Kambon sees opportunity for ‘African people’

The United Nations by Resolution 68/237 declared the years 2015 – 2024, the International Decade for People of African Descent (IDPAD).

Kambon was speaking yesterday at the ESC’s national conference on IDPAD at Normandie Hotel, St Ann’s.

He explained with the UN’s declaration, it was now their duty to follow up by developing their own programmes of action so the objectives of the decade can be fulfilled.

The objectives are, to strengthen national, regional and international action and cooperation in relation to the full enjoyment of economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights by people of African descent, and their full and equal participation in all aspects of society.

To promote a greater knowledge of and respect for the diverse heritage, culture and contribution of people of African descent to the development of societies and to adopt and strengthen national, regional and international legal frameworks in accordance with the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, and to ensure their full and effective implementation.

Yesterday’s conference was the first meeting towards shaping a programme of action.

“The whole purpose of this is to form a programme of action.

A special committee was set up for it, we took the initiative, came together and decided on the issues that would be tackled,” Kambon said.

The issues the conference dealt with include, human rights, media, crime, economics, culture and education.

“What information people put into it and what content comes out of it now will depend on the specific working groups and those recommendations will be processed so come up with a programme of action out of it,” he said.

He added that once the programme of action was developed, annual meetings will be held to determine what has been accomplished in ensuring that it does not become a talk shop.

“We have ten years and we work out programmes for ten years, we shape, as we go along to make sure the objectives of the decade are achieved. This is an opportunity, we can either make use of it or discard it,” he said.