The 17th World Social Forum concluded on Saturday, August 8, in Cotonou, Benin, following five days of intensive discussions and workshops. The event gathered social movements, civil society organizations, and activists from Africa and around the world, addressing critical issues under the overarching title “Governance of Natural Resources and Popular Struggles in the Face of Global Crises: What Alternatives for Peace, Social Cohesion, and Sustainable Development?”. This full theme showed the forum's commitment to exploring viable solutions to pressing global challenges, with a particular focus on the experiences and perspectives of the Global South.
Key discussion themes at the forum included decolonization, sovereignty, social justice, human rights, peace, disarmament, and self-determination. These topics formed the bedrock of numerous sessions, reflecting a broad agenda aimed at fostering a more equitable and just world. The Cotonou forum notably centered Africa in its discussions, placing the continent's unique historical and contemporary struggles at the forefront. This emphasis reflected increasing demands for economic and political sovereignty across the continent and a growing criticism of external interventions, noting a collective desire for self-reliance and regional solutions.
Africa's Central Role and Key Themes
The 17th World Social Forum marked the fourth occasion Africa hosted the event, showing the continent's rising prominence in global civil society discourse. Organizers explicitly stated their intention to establish Africa as a central space for discourse on its colonial past and contemporary economic and political landscape, moving beyond traditional centers of power. The forum anticipated participation from over 50,000 individuals representing more than 150 countries, demonstrating its global reach and appeal. To accommodate this vast participation, plans were made for more than 200 sessions and activities, covering a wide array of topics and formats.
Benin was selected to host the forum for Africa, a decision that was not merely a matter of geographical rotation but rather a reflection of the ongoing struggles, resistance movements, and alternative proposals emerging from West African communities. This choice noted the region's dynamic role in shaping global conversations on social justice and liberation. Benin's historical significance, particularly as the land of the Kingdom of Dahomey and King Béhanzin's valiant resistance against French expansion in the late 19th century, profoundly contributed to its selection as a fitting venue for discussions on colonialism and its enduring legacies.
Despite its rich history of resistance, Benin, like many other West African nations, continues to operate within the CFA franc zone and the West African Economic and Monetary Union, structures that often spark debates about economic sovereignty and external influence. Discussions at the forum encompassed a broad range of topics, including post-colonial political and economic models, the widespread challenge of national debt, the imperative of popular sovereignty, the pursuit of social justice, critical climate issues, and the vital importance of food sovereignty. The World Social Forum itself originated in 2001 in Porto Alegre, Brazil, established as a direct counterpoint to the World Economic Forum held in Davos, symbolizing a commitment to alternative global narratives and solutions.
Caravan for Rights and Regional Struggles
The arrival of the West African caravan for the Right to Land, Water, and Agricultural Seeds marked a significant and symbolic event at the 17th World Social Forum. This dedicated caravan had traversed approximately ten countries, covering thousands of kilometers before ultimately reaching Cotonou. Its buses arrived at the University of Abomey-Calavi, symbolizing the culmination of its arduous journey and the collective determination of its participants. From the university's main gate, a vibrant march proceeded to the Idriss Déby amphitheater, with African traditional leaders participating alongside activists, showing the convergence of ancestral wisdom and modern activism.
Discussions within the caravan focused on various challenges confronting the region, including persistent difficulties in citizen mobility across Africa and weak connections between civil society organizations, hindering collective action. Participants also addressed critical issues such as widespread land grabbing, increasing pressure on natural resources due to exploitation, and the widespread and devastating impacts of climate change on communities. The caravan noted that the region's populations confront significant challenges, including the ongoing threat of land seizure, the adverse effects of climate change, intensive mineral extraction often benefiting external entities, and both armed and unarmed conflicts that destabilize communities and livelihoods. These discussions painted a vivid picture of the complex socio-economic and environmental pressures faced by West African communities.
The forum’s broader discussions on self-determination prominently featured the Palestinian cause and the Western Sahara issue, both recognized as critical struggles for liberation and autonomy. Western Sahara was specifically presented during these discussions as 'the last colony in Africa,' drawing urgent attention to its ongoing struggle for independence and self-determination.
Algeria's Voice on Decolonization and Global Issues
Algeria participated actively in the 17th World Social Forum with a dedicated delegation that hosted an exhibition and various activities, showcasing its historical and contemporary contributions to global justice. The country's involvement held particular historical significance, given its own history of a protracted and hard-won liberation war against French colonialism, a struggle that deeply informs its foreign policy. The Algerian delegation emphasized its unwavering commitment to defending the freedom of peoples and ending colonialism in all its forms, reflecting a principle deeply embedded in its national identity.
According to the Algerian delegation, the Palestinian and Sahrawi issues represent the two remaining colonial issues globally, demanding immediate international attention and resolution. The delegation pledged solidarity and resolute support for the Palestinian people, aiming for the establishment of an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital, a long-standing position of Algerian diplomacy. Algeria's participation was considered important not only due to its rich history of anti-colonial struggle but also for its strategic role as a gateway to Africa and a key bridge between the North and South, facilitating dialogue and cooperation. Mamem stated that Algeria embraced everyone seeking freedom, reinforcing its consistent stance on self-determination and the liberation of oppressed peoples.
Voices from Western Sahara and Peace Initiatives
King Béhanzin, a symbol of resistance, was exiled to Algeria under French colonization, residing in Blida before his death in Algiers in 1906, connecting Benin's past directly to Algeria's history. Yasmina Bentounes, responsible for Dar Essalam and coordinator for the Mediterranean Foundation for Sustainable Development (Janna Al Arife), noted the foundation's vital work for peace and coexistence. The foundation's experience dates back to a 2014 conference, 'The Word for Women', which recommended a global day for living together in peace. Algerian diplomacy robustly supported this project, leading the UN General Assembly to adopt May 16 as the International Day of Living Together in Peace in 2017, a testament to Algeria's commitment to global harmony. Seven pedagogical schools based on the culture of living together in peace have since been launched in Algeria, fostering these values at a grassroots level. Tijani Mohamed, grandson of the General Caliph of the Tijaniyya order, met with the General Caliph in Benin to foster "spiritual and economic communication between Algeria and Benin," further strengthening bilateral ties and cultural exchange.
Mbarak Sid Ahmed Mamem, a distinguished member of the Executive Bureau of the Union of Workers of Saguia El Hamra and Wadi El Dhahab, described his experience in the occupied cities of Western Sahara as "very difficult, marked by siege and continuous repression." Mamem, born in 1995 in these occupied territories, asserted that Western Sahara is "one of the few places in the world where international press and observers are prohibited from entering," noting the severe information blockade. At 18, Mamem joined the 'Sahrawi resistance media' ("الإعلام الصحراوي المقاوم"), bravely utilizing social media platforms to document demonstrations and the repression faced by his people. In November 2020, after the Moroccan army violated the ceasefire in El Guerguerat, Mamem decided to move to the Sahrawi refugee camps in Tindouf, continuing his advocacy from there. Mamem and his colleagues organized an impactful exhibition and discussions concerning the Sahrawi cause and the human rights situation in Western Sahara, bringing their struggle to the forefront of the forum's agenda.