EDITORIAL: Inaction will be Africa’s undoing

The African Union has at last come out of its lethargic slumber and decided to act against Boko Haram. But the four troop-contributing countries will have to wait for a green light from the UN Security Council. That a group that began as an obscure ragtag outfit could shake Africa’s once considered powerhouse beats all reasoning and exposes serious flaws in some African leadership circles, but their biggest sin is procrastination and bureaucracy. A short while ago, Mali was nearly overrun by Islamic separatists and it only took France’s intervention to overturn the tide. In the meantime, Ecowas member states were holed up in endless talks but with little action. Closer to home, the Congolese government has announced the beginning of the long awaited offensive against the FDLR militia. While it is too early to judge the outcome, history shows that it might not amount to much. Again it might be too early to make an educated guess, but the fact that nearly a month has passed after a UN deadline for FDLR to disarm and surrender before military action as promised is enough to raise eyebrows. As the saying goes; talk is cheap. The quicker decisions arrived at are implemented the better for all, otherwise, how many people have to die before a situation turns into a crisis?

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EDITORIAL: Inaction will be Africa’s undoing