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YESTERDAY Zimbabwe joined the rest of the continent in commemorating Africa Day, an occasion set aside to celebrate the achievements of Africa. The day coincided with the celebration of the African Union’s 51st anniversary with the body having been formed in 2001 taking over from the original Organisation of African Unity which was promulgated in Addis Ababa in 1963.
Kudos are in order and we congratulate the continental mother body for standing true to the organisation’s ideals and vision and not deviating from the founding ethos. Having achieved its key objective of ending colonial rule in Africa, the AU finds itself confronted with fresh challenges.
By and large, the AU has achieved most of the objectives it set itself when it was founded and these include greater unity and solidarity between the African countries and the people of Africa and defending the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of its Member States. Zimbabwe is an example of a country which has enjoyed support from its sister nations on the continent when it was under siege from the West after it embarked on the land reform programme.
The AU and Sadc never shirked in their unwavering support for Zimbabwe at its hour of need and today the country stands strong and united thanks in part to the efforts of Sadc particularly former South African President Thabo Mbeki who brokered the unity government between Zanu-PF and the MDC in 2008. The AU has also accelerated the political and socio-economic integration of the continent and promoted and defended African common positions on issues of interest to the continent and its peoples at international fora such as the United Nations.
To a large extent it has also promoted peace, security, and stability on the continent and encouraged the adoption of democratic principles and strengthened institutions, popular participation and good governance on the continent. Though challenges remain in trouble spots in East and West Africa, the rest of the continent is an oasis of peace.
It was the AU that in 2011 helped to have Cote d’Ivoire opposition leader Alassane Ouattara recognised as president after then leader Laurent Gbagbo had refused to hand over power after losing at the polls. However, it faces a fresh threat of Islamic extremism. The Somali extremist group, Al-Shabaab, has waged a terror campaign in the Horn of Africa nation and across East Africa, with attacks spreading to neighbouring Kenya.
The September 21, 2013 attack on Kenya’s Westgate Shopping Mall claimed over 67 lives and left more than 175 people wounded. The Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack. Kenya’s port city and popular tourist destination of Mombasa also experienced a number of terrorist attacks from Al-Shabaab, with the United Kingdom, US and French governments issuing warnings to their citizens not to travel there.
In West Africa, the region has been rocked by instability thanks to the Nigerian-based extremist group, Boko Haram. The group, which is also linked to Al-Qaeda, gained international attention after the abduction of 276 schoolgirls in Chibok in Nigeria’s northeast Borno state on April 14.
The Nigerian government has struggled to contain Boko Haram’s attacks and the extremist group has attacked neighbouring countries, including Cameroon.
There are also fears of instability in parts of neighbouring Chad, Niger, Cameroon, Benin, Ghana and even Central African Republic. Analysts feel that the AU has over the years become lax, leaving the developed world to play the rescue role in African conflicts. Over the years, the AU has folded its hands and has become used to having the super powers intervening in its conflicts.
That is why instead of the AU moving instantly to thwart Boko Haram insurgents, we have the US, Israel and France deploying military personnel at the border between Chad and Nigeria to help find the kidnapped girls. The AU should immediately activate its standby force which should be ready to intervene in any conflict.
Zimbabwe finds itself in a unique position of leading both the AU and Sadc with President Mugabe poised to take over chairmanship of both organisations next year. By virtue of being First Vice chairman of the AU Bureau and vice chairperson of Sadc, Cde Mugabe is in a strong position to clinch both posts. So the country has a critical role to play on the continent and should provide leadership when called upon to do so.
derick.khumalo