Can Africa fulfill the Millennium Development Goals by 2015? That's a question that is often asked anytime there is a discussion about MDGs. It was on many lips during the celebration of the International Women's day on March 8. Behind the question of course is a lot of cynicism by the questioner (s). There is a generalized doubt that the MDGs, may not be met on schedule in a majority of African states. Official reports and anecdotal evidence suggest that at current pace even by 2050 the goals may still remain unmet by these states.

The situation is not helped by the fact that most of the reports available are usually aggregated. Hence the negative conclusion that Africa's progress is at best very slow and patchy. Like all generalizations and aggregated statistics they hide the specific, more positive picture of steady progress on a number of the goals in quite a few countries across Africa. It also panders to the fashionable Afro pessimism that caricatures events in Africa promoting embedded attitudes of 'Hopeless Africa'. 'Helpless people and continent' that needs the help and handout of everybody else except its own peoples and leaders.

ON OCTOBER 17TH LET US ALL JOIN HANDS AND SAY NO TO POVERTY
Are you one of those overwhelming majority of the peoples of the world who only read of about the Guinness World Records but never has a clue how they are set and have ruled out the possibility of ever setting any of those records? Until last year I had never thought I could be part of the Guinness records myself and doing so for a very worthy cause.

Between 9.00pm (GMT) Tuesday 16th of October and 9.00 pm (GMT) on Wednesday the 17th of October 2007 you could also become a Guinness record holder. All you have to do is join millions of other peoples across the world to beat the record set last year for the largest number of people ever to 'Stand Up against poverty' and in support of the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

It all began very humbly last year. The UN Millennium Campaign Communications group had suggested to Guinness that we could set a record of people standing up for a particular cause in a 24 hour period.

I celebrated Africa Day, May 25, in Rome as a guest of my colleagues in the UN Millennium Campaign in Italy.  They have partnered with key social movements such as trade unions, academics, NGOs, Italy’s largest public media, MTV, and the city of Rome to form a grand coalition with African Diaspora and ItaliAfrica.