Globalization: Africa as a Global Centre:
the MCC Africa Consultation
By Martin Shupack, MCC U.S. Washington Office
Agenda
Day 1: Introduction and framing the context; keynote address by Dr. Mvume Dandala, Gen. Secretary of the All Africa Conference of Churches and responses; presentation about K-Rep Bank, a large Kenyan micro-credit institution, by Kimanthi Mutua, Managing Director, and responses; plenary discussion.
Day 2: All-day visit to Kitui to observe an example of SOSAL's sand dam project.
Day 3: Discussion of sand dam project; presentations on NGO-African government collaboration at the WTO Cancun meeting and public policy advocacy; plenary discussion of learnings.
Summary of Main Learnings
The Africa consultation considered globalization from two perspectives:
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There is a hegemonic and homogenizing globalization driven by Western-based corporations, governments, media, trade, culture, values, militarism and consumerism. This globalization was viewed by participants as largely destructive of African society and culture.
Harmful examples include the marginalization of African cultural values and practices, a flood of imports that ruin local farmers and destroy African industries, patented seeds that are driving out traditional agricultural practices, rampant consumerism, privatization of public services, reduced government spending on health and education and massive job loss.
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There is — at least potentially — a non-homogenizing globalization "from the bottom up," in which the diverse peoples of the world make their own unique contributions to the human community. This kind of "particularization" forms a counter-cultural resistance to homogenizing globalization. Faith and moral values are vital to this alternative globalization. Africa can be a center of this form of globalization.
According to consultation presenters, Africans must redefine globalization away from that of Western-dominated homogenization to a particularized globalization in which Africa is a source and center. In this way, Africa can be empowered to share its rich heritage, culture, values, ideas and spirit for the benefit the world as a whole.
These two perceptions of globalization inform a two-fold strategy for pursuing a more just and humane globalization. The appropriate response to Western-dominated homogenizing globalization is resistance. The appropriate response to the possibility of a non-homogenizing globalization is to embrace and embody anew African culture and values.
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The consultation explored African self-assertion by viewing two development projects embracing the African values of community and collective self-help - a low-tech, high value sand dam project (SASOL) and a large micro-credit institution (K-REP). The consultation claim is that these projects have global significance and represent part of Africa's contribution as a center for a new kind of globalization.
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The consultation explored African resistance by hearing about the collaboration between African NGOs and governments at the WTO meeting in Cancun, Mexico, resulting in developing countries' refusal to accept the U.S. and E.U. push for new and unfair trade rules.
Overlapping visions
The African consultation appears to have reached parallel conclusions to the U.S.-Canadian consultation. Both were largely critical of the impact of the existing form of globalization, especially in the areas of agriculture and cultural values. The emphasis of the Africa consultation on "particularization" and community-based development rooted in African culture and values appears to over-lap with the U.S.-Canadian consultation's emphasis on the importance of localization and its conclusion that "policies, both domestic and international, should permit priority to local production for local consumption."
Overlap occurred with the Latin America/Caribbean consultation in the critique of the disempowerment produced by the existing form of globalization and the importance of resistance and creative alternatives.
Perhaps most profoundly, there are striking parallels among (a) the African vision of community-based development rooted in African religious and cultural values, (b) the Latin American idea — presented, but largely undeveloped - of a "radical Christian vision" involving "local patterns of production and consumption, decentralized political power, sustainable patterns of energy use and living" rooted in biblical values, and (c) the U.S.-Canadian consultation's vision of a "manna-based" food system focusing on the localization, to the extent possible, of food production, exchange and consumption.
This convergence suggests directions for MCC's education and advocacy on global economic justice.
