Avenir NEPAD International (ANI) is a civil society organisation composed of members of the African diaspora spread over the world, even if the association especially tries to link Europe and Africa. But as its President mentions, non-African are also invited to participate. Romuald Dzomo Nkongo was, along with other students, one of the persons who created the association in November 2002. “The rationale behind this initiative was to show that Africa is on the move while connecting this positive image to a real opportunity for Africa’s development: NEPAD (New Partnership for Africa’s Development)”. It was founded on the belief that NEPAD will not achieve its goals if it remains a technocratic project, removed from constructive criticism.
ANI therefore takes many actions in Europe and in Africa around the different objectives of NEPAD, targeted as well to public institutions as to the diaspora itself. Among others: preparing proposals that will be addressed to NEPAD and all its strategic partners in order to promote the participation of citizens; organizing training workshops for citizens to appropriate and understand the workings of the NEPAD; organizing debates amongst leaders, politicians, researchers, journalists, African specialists, diplomats, business men and women as well as citizens to reflect and offer suggestions for the success of the NEPAD. Recently, ANI co-organised a seminar at the French Senate on “The African Union and its diasporas: analyses and perspectives for an enhanced contribution of the diaspora to the development of the Continent”. ANI is regularly in touch with the African Union and welcomes the integration of NEPAD into the Union in order to make of it an even more efficient tool.
For further information:
www.avenir-nepad.org
www.avenir-nepad.tg (Togo)
www.avenir-nepad.org.uk (UK)
http://www.avenirnepad-germany.org (Germany)
Source: EU-Africa e-alert – No. 3 / November 2006
