Why U.S. excluded African leaders from talks, by Sanders

IN their countries, most young Africans are considered as endangered species but in the White House, the pendulum is swinging in their favour.
American President Barack Obama, who is encouraging them into leadership roles, has come under fierce criticisms from some influential U.S. media outfits.
Against this backdrop, some American officials at the weekend rose in defence of Obama’s recent romance with these young Africans. They said it was designed to raise a new generation of leaders for the continent because the future rests on their shoulders.
Obama had been criticised for excluding all current African leaders from his town hall meeting under the aegis of U.S. Presidential Forum with Young Africans.
American Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr. Renee Robin Sanders, who responded to the criticisms in a statement at the weekend, said the three young Nigerians who participated in the Obama forum would discuss their views about the talks in a roundtable in Abuja on Thursday.
Also, American Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, Judith A. McHale, said after the August 3 to August 5 presidential forum, the U.S. Department of State would carry out follow-on activities "to continue the partnership and momentum that came out of the forum."
Among others, the New York Times had last Wednesday faulted the exclusion of African leaders from the talks.
The paper, however, noted that "many of Africa’s leaders have spent part of their summer shuttling between capitals, congratulating one another on 50 years of independence. One capital they will not be visiting together is Washington."
It added that although Obama convened the forum to celebrate the 50th anniversaries of 17 African nations, " he did not invite a single African leader to help him do so.”
Sanders said Obama had been carrying along African leaders, noting that "recently, the U.S. has been engaged in Africa in an unprecedented manner with signature initiatives, with the President working with African leaders to help move their nations forward."
On why Obama discussed Africa's future with young leaders, Sanders said it was "because more than half the continent is home to people under the age of 25 right now; because the future for change rests with them, and, because Africa's future strength can make America stronger as we forge partnerships and strategic relationships on global issues from development, human rights, and nuclear co-operation."
She said at this time when 17 African nations will celebrate 50 years of independence and take stock of what the next 50 years will look like, "who is better to have that discussion with than the next generation of leaders?” she asked.
"This is what the Obama administration was bold enough and wise enough to do. So, to those who saw the forum differently – missed the point! Yes there is a need to put down markers with current leaders not doing right by their people, but the larger point is to build bridges with Africa's next generation."   Declaring that democratic change in Africa is important to the Obama administration, Sanders said: "We cannot afford not to engage, and certainly we cannot ignore the generation in Africa that will be America's partners in the future."
She noted that for Nigeria's future, the U.S. had established a Bi-National Commission (BNC) focused on Food Security, Education, the Environment, Economics, Democracy and Self-help (FEEEDS) issues addressed at the Obama Africa Forum."
The envoy said America is focusing on Nigeria's democracy and providing technical support for their “must-do right” critical elections in 2011. The BNC has met twice, with the next session on Nigeria’s elections slated for August 24-25, 2010 in Abuja.The U.S. is following up the forum with outreach and technology.
According to McHale, who outlined the next activities of the forum, U.S. embassies and consulates in Africa would partner with delegates to the President’s Forum with young African leaders to organise follow-on events in the continent while the Department of State will support use of social media by the delegates to continue their conversation and co-operation.
“The Department of State will work with young African leaders to organise a follow-on forum in the first quarter of 2011. The forum will take place on a single day, in multiple regional locations across Africa. American representatives will be invited to travel to Africa to participate, and technology will be utilised to further expand participation and impact both in Africa and in the United States.
“All over Africa, the Department of State will sponsor opportunities for technical innovators and programme developers to come together with civil society leaders to develop technical responses to social challenges. The goal is to convene technologists/developers to explore the potentials for collaboration in addressing some of Africa's challenges and creating new opportunities for development and growth. The approach will vary from country to country, and the Department of State will look to African partners for input and to help pursue the way ahead.
She said the State Department will launch a programme of small-scale grants to support future-oriented and creative proposals in Africa that focus on the themes of the conference, including youth empowerment, governance, and economic opportunity.
The Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), she added, will organise Africa Alumni Enrichment workshops in several locations in the continent, involving African alumni of American government exchange programmes, to continue and expand the dialogue with a greater cross section of African youth.