Mo Ibrahim Foundation (London)
19 October 2009
press release
In announcing the decision of the Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership Prize Committee, the Board of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation released the following statement from the Prize Committee:
“The Mo Ibrahim Foundation is committed to supporting great African leadership that will improve the economic and social prospects of the people of Africa. The Foundation’s focus is the promotion of good governance in Africa and the recognition of excellence in African leadership.
The Prize Committee welcomed the progress made on governance in some African countries while noting with concern recent setbacks in other countries.
This year the Prize Committee has considered some credible candidates. However, after in-depth review, the Prize Committee could not select a winner.”
Mo Ibrahim, the founder of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, said:
“The Prize Committee is independent of the Board. It is the Prize Committee’s decision not to award a Prize this year and we entirely respect it. We made clear at the launch of the Foundation that there may be years when there is no winner.
This Foundation was established to stimulate debate around, and improve the quality of, African governance. Although there is much focus on the prize, the Foundation is engaged in many other activities to help improve governance. Central to these is the Ibrahim Index of African Governance, which the Foundation published earlier this month, which gives powerful information to all citizens about the performance of their countries.”
The Board of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation also confirmed that despite the fact that there is no laureate this year, the planned events in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on 14 and 15 November 2009 will go ahead. These events will include a discussion forum that will bring together stakeholders to discuss issues that are key to Africa’s future progress including climate justice, agriculture and food security and regional economic integration. The aim of the forum is to articulate shared aspirations and a common vision for the future around these issues.
Mo Ibrahim said of the forum: “At a time when, we are seeing overall progress in Africa, despite worrying setbacks in some countries, it is vital that African stakeholders and institutions come together to look for a way forward on the major challenges facing the African continent. I look forward to the discussions around this urgent African agenda.”
The forum will include the following sessions:
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It is a decision not to award this years' Ibrahim Prize is just great and is perhaps the first step toward a more decient future more African people It is long overdue for influential people all over the world to stop indulging in the kind of Cupidity that is very much the cause of Africa problems today Well done the committee.
I have never ever read an honest African voice that strikes on the right note on African issues like the voice of Mo Ibrahim. Africa has had very spirited articulators, enthusiatic leaders, warm philantrophist, but Mo Ibrahim is a great and practical African patriot with profound moral insight. He doesn't just possess the capacity to perceive the true nature of Africa' problems, he has an incredible pool of practical solutions to those problems. He has the potential to be the architect of a modern Africa and i hope he has a strong voice in the AU summits.
I Totally agree with Mr.Ibrahim,though my feeling is that we need as Africans to facilitate social integration so as to get rid of the biases that have brought about suspicion amongst us,only then can we begin to achieve effective Economic Integration. There is also need for us to strengthen the existing regional blocks in Africa afterwhich we can talk about an all Africa integration process.
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Africa has no "economic future" until it has "consumer demand" for its products.
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