Back and Next - Back and NextA new Africa
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
The idea has nothing to do with infrastructure development, nor does it have anything to do with wealth acquisition or military might of some sort. It is the course of decision making, which determines the shape of the continent’s development process, that confirms its status as one containing independent, sovereign nations.
Going by the above, the recently concluded Sharm El-Sheikh African heads of states meeting unveiled a ‘new Africa’, in terms of the drive by its leadership. The meeting came at the height of some of the most divisive debates to have engulfed the continent since independence, the crisis in Zimbabwe. Or could we be right to call it a crisis? Well, that is for the individual reader to come to a decision on.
As you would expect though, all issues with the tendency to generate outside concerns are bound to be met with the appropriate foreign influence. This explains why the continent’s leaders were under such a visibly immense pressure. But, as it eventually emerged, and in defiance of history, they wouldn’t be drawn into indecisiveness, despite the occasional, unparalleled, betraying outburst here and there, which characterised the weekend meeting.
Under the influence of powerful outside forces, there was no way that you were going to see suppression of voices which manifest betrayal of the general feelings of the majority of the leaders who, nonetheless, took a unified stance, especially on the issue on Zimbabwe.
As President Jammeh put it, the climax of the heads of state meeting went on to confirm the emergence of a new crop of leaders, whose decision will not be shaped by any outside influence. This new Africa is the progeny of the ‘new crop’ of leadership cited by the Gambian leader, whose statement can be indicative of the fact that, in spite of the mounting pressure, the meeting carried on with its atmosphere of focusness, and it ensured that the agenda was not sidelined. After all, Zimbabwe is not the only issue that yearns for urgent redress.
As a matter of fact, the Peace and Security Council of the AU is, arguably, the most challenged in the world, given the never-ending unrest that continues to plague the continent. The ever fragile situation in the horn of Africa, with Somalis remaining the most distorted psychologically, thanks to the senseless war that has continued to engulf them, calls for attention, as any other perceived problem on the continent.
There is also the border rift between Ethiopia, Eritrea and Djibouti; the impasse in Ivory Coast; and, of course, the standard of living of the poor Africans outside war torn areas; the list goes on and on and on.
If anything, the Sharm El-Sheikh summit also re-emphasised the need for the continental body to consider putting up mechanism for the establishment of the much fancied pan-African media institution. Not one that is influenced by outsiders, but one that is run in Africa, by Africans and for Africans; one that will not only serve as a mouthpiece, but a connection hub between it and the people.
One of the reasons why we have not been able to fix certain issues as a continent is that we have not been able to get to discussing them in the first place. The tradition has been that whenever African leaders converge, the influence of some outside forces would dictate their already set agenda, and, as we have seen in numerous assemblies before Sharm El-Sheikh, the leaders had ended up discussing rather irrelevant issues with absolutely no significant bearing on the plight of the continent’s people. The trend that has already been set by Sharm El-Sheikh should continue, if Africans are to reap the real benefit of independence.
Going by the above, the recently concluded Sharm El-Sheikh African heads of states meeting unveiled a ‘new Africa’, in terms of the drive by its leadership. The meeting came at the height of some of the most divisive debates to have engulfed the continent since independence, the crisis in Zimbabwe. Or could we be right to call it a crisis? Well, that is for the individual reader to come to a decision on.
As you would expect though, all issues with the tendency to generate outside concerns are bound to be met with the appropriate foreign influence. This explains why the continent’s leaders were under such a visibly immense pressure. But, as it eventually emerged, and in defiance of history, they wouldn’t be drawn into indecisiveness, despite the occasional, unparalleled, betraying outburst here and there, which characterised the weekend meeting.
Under the influence of powerful outside forces, there was no way that you were going to see suppression of voices which manifest betrayal of the general feelings of the majority of the leaders who, nonetheless, took a unified stance, especially on the issue on Zimbabwe.
As President Jammeh put it, the climax of the heads of state meeting went on to confirm the emergence of a new crop of leaders, whose decision will not be shaped by any outside influence. This new Africa is the progeny of the ‘new crop’ of leadership cited by the Gambian leader, whose statement can be indicative of the fact that, in spite of the mounting pressure, the meeting carried on with its atmosphere of focusness, and it ensured that the agenda was not sidelined. After all, Zimbabwe is not the only issue that yearns for urgent redress.
As a matter of fact, the Peace and Security Council of the AU is, arguably, the most challenged in the world, given the never-ending unrest that continues to plague the continent. The ever fragile situation in the horn of Africa, with Somalis remaining the most distorted psychologically, thanks to the senseless war that has continued to engulf them, calls for attention, as any other perceived problem on the continent.
There is also the border rift between Ethiopia, Eritrea and Djibouti; the impasse in Ivory Coast; and, of course, the standard of living of the poor Africans outside war torn areas; the list goes on and on and on.
If anything, the Sharm El-Sheikh summit also re-emphasised the need for the continental body to consider putting up mechanism for the establishment of the much fancied pan-African media institution. Not one that is influenced by outsiders, but one that is run in Africa, by Africans and for Africans; one that will not only serve as a mouthpiece, but a connection hub between it and the people.
One of the reasons why we have not been able to fix certain issues as a continent is that we have not been able to get to discussing them in the first place. The tradition has been that whenever African leaders converge, the influence of some outside forces would dictate their already set agenda, and, as we have seen in numerous assemblies before Sharm El-Sheikh, the leaders had ended up discussing rather irrelevant issues with absolutely no significant bearing on the plight of the continent’s people. The trend that has already been set by Sharm El-Sheikh should continue, if Africans are to reap the real benefit of independence.
Author: DO
See Also - See Also