AU at 50: Is unity still a distant dream?

As the African Union teetered on apathy, cutting a forlorn posture whenever a dispute arose for which Western governments would dictate how to end it, former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi challenged the continental bloc to take the AU beyond rhetoric into a strong United States of Africa. But his dream only sowed seeds of discord among the “statesmen”. Gaddafi is gone now, the AU remains at large, but if the major objective for forming the Organisation of African Unity in 1963 was to end all foreign influence in the continent and ensure a robust and fully independent Africa, how much has been achieved? African leaders on Saturday gathered at the headquarters of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) now the African Union, founded on May 25, 1963, in the same city.During celebrations which featured intellectual debates on the theme: “Pan Africanism and African Renaissance,” former Zambian President, Kenneth Kaunda, who was present at the signing of the OAU Charter in 1963, animated the cultural evening with a message to the new generation and a song in honour of women that aroused a lot of emotion. Ethiopian Prime Minister, HaileMariam Dessalegn, who is also Chairperson of the AU, stressed the importance of the day, saying it is an occasion to honour the founders of the continental organisation who created it with a resolve to pursue the quest for AU in earnest, inspired by the ideals of Pan-Africanism. Missing bigger picture? A Facebook friend made a rather sombre post which probably makes many an African hold opposing views. “AU summit: What are these leaders celebrating? What has the organisation achieved for Africans? Foreign aid continues to rock the continent. I don’t see anything to celebrate,” the virtual friend said.That post had echoes, reflecting what ordinary people have to say after 50 years of the AU. One reaction went like: “50 years of war, 50 years of poverty, 50 years of corruption, 50 years of dictatorships, that tells you everything you want to know about Africa.” “Fifty years of big Swiss bank accounts with many friends in the west. It’s a shame they are celebrating,” said another. “Nothing in fact, even the building they are in was supported by Chinese taxpayers. Shame!” added another. “It took individual efforts of a few countries to end the Somali madness, where was the so called AU? How about DRC?” another asks. But the cynics, it appears, are looking at the 50 years’ celebrations through a thin lens. In a commentary published by The Guardian of UK, famed Kenyan writer, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, last week said in a strange way both African and Western governments fear a strong, united, democratic Africa. For the West, he said, such unity would mean it could no longer do whatever it wants with Africa’s resources, and for African governments, unity would mean ceding some of their powers to a federal authority. Ngũgĩ, said the days when Kwame Nkrumah could link the sovereignty of Ghana to that of the continent – or Julius Nyerere offer to delay the independence of Tanzania if such a move would lead to an East African Union, are a distant 50 years ago. “Does that mean the AU is not necessary? It is better to have a skeleton of a union than no union at all. The skeleton brings memories of a breath of life, but also dreams of a resurrection,” he wrote, adding: “For the sake of the people of Africa a strong, democratic African Union is needed today as much as it was 50 years ago. Despite its failures and weaknesses, the AU keeps the dream alive.” African diplomats point to the bigger picture with a blend of optimism. The AU’s anniversary coincide with about 50 years “or slightly more, of independence in most African countries,” said Vincent Karega, Rwanda’s High Commissioner to South Africa. Accordingly, in the past 50 years of “our young continent” a lot of achievements are to be celebrated while understanding better the challenges and mistakes during the past 50 years. In the last 50 years colonial era and apartheid was abolished, he said. “We saw Africa striving to take their destiny in their hands and more efforts to think and act together as one continental bloc.” Failures as they areHowever, he said, independence in many states is undermined by lack of vision, capable and effective institutions and internal and inter-state conflicts. “Neo colonialism through strings pulling, coupled with the cold war such that one can say there were almost two lost decades of low or negative growth, degrading infrastructure and environment, corruption and despot regimes here and there, Genocide in Rwanda and large scale violence in many other countries.” Nonetheless, according to Karega, there are many reasons for celebrating African milestones and becoming optimistic about a brighter future. He said the number of educated people in the continent is far impressive compared to “where we were” in the 60s and the 70s. “High levels of economic growth, political and economic reforms are yielding outstanding results. The global dynamics are changing with new emerging economies, better connectivity and African integration becoming a reality through regional economic blocs,” Karega says. “New natural resources are getting discovered in Africa, investment in Infrastructure and skills developments are on the rise. Peace in almost 90 per cent of the countries is achieved. Africa is the hope of tomorrow. All Africans need to know it and work hard for it.” Amb. Basile Gateretse, a senior political officer at the African Union Mission in Somalia, told The New Times that indeed, the 50th anniversary is an important event to be proud of, but with some mixed feelings. He cited the main achievements as ending of the colonial system of domination, which was denying populations minimum basic human rights. “The sacrifices for ending that system have been enormous,” said Gateretse, “another worse system of denying populations basic human rights was the Apartheid imposed to South Africans. Exceptional personalities such as President Nelson Mandela, and many others, stood up against that system.” The diplomat said after victory against colonialism and apartheid, countries tried to lay foundations for viable economies in a hostile environment. They were not prepared to tackle such a difficult task, he said.He is of the view that the AU’s key challenges “derive from the previous environment.” Colonial masters did not concentrate on creation of strong and cohesive nations, but on an agglomeration of clans and tribes living together and obeying colonial masters by fear, he said. “The previous traditional and cohesive institutions and values were destroyed to lay down foundations for the new colonial system.”Is AU posturing?Even after independence, he says, countries fell into internal or interstate conflicts for the sake of sharing power and resources, with the backing of the colonialists. Gateretse is not oblivious to the reality. “Of course we should not put all the blame on them because we, as Africans, have our own responsibilities for the occurrence of such situation. In that context of conflicts, you cannot talk about sound democratic system of governance or a comprehensive fight against the poverty and corruption.” On what the AU should focus in their next agenda, Gateretse stressed the need for deeper integration. “The next agenda should be focused on a more integrated continent, with a sound and inclusive economic system and democratic system of governance. If you build an economy which is not supported by a democratic system, you end up by facing forces which will destroy the whole economic structure.”Way forwardThe African Peace Support Architecture should be made more functional in preventing conflicts, Gateretse said. “Integration does not mean empty integration. We should be able to identify areas that complement each other and develop trade among African countries, with more added value to our export items, especially in agricultural area. They [continent’s exports] are not paid the right price,” he added.Gateretse said opportunities are also enormous in terms of natural resources, but because “we have been and are still experiencing weaknesses in terms of trained human resource, we end up just following the advice of external powers who want to exploit our resources and taking advantage of our own shortages.” “We have to learn more about our own collective strengths and weaknesses in order to value the former and reduce the impact of the latter,” he said.Where does he see the AU in the next 50 years? “This will depend on the commitment of African leaders, broad civil society organizations and Africans themselves.” In 50 years from now, he says, the continent, unlike today, “should be a strong and respected partner” contributing to the progress and development of humanity as a whole. “A fragmented Africa will not resist the appetite of strong foreign powers.” Only an integrated Africa – with clear common values and interests – could give the continent enough strength to stop external interventions which are not based on mutual interests and respect, he concluded.

National

AU at 50: Is unity still a distant dream?