Yes, African Leaders Avoid U.S. Blacks.

by Staff April 10, 2013 9 Comments News Opinion Weekly Columns

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(ThyBlackMan.com) Two weeks ago, President Obama met with three African presidents—Koroma (Sierra Leone), Sall (Senegal), Banda (Malawi), and Prime Minister of Cape Verde Jose Maria Pereira Neves. This was the White House’s way of rewarding these leaders for their examples of good governance. Receiving an invitation to the White House is one of the most sought after invitations in the world, especially for foreign leaders.

African leaders constantly complain about how they are negatively portrayed in the U.S. media, about how Blacks don’t invest in Africa, and about how there seems to be a disconnect between Africans and American Blacks.

My response has always been quite simple – It’s your fault!

Let me break it down based on the itinerary for the delegation that met with Obama two weeks ago. In most cases, the State Department takes the lead in setting up the program for foreign leaders, but they are free to add their own program in addition to State’s program if they so desire.

While in Washington, each leader participated in numerous meetings and events to strengthen bilateral cooperation on a range of shared priorities. Joint events included a dinner hosted by the Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) to discuss trade and investment opportunities with representatives from U.S. businesses; a public discussion on democratization in Africa at the United States Institute for Peace (USIP); an economic and development roundtable with U.S. government officials; and a meeting with Secretary of Defense Hagel to discuss cooperation on shared regional security and peacekeeping objectives in Africa.

Notice anything interesting here? Let me help you. Dinner hosted by CCA—mostly Fortune 500 companies (White-run companies). Many Africans accuse “corporate America” of only using Africa for their natural resources—well duh, you invited them to your country; a discussion on democracy at USIP. I have tried, to no avail, to get Howard University interested in engaging with African heads of state, but they have shown absolutely no interest. I think I can get a meeting with Obama easier than I can get a meeting with the president of Howard University. Meetings with government officials (i.e. White officials, other than former Ambassador Johnny Carson). Meeting with Secretary of Defense Hagel.

So, I guess these African leaders couldn’t find any Black NGOs to meet with or maybe their White lobbyists would not give them permission to meet with successful minority businessmen like David Steward, CEO of World Wide Technology in St. Louis–a $ 5 billion privately held firm.

Maybe their White lobbyist wouldn’t give them permission to meet with the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), a federation of 200 Black-owned newspapers in the U.S., or give a speech at a Black university.

So, to my African heads of state, if you are looking for positive media coverage from the U.S., then sit with our Black media and tell them your story. If you are looking for investment in your country, then invest some time by meeting with Black businessmen when you come to our country. Ifif you want Americans, especially Blacks to tour your countries, then take a tour of our communities when you are in the U.S. So, stop complaining and be what you are looking for.

Africa has a lot to offer as far as investment opportunities, tourism, and even education; but Africa has not made its case to the American people. Until they do, they will continue to be like the tinkling cymbal or the sounding brass, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

Staff Writer; Raynard Jackson

Mr. Jackson is also founder of a political and industrial consultant firm which is based in Washington, DC; Raynard Jackson & Associates.

9 Comments

sankofa says:

April 15, 2013 at 12:25 pm

We need to temper our response with some qualification. While the author and Robert have correct points of view in what they see…we need to overstand that these knee-grows invited to the Caucasian house are specific to the Empire’s agenda of reminding those gate keepers of their role and what more they should do to help Amerikkka fuck over their own people. The leaders that are about grounding with the original dark matter people, Chavez, Sankara, Qaddafi, for examples are usually called human rights violators, socialists and marginalized as jokes. As long as Yurugu keep on telling us that his views is the most important, we will continue to sell our souls and land to those who oppress us.

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Terrance Amen says:

April 14, 2013 at 12:48 am

@ William

I feel you Brother. I write about this in my book about how we should reconnect with our African Brothers and Sisters. We can definitely help each other in many ways. I have the solution to this and other problems in our community. Click on my name for more information.

Black Unity means financial independence and happiness

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William Jackson says:

April 13, 2013 at 3:32 pm

I have always wanted to teach in Africa, but never could get any help.
Have a Masters in Educational Technology and teaching over 20 years.
There seems to be this feeling that America does not want its teachers
sharing information or knowledge only what America wants.

Does anyone have any suggestions, connections, contact that I could use
or person to actually TALK TO not email about sharing my knowledge
in Africa.

I guess Oprah is the only one that can do this since she is a Billionaire and can afford to do this. I don’t want to open a school just share my knowledge on the Internet, Social Media and other areas of technology.

Peace…..

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Reinaldo Spech says:

April 11, 2013 at 2:51 pm

I suggest you read an article appeared in New African of February 2008. The title of the article is:”Divide and rule…How Africans and African-Americans are prevented from working together.” it is an interesting article.

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Terrance Amen says:

April 11, 2013 at 4:00 am

I think Robert and the Author are both right. Both sides haven’t done enough to start working together for the betterment of all our people. I wrote about this in my book, Black Unity: The Total Solution to Financial Independence and Happiness. Now China has taken the place of the west, where we could have done this. But the great thing is it’s not too late. For more information on how we can do this, click on my name.

Black Unity means financial independence and happiness

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Susan says:

April 10, 2013 at 11:10 pm

I love your comment Robert!

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ROBERT says:

April 10, 2013 at 9:42 pm

I think the author of this article is extemely shortsighted and limited in his knowlege of AFRICA.OBAMA broke the hearts and spirits of many black AFRICANS when he attacked and destroyed the wealthiest and most generous nation on the continent of AFICA;LIBYA.WHATEVER AMERICANS may think of QADDAFI he was loved and revered in AFRICA.THE cold blooded and brutal destruction of LIBYA along with the witnessing of QADDAFIS sadistic murder being played over and over in the western media was too much for are AFRICAN brothers and sisters to take.ALSO I think the author is misinformed about the dependence AFRICA once had on the west for it’s development;that dependence is gone ;AFRICA has many more options now.THIS is the reason only the small and insignificant countries of AFRICA attended OBAMAS meeting.MALCOLM X told us over 40 years ago to make amends with AFRICA and be buisness partners with her;if we had listen to him we would be one of the richest people on the planet today

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DaTruth says:

April 10, 2013 at 3:53 pm

Most Africans and African leaders have always held a negative perspective of black Americans. They only approach black America when all else fails due to European and soon to be Chinese racism then and only then they will start talking about black unity.

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Papacool says:

April 10, 2013 at 3:01 pm

Lack of knowledge is the main reason we can not get any positive dialogue going on this subject. With the exception of Mandela, all I have ever seen or heard about the leadership in Africa has been extremely negative. Going back to the Uganda regime to the issue of genocide between tribes, I have not a clue to the overall situation. With that being said, my comments are severely limited in which case silence is golden. I do wish that more focus on the issues of governing in Africa could be explored. This would go a long way in allowing us to re-discover who we are as a people and restore a sense of pride in doing so. Peace out, Papacool.

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