After 39 years of unending conflicts and poverty, Africa has got a new body — African Union (AU). Last week, African leaders launched the AU in South Africa. The AU succeeded its 39-year-old parent, the Organization of African Unity (OAU). The new body, however, must confront some perplexing questions. How to extricate the continent from economic and political backwardness? How to promote human rights, combat corruption and deliver better services to ordinary Africans? How to resolve the continent’s conflicts and civil wars? How to strengthen democracy? And will AU be like the European Union?
In fact, it is not easy to build a union for a continent that is beset by economic decline, debt, legacies of wars and AIDS epidemic. Last year, the UN and World Bank report noted that economic shock waves from the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in United States could propel as many as 10 million people into poverty in developing countries. The worst-hit region, it says, will be Africa where the combined effect of lower growth and falling commodity prices may plunge 4 to 5 million more people into abject poverty. At the beginning of this century, the international financial institutions and the UN estimated that most of sub-Saharan African lives on less than a dollar a day.
In addition to all those economic problems, Africa has been struggling under dictators. Although some countries such as South Africa, Nigeria, Zambia and Ghana have adopted a democratic path after electing their heads of states, the continent’s longest serving leaders are still in power. President Gnassinbe Eyadema of Togo and Omar Bongo of Gabon have been in power for 35 years. Qaddafi came to power in 1969; Mugabe has been in control of Zimbabwe for over 20 years and many other African leaders have been in office for 18 to 25 years in the office. Most African leaders have mismanaged the economy and have a bad human rights record.
As African leaders pledged last week to strengthen democracy and combat corruption, many analysts are looking for actions to back up words. They believe the Pan-African body should be based on a common vision to eradicate poverty and to place the continent on a path of sustainable growth. They insist that the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), adopted by the AU, can overcome the development chasm between the international community and the continent.
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who is from Ghana, told the leaders, "To build a successful union in such conditions will require great stamina and iron political will." He said he sensed a new respect for Africa among Western governments but that warring had to stop before foreign investment would flow in. "They will respect us if we actually resolve the conflicts that disfigure our continent. And I do mean, resolve them. Managing them is not enough," he said.
In fact, the United States and Western countries have made it clear that they will continue to avoid direct military involvement in African disputes. They have pledged to help Africa when it acts to establish peacekeeping mechanisms. At the same time, some experts view that African forces would offer less costly alternatives to UN operation worldwide.
The African leaders have ratified a protocol setting up a 15-member Peace and Security Council. It will have the power to call on African armies to provide peacekeeping forces to intervene in any country where crimes against humanity are taking place.
Any achievements by the AU will remain only a dream as long as African leaders continue their old dictatorial behavior, corruption and abuse of human rights. It looks like a long road before the AU becomes like the EU.
