From 17 – 20 July 2023, SERI participated in the ‘Dilemmas of Humanity: Pan African Dialogues to Build Socialism’ conference, hosted by Hosted by Pan Africanism Today (PAT) in Bela Bela. The conference is part of the Dilemmas of Humanity process which is aimed at the “transformation of society and revolutionary change.” It is one of several regional conferences ahead of the III International Dilemmas of Humanity Conference in Johannesburg, South Africa in October. It brought together over 200 delegates from 40 organisations. countries, including Abahlali baseMjondolo (AbM), the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA), the Socialist Movement of Ghana (SMG), the Socialist Party (SP) of Zambia, the Workers’ Democratic Way party from Morocco, and Mtandao wa Vikundi vya Wakulima (MVIWATA) from Tanzania.
The opening ceremony was addressed by Abahlali baseMjondolo president, S’bu Zikode and the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) General Secretary, Irvin Jim.
Addressing the opening ceremony Zikode emphasised the need for movements to build their power and defend their gains, as even partial victories would invite attacks by those in power.
The conference was divided into commissions, each with a mandate to deliberate upon a particular theme and draft a concrete plan of action which will be adopted in the form of a resolution on the final day. The commissions included themes of food sovereignty and agroecology, gender struggles against patriarchy, and urban struggles for housing.
- Download the conference declaration here.