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57 commitments worth R100 billion - Global Citizen pledges in a nutshell

Advocacy group Global Citizen has announced 57 commitments totalling more than R100 billion ($7-billion), surpassing its goal by seven times more.

Naomi Campbell at the Global Citizen Festival on 2 December 2018 at the FNB Stadium. Picture: Supplied.
Naomi Campbell at the Global Citizen Festival on 2 December 2018 at the FNB Stadium. Picture: Supplied.
| 1143 days ago

JOHANNESBURG – While the buzz is still around all the explosive collaborations that graced the Global Citizen Festival stage on Sunday, it’s back to the real work now following all the pledges made at the concert.

Thousands, from near and afar, flocked to the FNB Stadium to witness the likes of Pharrell Williams, Cassper Nyovest, Sho Madjozi, Usher, Wizkid, Tiwa Sawage and of course the biggest act of the day… Beyoncé and Jay-Z on stage.

But while entertainment was the order of the day, at the heart of the concert was pledges in support of the world's most marginalised.

Advocacy group Global Citizen has announced 57 commitments totalling R100 billion ($7-billion), surpassing its goal by seven times more, with commitments from the World Bank, Vodacom, PEPFAR, Cisco, South African government and the Motsepe Foundation.

EDUCATION: 841,195 actions delivered 12 commitments and announcements valued at $1,758,053,977. 16,723,136 lives set to be affected.

UNITY - GIRLS & WOMEN: 803,617 actions delivered 16 commitments and announcements valued at $268,667,175. 2,666,992 lives set to be affected.

FUTURE – HEALTH & ENVIRONMENT: 1,064,006 actions delivered 20 commitments and announcements valued at USD $2,765,191,805 (100,769,668 lives set to be affected).

ENVIRONMENT: 253,494 actions delivered 1 commitment and announcement valued at $38,000,000 (545,767,384 lives set to be affected).

Here are a few of those pledges in detail:

Motsepe Foundation: The hosting and presenting partner of the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100 announced a series of massive commitments totalling over $104.4 million. These commitments are set to advance education, economic inclusion, and equality of women and girls, as well as ensure that current land discussions and processes in SA will result in land being made available to black people living in rural and urban areas.

South Africa: His Excellency Cyril Ramaphosa, President of South Africa, former anti-apartheid leader alongside Nelson Mandela, addressed FNB Stadium and viewers around the world with a message of Global Citizenship, committing R2 million for youth in South Africa, and announcing the government’s intention to spend R6 billion to provide free access to school for poor children in South Africa.

Education: Significant strides were made to #FundEducation, with Sierra Leone committing to increase its education budget to 21.5%, Canada committing CAD $50,000,000 to Education Cannot Wait, and Germany committing to double its funding of the Global Partnership for Education from €18M to €37M and increase its funding of Education Cannot Wait by €15M for a total of €31M. The government of Kenya also made a bold commitment to spend close to 30% of its budget on education.

Vodacom: Vodacom CEO Shameel Joosub and GCO, Corporate Affairs for Vodacom Takalani Netshitenzhe announced that Vodacom will be supporting South African President Ramaphosa’s investment in digital technologies by “pledging USD $34,813,367 in fighting gender-based violence; enhancing sanitation in schools; and enhancing digital literacy for teachers, learners, youth, and in early childhood development centres.” Takalani also announced that Vodacom will be partnering with the South African government to ensure that children have access to safe pit latrines.

Ireland: In response to 101,048 actions by Global Citizens since June this year, the Taoiseach of Ireland, Leo Varadkar, via video message announced that the government of Ireland would increase its aid budget by a monumental 15% in 2019.

The World Bank Group: Dr Jim Kim, on behalf of the World Bank Group, made a significant commitment of an additional USD $1 billion next year for health and education in Africa.

Sierra Leone: His Excellency, Julius Maada Bio, the President of Sierra Leone reaffirmed that the country will spend 21% of its total budget on education in 2018, totalling USD $165 million. He also committed to raising this budget to 21.5% in 2019.

South Sudan: Honourable Minister of General Education and Instruction of South Sudan, Deng Deng Hoc Yai announced that South Sudan will commit to allocating an additional 5% of the annual budget to education in training for civil servants. The Minister also announced that the country hopes to allocate more than 10% of its annual budget in 2019 - aiming to increase to 15% in the next five years.

United States: Ambassador Deborah Birx, on behalf of the United States, made a historic commitment of $1.2 billion channelled through PEPFAR on Global Citizen’s stage. It is the largest pledge the US government has made to HIV/AIDS.

In his keynote address at the stadium, President Ramaphosa said: “Nelson Mandela has taught us that it is not the influential, the rich or the powerful who make history, but those citizens who are determined to make a difference... Here, in the southernmost tip of Africa, we too have heeded the call of the Global Citizen.”

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