In Africa’s quest for development so many developmental issues have been addressed from structural adjustment polices (SAP) to the Highly Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) initiative. How far have we come with these programs?
This year signifies a very important year in the calendar of African history. Do you know that
seventeen African countries will be celebrating their Golden Jubilee of independence this year? Togo, Somalia, Senegal, Nigeria, Niger, Mauritania, Mali, Madagascar, Gabon, Cote d’Ivoire, Congo, Chad, Central African Republic, Burkina Faso ,Botswana, Cameroon and Benin all attained independence in 1960.
The Golden Jubilee celebrations of these African countries were considered in choosing this year’s theme which is; “Post Independent Africa: Cultural imperatives for development.”
As we review Africa’s post independence era, what are the factors/players that have accelerated or decelerated the continents progress. What has been the role of World Bank’s assistance and its associated conditionalities on the development of Africa?
The Common Currency of the former French Colonies; the CFA Franc, created in 1945 by France obliges 14 Francophone African countries to put 65% of their Foreign exchange reserves in the French Treasury. Is it time to open the debate on binding ‘controversial’ colonial treaties?
Is Senegal’s African renaissance statue which is alleged to cost $28million dollars and Ghana’s $60m Golden Jubilee Presidential palace a misplaced priority or a significant inspiration for young Africans to reinforce their conviction of a better future? Ghana’s Parliament approved $20m dollars for Ghana’s Golden Jubilee Celebration in 2007. It is expected that the 17 African countries that are celebrating their Golden Jubilee will spend similar or greater amounts of money in their celebrations. Is it worth spending huge sums of money in celebrating the Golden Jubilee?
These are the issues we are calling for papers on. These are the debates ICACD 2010 is opening during ICACD 2010 and on its social networking websites.
ICACD 2010 presents a unique position for Africans to input into action the cultural perspective of all these concerns. Each participant will be given the opportunity to actively participate in this forum and to take the energy and ideas that each of us brings back to our homes. The future of Africans is in the hands of each of us. ICACD 2010 will be an interdisciplinary conference of Academics, artists, cultural and development workers, Government agencies and policy makers and all people committed to working to see the development of Africa as a reality.