African unity can achieve more and the continent can re-emerge as a global power if its countries’ leaders make a combined effort, says Michael McGowan
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the formation of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was launched to support African states’ ambitions for decolonisation and to defend their sovereignty. In 2002 the OAU was replaced by the African Union (AU), which has continued to unite its member states and develop economic integration. The AU was also determined to strengthen the organisation by introducing a human rights element beside a ‘right to intervene’ in its objectives.
There is no doubt that Africa has produced some of the most distinguished and influential political leaders the world has seen during the last century. The early days of Kwame Nkrumah in Ghana helped blaze the trail for independence of African states, the end of colonialism and the development of the worldwide non-alignment movement, along with Nasser of Egypt and Tito of the former Yugoslavia.
The inspiration of Julius Nyerere of Tanzania was also crucial in promoting self-reliance and co-operative development in Africa, challenging the bullying of the International Monitory Fund (IMF) and World Bank, and playing a leading role among frontline states in opposing apartheid in South Africa, where the courage and inspiration of Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo and their impressive ANC comrades was and continues to be an inspiration to all who struggle for human rights, and against discrimination and the denial of democracy.
A more ambitious future
Although Julius Nyerere referred to the OAU as “a trade union of heads of state”, the founders of the AU in Durban in July 2002 heralded a different and more ambitious future for African unity.
When the OAU was set up 50 years ago, it had a clear mandate to promote unity, solidarity and co-operation among African states and to provide a better quality of life for the people of Africa.
Despite its pitfalls, the OAU was for decades the sole organisation for African political and economic unity with a mandate to defend African sovereignty and territorial integrity, and fight against all forms of colonialism. But overstretched, under-funded and based in a partly refurbished police college in Addis Ababa, the OAU was often ineffective in maintaining peace and stability in Africa.
The unveiling of a memorial stone on the occasion of the commissioning of the AU Conference Centre and Office Complex in Addis Ababa on 28 January last year recorded abuses of human rights suffered by the people of Africa.
These denials of human rights include the slave trade and colonialism, the genocide in Rwanda in 1994, the prison massacres of 1937 and 1974, the Red Terror in Ethiopia and apartheid in South Africa.
Following the establishment of the AU in 2002, and the adoption of policies to uphold constitutional integrity and intervene in humanitarian crisis, it may appear many of the OAU’s flaws have been overcome.
But the failure to address the Western Sahara issue, following the illegal occupation by Morocco condemned by the UN and the EU, is a glaring example of the shortcomings of the organisation.
Africa has a wealth of human and natural resources and now has the opportunity to build on the achievements of 50 years of search for African unity, and on the inspiration of the best years of Kwame Nkrumah, Julius Nyerere, and Nelson Mandela.
The recognition by China – who funded the construction of the new AU headquarters – of the international potential of Africa surely calls for political leadership to move forward with greater unity and co-operation for the continent to play a key role on the world political stage.
The AU has adopted the theme of pan-Africanism and the ‘African Renaissance’ for its jubilee year, with a call for greater regional integration and a celebration of Africa’s re-emergence as a global power.
Michael McGowan is a former MEP and president of the development committee of the European Parliament.
