Ms. Joia Jefferson Nuri
Chief of Staff
Trans Africa Forum
1629 K Street, N.W. Suite 1100
Washington, D.C. 20006
Mr. Mwiza Munthali
Public Outreach Director
1629 K Street, N.W. Suite 1100
Washington, D.C. 20006
I am presently sitting at Lehman Library at Columbia
University's School of International and Public Affairs, of which I am
Alumni. I am presently researching for an article I am writing
on African Economic Development. In the
context of my research, I took a side bar to examine some of the academics,
politicians and practitioners who will be presenting at the conference. Many
public officials and academics represent expertise in their respective fields.
At the same time, my sense is that many of the presenters may not be faithful
to the more transcendent values in good
governance, but perhaps may be using this forum to express their anger at
present and previous governments, and perhaps to mobilize others for more
nefarious intentions. Having just come back from Ethiopia in January, my
ear is to the ground, and I meet with many in community in Washington,
Columbus, OH, and New York, and have a fairly good sense of the dynamics of the
"Greater Abyssinian" situation.
It is my ambition to support the stability of African
Union governments in true "good governance", knowing full well
that the practices of many may be less than ideal. The experiment with
"western style democracy" in the context of current geo-political
realities is a matter of a disciplined commitment to understanding the context
of history, to elevated systems thinking
around social and economic development, and a commitment to the universal
principles of justice, peaceful reconciliation, and, might I say it: "good
governance", amongst others, if, in fact, people of good will, including
those in current governments, are to calibrate the appropriate management of
civil society in the interest of those whom they govern.
I believe very strongly in the principled traditions of Transafrica Forum.
I believe that in every instance, and at all costs, we must pursue the course of honest brokerage, to develop and
promulgate the highest level of integrity in our policy prescriptions, to be
principled analysts, and engage in
universal truths in our review and guidance to our audiences in our geo-political consulting and counsel.
Given the upcoming conference, please examine the premise,
and the presenters. Ethiopia and East Africa
is important in the African Union, and Transafrica
has, and will always have its place as a think tank, policy analyst, activist,
and counsel to African Union and Caribbean governments and organizations.
I harbor some anxiety that with this conference, the organization may be
complicit in a particular agenda which may, in some ways, impugn its
integrity. I honor the work that you have done, and that you do. For your
information, Joia, my late brother, Gilbert Hardy was
a great friend of Randall's, and I continue to carry respect from the both of
us.
Melvin L. Hardy, Chairman
Principal,
US Green Trading House