Africa CSOs bemoan exclusion At US-Africa Leaders’ Summit

A group of 15 civil society organisations (CSOs) in Africa has bemoaned their lack of inclusion in the forthcoming US-Africa Leaders’ Summit that President Barack Obama will be hosting in Washington DC this week.

In an open letter to the US government and Africa Heads of State and Governments, the CSOs also accused Africa governments of suppressing the voice of the civil society in many countries.

The letter, released on Friday, called on the summit leaders to make firm commitments to the opening up of civic space and publicly condemn all forms of suppression of civil society voices in Africa.

The letter was signed by Action for Southern Africa (ACTSA), Article 19, Human Rights Watch, International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), Africa Regional Programme, International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Lawyers for Human Rights, Liga Moçambicana dos Direitos Humanos (Mozambique), Liga Guineense dos Direitos Humanos (Guinea-Bissau), Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (Osisa), Southern African Litigation Centre (South Africa), Swaziland Coalition for Concerned Civic Organisations(Swaziland), Women and Law in Southern Africa (Malawi, Mozambique and Regional office) and Women of Zimbabwe Arise (Zimbabwe).

The CSOs said although the summit was mainly focusing on trade and investment in Africa, the theme ‘Investing in the Next Generation’ and other signature as well as side events appear to acknowledge the role of civil society, women and youth in the development of Africa.

The CSOs observed that given the stated importance of safeguarding civic space to spur social entrepreneurship, civic innovation and development, it is regrettable that civil society is not formally participating in the summit.

“Space for civil society in many countries is shrinking. Many governments are using a combination of direct threats, oppressive laws and State policies to undermine the work of independent media, human rights defenders and others seeking to peacefully express their views,” reads the statement.

The statement cited several examples of human rights abuse in countries such as Angola, Egypt, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Sudan, Swaziland and Uganda where the response to peaceful demonstrations has often been excessive use of force by State security forces.

The CSOs observed that the shrinking of civic space has included the use of criminal laws—especially criminal defamation, insult and publication of false news laws retained by most African countries—to suppress freedom of expression.

They said in many African countries, individuals and journalists are unable to freely express themselves within the limits of the law without facing the possibility of criminal sanction.