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Foreword
Initiative – is what it is all about
Working in the non-profit sector has taught me to always be ready for the strangest of questions – ‘who is civil society?’,
is a standard among these. Those from other sectors will often ask about how best to consult civil society, where those in organized groups within civil society draw their strength from, what is the source of their commitment and why they always appear to favour the political opposition in any given setting…the list goes on and on. One cannot fail to recognize the stereotypes that exist regarding the so-called third sector and how important it is to keep answering these questions as honestly and constructively as possible. By the same token though, we in the civil society sector have to admit to harbouring our own stereotypes. We may have our frustrations about the public sector and our misgivings about the private sector.
Given all the work that will continue to require attention in the region, no one can doubt the fact that we all need to work together – as constructively as possible. There are numerous lessons that we can learn from each other. There are many opportunities for synergy between the sectors if we care to exploit these. Many colleagues in the NGO sector have cited instances when they have been asked if they would facilitate an interface between civil society and some public institution – at first because the institution wanted to look good in the eyes of some donor or other. More recently though, it appears that creative leaders are starting to recognize the value that comes from engaging broadly and seeking wide participation of all stakeholders
in the development initiatives that many of us may care to engage in.
For me, this reader is an important initiative where the question of engaging regional and continental institutions is concerned. To engage meaningfully, we need to have a sound understanding of the landscape. Beyond that we also need to know what value may come out of the potential engagement, for all stakeholders. This reader is useful on both counts. Besides describing the more important continental and regional bodies, the reader attempts to anticipate those questions that average civil society organizations seeking to make a meaningful contribution at the regional level would ask. Considering that most of these bodies are at different stages in their own development, there are few standard answers to the questions that may arise. It is clear however, that the better we in the civil society sector understand these bodies and the stages they have reached in their evolution, the better we will be prepared to interact with them and hopefully infuse them with the human face that they invariably will
require if they are to genuinely serve the needs of citizens of both the region as well as the continent as a whole.
The ultimate goal of all citizens must be to secure the ownership of all African institutions in a manner that ensures their accountability and enhances their value to each African. We should perceive each African institution as a part of a larger continental infrastructure which we have a duty to construct and maintain. For me, this must remain the vision that we set our sights to and pursue as effectively as we can. We should also keep in mind though, that we are dealing with a variety of interests and constantly changing dynamics. Our creativity will therefore be tested time and again as we seek to affirm our ownership of the
institutions that are rightly ours. After all, they were all created in our name. We now need to take the initiative to ensure that they address the needs of the citizens in whose name they exist. This reader is an important step in acquainting us all with these institutions and how best we stake our claims over them.
Ezra Limiri Mbogori,
Mwengo
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