Africans Urged to Consider New Ways of Working Together

The deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration of Ghana, Ambassador Kwesi Quartey has called on Africans at home and abroad to reconsider approaches to working together for the development of the African people.
In an emotionally charged statement at the launch of the 8th Pan African Congress on Wednesday, September 10, Mr Quartey recounted the history of slavery noting that the mandate provided by the British government at the time transformed Africans into commodities of trade which fueled the slave trade.
He referred to a treaty between the British and Spanish governments which virtually legitimized the trading in Africans. He also mentioned an attempt in the 18th century by a governor of the Cape Coast castle to introduce plantation farming into the Gold Coast which was torpedoed by the British government to ensure that the Africans continued to war amongst themselves to serve the purpose of the slave trade.
In his opening remarks, the Chairman of the International Planning Committee of the 8th Pan African Congress Maj Gen Otafire of Uganda urged Africans to tell their governments to focus on African Unity with the aim of developing the continent as a whole. Maj Gen Otafire urged all Africans to support the 8th Pan African Congress and ensure that it is a resounding success building on the earlier congresses.
The 8th Pan African Congress is slated for October 27 – 28 in Accra and is expected to be attended by over 10 African Heads of State.
A call for participation and presentation of papers has been made. The local organizing committee is chaired by avid Pan Africanist Kwesi Pratt.