Youhana Martin-Benansio visited Africa and spent time in Aswan, Egypt, and Khartoum, Sudan. During the visit, he observed many social and economic issues, such as famine, homelessness, unemployment, urban poverty, lack of transportation, lack of educational systems, and lack of governance participation. When he spoke to the citizens, he noticed nearly all had one thing in common: they were cynical and had little trust in their governments. Martin-Benansio profoundly believes that including citizens in government is vital, that empowering citizens and presenting them with opportunities to assist with the developments and improvements of their communities will address many of the issues, and cynicism could fade.

 

Furthermore, Martin-Benansio believes that an alliance of states is fundamental to the overall growth and development of Africa. He expressed that if African states formed alliances and devotedly worked to increase cross-border cooperation through social and economic integration, this would enable the states to fulfill their potential of providing for all its citizens. Propelled by these ideals and heavily influenced by his belief that an allied Africa is a prosperous Africa. He founded the African States Alliance organization.