Resolution adopted at the meeting of the GCAP Africa wide meeting, held in Dakar, Senegal 26th-28th March, 2008

We, 24 representatives  of African National Coalitions of the Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP- Africa), meeting in Dakar, Senegal from 26th-28th March, 2008,

Having reviewed the state of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), as well as the poverty situation in Africa,

Concerned about the continued lack of access to basic social services, namely food, potable water, education, health, and shelter, as well as decent work despite Africa's endowment of rich natural and human resources, as well as noting the indiscriminate exploitation of natural resources and environmental degradation,

Call on African governments to uphold their obligations to the citizenry by implementing policies that promote the achievement of the MDGs as adopted in the United Nations Millennium Declaration in September, 2000.

We further urge African governments to act on their obligations to commit 15% of their national budgets to Health, 10% to Agriculture, and 22% to Education as adopted by the Africa Union.

We note that in spite of these agreements, a lack of good governance and accountability has undermined progress in the fight against poverty. 

We call on the people of Africa to assert their right to participate in policy formulation and decision making process, and to play an active role in ensuring government accountability. 

We demand governments fulfil their responsibilities by upholding human rights and  ensuring social justice. 

We reaffirm our opposition to the signing of Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) between the European Union and individual African States, and urge African leaders to reverse this damaging trend, and negotiate as economic blocs with a focus on agreements that are equitable and development oriented.

We promote equitable trade, and support regional integration to achieve this.

We reiterate our commitment towards mass mobilisation of our people in the campaign for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals so that Africa will be free from poverty, hunger, disease, illiteracy, gender discrimination, and oppression.


Dated at Dakar, the 28th of March, 2008