August 10, 2014
President Obama's Historic African Leaders' Summit
By Dr. E. Faye Williams
(TriceEdneyWire.com) - I had the most incredible experience at the beginning of President Barack Obama’s historic African Leaders’ Summit when I was invited to attend a reception welcoming African Presidents to our nation's Capitol. At the reception, Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H. E. Mr. Erastus Mwencha, gave excellent remarks on his hopes for the Summit. He is a Pan Africanist with over thirty years of progressive experience in policy formulation and institutional transformation at national, regional and continental levels in Africa.
He is an ardent advocate and engineer of regional integration as a leading principle for Africa’s development. He passionately believes in team work and the growth of Africa. That is exactly what all the African leaders seemed to favor as so many gathered for the call of President Obama. He was elected by the 54 member States of the African Union and re-elected in 2012 by 98% of the vote! That got a chuckle as DC Mayor Vincent Gray joked that maybe the 2% should get tickets while in DC!
I followed the discussions and activities, eager to know details of some of the plans. To summarize, some of the President’s remarks at the beginning of the Summit, he announced that a number of American businesses have committed over $14 billion in investments for the continent of Africa ranging from construction, clean energy, banking, information technology and more. It is expected that investments will deepen U.S. economic engagement in Africa, fueling growth that will support broader African prosperity and emerging markets for US businesses, which will support jobs in both the United States and Africa.
There was focus on strengthening trade and financial ties between the United States and Africa, seeking to create partnerships that will promote trade, accelerate job growth, and encourage investment. There was an effort to promote U.S. private sector engagement in Africa in the areas of finance and capital investment, infrastructure, power and energy, agriculture, consumer goods, and information and communication technology.
Secretary Jack Lew spoke, highlighting the importance of capital markets to private sector investment in Africa-- the second fastest growing region in the world. Secretary Lew underscored the growing strength of the U.S. economy, building on the economic data we saw in the July jobs report which showed that total job growth exceeded 200,000 for the sixth straight month – the first time that has happened since 1997. We also learned that the U.S. economy grew strongly in the second quarter. The growing relationship with Africa has the potential of further strengthening our economy.
At least a segment of the Summit dealt specifically with investing in women, peace and prosperity. It highlighted the importance of African women’s leadership and meaningful participation in government, the economy, and civil society — as a means to accelerate economic development, improve health and educational indicators, advance democratic development, and improve the safety and security of all citizens.
Leading up to the Summit, President Obama spoke to Young African leaders, putting the program in the spotlight. He hosted a Town Hall meeting with the 500 leaders selected as the first class for the Mandela Washington Fellowship. First Lady Michelle Obama received lots of accolades speaking to the group of young leaders, too. She delivered powerful remarks on her own heritage, and the importance of promoting education and empowering women in Africa. “No country can ever truly flourish,” she said, “if it stifles the potential of its women, and deprives itself of the contributions of half of its citizens.”
Since this was the largest gathering ever of African leaders by any U.S. President, all of us should feel a deep sense of pride in this historic meeting called by President Obama and the almost 100 percent response from African leaders.
(Dr. E. Faye Williams is National President/CEO of the National Congress of Black Women, Inc. www.nationalcongressbw.org. 202/678-6788)
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