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Africans urged to brand their countries positively
Accra, Jan. 6 Ghanadot/GNA – Dr. Charles
R. Stith, Director, African Presidential Archives and
Research Centre (APARC) at Boston University on Wednesday
called on Africans to do more to brand their countries
positively.
He said nobody has a greater stake to brand the continent
positively to the rest of the world than the people who live
on the continent themselves.
Dr Stith, who was also once the US Ambassador to Tanzania
was speaking at the launch of the African Leaders State of
Africa Report (ALSAR) 2007 in Accra.
The annual report is an effort by APARC to provide an outlet
for African leaders to offer an assessment of contemporary
trends and developments in their respective countries.
The 2007 Report is the sixth in a series of reports
representing an ongoing chronicle of the progress of the
countries and the vision of the heads of state featured in
the publication.
Key members of the Bush administration including the
President, members of the U.S. House of Representatives,
members of the U.S Senate, the membership of the Corporate
Council on Africa, select foreign ministries and embassies,
select academic institutions and members of the
international media were among the 1,000 to receive the
Report.
The context and content of each year's Report has its
emphasis; the 2007 was no different in that development by
definition was not a linear process because it has ups and
downs, fits and starts.
Dr Stith said that development relative to the 15 African
countries whose stories had been chronicled in the 2007
report had fluidity in terms of governance.
The report cited South Africa President Thabo Mbeki's hotly
contested battle for the African National Congress (ANC)
leadership as against the orderly succession of the party
since 1994 which had all the messiness that could be found
in matured democracies.
“Despite the fact that Kenya has been a paragon of
stability, on a continent that has known more than its share
of shaky regimes, this recent crisis is reminder of how
fragile these budding democracies on the continent really
are”. Dr Stith noted.
He said, the most hopeful sign on the continent, which
marked this year’s report, was the election of Ellen
Johnson-Sileaf as President of Liberia.
He said relative to good governance the Liberian President
had made rooting out corruption in government one of her top
priorities and the proof of her commitment was the
requirement for public officials, from President on down, to
declare their assets and net worth.
He said in the health sector, for instance, Namibia had
intensified efforts to address the shortage of doctors,
nursing staff, and other health professionals.
He said in 2006, 19 doctors, 115 registered nurses, and 287
enrolled nurses graduated and took up posts in the health
system.
There was expectation that approximately 17 doctors, 137
registered nurses and 415 nurses would graduate this year.
He said in Ghana, one aspect of the health care challenge
was expanding coverage.
He said 34 percent of the population was now enrolled in
programmes entitling them to free care and this year they
expected to achieve 55 percent coverage.
GNA
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