Bience Gawanas Quotes

First, by removing trade barriers for African products. There will be a higher flow of goods and services across our borders and a strengthening of our capacities to trade. There will be manufacturing industries, with greater emphasis on value addition, and economies of scale because Africa is a huge market. Jobs will be created. I also see it as an opportunity for small and medium-size enterprises, for women traders and not just the big businesses. This is the best thing that could ever happen to Africa.

Because current policies in the various ministries are fragmented, the Ministry of Health does not know, for example what the Ministry of Poverty Eradication does about the same issue of poverty eradication, adding that if for example one puts emphasis on maternal mortality, they first have to find out who are those women who are dying. Gawanas said the Ministry of Poverty Eradication is ready to work with civil society organisations and whatever they will do together they will engage as true partners to ensure that social protection issues become prominent in national discourse through regular steering committee meetings.

We are mostly guided by what the African continent sees as its priorities, the synergy between the two agendas — the AU’s Agenda 2063 and the global Agenda 2030. The AU and the UN have signed two framework agreements: on partnership on peace and security and on partnership in implementation of the two agendas. Those will definitely remain priorities for us.

I was appointed to this office a year ago when the UN was going through major reforms in the peace and security pillar, development pillar, as well as in management. At the same time, the AU was also going through institutional reforms. So it is quite obvious that we had to reposition ourselves. My priority is to make sure that the office remains relevant, effective, efficient and impactful in our role and mandate. I am the first woman to occupy the position of special adviser on Africa, I see myself as a groundbreaker in the UN system, and therefore I must ensure that the concerns of women and youth are also my priorities.

Bringing to fruition some of the programmes and plans that we developed. Repositioning OSAA, working closely with our member states and making a difference. To continue being an advocate for Africa’s development, peace and security agenda. I look forward to having a successful Africa Dialogue Series in May 2020. I am optimistic.

I, myself, am a product of African solidarity. Having left home in my teens during the war of liberation against apartheid in Namibia, I spent years in refugee camps in Angola and Zambia and benefitted immensely from the generosity of the Angolan and Zambian people. I want to take this opportunity to personally thank you for your big heart.

I would rather talk about the opportunities in Africa. I want to create a positive narrative of Africa. However, we know that we still face challenges of conflicts, disease, poverty and hunger. That is why we must implement the Sustainable Development Goals and Africa’s Agenda 2063, the African Union’s blueprint and master plan for transforming Africa.

The challenge women face is the same everywhere when getting into a male-dominated structure that never had women before. We have to basically rewrite the script and start with a new narrative that takes into account who we are as women. I’ve always said that the fact that women occupy leadership positions does not turn them into men. I bring my qualities and perspective as a woman to enrich the workplace. We should always be objective. I tell women, when you move up the ladder, don’t kick off the ladder. Hold on to that ladder so that other women can climb the same way you did.

The country has largely shied away from the issue of abortion and that needed to change. “Are we okay when girls dump their babies? Where are the fathers? Is it okay that we have maintenance courts?”

Forced displacement is not only a tale of human tragedy, it also poses a real threat to achieving peace, prosperity and development

I see it in two ways: one is the physical dropping of the guns and the other one is focusing on development, investing in our people. We have come a long way and have managed to silence the guns in many countries in Africa already, but there are still some remaining hot spots. I think we can get there. It is an opportunity to have youth and women as agents of change, not just as victims or as perpetrators of conflicts or wars. We have always been talking about child soldiers, about youth taking up arms. But there is a new narrative — that youth also want to be known as agents of peace, and therefore should be involved in the peace process on the continent.

The first advice is that we must listen to what the African youth is saying. What do they want, and what are their hopes and aspirations for the continent? Dialogue with them and create many opportunities to engage them. One young person once told us at an event: “If you want to accelerate action, give it to young people because we run fast.” It is also important to talk about peace and stability vis-à-vis development and prosperity. The youth is saying, “Invest in us—invest in our hopes and aspirations, in our innovations and in what we can contribute. Don’t see us as the future leaders, see us as leaders today.” We need jobs because unhappy youth, youth without hope, will not help us to silence the guns in Africa.

When I joined LPM, I was ready for the sphere of politics. I was raised by my aunt Bience since I was 11 and knew what politics meant, the commitment, the sacrifices and hard work it entitled, but more so; the integrity and honesty which is the basis of leadership,”

I see myself as the voice of Africa within the UN. My office, the Office of the Special Adviser on Africa, assists the Secretary General in bringing greater coherence to the UN’s support to Africa’s development. We also support the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) programme, which is now transitioning to the African Union Development Agency (AUDA).

My daughter asked me: 'Is this really the country you fought for?'"