Africa-U.S. Conference May 23, 2006

Millennium Development Goals

• These goals were ratified by 189 heads at the United Nations Millenium Summit Sept. 2000.

• 1. To eradicate extreme poverty and hunger in Africa

• 2. To achieve universal primary education

• 3. To promote gender equality

• 4. To Reduce child mortality

Africa-U.S. Conference May 23, 2006

“A Small Group of Thoughtful People Can Change the World”

It is the only thing that ever has

Margaret Mead (1901-1978)Worked in Tanzania, Rwanda, and Somalia

Africa-U.S. Conference May 23, 2006

Millenium Goals cont.

• 5. To combat HIV/AIDS

• 6. To ensure environmental sustainability

• 7. To develop global partnerships

(The year 2015 was chosen as the goal line)

Africa-U.S. Conference May 23, 2006

African Women Toting Water

Africa-U.S. Conference May 23, 2006

Africa Needs a New Plan

• This conference today will focus on global “partnerships”

• This means country-to-country relationships

• Most of all, people-to-people actions

• Each person here today should come away with “a partner” or “partners” or contacts that can lead to “partners.”

Africa-U.S. Conference May 23, 2006

Our Goals Today

• Establish linkages between U.S. companies and companies in Africa in order to achieve the 2015 goals.

• Explore investment opportunities in Africa

• Search for new ways to teach prevention for HIV/AIDS with particular emphasis on youth and prevention.

Africa-U.S. Conference May 23, 2006

Bad water is the Second Leading Cause of Death in Africa

Africa-U.S. Conference May 23, 2006

Other Areas of Focus Today

• Agriculture and mining partnerships

• Alternative energy and better water management systems

• Information and communication technology links

• Educational partnerships and joint grants

• Small and medium sized joint ventures and micro-financing.

Africa-U.S. Conference May 23, 2006

WPI’s Africa Focus(Why WPI?)

• WPI has project centers around the world, from Namibia to Bangkok to Costa Rica.

• The Namibia Project Center was started in 2002

• Each year about 25 students and 2 faculty go to Africa and work on various projects concerned with sustainable development.

Africa-U.S. Conference May 23, 2006

Why WPI? continued

• We have received grants from USAID and U.S. Department of Education for ten years of various Africa projects.

• We have published books and papers relating to research in Africa.

• We teach courses in Africa History and Culture.

• We are small enough to be agile and combine practical with theoretical.

Africa-U.S. Conference May 23, 2006

Conclusion

• This conference is a call to arms and is designed for action and not just information exchange

• As the day progresses let us each keep thinking about what we can do to bring the continents closer together.

• Let’s view this conference as a beginning so that we each leave tonight with new ideas and plans for action.

Africa-U.S. Conference May 23, 2006

“A Small Group of Thoughtful People Can Change the World”

Margaret Mead