1 By all accounts, the City of Kigali is probably one of the cleanest cities in Africa or even beyond. In his recent visit to Rwanda for the International Conference on Governance and Security, TAE President, Dr. Kwame Acquaah met with Hon. Ndayisaba Fidѐle, Mayor of the City of Kigali to discuss the city’s environmental projects and initiatives. According to Dr. Acquaah, it is fair to state that Kigali has demonstrated excellent leadership in being environmentally conscious in its objectives. The recent conference on governance and security in the Great Lakes Region, and by extension, Af- rica, was held in Hotel des Mille Collines (Hotel Rwanda), Kigali, Rwanda in early November with attendance by over 100 scholars, organizational leaders, policy makers and analysts, and journalists from the Great Lakes Region (Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, DR Congo, and Kenya), United States, and Europe. TAE President, Dr. Daniel Kwame Acquaah, Dr. Lionel von Freder- ick, and Mr. Mauro De Lorenzo, represented the United States. The conference aimed at strategiz- ing and finding practical ways to established peace in the region. Peace in the GLR has been illusive for several reasons. In recent times, efforts by several stake- holders have not yielded the intended results as fighting still simmers in the air each passing day. The conference therefore took a different ap- proach to laying down some thoughtful and inclu- sive methods of peace building. It was a two day conference, November 6 & 7, with each day filled The International Conference on Governance and Security in Africa trans-atlantic environmental, inc. Nov. 2012 Sa nk o fa Lite with discussions, exchanges, and presentations from the honorable presenters. The dialogue was officially opened by Minister of Education, Honorable Vincent Biruta. The discussions included key issues such as ‘Understanding root causes of persistent conflicts in the Great Lakes region’, ‘Assessing the effectiveness of dif- ferent conflicts prevention management resolution (CPMR) & peace building initiatives in the region’, and ‘Rethinking imperatives for sustainable peace and stabil- ity’. These discussions yielded some practical action items for the group to build on. Under the able leadership of Pro- fessor Anastase Shyaka, Chief Executive Officer for RGB, resolutions were drawn at the end of the confer- ence and a collective agreement reached to continue the quest for peace in the Great Lakes Region. By all meas- ures, it was a very successful conference. By the end of the conference, the hope for peace was alive again! The conference was officially closed by the Minister of Local Government, Honorable James Musoni. Continue on page 2 ONE-ON-ONE WITH THE HONORABLE MAYOR OF KIGALI In this issue: Conference on Governance and Security in Africa 1 One-on-One with the Honorable Mayor of Kigali 1 Peace Through the Diaspora 2 Perspective from Konana Gregory 4 Special points of interest: A Message From the President ‘Tis the Season for Giving! My Kigali Experience in Pictures What Do You Know About Ghana? During the stay, Dr. Acquaah observed that the streets clean and literally free of trash: no papers or plastic bags on the corner of the streets. City ordinance does not permit any non- biodegradable materials within the city. Dr. Acquaah commended the Mayor, and by extension, His Excellency, President Kegame of Rwanda, for show- ing exemplary environmental leadership. In their one-on -one meeting, the Mayor explained that his objective is to provide the highest level of economic integrity through sound environmental policies. He emphasized his interest in bringing lasting environmental jobs to Kigali through innovation. Dr. Acquaah expressed his interest in supporting Kigali in any way possible to attain those objectives. Continued on page 4 “If you can imag- ine it, you can build it, just use the obstacles as ladders to the top”
Transcript
1
By all accounts, the City of Kigali is probably one
of the cleanest cities in Africa or even beyond. In
his recent visit to Rwanda for the International
Conference on Governance and Security, TAE
President, Dr. Kwame Acquaah met with Hon.
Ndayisaba Fidѐle, Mayor of the City of Kigali to
discuss the city’s environmental projects and
initiatives.
According to Dr. Acquaah, it is fair to state that
Kigali has demonstrated excellent leadership in
being environmentally conscious in its objectives.
The recent conference on governance and security
in the Great Lakes Region, and by extension, Af-
rica, was held in Hotel des Mille Collines (Hotel
Rwanda), Kigali, Rwanda in early November with
attendance by over 100 scholars, organizational
leaders, policy makers and analysts, and journalists
from the Great Lakes Region (Rwanda, Uganda,
Tanzania, Burundi, DR Congo, and Kenya),
United States, and Europe. TAE President, Dr.
Daniel Kwame Acquaah, Dr. Lionel von Freder-
ick, and Mr. Mauro De Lorenzo, represented the
United States. The conference aimed at strategiz-
ing and finding practical ways to established peace
in the region.
Peace in the GLR has been illusive for several
reasons. In recent times, efforts by several stake-
holders have not yielded the intended results as
fighting still simmers in the air each passing day.
The conference therefore took a different ap-
proach to laying down some thoughtful and inclu-
sive methods of peace building. It was a two day
conference, November 6 & 7, with each day filled
T h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l C o n f e r e n c e o n G o v e r n a n c e a n d
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with discussions, exchanges, and presentations from the
honorable presenters. The dialogue was officially opened
by Minister of Education, Honorable Vincent Biruta.
The discussions included key issues such as
‘Understanding root causes of persistent conflicts in the
Great Lakes region’, ‘Assessing the effectiveness of dif-
ferent conflicts prevention management resolution
(CPMR) & peace building initiatives in the region’, and
‘Rethinking imperatives for sustainable peace and stabil-
ity’.
These discussions yielded some practical action items for
the group to build on. Under the able leadership of Pro-
fessor Anastase Shyaka, Chief Executive Officer for
RGB, resolutions were drawn at the end of the confer-
ence and a collective agreement reached to continue the
quest for peace in the Great Lakes Region. By all meas-
ures, it was a very successful conference.
By the end of the conference, the hope for peace was
alive again! The conference was officially closed by the
Minister of Local Government, Honorable James
Musoni. Continue on page 2
ONE-ON-ONE WITH THE HONORABLE
MAYOR OF KIGALI
In this issue:
Conference on Governance
and Security in Africa
1
One-on-One with the
Honorable Mayor of Kigali
1
Peace Through the Diaspora 2
Perspective from Konana
Gregory
4
Special points of interest:
A Message From the President
‘Tis the Season for Giving!
My Kigali Experience in Pictures
What Do You Know About Ghana?
During the stay, Dr. Acquaah observed that the streets
clean and literally free of trash: no papers or plastic bags
on the corner of the streets. City ordinance does not
permit any non- biodegradable materials within the city.
Dr. Acquaah commended the Mayor, and by extension,
His Excellency, President Kegame of Rwanda, for show-
ing exemplary environmental leadership. In their one-on
-one meeting, the Mayor explained that his objective is
to provide the highest level of economic integrity
through sound environmental policies. He emphasized
his interest in bringing lasting environmental jobs to
Kigali through innovation. Dr. Acquaah expressed his
interest in supporting Kigali in any way possible to attain
those objectives. Continued on page 4
“If you can imag-
ine it, you can
build it, just use
the obstacles as
ladders to the top”
2
Continued from page 1: International Conference in Kigali
Far right top: Dr. von Frederick; 7th from top right: Dr. Kwame Acquaah; 5th from right seated: Prof Shyaka. Honorable delegates: Prof. John Beya; Dr. Pascal Niyonizigiye; Dr. Charles Kabwete; Prof. Alain Verhaagen; Dr. Augustin Rudacogora; Mr. Andrew Mwenda; Dr. Mustafa Ali; Mr. Omar
Khalfan; Abbe Innocent Nyirindekwe; Mr. Kamana Godefroid; Dr. Venuste Karambizi; Prof. Elijah Mushemeza; Hon. Jean Damascene Bizimana; Prof. Deogratias Mbonyinkebe; Prof Jean Baptiste Kakoma; Dr. Emmanual Ak-
wetey; Mr. Mauro De Lorenzo; Dr. Christopher Kayumba; Ms. Eugenie Aw-Nyiaye
Peace through the Diaspora. . .
There has been much talk about finding peace on the continent. It is
believed that with peace comes prosperity because a nation can focus
on wealth building much more easily when there is peace. For many
years now, the illusiveness of peace on the African continent has been
partly, if not mostly, engineered by outside forces. By that, the conti-
nent has been destabilized, its wealth siphoned out, and its people
deprived of their own God-given resources.
However, the last decade or so has seen a return of national conscious-
ness of both the local leaders and those in the Diaspora to engage in
effective nation building. Of course the situation is not the same eve-
rywhere on the continent but in general, efforts are being made to
secure peace and find a way forward.
In a recent presentation regarding ‘Assessing the Imperatives of Peace
and Stability in the Great Lakes Region’, Dr. Kwame Acquaah spoke
about the role of the African Diaspora in establishing peace and taking
an active role in building Africa. There are large numbers of profes-
sional and hardworking Africans spread around the world. Each has a
strong sense of national pride and a desire to see Africa emerge as an
economic power in the world. As reported in recent editions of
Sankofa, the time has come for all Africans to begin evaluating their
role in this endeavor.
According to Dr. Acquaah, the Diaspora must consider securing the
peace of Africa, through all reasonable means . This he believes is an
important ingredient to Africa’s success. The Diaspora has a positive
influence on peace building at home. When Africans abroad come to-
gether, they can be a powerful voice in what happens on the continent.
Different African communities, at least, in Northern California have suc-
cessfully demonstrated that different African communities can work to-
gether for a common goal; groups such as Priority African Network, Afri-
can Leadership Council, and Friends of Rwanda (FORA). It is likely that
this Diaspora success in
working together can be
transferred to the continent.
Communities abroad can
talk to their constituents
back home in voicing a com-
mon purpose for peace and
prosperity.
It is true that there are
tensions, and there probably
would always be, but for the
sake of our own future as a people, the need for peace has never been
more urgent than now. Unlike any other part of the world, the demarca-
tion of arbitrary national boundaries by the West has divided families
across borders and created a situation that has continued to plague the
continent and made it difficult for true socio-economic success. Despite
these hurdles however, the push for peace is slowly finding its rightful
place in the discourse for African peace, security, and stability.
Dr. Acquaah stated in his presentation that the African community must
begin this quest for peace by starting the dialogue with what the different
communities have in common. Regional peace and socio-economic devel-
opment depends on harnessing the common bonds rather than differences.
“The need for identity and cultural pride is undisputable but within it is
also our commonalities”, says Dr. Acquaah. Especially in the GLR, the
different groups speak identical languages and share a common historic
ancestry. What a fantastic opportunity to see each other as family rather
than enemies! Building a stronger region in such a way as to prevent the
‘prey’ from not only dividing the spirit of the people but also decimating
the God-given resources of the region. If one sector prospers and share
peace with its neighbor, it is reasonable to assume that the wealth will
spread to all in the region and elevate the socio-economic standard of the
entire region. In addition, engaging in regional trade and cultural relations
can also help in the quest for peace, security, and stability of the region.
Only then can Africa properly benefit from international trade arrange-
ments. Dr. Kwame Nkrumah once said (paraphrased) “The African is part
of a world culture, thus while he finds a way to express his distinct iden-
tity, he should not neglect any aspects of the world culture that could be
The Big Three… A p e r s p e c t i v e f r o m K o n a n a G r e g o r y
In the October edition of Sankofa, I shared a bit about my views regarding composting. Well, over the last few years, I have learned a lot more about the importance of our environment. It affects pretty much everything we do. This time, I want to continue with the recycling and reuse as part of the ‘The Big Three’. Recycling is processing used materials (waste) into new products to prevent
waste of potentially useful materi-als, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution (from incineration) and water pollution (from landfilling), by reducing the need for "conventional" waste disposal, and lower greenhouse gas emissions as compared to virgin production. Reuse may simply imply giving products a second ‘life’...One of
my favorite examples is the reuse or recycling of clothes. I am sure most of us know Goodwill Industries, Salvation Army, and other second hand outlets that give second chances to products that many would otherwise throw away. If it is in good condition I cannot in good conscience throw perfectly usable items away. There is no need for such blatant waste; to me it as if one is totally disregarding the needs of others. Some critics do not consider it recycling be-cause it is not manufactured into new products. They also argue that the cost of the remanufacturing products do not justify recycling products. I agree that it may be expensive but when looking at the issue of reuse or recycling one has to look at both sides. Simple Arrangements by Ivy
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Continued from page 1: One-on-One
The environmental initiatives of the city have been tied to the
health, economic and socio-economic development, and financial
stability of Kigali. Dr. Acquaah stated that these policies could
guide Rwanda and the Great Lakes Region to a more secure future-
regional prosperity could spur regional peace.
It may be that the cost of reusing or recycling some products may be ex-pensive but we have to keep in mind that the lowest recycling cost may not
necessarily be the most environmentally responsible way of dealing with ‘waste’. Of course continuing to fill landfills, polluting the air, water
and soil may be inexpensive but we have to look at costs elsewhere. For example the cost of global warming. This usually results in very expensive consequences...such as extreme weather and changes in the ecosystem. The Eastern shores of the United States suffered the wrath of hurricane Sandy a few weeks ago. The current toll in monetary terms is well over $100 billion and still counting: New York estimating over $60 billion and New Jersey, $31 billion. We can’t even begin to place value on the lives lost. Let’s do our best to reuse when possible and think of recycling always.
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Konana Gregory, TAE Fiscal Officer
From your friends at Trans-Atlantic Environmental
5
‘ T i s t h e s e a s o n f o r g i v i n g !
Message from the President
This year has been a great year for TAE, and it has all been because
of you. Thank you. Your commitment to the fight against global
warming and adverse climate change has contributed to an increase in
environmental awareness and understanding.
Without your help and support, the
efforts to implement processes and
policies that limit greenhouse emis-
sions from landfills, protect endan-
gered species due to adverse climate
change, protect our oceans, reduce
carbon footprints in our atmos-
phere, stabilize our ecosystem, and many more measures would not
have been possible. This year, your support allowed us to participate
in the Girl’s Scout Green Forever Event at Cal Expo . Though
our organization is still in its infant stages, we are committed to
contributing to the efforts above..
We have done quite a bit in the last couple of years and are ready to
do even more in this coming year. With your help, I believe that we
can. One of our primary goals in 2013 is to launch an environmental
awareness campaign in Africa, one of the worst hit places in the world
when it comes to the effects of waste on the environment. In many
African countries, the indiscriminate disposal of waste has created a
dangerous environmental condition for the local people...and I believe
you can help change that!
In the coming year, we will also be launching the first Sankofa Envi-
ronmental Awards Night (SEAN2013). This nomination-based
award will serve to highlight the importance of improving our envi-
ronment by proactively addressing the threats our environment faces
today.
There is so much more to be done but we cannot do much without
your generous contributions so please donate today by visiting our
website at www.taenvironmental.com/donations.html.
Thank you so very much for your support and have a very outstanding
