The continent must be more introspective to agree on how to move forward, says the daughter of anti-apartheid activists Oliver and Adelaide Tambo
The African continent must realize that what happens within it is more important than what happens outside of it, South African diplomat Nomatemba Tambo told RT in an exclusive interview.
Speaking with RT’s Moussa Ibrahim ahead of the upcoming Russia-Africa Summit in St. Petersburg, Tambo – who is the daughter of renowned anti-apartheid activists Oliver and Adelaide Tambo – insisted that while it’s good for the African continent to cooperate with other countries, it is also necessary to recognize that each African state has its own unique challenges and realities.
“We need to be more introspective,” Tambo said. “It’s wonderful to have relationships with other countries, but we need to say ‘African solutions for African problems’, not ‘Western solutions for African problems’.”
The diplomat also believes it is important to communicate with Africa’s youth in order to secure the continent’s future. “A nation that does not care about its youth does not deserve its future,” Tambo said, quoting her father and emphasizing the need to make sure young people who feel despondent, voiceless and hopeless understand that politicians care about them.
Asked if African youths would be able to utilize the diplomatic strategies of their forefathers as opposed to engaging in radicalism to protest against injustice, Tambo claimed that “there is nothing wrong with young people having extreme views and holding them with passion.”
“The thing is to take that passion, intellectualize it and make it work for you. Make it useful for your community,” Tombo said.
The diplomat insisted that “talking” was also the only way to overcome the harsh economic realities and deep political divisions that many African countries are faced with and emphasized the importance of establishing dialogue and building relationships.
“It’s all about communication. If you don’t talk, then you cannot understand anything about anybody,” she said.
Watch Tambo’s full interview, where she also comments on educating African youths on the history of their continent, as well as what the African Union hopes to achieve in the region.
LINK: Oliver Tambo’s daughter speaks to RT ahead of Russia-Africa summit
MANDELA, LUMUMBA AND ABDEL NASSER: RT BRINGS TOGETHER DESCENDANTS OF AFRICAN LIBERATORS AT THE RUSSIA-AFRICA 2023 FORUM
On July 27-28, descendants of Africa’s most prominent freedom fighters will participate in a series of sessions organized by RT at the Russia-Africa Forum in St. Petersburg. In addition, RT invited more than 140 editors-in-chief and journalists to represent African media at the event. RT’s own presenters and correspondents will be moderating the sessions.
Descendants of Nelson Mandela, Patrice Lumumba, Gamal Abdel Nasser, Samora Machel, Julius Nyerere, Kenneth Kaunda, Oliver Tambo and Ahmed Ben Bella will participate in a session titled Pan-Africanism: Origins, Relevance and Future. The discussion will focus on the role of Pan-Africanism in the forming of Africa’s future and in the context of the continent’s long-standing friendship with Russia. This session will be the first to bring together political and media figures such as Ndileka Mandela, Roland Lumumba, Nomatemba Tambo, Josina Machel and others. The discussion will be moderated by Moussa Ibrahim, head of RT’s Africa bureau.
RT Arabic host Salam Musafir will moderate a discussion titled Multipolar Media World: The Role of Africa’s Arab Countries Amid the New Reality of International Relations. The panel will include speakers from Egypt, Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, Sudan and Mauritania.
RT will also host two more sessions – Media of the Global South: New Formats, Technologies and Narratives in Africa and The Role of Video Content in Improving Coverage Quality And its Applications for Media Businesses: Harnessing Digital Technologies to Benefit Russia and Africa.
RT has arranged for more than 140 journalists, editors-in-chief and directors of major African state media companies to attend the Russia-Africa forum. These include the CEO of the African Union of Broadcasting, Secretary General of the Union of OIC News Agencies, Chairman of Egypt’s Supreme Council for Media Regulation; representatives of Morocco and Somalia media regulators; directors and editors-in-chief of state media in Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, Libya, Mauritania, Nigeria, Mali, Central African Republic, Burkina Faso, Uganda, and the Comoros; pan-African TV networks such as Afrique Media and Africa 24; major private TV stations from a number of countries including Ethiopia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sudan, and Tunisia; and prominent private TV networks in South Africa (TV BRICS) and Ghana (Pan African Television). Sessions will also be attended by board members of public and private TV channels representing a number of other countries.
The full program of the Russia-Africa Forum is available at: https://summitafrica.ru/en/programme/business-programme/.
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