US-Africa Leaders Summit

This week, the Biden/Haris Administration will engage in a series of meetings with 49 African Heads of State, including the Africa Union Chairman, President Macky Sall of Senegal, in Washington DC.  On the agenda is the renewal of the US Government's commitment to cement ongoing partnerships and support to African countries in multiple developmental and good governance initiatives on the continent of Africa. 

The US States Department Secretary, Anthony J. Blinken put it mildly, "Africa will shape the future not just of the African people, but of the world.  Indeed with one of the world’s fastest-growing populations, largest free-trade areas, most diverse ecosystems, and one of the largest voting — regional voting groups in the United Nations, African contributions, partnerships, and leadership are essential to meeting this era’s defining challenges"(White House Briefing, December 8, 2022). This is an indication of the recognition of the significant role Africa can and MUST play in shaping the future of its people, the Continent, and the world at large. The question is; Are African leaders ready to assume world leadership? Is there self-recognition at the national and Continental levels to lead the world?  Are African leaders ready to shape the world's future? 

If there is anything missing in Africa for Africans, it is good leadership! I am not a leadership expert, but as an African, I have firsthand experience with the type of people we elect as heads of government, ministers, technocrats, and civil servants. We have experienced and observed how our leaders become siloed around tribes, family members, religious groups, political parties, and other social classifications as the only way to assume roles entrusted to them by the population. Otherwise, are African leaders ready to go above and beyond personal vendetta, political affiliation, and the cycle of trust, to consider population needs, national welfare, transparency, good governance, and rule of law as ingredients of good leadership?  

That notwithstanding, I urge African leaders to capitalize on the Biden/Haris Administration's goodwill to engage and work with Africa to negotiate initiatives, not only on a personal or political level but to benefit the population they represent. I expect the leaders to come in with a common platform of crucial areas of continental needs, including health and wellbeing, education, skills transfers, financial independence, rules of law, and hope for the youth and future of Africa. The US Government is clear about its agenda and what it intends to achieve at the end of the Summit, can we say the same for African leaders attending the Summit? Thus far, there have been one-on-one meetings between Blinken and the heads of DRC, Ethiopia, Congo, and Kenya, Diaspora leaders, and young African innovators and business leaders, among others. It is exciting to see the wide range of stakeholders' engagement with a common interest in African development. Beyond the buzz and camera ops, what will be the outcome for each leader attending the Summit? Other than a seat on the UN Security Council, what learnings is each leader sending home to his/her people? We should see real and concrete steps taken to develop Africa WITH Africans and to see African leaders redirect their efforts beyond their narrow circle of trust towards population wellbeing and good governance.

As a public health expert, I am particularly interested in seeing African leaders take responsibility for assuring the health and well-being of the vulnerable, not just the rich and famous! Infectious diseases such as malaria, HIV, Hepatitis, maternal and child health, and TB continue to ravage the continent annually. Partly because our leaders have turned blind eye to this crucial determinant of health, by sidelining prevention, response, and control of infectious diseases to the donor community and other philanthropies. African leaders have limited budgetary allocation (as a percentage of GDP) to fighting infectious diseases, and yet infectious diseases are among the top 10 causes of death in Africa. Is this the result of negligence or misplaced priorities? I think it is a misplaced priority!

 The relaunch of the Global Health Security initiative, and the proposal by Anthony Blinken to create a one-stop Bureau of Health Security and Diplomacy, to be headed by John Nkengansong, a great son of Africa, should represent an opportunity for African leaders to rethink their global health security priorities. If anything, the COVID-19 pandemic has thought African leaders lessons on health security, self-reliance, and good leadership. It is time for African leaders to reevaluate their priorities by creating a common front and committing to providing good leadership to the populations they represent. They should harness local resources - material and human capital - to create incentives for good leadership, rule of law, and population wellbeing. if Africa wants to go far, we must do it together by creating local opportunities for the youth, giving them hope to dream, and proportionately rewarding their efforts, regardless of political affiliations, tribe, nationality, color, and other unrelated determinants of capabilities. 

I look forward to reading the final Communique of the Summit and its impact on the population way beyond the camera and political rhetoric.