DEBUNKING NOTIONS – FINDING TRUE EQUALITY.

The inaugural Debunking Notions – Finding True Equality dialogue in The Hague sparked powerful discussions on dismantling stereotypes, and bridging cultural divides. It set the stage for a bold, transformative approach to achieving true equality. Participants challenged the Dutch government to abandon one-size-fits-all strategies and confront uncomfortable truths about their past, urging a shift toward more nuanced, equitable partnerships.

‘What comes to mind when someone says Africa? Have any of you recently Googled Uganda? What results do you see when you type Uganda into the search bar? And what about the Netherlands?’ asked Cissy Nalumansi.

It is against this background, of mutual prejudices reflected in Google search results about Africa and Europe that Ugandan film writer and Director at Mpologoma Media, Cissy Nalumansi, kicked off the first dialogue of the Debunking Notions—Reshaping Mindset project.

‘Media plays a crucial role in shaping perspectives globally. I am doing my part to change the narrative by telling authentic stories, one at a time. While people may post such content innocently, it inadvertently shapes perceptions of us. Every time someone Googles Uganda or Africa, this is what they see,’ she explained, highlighting a few stereotypical notions.

Challenging Stereotypes

According to Nalumansi, these demonstrations underscore the significance of the Debunking Notions project, which aims to create a platform for dialogue and information exchange to challenge and dismantle misconceptions about Africa and Europe.

‘If we want to change stereotypes about our cultures, we need to immerse ourselves and find ways to learn about them,’ she said. ‘It is frustrating to confront or eliminate stereotypes when viewing them from the outside. But when we sit at the same table, you will understand why I chew loudly, and I will understand why you chew quietly. By seeing things from each other’s perspectives, we move beyond stereotypes and finally understand who we truly are.’

The inaugural Debunking Notions—Reshaping Mindsets dialogue, conceived by Nalumansi in collaboration with Vice Versa Editors-in-Chief Marc Broere and Eunice Mwaura, was held on December 6 at the Netherlands Research Council (NWO) in The Hague. Through talks and breakout sessions, speakers and participants delved into the concept of equality in relationships between Europe and Africa, focusing on research and knowledge exchange.

Supported by Vice Versa, the Knowledge Centre Global Health (KCGH), Netherlands Food Partnership, INCLUDE Knowledge Platform, and NWO (Dutch Research Council), the dialogue brought together a diverse group of participants, including internationally acclaimed novelist Vamba Sherif, who presented a spoken column.

Participants included African PhD students, professors from Dutch universities, former Dutch ambassadors to Africa, members of the African diaspora in the Netherlands, officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, writers, Dutch academics conducting research in Africa, and individuals from civil society organizations working within Africa.

In his opening speech, Marc Broere, Editor-in-Chief of Vice Versa, described the project as an opportunity to take the next step in advancing the Dutch Africa Strategy. This followed up on the hybrid event hosted in 2023 by Vice Versa and Vice Versa Global in Nairobi and Amsterdam, which explored the strategy in depth.

‘We believe deeply ingrained stereotypes persist between people in Africa and Europe, hindering us from fully exploring opportunities for genuine, equal collaboration. True equality can only emerge once we truly understand one another,’ Broere stated.

He continued, ‘Now it is time to take the next step. How can we further advance the Dutch African Strategy? Who are we, and why do we need each other? What recommendations can we offer policymakers tasked with implementing the strategy, especially since equal cooperation with Africa is not exactly at the top of the current Dutch government’s priority list?’

The Africa Strategy for 2023-2032 outlines the Dutch government’s vision for political and economic cooperation with Africa. The strategy emphasizes that future cooperation with Africa must be rooted in equality, now more than ever. It aligns with and aims to create synergies with the second implementation phase of the African Union’s ‘Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want.’

Drawing on her fieldwork experience in Mali, Ellen Mangnus in her talk ‘The Different Layers of Inequality,’ highlighted the complexities that must be considered, raising the question of whose knowledge is valued. She cited the example of farmers’ traditional farming practices, often overlooked by scientists.

‘Advocating for equality with words is easy, but putting equality into practice requires us to dive deeper and truly understand with whom we should collaborate on equal terms. It requires working with diverse perspectives and knowledge, fostering relationships beyond writing research proposals or collecting data,’ she said.

Collaborative Change

In response to the question of whether debunking notions is important, panel discussant Dr Melle Leenstra, Strategic Policy Advisor on Africa at the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, emphasized that it is in the interest of both the Dutch government and its people to have African partners eager to cooperate. ‘For me, that is key for the strategy. It means we must focus on building relationships—sustainable, equal, and mutually beneficial ones—and go beyond short-term thinking,’ he explained.

Georgina Kwakye, Founder of Pimp My Village and a panel discussant, emphasized the crucial role of the media in changing the narrative and telling stories honestly, showcasing the positive changes happening in Africa. ‘For the strategy to work, we need equality, long-lasting partnerships, and the right, practical partnerships that are feasible. There is a need for honest, intercultural communication and to highlight the successes on the ground,’ she held.

Panelist

Ola Abagun, Knowledge Manager at INCLUDE, highlighted the need to address three key deficits—trust, respect, and accountability—to achieve equality. ‘Respect for African perspectives is a foundation needed to build the kind of partnership we are talking about. We have to be holistic in how we approach everything, from human rights issues to peace and security and education. The Dutch side needs to listen genuinely,’ she said.

She explained, ‘We need to engage different stakeholders, particularly young people in Africa and the diaspora. Trust is impossible unless the Dutch side relinquishes some traditional power dynamics that characterize the Global North/Global South relationship. The last point I will emphasize is accountability, which in the history of international cooperation has often flowed in one direction. We should rethink these dynamics and ask how the Dutch side can be more accountable.’

Commending the Debunking Notions initiative, Jelte Van Wieren, Director for Sub-Saharan Africa at the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, emphasized the importance of such dialogues in allowing people to discuss the Africa Strategy in depth.

‘Many of the suggestions made are valuable for us. Most of what has been said in the separate groups reflects what the strategy aims to achieve—getting to know each other and building relationships. If there is one lesson I have learned from my experience in Africa, you cannot do business there unless you know each other. So, we need to invest in that first and move away from the traditional Dutch approach, which is results-oriented and focuses on business without building relationships. That does not work,’ Van Wieren remarked.

Reviving the Civic Space

Acknowledging that the current Dutch government is not strongly focused on issues such as the role of civil society, Van Wieren urged participants to find new ways to recreate civic space. ‘Unfortunately, shrinking civic space is a troubling global phenomenon. You can focus on that all the time and feel disheartened, or you can start working on recreating space in many different ways, and I believe there are numerous possibilities. I must admit, the current government, unlike the previous one, does not strongly believe in the role of civil society, but it remains a fundamental part of the African Strategy, and we need to take it seriously,’ he affirmed.

Admitting that much still needs to be done for the strategy’s successful implementation, Van Wieren identified the knowledge gap as the biggest challenge within the Netherlands. ‘I feel confident in saying that the strategy is telling us in the Netherlands what African partners want us to change and do. We have a lot of work to do in the Netherlands to bridge the knowledge gap about Africa and its countries. The understanding of cultural differences and how to do business with Africa is lacking here. We need to work on that and gain support from the people in the Netherlands, otherwise, the strategy will fail,’ he stated.

In their propositions, participants urged the Dutch government to stop treating Africa as a monolithic entity and recommended that it adopt specialized approaches for individual countries. They also encouraged the Dutch government and its people to openly acknowledge their weaknesses and colonial history to foster equal and honest conversations.

Other propositions from the breakout sessions highlighted the importance of recognizing and documenting Indigenous African knowledge to counter the belief among African youth that Western knowledge is superior to African Indigenous knowledge. Additionally, participants called for the facilitation of African-initiated and led research, driven by Africans themselves.

The Debunking Notions project will be carried out in the coming years by Vice Versa Netherlands, Vice Versa Global, and Mpologoma Media. In her closing remarks, Nalumansi acknowledged that while debunking misconceptions will require significant effort, the right collaboration and cooperation can shift how Africa is perceived.

‘So, what’s next? We need to keep working together to bring different perspectives together. We will set up a website to share opinions and ideas on debunking notions, create podcasts, and discuss topics like research, culture, and education. This is the information we will spread. We started in Uganda and the Netherlands, and we plan to expand to other countries,’ Nalumansi concluded.