POLITICS-AFRICA:
Slowly Does It
Joyce Mulama
ACCRA, Jul 4 (IPS) - A gradual approach to pan-African government has won the day at the annual African Union (AU) summit that ended Tuesday in the Ghanaian capital of Accra, where a stormy debate on this issue continued into the night.
The introduction of a continent-wide administration was the main item on the agenda of the gathering.
Those favouring rapid political and economic integration were led by Libyan President Muammar Gadaffi, who said the proposal for continental government should be put to the vote. "We ask heads of state to carry out a referendum so that they will see that all people want a United States of Africa," he said in an address to the approximately 30 leaders attending the summit. The AU has 53 member states.
Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf also came out in support of the immediate establishment of a pan-African government, as did Chad, Ethiopia and Senegal. "Political unity is important for Africa. If we remain fragmented into our little states, we will remain politically weak," said Senegalese head of state Abdoulaye Wade.
But, the majority of countries - including heavyweights South Africa and Nigeria - remained in the moderate camp during the three days of talks.
While Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki agreed that a united Africa would have stronger bargaining power in international negotiations, he underscored the need first to strengthen regional groupings, such as the East African Community (EAC). These, he said, would form the building blocks of continental government.
The EAC is in the process of establishing a common market; there are also plans for political federation by 2013. It comprises Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi.
Ugandan leader Yoweri Museveni was even more circumspect. "Insisting on political integration at the continental level will bring together incompatible linkages that may create tension rather than cohesion," he said.
"This will especially be so if you bring together groups which want to impose their identity on others. I cannot give up my identity for anything."
Lesotho expressed similar concerns. "Full political integration presupposes total surrender of sovereignty. To some of us, this may indeed be a tall order," noted Pakalitha Mosisili, the Southern African country's prime minister.
The AU is now expected to appoint a team to give further study to the steps necessary for achieving integration, and to a deadline for this process. A 2006 AU report on pan-African government, 'An African Union Government: Towards the United States of Africa', had recommended phased integration with the aim of achieving a continental administration by 2015.
Individual states are also expected to conduct public hearings on the matter to ensure that their citizens participate in the debate about uniting Africa.
Civil society is already pressing ahead with giving nationals a voice in discussions about pan-African government, however. A meeting held in Nairobi last month, for instance, gathered the views of citizens with the aim of presenting these at the summit in Ghana - along the opinions of nationals from other countries (see: 'POLITICS-AFRICA: Continental Government by 2015?').
In addition, about 150 non-governmental groups representing 30 African states were present in Accra to lobby the AU over African integration. They called for restrictions on the movement of Africans across the continent to be removed, noting in a communiqué that "continental citizenship" was essential to "continental government" (see: 'POLITICS: "Take The Bull By the Horns And Move Towards a New Country - Africa"').
Addressing the summit, José Manuel Barroso - president of the European Commission, the executive arm of the European Union (EU) - announced that an EU-AU meeting would be held every two years to enable Europe to share its experience of integration.
The concept of an AU government dates back almost half a century to the creation of the union's predecessor, the Organisation of African Unity. This grouping was formed in 1963, and succeeded by the AU in 2002. (END/2007)
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