"We can’t see how Europe can be saved and abandon Africa, or how Africa can face the challenges of its own development without Europe": this was said by Kpakilè Joseph Felemou, from Guinea Conakry, president of Foguired, the Guinean Fund for Debt Remission. Felemou spoke this afternoon, at the Forum on Justice, during the third European Ecumenical Assembly of Sibiu. "Young Africans he said now see the European man as if it were ready money, and the young Europeans see Africans merely as refugees and immigrants. But this is all false: it is for this distorted view that young Africans sacrifice their lives on the altar of illegal immigration; it is this distorted view that makes Europe infinitely far from Africa". For very many people, "reaching Europe is the only life plan", because the real problem "is the loss of hope and confidence in their world, in their institutions, sometimes even in their own families". And while nowadays "Africa is culturally European" (school system, TV, clothing), there is a paradox: "The journey from Europe to Africa is very short: it only takes a half a day’s flight. But the way back is extremely long: to get to destination many Africans spend whole months and often lose their life". So, Falemou asked to "shorten this distance" and "fight this deep injustice".
