With the number of African immigrants in the U.S., the wealth held by this community, and the potential votes, Professor Nyang believes that we have the necessary inputs to successful engage and influence the U.S. political establishment at the federal, state, and local levels.

After the luncheon address, Mr. Afrifa provided a more detailed discussion of FAO, FAO’s objectives, and FAO’s programs. He stated that FAO will not be a political organization and will not favor any African region over another. He also indicated that FAO membership will be open to all African-serving organizations, and that FAO will be headquartered in New York, with a legislative office in Washington, DC, and with centers in ten (10) U.S. cities.

To help alleviate the challenges faced by African-serving organizations, FAO envisions itself as a national umbrella entity that will not compete with the African-serving organizations in the United States but will assist them in increasing their organizational capacities and efficiency. Mr. Afrifa stated that FAO’s goals and objectives are to

1. Assist in building strong organizations that are effective in program delivery and meeting increasing needs;
2. Create a forum to discuss pressing issues of concern to the African Diaspora and the continent;
3. Provide a clearinghouse for information of concern to the Diaspora and policy matters in both the United States and Africa; and
4. Pool needs to seek resources and promote cooperation beyond ethnic, national, and gender basis.
   

Mr. Afrifa further stated that the anticipated outcomes of FAO’s activities would be to help organizations build healthy governance systems; sound financial management systems; workable, legal, human resource policy and practices; successful fundraising and development strategies; effective leadership and trained staff; development of new and effective programs and expansion of core programs; a more open communication, partnerships, and collaboration among organizations; and, the development of social, political, and economic capital among Africans.

During final Questions & Comments, the meeting participants suggested next steps for FAO. It was proposed that FAO consider partnering with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU’s) in the U.S., as well as with African universities. How best to involve and encourage African youth through exchange programs, education, and other outreach initiatives was also discussed. It was also suggested that FAO develop a strategy for buy-in and participation from other organizations and from HBCU’s, as well as an approach to share and/or parcel-out activities to other groups to generate critical mass. Furthermore, participants underscored the need for the African Diaspora to more effectively lobby the U.S. political establishment. A number of examples were given of situations where a lack of organized pressure resulted in less-than-expected commitments with little accountability. For example, it was stated the Millennium Challenge Account was initially established with a commitment of USD$5 billion, but only USD$800 million was appropriated. FAO was urged to consider a role where it can monitor legislation affecting Africa and the African Diaspora, and act as a voice for accountability.

This highly successful forum was supported by CFA and Africare. The planning committee comprised Messrs. Afrifa, Boateng, Foote, and Jacques Walker, Chief Executive Officer of Southall Walker International, LLC.

View Gallery >>

TBD

Back to list