Graduate Calls For Greater African Democracy At UK Event
8 November 2011
Derby charity worker Emmanuel Neba Fuh and Pauline Latham, MP for Mid-Derbyshire, (centre) and supporters at the House of Commons launch.
Without good governance, and unless we beat corruption, we will never defeat poverty in Africa.
”Emmanuel Neba Fuh, Campaign Co-ordinator for Derby-based charity British Aid for Africa Consortium.
(L to r) University Community Relations Officer Peter Walker and Emmanuel Neba Fuh at the launch of the 'Big Society Initiative for Africa'.
An initiative calling for greater democracy in Africa was launched at the Houses of Parliament last night, 7 November, by Derbyshire MP Pauline Latham, and civil rights campaigner and University of Derby graduate Emmanuel Neba Fuh.
They launched the 'Big Society Initiative for Africa' at the House of Commons in London. The event was attended by Nick Hurd MP, Minister for Civil Society; the Prime Minister's Big Society Ambassador, Shaun Bailey; former High Sheriff of Derbyshire, Lord Ralph Kerr; as well as other politicians and community group members.
The project aims to bring together UK-based policy and decision-makers with an interest in Africa, and galvanise public support for greater democracy in the continent's states. Specifically, it aims to persuade the African Union - the collective organisation of African countries - to introduce a clause in its charter barring African leaders of member states from serving more than two terms, or ten years, in power. This is to prevent undemocratic 'President for life' situations.
Emmanuel Neba Fuh, originally from Cameroon, is an Applied Community Work and Social Care graduate of the University of Derby. In 2008 he walked 120 miles barefoot, from Derby to London, over 19 days to promote a petition raising awareness of human rights violations in Africa, which he then handed into Number 10 Downing Street.
Now the Campaign Co-ordinator for Derby-based charity British Aid for Africa Consortium, Mr Neba Fuh said of last night's event: "Without good governance, and unless we beat corruption, we will never defeat poverty in Africa."
He added that the lack of concrete steps to put into effect the ideas enshrined in the African Union's own 2007 report on democracy, elections and governance was undermining the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals; the set of objectives laid down by the UN to tackle poverty, poor education and related problems.
Pauline Latham, Conservative MP for Mid-Derbyshire, added: "The problems of Africa are well documented and have been greatly publicised for years.
"The issues that Africa face are issues that the British people take a great interest in, be it the civil wars in Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo or Angola; or the refusal of leaders to respect the will of the people through the ballot box as we saw in Kenya, Zimbabwe, and most recently Ivory Coast and North Africa."
Also attending last night's event was Peter Walker, the University's Community Relations Officer, who has worked closely with the city of Derby's own Congolese community, many of them forced migrants due to political persecution.
Find out more the work of the British Aid for Africa Consortium or contact the charity on 0800 999 8252, or email: info@britishaidforafricaconsortium.org.uk
For media enquiries about this press release contact University of Derby Press and PR Officer Sean Kirby on 01332 591891 or 07876 476103, or email: s.kirby@derby.ac.uk
