The Association for Free Research and International Cooperation, AFRIC, was one of the billions of accounts that were silenced in late October 2019, by Facebook administration branding them as ‘’fake accounts’’.AFRIC being caught up in the web is yet to be appraised why its official Facebook page created on August 1, 2018, was closed without any prior notice or warning. The page acted as a liaison to its website afric.online.AFRIC is currently witnessing the philosophy of ‘’passing through tough challenges to reach an unexpected destination’’. Since its formation, some two years ago, Mozambique registered Non-Governmental Organization’s highest challenge seems to come from Facebook, through the impromptu closure of its official Facebook pages without justification nor engagement.In fact, there is so much obscurity and ambiguity surrounding the shutting down of AFRIC’s Facebook page, because attempts by AFRIC authorities to seek clarification about the persistent termination of its three Facebook pages on three different occasions has remained abortive as Facebook is yet to openly advise of the offence.After failed attempts to retrieve its first page, AFRIC on November 9, 2019, created another page www.facebook.com/afric.online2The challenge!Life without challenges has nothing to write about, goes an old axiom. Like other bodies, AFRIC entered its challenging moment in the course of 2019. The table took a different turn for AFRIC.With the obscurity in determining AFRIC’s violation of Facebook rules and policies that warranted the closure of AFRIC page, it seems Facebook unilaterally resolved that AFRIC’s activities in the last quarter of 2019, especially its participation in the first Russia-Africa summit apparently is the reason for the closure of its Facebook page.
Jeune Afrique reported that AFRIC’S website afric.online Jeune Afrique reported that AFRIC’S website afric.online is being used to write articles depicting Russia as the best cooperation partner for Africa. This raises a lot of questions given that this same AFRIC website has often shared articles written by Jeune Afrique in line with its editorial line on its website.The proof of the pudding is the eating. Objective scrutiny at the articles published on the website since formation to date shows otherwise. AFRIC has consistently published tropical issues that are in line with its Vision for the Future: Africa 2040 guidelines. Praise singing journalism has never been AFRIC’s agenda since its infancy and has never been its intention. It remains one website that can be hailed for its objectivity.All these assertions categorizing AFRIC as a tool for Russian propaganda in Africa resulted in the impromptu closure of AFRIC’s Facebook page, which has over the years attracted many followers due to its activities.
Misleading the mass through pedalling false information, especially linking any NGO to any political mindset hinders the acceptance of one of AFRIC’s key strongholds, accreditation for election observation mission in Africa and beyond, thus defeating the gained ground in advancing emancipation of young and strategic Africans.AFRIC’s activities including published activities by a deep pool of researchers and experts are contrary to the assertions being peddled around triggering the closure of social media pages. AFRIC authorities are putting in colossal efforts to prove that the organization is a non-political entity, but an entity put up by young Africans who want to part take in the socioeconomic transformation of the continent.The African Union 2019 Chair, President Paul Kagame encouraged member states, during his chairmanship, the importance of inculcating African youths into the continent’s affairs; and initiatives like AFRIC are simply echoing the sentiments of the African Leaders.
In just two years, the AFRIC has made laudable treads in trying to materialize its ideas of a more stable, democratic and unified Africa. AFRIC has succeeded to conduct a series of research studies in some African states, including the Central African Republic, Mali, Libya, Ivory Coast, Sudan, Zambia and Madagascar.
AFRIC has successfully monitored elections in five African states, including Mozambique, the Republic of South Africa, DR Congo, Madagascar and Zimbabwe.Though it has not always been all serene due to challenges encountered in acquiring accreditation and visas, it remains a great milestone for the association to partner Africa in these democratic processes. Africa in recent times has attained a noteworthy level of political democracy, though with some few cases of opposition contesting poll results, a phenomenon which is sometimes unavoidable due to contrasting political ideologies of political parties.Consultative meetings: Besides election observing, AFRIC in this defined time frame succeeded in conducting fruitful consultative meetings in the Island nation of Madagascar and Germany. In August 2018, about 500 personalities including anti-FCFA activist Kemi Seba, ex-Malagasy Premiere Jean Omer Berisiko presented talks in a forum dubbed ‘’ International Economic Forum Madagascar 2018”.During the gathering, experts discussed among others, the ‘’ image of the future”, the position of Madagascar in the context of African countries, the assessment of the current situation through the ‘prism’ of post-colonial experience of Madagascar, overcoming the infrastructure crisis.At the end of it all, participants hailed the forum as largely productive. Together with a Pan African TV- Afrique Media, AFRIC equally held a conference discussing the controversies of territorial disputes of Madagascar and possible solutions.Berlin foresight SessionIn light with its vision of seeing Africa attain a remarkable economic level, AFRIC organized a foresight session in Berlin, Germany to deliberate on how to see Africa achieve its vision 2040, centered on economic development.It was also a forum to discuss the continent’s myriad problems, which stand as impediments to peace, stability, democracy, governance. Experience has proven that a restive continent, or nation experiences a slow pace in socioeconomic development.Experts like Laurence Ndong, Nathalie Yamp, and Clifton Ellis among others addressed very pertinent issues that concern Africa. It was an ‘’eye-opener’’ event, with unexpected revelations about the realities Africa lives on today.Though this event can be perceived as the start of a controversial moment for AFRIC, due to attacks from detractors, it was, on the other hand, a platform for networking and creating acquaintances.Article from AFRIC Editorial
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