- Africa Action
Africa Action is a
nonprofit organization working to change U.S.-Africa relations to promote political, economic and social justice in Africa. They aim to provide accessible information and analysis and mobilize popular support for campaigns to achieve this mission. This organization is the oldest one to work for Africa affairs in the United States.Predecessor Organizations
Africa Action is the name the organization adopted in 2001, after three organizations, the American Committee on Africa, the Africa Fund, and the Africa Policy Information Center, merged together.
The American Committee on Africa (ACOA) was founded in New York in 1953 by
George Houser . It was created by a group of black and white civil rights activists who had organized support for the historicDefiance Campaign in South Africa the previous year. In the book, "No Easy Victories", ACOA is described as the “premier U.S. Africa solidarity organization.” It became this way through “coalition building…work with the young United Nations and by cultivating good relationships with emerging African leaders.” "No Easy Victories" eds. William Minter, Gail Hovey and Charles Cobb (2007) ]The Africa Fund, founded in 1966, worked with ACOA to provide key support for independence movements throughout Africa. During the
anti-apartheid movement , the Africa Fund became the “principle contact point for progressive trade unionists and politicians,” working towardsdivestment and publishing updated lists of U.S. companies involved in South Africa. "No Easy Victories" eds. William Minter, Gail Hovey and Charles Cobb (2007) ]The Africa Policy Information Center (APIC) was founded in Washington, DC in 1978. It produced research, analysis and education materials designed to widen the debate in the United States around Africa issues and the U.S. role in Africa.
Current Work
According to their website, Africa Action is a national organization for political, economic and social justice in Africa. Africa Action believes that the U.S. has a special historic responsibility toward Africa and that racism has been and is a major determinant of U.S. policies toward Africa, Africans and U.S. citizens of African descent. They value Africa and the people of Africa and seek to work in partnership with Africans. Today, in partnership with activists and civil society organizations throughout the United States and in Africa, Africa Action works to change U.S. foreign policy and the policies of international institutions in order to support African struggles for peace and development. [http://www.africaaction.org/about/index.php Africa Action's About Us Page] ]
Africa Action has been a strong proponent of the view that the
conflict in Darfur , the western region of Sudan, should be consideredgenocide . [http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/africa/jan-june05/sudan_2-02.html] [http://www.democracynow.org/2005/1/10/historic_sudan_peace_accord_marred_by] Along with other groups, they have advocated for the full deployment of a multilateral peacekeeping force to Darfur to protect civilians [http://www.sudanreeves.org/Article125.html] and international support for a political peace process for the region. [http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0409/p02s01-usfp.html] In addition to their "Campaign to Stop Genocide in Darfur," Africa Action manages a "Campaign to End HIV/AIDS in Africa" and a "Campaign to Cancel Africa's Debt." [http://www.africaaction.org/about/programs.php] They also provide occasional public commentary on other topics such as the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM ) [http://allafrica.com/stories/200805140003.html] and Zimbabwe. [http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/africa/july-dec08/powertalks_07-21.html]References
External Links
* [http://www.africaaction.org Africa Action’s website]
*Africa Action’s blog, [http://justafrica.typepad.com Just Africa]
* [http://www.africaaction.org/about/GeorgeHouser1003.htm The Struggle Never Ends] Speech by George Houser
* ACOA/Africa Fund documents from [http://www.aluka.org/action/showCompilationPage?doi=10.5555/AL.SFF.COMPILATION.COLLECTION-MAJOR.ACOA&cookieSet=1 Aluka]
* [http://www.africanactivist.msu.edu The African Activist Archive Project]
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