Letter to the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit

Letter to the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit

Young African Leaders Initiative
U.S. – Africa Leaders Summit
2014Africanleaderssummitpolicyoffice@state.gov
04 August 2014

I am writing as a concerned member of the South African youth, an environmental management graduate & one of Africa’s future leaders in the field of conservation. Firstly I would like to commend the U.S. government for reaching out to so many African leaders and also taking the initiative to ensure Africa’s future sustainability by grooming its future leaders through the Young African Leaders Initiative.

I have recently completed a conservation internship with an organisation called the Youth 4 African Wildlife and before that I had attended a few conferences that were seeking solutions to combat the worsening wildlife trafficking problem that is threatening Africa’s wildlife. It concerns me how those conferences rarely went past the discussion phase. A lot of inspirational words were spoken and a lot of innovative solutions were suggested but action has rarely ever been taken.

As a young African Leader myself, I am an advocate of the ‘Talk less more do more style of leadership’. My question to everyone is; what is the action plan past the US-Africa Summit? The situation is a dire one out the in the African Bush, we often go to sleep fearing for the lives of our precious wildlife and wonder if they will ever survive this onslaught. My question to everyone, especially the young African leaders, is whether or not there are any actions planned to supplement and follow-up this summit.
Let us invest in the next generation by choosing our journey. By choosing to fight to save Africa’s wildlife, fighting to save the world’s wildlife, fighting the good fight!

Sincerely,
Fortunate M. Phaka
2014 Youth 4 African Wildlife Intern