Photo: Essagfilm / AFSC
WASHINGTON, DC (December 12, 2022) The American Friends Service Committee – a Quaker organization that operates in Burundi, Kenya, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Zimbabwe, and the Horn of Africa – issued the following statement to the world leaders meeting at the U.S.-Africa Summit:
On December 13-15, leaders from across the African continent will meet with President Biden in Washington, DC. The American Friends Service Committee hopes that the gathering will yield significant results that help address challenges such as armed conflict, COVID-19, the negative impact of climate change, global inflation, food shortages and famine in some parts of Africa.
At the 34th Africa Union Summit, President Biden promised to rebuild U.S. partnership with African countries, saying "... the United States stands ready now to be your partner in solidarity, support, and mutual respect. We believe in the nations of Africa, in the continent-wide spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation. And through the challenges ahead, although they are great, there is no doubt that our nations, our people, the African Union — we're up to this task."
The summit has the potential to demonstrate the Biden Administration’s commitment to rebuilding a mutual partnership with African countries. We believe that the summit can reshape the U.S.-Africa relationship as equal partners in addressing some of the crises in Africa. The Biden Administration and the government representatives from the African nations have an opportunity to embark on a journey of genuine solidarity and establish tangible objectives and policies centering vulnerable communities across Africa.
As a peace-building faith organization working in Africa on some of the challenges African countries face today, we urge President Biden to seize the opportunity of the Summit to:
1. Commit to investing more resources in national and reconciliation processes in countries going through conflict.
2. Commit to reducing the use of drones in countries such as Somalia and invest resources to promote a mindset for peace among youth.
3. Commit to reducing military aid to African countries and invest more in building sustainable institutions, including health, education, agriculture, transportation, and human rights.
4. Commit to supporting a new issuance of at least $650 billion in Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) at the International Monetary Fund (IMF). A new SDR issuance would provide billions of dollars in urgently needed resources for African countries to weather the current global economic crisis at no cost to the United State or its taxpayers.
5. Commit to financing the loss and damage fund recently agreed upon at COP27. Many African countries are at the receiving end of the negative consequences of climate change.
6. Commit to debt cancelation for African countries so they can focus on sustainable development without losing massive resources in debt repayments.
7. Commit to regional mutual trade that improves the lives of people living in poverty and avoid those that exploit the people and the environment in Africa.
8. Commit to increasing funding for the World Food Program that provides much-needed support to African countries wrestling with drought and famine and increase U.S. involvement in response to the crisis in the region.
Our AFSC family sends best wishes for a successful U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit.
Sincerely,
Joyce Ajlouny, General Secretary, AFSC
Kennedy Akolo, Africa Regional Director, AFSC
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The American Friends Service Committee is a Quaker organization that includes people of various faiths who are committed to social justice, peace and humanitarian service. Its work is based on the belief in the worth of every person and faith in the power of love to overcome violence and injustice.