You are cordially invited to attend a ‘Round Table’ discussion

You are cordially invited to attend a ‘Round Table’ discussion on: The second Scramble for African Land, Water and Resources.

Africa is one of the hungriest continents in the world; depending on billions of dollars in foreign aid to feed its people while at the same time, some of its most autocratic governments are now leasing some of their prime agricultural land for up to 99 years for as little as $1.20 per hectare to foreign investors, who will export most of the produce.

“In 2010 up to 123.5 million acres of African land — double the size of Britain — have been snapped up or is being negotiated by governments or wealthy investors, various assessments conclude. These land grabs are new form of neo-colonialism that leaves large parts of Africa in the hands of foreign states and investors while displaced local populations are left to suffer and go hungry. As African leaders sign away their people’s land to foreigners, the continent’s people, among the poorest on the planet, face joining the estimated 1 billion people in the world who don’t have enough food”.

Guest speaker:

Mr. Obang Metho, Executive Director of the SMNE – Solidarity Movement for a New Ethiopia a social justice movement of diverse Ethiopians that joint-sponsor with the think tank, Oakland Institute, of the Ethiopian portion of the comprehensive investigative report, Understanding Land Investment Deals in Africa, published in June 2011.

Mr. Obang has briefed and met with leaders and officials at the US Department of State, the US Senate, the US House of Representatives, the World Bank and the Council for Foreign Relations. He has also met with their counterparts in Canada, Sweden, Norway, the U.K. and in the European Union.

Mr. Obang is an excellent communicator and has been able to reach many with his challenging messages, sense of humor, passion for the suffering and his broad understanding of the complex issues of Africa.
Date: Friday January 27, 2012

Date: Friday January 27, 2012
Time: 5-8 pm
Address: University of Toronto St. George Campus
40 Willcocks St 2nd Floor in (Wilson Lounge)
At the corner of Spadina and Willcocks

ALL ARE WELCOME to hear Mr. Obang and others talk about the second Scramble for African Land, Water,
Resources and what you can do about the land grabs, hunger crisis and other looming concerns that threaten the future of Africa.

There will be time to share your own concerns, ideas and dreams about what we might do to maximize our collective efforts in finding solutions to the urgent issues affecting all of us.

This event is a joint effort of Equity Studies Students Union at the University of Toronto and Adebar Debate Society, hope to see you there. For more information you can send your comments, questions or suggestions to [email protected]