Sanders Appears on China Global Television Discussing the China-Africa Annual Forum

During China Global Television Network (CGTN) "The Heat," news program, Ambassador Sanders discussed China's approach to Africa, and highlighted the annual China-Africa Forum, as an example, that China has held with Continental leaders annually since the 1990s. She noted how important it is for the US to engage Africa on its own terms and "do what we do best," by stepping up more and demonstrating our commitment and the strategic partnership on trade and other key issues from democracy to security that it wants with the region as well as its goal of building stronger ties: The Heat: China-Africa Forum - YouTube

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Dr. Sanders on Al Jazeera Television: On Burkina Faso Unrest & Uganda-DRC Joint Military Actions - As Terrorist Activities in Africa Increase

Amb. Sanders on AL Jazeera (AJA) News - Interviews on Increasing Terrorist Activities in Burkina Faso & Uganda-DRC Joint Border Security Operations

AJA News - Burkina Faso Unrest & Insecurity:

Ambassador Sanders appeared on Al Jazeera (AJA) News on December 3, 2021, to talk, in general, about the continuing rise and expansion of jihadist activity in the Sahel as insecurity concerns reached a peak with massive street protests in Burkina Faso's capital, Ouagadougou, over the last few months. Protesters are demanding the government improve security and the protection of civilians against the uptick of violence, murder, and human rights abuses, leading to the resignation of the country's Prime Minister, Christophe Dabire, and a care-taker government in response. Meanwhile, the insecurity driven by terrorist attacks continues unabated. 

The rash and harsh violence has been led by local militants, disaffected or jihadists-leaning groups with both support (monetary and materiel) linkages to various affiliates of Al Qaeda and its splitter groups; remnants of the Islamic State Group from Iraq and Syria (ISIS); such as the Islamic State-West Africa Providence (aka ISWAP); and possibly now fighters from Afghanistan and the Libyan conflict. As a former National Security Director for Africa, and U.S. Representative to the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS), Sanders stresses in the AJA new broadcast that one cannot talk about the insecurity driven by these elements in Burkina Faso in a vacuum from the rest of the deteriorating security situation happening in the five countries of the Sahel-Group of Five (G-5) and Northern Nigeria. She notes that Al Qaeda affiliates started moving into the Sahel region as far back as 2009-2010, with the fragmentation of ISIS and later the buildup of the Islamic State-West Africa Province (ISWAP) in Nigeria.  As a result, both the level, and number of countries where jihadist groups are operating has grown three-fold not just in the Sahel Region, but elsewhere in Africa. 

Burkina Faso has become part of a continuing jihadist effort to target select countries because they understand the advantages they have when there is not a strong security or government structure or the resources (manpower as well as materiel) to combat them. In addition, these terrorist groups are strategic in building ties with local disaffected groups (over anti-Western sentiments and issues of extreme poverty, in-country regional/ethnic differences, food insecurity, & lack of development) in every country in the Sahel. These myriad of issues gives outside jihadists groups several things: power, influence, reach, and key partners to develop local strategic knowledge. They have used this framework not only to further expand in Burkina Faso, but in Mali (where there have been now for a decade, and which has had 2 coups on 12 months), Niger, northern Nigeria (at least since 2010), Chad, and other areas of Africa such as the Central African Republic, the Cabo Delgado Region of Mozambique. While in East Africa, it is Al Shabab applying the same tactics in parts of Kenya, Somalia, and Tanzania. Thus far, 2020-2021 has been the most violent years in the advancement of jihadist violence in the Sahel. Click here for link https://youtu.be/cSnTIyLUrzo or see video below:

AJA News - DRC allows Uganda Forces Hot Pursuit & Joint Operations Against Terrorists:

Similarly on the issue of jihadists-linked expansion into other parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, Ambassador Sanders was later interviewed on AJA December 6, 2021, to address the recent approval by the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) regarding its decision to allow Uganda forces to initiate hot pursuit to enter DRC as well as participate in joint operations in DRC to help quell the large uptick in jihadist-related violence on the border between the two countries. Furthermore, Uganda has also blamed the recent bombings and protest in its capital Kampala, by local disaffected groups (on political, economic, and a range of quality-of-life issues), as well as terrorist organizations like the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) working with the support and sometimes direction of outside jihadists groups such as the Islamic State and any of its affiliates. 

Sanders highlighted the sensitivity of those living in Eastern DRC regarding these joint border operations with Uganda troops (despite the approval of the DRC Government) given the former's  previous behavior during the 1998-2003 conflict between Uganda and Rwanda  (mostly over Eastern DRC's rich mineral/natural resources), which played out in these same areas of Eastern Congo, resulting in high causalities for villagers and innocent civilians, along with reports of serious human rights abuses (including rape and sexual exploitation), and the conscription of child soldiers to which Uganda was fined on all in 2005 by the International Court of Justice in the Haque $USD 13 billion, which it still has not paid. 

There is substantial fear by the local population that it will be years again before Ugandan troops fully leave Eastern Congo given this new foothold proffered by the DRC government. In addition, Sanders pointed out that the Uganda-DRC border is yet the latest in the ever-increasing forays in the last couple of years, by outside jihadist groups into new areas in Sub Saharan Africa. They are applying the same strategic and tactical framework they have used in West Africa since 2009-2010 but are now applying to multiple countries throughout the Africa Region where they had not prior operated -- at least not to the extent and frequency they have in this 2020-2021 period. Hence, setting up 2022 to be similar in number of attacks, and in more and more African countries. Click link for interview https://youtu.be/gagWnWK46fk or see clip below:

A FEEEDS Series Blogspot

Panels on Today's Transnational Threats & Podcast on Linking Data-Policy-Dialogue in Addressing Africa's Development Needs

Below are links to several podcast & panels which either feature or include Ambassador Sanders as a panelist:

-- Sanders participates in Georgetown University's International School of Diplomacy's (ISD) panel on today's Transnational Threats. Sanders was asked to discuss these issues in Africa. Panel discussion can be found here.

-- Sanders on Gallup's Podcast highlighting the importance of the data-policy-dialogue linkages needed in order to concretely understand & improve life quality & development for Africa, particularly for Africa's women and region's young people https://news.gallup.com/podcast/353909/women-backbone-africa.aspx?utm_source=alert&utm_medium=email&utm_content=morelink&utm_campaign=syndication

 

A FEEEDS Series Blogspot

FEEEDS Global Issues Update: Concordia's 2021 Summit Report, Women's Health Index, Democracy Regression & Climate Change/COP26

As a follow-up to its recent, and well-respect annual summit, always held on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly, Concordia's 2021 event highlighted the state of the world's social and business issues. This year's Concordia Summit, its 11th, had nearly 300 speakers addressing international issues. You can learn more by reading the report on the summit now live, as well as review some of the key factoids around global issues, which were  highlighted at the 4-day event(2021 summit: by the numbers). The Summit was held both virtually, and with limited in-person interaction. 

Ambassador Sanders, as a global advocate on key development issues, is a senior advisor to Concordia. One of the key session for Dr. Sanders, as CEO-FEEEDS, was the data presentation on the Women's Health Index done by Hologic with polling done in partnership by Gallup World Poll on key health concerns for women. The Index focuses on health issues as well as servicing gaps for women world-wide in some 116 countries based on interviews with 120,000 women. Other issues during the Summit which resonated with FEEEDS' advocacy were turn-backs on democracy, COVID'pushing more people into extreme poverty, and  COP26. Below are some highlights on these key FEEEDS's advocacy issues, which were highlighted by various speakers in various ways during the Summit:

-- Turn-backs on Democracy:  Pressures on democracy (what FEEEDS calls "Democracy Regression") continues to increase across every region of the world, through both government and unilateral actions (from Myanmar to Brazil and coups in West Africa) as well as extreme societal and political divides in countries like the United States, France, Germany and India;

-- COVID-19 & Poverty: COVID-19, is not only turning back the clock on previous global efforts to reduce poverty (2000-2015 MDGs & 2015-2030 SDGS underway now), but possibly pushing another 97 million more people into extreme poverty (define as less than $1.90/day). We must step up and make three-times the effort to get back to pre-pandemic levels, which in and of themselves were stark. Pre-pandemic 2019 levels had 635 million people (see chart on 2015-2020) living in extreme poverty, even though great global reductions had been achieved year-on-year over the last decade. COVID-19 not only stopped progress, but turned back the clock on poverty reduction. The most recent extreme global poverty figures by the World Bank has the combined the 2019 pre-pandemic poverty figure (635 miilion), with the COVID-driven additional 97 million -- resulting in a projected 2021 total figure of  711 million people who face extreme poverty today. (NB: U.S., Brazil & India, in that order, had highest COVID deaths);

-- Climate Change & COP26: Bottom line is faster action and larger financial commitments are needed to reduce the affects of climate change by both governments, business, and institutions. Underscoring these two points, numerous Concordia's Summit sessions further stressed that we need to move three times faster in order to reach the net zero goal of reducing carbon emissions by 1.5˚C. In addition, there needs to be more action on helping with climate refugees and climate famine as both are growing at alarming rates.  It was recognized that a lot depended, of course, on what the 26th United Nations' climate change meeting of the Conference of Parties in Glasgow, United Kingdom produced, (better known as COP26). So far here is where we are on a few areas coming out of COP26 (section will be updated as other commitments come in and are clarified):

-- 100 world leaders attended;

-- 450 global businesses promised to climate reduction by 2023, valued at  USD$130 trillion;1

-- Net 0 - United Kingdom announced it would become a "net zero financial center," where firms would publish their climate actions;2 

-- $11 billion pledged by the United States to help developing countries with climate change;3

-- $19 billion committed by 100 countries to address deforestation and forest degradation, including assistance with rebuilding and rejuvenating the world's forest over the  next 8 years. Included in this pledge was $1.7billion to assist and support indigenous peoples in the world's key rain forest area. (NB: Of note, rain forest areas as large as the United Kingdom were lost last year due to climate change; 85 percent of the world's forest are in Brazil, Congo Basin & Indonesia. Dr. Sanders has been to all three);4

-- 100 countries signed on to the U.S. & UK led push for reductions in methane gas, another contributor to climate change CO2 emissions;  (NB: Top U.S. CO2  emissions in this order are fossil fuels (transportation, industry, electricity, homes & businesses); agriculture (methane gas); unmanaged land and forestry use.5

 -- 40 countries also pledged to shift away from coal/fossil fuel. However, there is a lot of leeway in what this might mean from new investments to financing and production.  Varying dates for ending total use were conveyed. Biggest polluters -- China, U.S., Australia, India and Japan -- did not sign onto this pledge.6

-- $105 billion committed to help spur green energy projects in developing nations was also pledged.7

resource notes:

1. World News Live, CGTN 11/4/21

2. World News Live & BBC news 11/3/21

3. World News Live, CGTN, BBC news & NPR 11/2/21

4. World News Live, CGTN & BBC news 11/3/21

5.  COP26 11/2/21

6. BBC & Reuters 11/4/21

7. NYTimes online 11/4/21

A FEEEDS Series Blogspot
 

Ambassador Sanders: Remembering Secretary Colin Powell -- the Person

Having served in the U.S. diplomatic corps during the tenure of Secretary Colin Powell, Ambassador Sanders' shares one of her remembrances of him in a television interview about the late General -- highlighting that he was not only one of the nation's top policy and strategic leaders, but leaves a legacy of kindness, thoughtfulness, and inclusiveness with his passing. Sanders also had the honor to be sworn into her first Ambassadorship,  to the Republic of Congo by the late Secretary, with the ceremony which also included Ambassador Andrew Young (see photos. 

Ambassador Sanders was the first

woman and first African-American

to serve as U.S. Ambassador to 

Republic of Congo, and later was

the first woman of any ethnic 

background to serve as Ambassador

to Nigeria. Click the link to hear 

Ambassador Sanders televised remembrance: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K91sKUu5aDM

A FEEEDS Series Blogspot

Ambassador Robin Sanders & General Kip Ward: Africa Podcast: Security, US-Africa Relations & US-Africa-China

 As part of the podcast series " The General and the Ambassador," produced by the prestigious American Academy of Diplomacy, with the support of the University of North Carolina Global Affairs, Chapel Hill, Ambassador Robin Renee Sanders and General Kip Ward, outline for the audience a range of US-Africa issues including but not limited to encouraging Americans to both understand and appreciate the importance of the US-Africa relationship. This includes ensuring the continent's key partnership in U.S. national security and fighting terrorism and extremism in the region; its role in the U.S. economic prosperity as Africa is home to the world's largest next generation of economic, political and innovators leaders. Ambassador Sanders and General Ward bring their respective views to the podcast as to how the US can better manage what is being referred to today as the "Great Powers Competition," (GPC) between the US and China, and how Africa see this issue and the region's desire to have a relationship and partnership with the US above and beyond the GPC.  Scroll below to see flyer and topic highlights from the podcast and click on this link Ambassador Sanders' and General Ward's Podcast to hear the Ambassador and the General discuss current key US-Africa issues: 

The General and the Ambassador The US and West Africa: Opportunities and Dangers with Ambassador Robin Sanders and General Kip Ward  Key topics: The Opportunities - markets, youth bulge and UN votes The Dangers - political instability, sharply rising violence from criminal networks and extremist groups The US Africa Command and US Assistance programs  Implications of the withdrawal of the French military Great power competition on the continent.  Click and Listen Here! Subscribe!

Ambassador Robin Sanders was the US Ambassador to Nigeria (2007-2010) and to Congo (2003-2005).  She also served as the Permanent Representative to ECOWAS, Director for Africa at the NSC and Deputy Commandant of the NDU Eisenhower College. She is the CEO of FEEEDS and FE3DS, focusing on Africa. ----------------------------------------------------- A FEEEDS Series blogspot General Ward was the Commander of US Africa Command (2007-2011). Just prior, he was Deputy Commander, US European Command. His other assignments include Somalia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Egypt and the Joint Staff.  Currently, he is the President of the Sentel Corporation.

Ambassador Sanders, CEO-FEEEDS, Appointed Concordia's Senior Advisor, Prestigious Leading Global Organization Fostering Collaboration on Global Issues

Below follows Concordia's announcement of its new Senior Advisors, who will help the organization further its mission to "create a global community where challenges are solved collaboratively and inclusively by actively fostering, elevating, and sustaining cross-sector partnerships for social impact." Ambassador Sanders will be participating in Concordia's upcoming annual summit of world political, business, and social impact leaders held during this year's United Nations session. Dr. Sanders will also advise and lend insights for its international and domestic events and meetings throughout 2021-2022.

We’re thrilled to announce the appointment of 60 Advisors and Senior Advisors to the Concordia community for 2021-22.  Selected from a pool of over 125 nominees, this impressive group of individuals, representing a multitude of sectors, industries, and geographies, will play an instrumental role in guiding the direction, development, and growth of Concordia over the next 12 months. From lending their insight into policy developments to sharing their expertise on innovations in their respective industries, Concordia’s Advisors and Senior Advisors are carefully selected by Concordia’s executive leadership, Leadership Council, Board of Directors, and staff, and serve for a one-year term.

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Amb. Sanders on "The Gallup Podcast" on Africa Development Issues, Noting Key Role of African Women & Youth

GALLUP PODCAST

AUG 19, 2021

"Women Are the Backbone" of Africa

Ambassador Sanders discusses a 

variety of Africa development 

issues with Gallup's 

Mohamed Younis on 
"The Gallup Podcast." 

In the podcast, Sanders

highlights the 
importance and linkages of 
data-policy-dialogue to 

concretely understand and 

improve life-quality and 
development for Africa, especially for 
Africa's women, who are the backbone 

of the Continent in many ways.

She also stressed the key role of the
Continent's large youth bulge of current

and future leaders, in a range of areas from

entrepreneurship to social enterprise to fintech,  

civil society, education, and in the agriculture and health 
sectors: https://bit.ly/Sanders-AfricaGallupPodcast 

For more research data on key Africa development issues, including data on how women and Africa's young people feel about important sectors from education to health, and housing to whether their country is a good place to start a small business or if they feel secure or are concerned about their well-being, including whether they believe they are "thriving," or not, see this year's 2021-2020 @theFEEEDS Research and Data Indices: 

https://bit.ly/FEEEDSIndex2021-2020

https://bit.ly/FEEEDSIndex-Egypt2021-2020

And 

https://bit.ly/Gallup2021Data-SMEs-RegionalEconomies

A FEEEDS Series Blogspot

FEEEDS-GALLUP 8th Annual Africa Forum - Join Us! - "Africa's Business Economy & the AfCFTA — The Key Role of SMEs"

This Press Announcement First Appeared in Allafrica.com

FEEEDS Initiative (Washington, DC)

ANNOUNCEMENT

Date: Thursday, July 15, 2021
Time: 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time
Time Zones: 3:00 p.m. (Cairo & Jo'burg); 4:00 p.m. (Addis & Nairobi); 2:00 p.m. (Lagos & London)
Duration: 2 hours

Event Theme: "Africa's Business Economy & the AfCFTA — The Key Role of SMEs"

Register Now

Co-Hosts Ambassador Robin Sanders and Gallup Global Managing Partner Jon Clifton, in partnership with allAfrica.com, the African & Caribbean Business Council (ACBC), United People for African Congress (UPAC) and U.S.-Africa Trade Council, invite you to the 8th Annual FEEEDS-Gallup Africa Forum: Africa's Business Economy & the AfCFTA — the Role of SMEs.

This is an opportunity to hear firsthand from the event's honored featured speakers: Dr. Hippolyte Fofack of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and Dr. Francis Mangeni, advisor to the Secretary General of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Each will discuss how their institutions support the critical role Africa and the Africa diaspora's small- and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) serve in the region's economy and the broader success of the AfCFTA. Gallup's leading Africa research director, Magali Rheault, will scene set with relevant polling data on the current business environment for Africa SMEs and regional economies.

SPEAKERS
Ambassador Robin Sanders
CEO of FEEEDS
Ambassador (Dr.) Robin Renee Sanders served as one of the U.S. Government's top diplomats on African issues over a long career in the United States Diplomatic Corps reaching senior positions ranging from Ambassador to the Republics of Nigeria, Republic of Congo, two stints – NSC Director for Africa at the White House, and U.S. Permanent Representative to the West African Regional Organization ECOWAS. Dr. Sanders received her doctor of science degree from Pittsburgh's Robert Morris University, where she also holds the title of Distinguished Public Service & Rooney Scholar; has MA and MS degrees from Ohio University; and, a BA from Hampton University. She is a recognized thought-leader on Africa's political, economic, technology, security (e.g. Boko Haram, Al Shabab) and policy issues, as well as on region's thematic topics such as SDGs, food security, democracy/elections, education & climate change. She has testified before the U.S. Congress on these topics. Her advisory firm is divided into two parts: The FEEEDS Advocacy Initiative and FE3DS, LLC. FEEEDS focuses on Africa economic development, Diaspora, Entrepreneurship/SMEs issues. FEEEDS also advises several organizations; co-hosts the annual Africa event with Gallup World Poll; and publishes @The FEEEDS Index. Sanders' national security expertise is based on her work at the White House; as Deputy Commandant-Eisenhower College, the National Defense University, the U.S. military's premier institution for strategic studies; her diplomatic postings; and her work on global issues. She is sought after by media such as Al Jazeera, China Television, VOA, and CNN for her Africa expertise. FE3DS, LLC provides business strategies on Africa trade, technology, power, renewables, affordable housing and aviation.

Jon Clifton
Global Managing Partner, Gallup
Jon Clifton is the Global Managing Partner of Gallup, an advisory firm that specializes in big data analytics of employees, customers, students and citizens. Jon's mission is to help 7 billion citizens be heard on their most pressing work and life issues through the Gallup World Poll, a 100-year initiative spanning 150 countries. Because of his expertise, Jon has been interviewed on BBC News, C-SPAN's Washington Journal, and Al-Jazeera, and has testified in front of the U.S. Congress on the state of American small business and entrepreneurship. He is a frequent contributor on Gallup.com and has written for The Hill, The Diplomatic Courier, and The Global Action Report.

Dr. Hippolyte Fofack – Honored Featured Speaker
Chief Economist, Director of Research and International Cooperation, African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank)
Speaker Topic: "How Afreximbank Leverages Its Programs to Support the SME Sector."
Dr. Hippolyte Fofack has more than 20 years of experience in development economics, international trade, banking and international finance and academia. Prior to joining the African Export-Import Bank, he was with the World Bank Group, where he served in several capacities, including as senior economist and head of the Macroeconomic and Growth Research Program. In 2005, Dr. Fofack was elected to the African Academy of Sciences, a continental organization dedicated to the furtherance of science and its use for economic development and welfare improvement. He has served on the advisory board of Lincoln University in Pennsylvania and is a member of the Africa Society of the National Summit on Africa Board of Directors. He is also a member of several leading professional and scientific organizations, including the American Economic Association and the African Finance and Economic Association. Dr. Fofack has been a guest editor of several prominent journals, including The World Bank Economic Review and Economic History of Developing Regions. Dr. Fofack has been published extensively, is Editor-in-Chief of Contemporary Issues in African Trade and Trade Finance (CIAT) and is a member of several editorial boards, including the Journal of African Development, the Journal of African Trade and the Gulf Economics Journal.

Dr. Francis Mangeni – Honored Featured Speaker
Head of Trade Promotion & Programs, Advisor to AfCFTA Secretary General
Speaker Topic: "AfCFTA: How It Supports SME Participation in Regional Trade."
Dr. Francis Mangeni has worked and consulted extensively on the multilateral trade system and African economic integration. He is a senior fellow with the Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance and has served as head of trade promotion and programs with the AfCFTA and director of trade customs and monetary affairs with the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa. He has served as advisor to the Minister of Commerce and Industry of the government of Malawi, senior economist at the Permanent Delegation of the African Union to the United Nations and regional trade policy advisor at the Commission of the African Union, and acted as a consultant for numerous regional and international organizations. His analytical work has focused on the social and economic implications of economic reforms, negotiation preparation and trade opportunities. Dr. Mangeni's analyses have informed key initiatives for economic integration throughout Africa and served as a basis for advice to African diplomats attending World Trade Organization conferences and trade negotiations with Africa's major partners.

Magali Rheault
Regional Director, Sub-Saharan Africa, Gallup World Poll
Topic: "Current Africa Business Environment for SMEs & Regional Economies."
Magali Rheault is Regional Research Director for sub-Saharan Africa for the Gallup World Poll. As the largest independent source of global survey research, the World Poll measures the most important issues people around the world face. Ms. Rheault leads survey research operations across the African continent and is responsible for sampling, questionnaire design, field staff training and quality control. Her main research interests focus on the intersection of governance, economic growth and human development in sub-Saharan Africa. As an academically trained urban planner, Ms. Rheault focuses on big-picture thinking to better understand how people's surroundings shape their perceptions and opinions. She is passionate about translating data into information and knowledge to help clients incorporate survey findings into impactful initiatives.

Human Rights Issues of U.S. Policing A Year After George Floyd's Death - What the Data Tells Us?

Dr. Sanders appeared on Detroit-based radio program "The Lavenia Perryman Show," to discusses her recent article in Allafrica.com on Human Rights Issues of  U.S. Policing A Year After George Floyd - What the Data Tells Us, featuring data from Gallup's Center on Black Voices & Pew Research Center. Her clip also highlights 100th anniversary of the Black Tulsa Massacre. 

Begin at minute 36 in the link: https://fb.watch/5KvKsgbv85/​. Also see Social media promo cards: https://twitter.com/lavoniaperryman/status/1397667996496244740?s=20; https://www.instagram.com/p/CPWzOkQsQNj/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link. Perryman's show broadcasts live in metro Detroit & available outside of Detroit on Facebook Livestream, iHeartRadio, Roku, Apple​TV,​ etc.​; interviewer, executive producer Janie D. Hazel 

A FEEEDS Blogspot

Sanders & Other Experts on Nigeria's ARISETV: Africa & Domestic Policy - Biden's First 100 Days

As CEO-FEEEDS, Ambassador Sanders, along with other experts, appeared on Nigeria's ARISE TV to discuss the impact of President Biden's First 100 Days both on US domestic and US-Africa policy. See the interview here: http://bit.ly/ARISETV-Nigeria 

A FEEEDS Blogspot

Human Rights of U.S. Policing A Year After George Floyd: What the Data Tells Us? - By Dr. Robin Sanders

As we approach the May 25, 2021 year anniversary of George Floyd's death, and 100^th anniversary of the Tulsa Oklahoma Massacre of over 100 African Americans on May 31-June 1, 1921, it is time for reflections, or better said a data report card, on where things are, and where they are not. Has anything changed? Has progress been made, particularly on perceptions regarding the racial divides that have existed and still exist in American society today? All brought to the fore, once again, in such a brutal way, with the 2020 killing of George Floyd.

Clearly, this nation continues to struggle with a myriad of historical and present-day social justice, economic, health (COVID underscoring this further), and opportunity inequalities -- predominately impacting America's people of color and America's poor. Also, part of this reflective discussion is the attendant optic of how the U.S. is viewed overseas (especially in Africa, other world regions of color, and in key UNHC and UN sessions) as a result of not only how and why George Floyd was killed, but also his death turned an international spotlight on present day U.S. racial challenges.

This world attention on America's social justice and racial issues had not happened in such a global way since the beatings, dog attacks and water-cannoning of peaceful black protesters in the South during the 1960 civil rights movement. Summer 2020 protests also spurred revisiting of other recent past police killings of African Americans such as Breonna Taylor (2020), whose case had previously languished; Atlanta's Rayshard Brooks and Ahmaud Abery (2020); and, currently Daunte Wright and Ma'Khia Bryant (2021). Earlier high-profile cases from Alton Sterling (2016), Walter Scott (2015), and Eric Garner to Michael Brown and Tamir Rice (2014) – have all underscored the gravity and need for different policing, reform and transparency.

U.S. Policing: A Human Rights Issue:

On one hand America wants to return as the global leader on democracy, human rights and providing voice for the voiceless -- be they suffering at the hands of violent extremists, kidnappers or military conflicts from Nigeria, Mozambique, Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria and Yemen to biases and violence against women, LGTBQ and discriminatory mistreatment of ethnic groups from Myanmar's Rohingya, the Uighurs of China to Ethiopia's Tigray.

The U.S. bona fides to both regain and continue being an international leading voice on global human rights is also going to be viewed in the context of our own progress on social justice reform and inequalities against people of color. We cannot be a human rights and social sector reform advocate abroad if our nation is not in better shape than it is today on these issues at home, and it is not in good shape – the tensions, protests, and continued police shootings demonstrate this.

                                                                                                                                                 Shutterstock

Reform and fairness in policing (called "human rights issues" anywhere else in the world) remains front and center as arguably one of America's most pressing social challenges, (immigration and upticks in attacks on Asian and Muslim Americans included). But since George Floyd's killing, there has been very little systematic, clear action (outside of the conviction of Derek Chauvin) on these issues, including not moving forward on such as things as the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act (GFJIP), currently being debated in the U.S. Congress as well as other changes at local and state levels.

Some of the debates could be aided by determining where differences in perceptions on these issues match up, or not, with objective data. Objective data can take politics and perception out of the mix by providing information from polling on what people are actually thinking, saying, and feeling. Research data can be helpful in educating all of us as to where we should end up as a nation on these very difficult human rights, racial, social justice and police reform issues. Let's start with looking at polling data associated with some of the most challenges issues at the top of the reform list – "policing and defunding the police."

Policing:

A recent poll from Gallup's Center on Black Voices, (launched July 15, 2020, just months after Mr. Floyd's death), showed that 67% of all U.S. adults (combining all groups) want current levels of police presence in their communities to remain the same. Within groups, the breakdowns were as follows: 61% of African Americans and 71% of white Americans want police levels in their neighborhoods to remain the same. While data from this same poll showed that only 19% of Black Americans and 12% of White Americans wanted less police presence in their communities. Further, Hispanic American responses, in the same research, were also high with 59% wanting the same level of police presence, and only 17% preferring less police presence. Asian Americans also scored high at 69%. It will be left to you to determine if your perceptions on these elements of policing matchup or differ.

                                                                                                      Shutterstock

'We cannot be a human rights and social sector reform advocate abroad if our nation is not in better shape than it is today on these issues at home, and it is not in good shape – the tensions, protests, and continued police shootings demonstrate this.' – Robin R. Sanders

Attendant to the issues of policing are the questions around the phrase defunding the police. This can mean different things to different people -- from directing funds toward mental health and social services to the city of Minneapolis' model (where George Floyd was killed), which voted to find a new paradigm for its police department. The percentage responses above could help inform how many Americans feel on this key attendant issue.

Police Reform & Changing Police Practices:

On actual police reform, the Center's data also revealed that the majority of Americans agree that reform is needed, particularly at the community level. However, differences arise over type and level of reforms.

The Center's graph shows at least 58% of Americans agree "major change [reform] is needed," with only 36% saying minor changes are needed. Here it is likely that perceptions and data are more aligned given that the actual breakdown between groups on reform indicates that the desire among African Americans is 88%, among Asian Americans 83%, for Hispanics 63%, and 51% for white Americans. There is an additional key data marker on this issue -- age differential. The majority of Americans in the 18-34 age group polled higher on wanting reform (81%), with those 50-60 years, and 65 and older polling respectively at 43% and 46%.

 Also, overall, 98% of Americans support developing "change management practices" that tracks police officers with records and histories of abuses, so they are "not allowed to serve." The breakdown is as follows: Black Americans 92%, Hispanics 87%, and whites 81% in support of this viewpoint. Furthermore, 76% of Americans want "change management practices so officer abuses are punished." (See full report - Most Americans Say Policing Needs 'Major Changes' - gallup.com.

Black-White Race Relations – Perceptions Appear to Match Data:

Social justice and police reform are connected to race relations in America today. In Pew's 2019 research, (pre-George Floyd) its data graphs showed that 58% of Americans said that race relations "were generally bad," with African Americans expressing high levels at 71%, and whites at 56%. Furthermore, Pew's data revealed that it is more "common" today for people to express racially insensitive views, even if "these views," are not "necessarily more acceptable."

Gallup Center on Black Voices - Relations Between White and Black Americans

 

Pew's polling also highlights that this sentiment was slightly higher among minorities in America than for whites (African Americans 76%, Hispanics 75%, and whites 60%). In addition, when asked about racial inequality in America, of the people polled, "half or more said being poor, Muslim, black, or Hispanic puts people at a disadvantage in our [American] society."

Meanwhile, the Center for Black Voices data, which includes Gallup's research from nearly two decades (2001-2020), shows from 2007-early 2013 that 28-30% of Americans thought black-white relations "were somewhat bad," whereas in 2020, 55% of Americans are feeling this way as can be seen on the embedded Gallup chart on "Relations Between White and Black Americans, 2001-2020."

Including Data Can Help:

Thus, as we approach these huge social justice anniversaries in the coming weeks (year passing of Floyd and Black Tulsa Massacre's 100^th anniversary), on top of 62 African Americans out of the 292 people killed by police since the beginning of 2021, it is important to underscore the importance data can play in helping us achieve much-needed change.

It will continually be harder for America to overcome social unrest, discord, or be a model for international human rights (especially when pointing out faults of other nations) if we cannot come to terms with these social justice issues at home and changing the trajectory of some of these negative data trends on black-white race relations.

Note: See Pew Research Center's and Gallup's Center for Black Voices websites and articles for more on their research on these key social justice, human rights, police reform in the U.S. and on other issues. The Center for Black Voices is a 100-year commitment by Gallup to listen and report on the Black Experience in America. Article first appeared in Allafrica.com

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