Panel 30: Aligning and Harnessing the Gains of Globalization to an African Advantage: Towards “Glo-fricanization”.

This purpose of this panel is (i) to highlight the complexity involved in engaging Africa for development in its modern times and its global demands, and (ii) to articulate the need for ideological re-birth of Africans for this reason. The panel will make a case for ideological re-birth in the African instance to accommodate the large block of Pro-African world globally. The argument to this effect is that there are Pro-African minds scattered in different parts of the world in addition to a large bulk of African diaspora who should be accommodated within a large ideological umbrella to contribute and influence development in Africa.

Given the complexity in what is involved in the proper protection of African humanity at the moment, some of which are clearly political (as exemplified in the problem of Africans in the continent); some psychological( as exemplified in the divided personality of Africans in the Diaspora who appear politically and economically secure but culturally insecure); some racial (as exemplified in Pro-Arab Africans who define Africa in terms of ideals and values that emanate from the Arab world); some clearly economic and racial (as is the case with Afro-Brazilians who appear to suffer racial inequality because of their African origin and for whom the idea of Africa demands a salvific mission) this panel sets out to source for and articulate a fresh ideology that can pioneer and promote African unity by re-connecting Pro-African minds(interpreted to mean all who are interested in African development) in its global demands by transcending local barriers that can impede this.