Former Ghanaian Leader Withdraws From Controversial “Africa” Summit In Malabo

caption: Former President of Ghana John Kufour

Former President John Agyekum Kufuor of Ghana has reportedly withdrawn as a chairperson of the controversial Leon H. Sullivan Foundation “Africa Rising” Summit scheduled to be held in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea August 20-24.

The Leon H. Sullivan Foundation is an African American non-profit organization that claims to work towards empowering underprivileged people around the world and connecting Africa to its Diaspora. However, the foundation has recently come under heavy international criticism over its decision to hold its biennial summit in Equatorial Guinea, an oil-rich country run by President Teodoro Obiang, widely regarded as one of the world’s most corrupt leaders and one of Africa’s worst dictators.

Several critics accuse the Sullivan Foundation of conniving with Mr. Obiang, one of Africa’s longest sitting presidents, having risen to power in a coup d’état in 1979. International human rights groups and various Western governments have accused the Equatorial Guinea ruler of using the country’s oil wealth to enrich himself and his family while the rest of his country’s populace is mired in utter poverty. Human rights groups and press freedom organizations have also suggested that the Sullivan Foundation is being used by President Obiang to help burnish his image in the West.  Several human rights groups have called on the invited VIPs and journalists to pull out of the Summit.
 
Mr. Kufour’s reported decision to abandon the Summit is seen as an indication that the efforts of human rights groups may be working. The former Ghanaian leader is the biggest name to withdraw from the event to date. Another significant guest, John Hope Bryant, CEO of Operation Hope, withdrew last week. Mr. Bryant had been scheduled to be one of the summit’s keynote speakers.
 
Influential Ghanaian economist George Ayittey (@ayittey), an outspoken critic of the Sullivan Foundation, stated on Twitter that he had helped to convince Mr. Kufuor to withdraw from the Summit.
When SaharaReporters contacted Frank Agyekum, the spokesperson to the former Ghanaian president he stated that a statement regarding the status of Mr. Kuffour will be communicated to the media at a later date.