ONE intern Mohammed Diabate reports on ONE France’s anti-poverty efforts from our office in Paris.
A month ago, ONE France launched its first presidential campaign, ONE Vote 2012. Disappointed by the lack of debate on development issues as well as a strong relationship between France and Africa, we asked our members to call on presidential candidates to reconsider the France-Africa relationship in order to open the way for a better future for all.
Promo video:
France and Africa’s agendas have never been so intertwined. AIDS cannot be fought in France alone, climate change does not stop at France’s borders, and the instability of a country like Somalia undermines France’s own trade and security. Meanwhile, as Europe is facing one of the worst crises in decades, Africa’s exciting new business opportunities could just be what it takes to boost France and Europe’s own economic recovery.
Thanks to the great mobilization of our members across the country, nine candidates out of ten believe it is important to detail the Africa constituent and development issues of their programs, except for Marine Le Pen, who is on the extreme right.
Transparency in the extractives industries, the increase of development aid but also aid effectiveness and transparency were the important issues raised by the candidates. Even if some answers left us unsatisfied, at ONE France we are very pleased that the candidates have responded to ONE Vote.
The responses have all been assembled on the ONE Vote website for ONE members and Internet users to judge for themselves and if they want to, give a thumbs up or thumbs down…
And whatever their favorite response is, rendez-vous on Sunday, April 22, in the voting booth to decide our common future. For France that we want. And the role that we want the country to play vis-à-vis the rest of the world and especially the most in need. Stay tuned !