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WADU 111^th Anniversary Mid-Year Report to the African Diaspora

This July 1, 2011 begins the 111^th anniversary month of the formal launching of the Pan African Movement in 1900 spurred by 1885 Berlin Conference attack on Africa and the victorious response in the defeat of Italy by Emperor Menelik 11 of Ethiopia. We are urging all Africans to be vigilant and ready against the ‘new scramble for Africa.’ Most of all, we need you to give us your $upport by going to WADUPAM.ORG and dedicating yourself to be a leader of WADU.

The 2011 year started with the January 2011 WADU Executive Council meeting and President’s birthday gathering in Florida. The WADU 2011 Executive report called for WADU focusing on all Africans to participate in the WADU Decade for Development agenda promoting Pan African Economics, Pan African education and strengthening the African Diaspora AU relationships. Also for WADU to continue working and partnering with other key Diaspora Pan African and Africa advocacy organizations and for WADU to press the AU to have clear and credible consultations with established leaders of the Diaspora organizations for a comprehensive framework to expedite the unity and empowerment of African people.

The year also started with a blatant attack on Ivory Coast and WADU decisive actions to push

back on the assault on Africa. WADU immediately organized two press releases with both the

President and the Chair of WADU calling for peaceful resolution to the conflict in Ivory Coast

and rejecting all foreign interferences in Africa. By March Libya came under attack with similar

U.N./NATO France arrangement and WADU in Georgia met with key leaders and called for a

5-point-action plan to stop the assault on Africa.

Currently, WADU anti-colonial position has expanded with major organizations such as the AU, D-12^th, NOI, GAC and other

organizations taking actions promoting a strong Africa and against the attack on Africa.

In 2010, WADU pressed the AU for a clear Diaspora agenda for representation of the African

Diaspora (North). Before, the AU was mainly focused on Trinidad and Costa Rica and has had

initial ties to some N. Diaspora leaders and organizations starting in 2003 but this was stopped.

As a result of WADU work in the U.S. and (Ethiopia) Africa, the AU established an AU Diaspora

Task Team (AUDITT) by October 2010 to help expand its African Diaspora agenda and in April

2011 the AUDITT mandate was extended. In May, Dr. Jeffries and Dr. Garvey were some of the

few Diaspora leaders to speak at the AU Africa Day tribute at the UN in NYC. In June 2011,

WADU convened its second annual strategy meeting at the AU office in WDC focusing on

expanding Diaspora representation to AUDITT for an inclusive and transparent plan of action.

In December 2010, WADU leaders helped led and participated in Senegal African cultural

Renaissance Monument tribute to promote the unity of Africa and the African Diaspora. By June

2011, WADU participated in the historic Memorandum of Understanding for African Diaspora

and Africa universities to collaborate on educational projects. On the issue of economics, WADU

June 2011 strategy session in WDC engaged both the AU and WADU economic agenda with the

African Diaspora Trade and Investment bill by Congressman Bobby Rush and other initiatives as

a way forward to mobilize and economically empower African people.

As we pay tribute to the Pan African Movement this July, let’s not forget those organizations

such as WADU that are authentically fighting for Africans through these challenging times. Now

please go to our website and make a $ donation to WADU or call 718-523-3312. Kwaheri!

Minister P.D. Menelik Harris, Secretary General