A NEW FACE FOR AFRICA INITIATIVE

AFRICANS IN DIASPORA WELCOME PRESIDENT OBAMA AND HIS SECRETARY OF STATE HILARY CLINTON FROM THEIR HISTORIC AFRICAN VISITS AND SHARE THEIR CONCERNS AND CHALLEGES ON AFRICA'S GOVERNANCE

Reflecting the jubilation amongst Africans in the U.S. Diaspora , we wish to express our profound appreciation to President Barack Obama for extending his spirit of AUDACITY OF HOPE to Africa by challenging them on their own grounds to rally round and confront the problems of Bad Governance across the continent. In anticipation of a meeting at the White House to welcome the President and his Secretary of State , local leaders of Africans in U.S. Diaspora are issuing this Press statement to;

--Thank the President and his Secretary of State for making their visits within the first two hundred days in office to highlight his interest in Africa

--Welcome the President and the Secretary of State from their visits

--Express our appreciation for making their concerns and challenges on Africa's governance a top issue in their speeches

--Assure them that we in the Diaspora share their concerns and welcome their challenges for action

--Inform them that we are responding to their challenges by launching the following initiative and seek the assistance of his administration in its implementation.

A NEW FACE FOR AFRICA INITIATIVE (NFAI)

OBJECTIVE

TO RESPOND TO THE CHALLENGES ON AFRICA'S GOVERNANCE BY THE U. S. PRESIDENT, BARACK OBAMA AND SECRETARY OF STATE HILARY CLINTON DURING THEIR RECENT VISITS TO AFRICA

Why the NFAI?

As one of the members of the African communities to whom the U.S. President Barack Obama in his recent historic visit to Africa addressed his challenges to advance the state of governance in Africa, we need to define carefully and justify the actions we plan to take in response to Obama’s challenge to Africans at home and in Diaspora.

We need to package our actions separately from the programs that other development institutions --bilateral and multi-lateral , public and private - NGOS are taking so as to make this initiative distinct from our networking with these institutions .

We also need to identify those involved in NFAI and what roles they shall be playing to make sure every role is covered. These are the goals of our NEW FACE FOR AFRICA INITIATIVE --NFAI

Why NEW FACE FOR AFRICA?

The name reflects the new inspiration from Obama’s challenge which was reinforced by his Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton during her subsequent visit. As we all agree the problem of bad governance in Africa is not new but this initiative, its inspiration and drivers are new. Our mission is to explore new ways and actions needed to advance the Face of Africa at home and in the global arena as called for in the mandate to the A.U. Mission to the USA. Indeed a new Face for Africa is the core of Obama’s call and challenge.

WHO DRIVES THE NFAI?

Two groups of Africans in the U.S .Diaspora have joined hands to drive the NFAI.

These are

--The Organization of African Professionals and Associates in the Diaspora - OAPAD Inc, an NGO incorporated under 501(c)

---The African Unity in Diaspora Initiative Council ( AUDIC) which was initiated on January 15, 2009 by the African Union Ambassador in the USA jointly with the OAPAD Inc with a mandate to contribute to the African Mission in the USA and across the globe

We hope to attract more Africans from home and in the Diaspora as the movement to

respond to Obama's challenge gathers momentum.

WHY AFRICANS IN DIASPORA

Africans in Diaspora are most suited to initiate action and respond effectively to Obama's challenge for the following reasons

-- We are more independent than those at home from being attacked by the drivers of bad governance with their usual weapons of threats to life and property , contract and job denial , license cancellation etc which are the principal weapons used to drive away opponents of bad governance in Africa

--We have better access to the international community which is feared by the drivers of bad governance

--We are not subject to threats of violation of sovereign rights which is another weapon used by the drivers of bad governance to chase away foreign opponents

--Finally we know the culture, practices and local laws as those drivers of bad governance in Africa Therefore we are better equipped to challenge them.

WHAT ARE THE COMPONENTS OF NFAI?

The NFAI is a long-term plan with the following main components,

1) Responding to the Obama Challenge through this Press Release to be followed by a visit of the leaders of the movement to the White House for the following reasons:

---To thank the President and his Secretary of State for their visits to Africa

---To express our appreciation for their challenging speeches

---To assure them that we share their concerns and are now resolved to play our part in tackling the problem of bad governance

---To request their assistance to us in implementing the programs in the NFAI

2) Packaging and approving the Programs needed to implement our goal of addressing the bad governance disease in Africa.

3) Preparing detailed designs of projects that meet the above program objectives

.4) Seeking funding and technical support to implement the projects

5) Appointing those responsible for implementing the projects on behalf of the NFAI

6) Undertaking the projects as funds become available

HOW WILL THE NFAI BE RELATED TO AFRICAN GOVERNMENTS AND THEIR OFFICIALS?

It is proposed that the NFAI be the initiative of the African Civil Society Groups in the Diaspora to ensure its independence and effectiveness in tackling the governance issues .However the NFAI must of necessity work closely with the African Union and Government agencies at home and in Diaspora.

Signed

V. C. Nwaneri- President of OAPAD and Chairman of AUDIC (www.audiaspora.org )