The World Social Forum (WSF), sometimes described as the “carnival of the oppressed”, is under way in the Brazilian city of Porto Alegre.
While WSF participants debate the problems facing the international community, another issue is also likely to come up for discussion, however: Africa’s prospects of hosting the forum next year.
The WSF was initiated by Brazilian trade unions and various civic groups in a gesture of protest against the World Economic Forum, which takes place at the same time in Davos, Switzerland.
A high-powered gathering of political and business leaders, the economic forum promotes free markets and global trade. WSF activists believe globalisation in its current form requires radical change — and that more needs to be done to prevent the exploitation of workers, environmental degradation and other ills.
While the first three WSF conferences were held in Porto Alegre, India provided the venue for the fourth meeting last year. More than 80Â 000 participants from more than 100 countries, including 400 representatives from Africa, attended the 2004 forum, which took place in the city of Mumbai.
“Brazil and India are worthy hosts of the forum, with both countries being characteristic of many of the socio-economic problems that the WSF aims to address,” says Ayesha Kajee, a senior researcher at the Johannesburg-based South African Institute of International Affairs.
But, “I do believe it is time that the forum was hosted in Africa,” she says.
“The value of the WSF initiative is that it encourages open debate, exchange of ideas and sharing of best practice from around the world. Hosting the forum in Africa could spur innovative new ideas and re-energise initiatives to reach the Millennium Development Goals,” Kajee adds.
Adopted by the United Nations in 2000, the eight Millennium Development Goals aim, among other things, to halve the number of people living in extreme poverty and hunger by 2015. According to a recent World Bank report, the number of poor people in sub-Saharan Africa is expected to rise to 366-million people by that date.
Africa is also vulnerable to market fluctuations because of its high dependence on commodity exports, the report notes.
“Africa continues to be marginalised as globalisation increases, yet a large proportion of the wealth of developed countries and multinational corporations has been accumulated via the exploitation of African resources, both human and natural,” says Kajee.
Renewed focus on Africa
The problems facing Africa have already caused it to be put on top of the agenda in other fora.
Britain has pledged to concentrate on the continent during its chairmanship of the Group of Eight (G8) and its presidency of the European Union this year, for example. (The G8 comprises the world’s leading industrialised countries, namely Japan, Russia, Britain, France, Italy, Germany, the United States and Canada.)
“There is a renewed focus on Africa now,” says Malcolm Damon, director of the Cape Town-based Economic Justice Network of Fellowship of Christian Councils in Southern Africa.
Holding the WSF in Africa would also train the spotlight on the continent’s own initiatives to address its problems, says Kajee, notably the New Partnership for Africa’s Development. This plan seeks $64-billion (R382-billion) a year in foreign investment in exchange for good governance and transparency across the continent.
“With Africans seemingly intent on finding African solutions to the continent’s problems, hosting the WSF in Africa could help to clarify two major issues,” notes Kajee.
“First, it will clarify whether African governments can live up to their commitments on improving governance and eradicating conflict and corruption. Secondly, it will clarify whether the richer countries will live up to their commitments in terms of increased financial and technical support to Africa.”
But, Barbara Kalima, director of the Zimbabwe-based African Forum and Network on Debt and Development, sounds a note of caution to those calling for an African WSF next year.
“Africa also has a lot of capacity problems and leadership problems. We should put our house in order first. There shouldn’t be any rush,” she says, adding: “Otherwise the forum will become a jamboree.”
Hers may be a lone voice, however: in December last year, representatives of 50 African countries meeting in the Zambian capital, Lusaka, agreed that the 2006 WSF should take place on the continent.
Kajee also points out that not all African states are hampered by a lack of infrastructure and poor flight connections.
“Africa has various suitable host countries [for the WSF],” she notes.
The WSF is organised by a coalition of civic groups from around the world, which have pledged to hold the gathering away from Porto Alegre during alternate years.
About 100Â 000 people are expected to convene in Port Alegre for the forum this week. The WSF runs from January 26 to 31.