Mourn Oh! Powerless African Union!

The Voiceless and Powerless African Union
Fr. Ambrose J. Bwangatto
I read with sympathy when the African union delegation was denied landing permission to Libya by the big powers who are pounding Ghadafi with sophisticated guns and the innocent civilians who are bearing the consequences of a war they never planned. The AU committee in their communication desperately said: “The committee, in conformity with resolution 1973(2011) of the United Nations Security Council, requested for the required permission for the flight carrying its members to Libya in order to fulfill their mandate. The committee was denied permission.” By the way, even Uganda ministers Sam Kutesa (Foreign Affairs) and Amama Mbabazi (Security), who represented President Museveni, were part of that delegation. If one takes a cursory look at the AU which is a huge block of 53 African states, numerically, they outnumber the United Nations Security Council which is composed of just five permanent members — China, France, Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States — and ten non-permament members Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Colombia, Gabon, Germany, India, Lebanon, Nigeria, Portugal and South Africa. So, in principle the United Nations Security Council is controlled permanently by just five countries which determine its core business and the security issues in the world which need attention. This explains why the “UN Security Council” assessed Libya’s security situation as grave and immediately voted for a no-fly zone, a measure which was implemented with swift and rapid action and force. I was thrilled by President Museveni’s extensive statement about Libya, which appeared in the main daily newspapers on Tuesday, in which he tried to make a careful and objective assessment of parties in the Libyan conflict without siding with anyone completely, and only ended by saying: “It is high time we did more careful thinking.” Museveni, in his statement, appeared more of an idealist than a pragmatist he is known to be.
Anyway, following the development of events over Libya in the past few days, one would be prompted to ask why would the African Union not handle this problem as President Museveni is claiming that it is an African problem which requires an African solution? If the AU would be actively involved in Somalia which is destabilising the maritime business in the Indian ocean, why would the AU not handle Libyan question as well? And why would Africans ask for permission to fly within Africa? All these and other nagging questions would be given a simple reply: Africa is perceived in the global discourse as still being under tutelage. This myth that Africans are learners is a concept that dominates the consciousness of the developed world and hence relegate our voices to the margins. Even issues typically African will not be accorded world attention unless they are articulated by the voices of the powerful master in the west. We as Africans are rendered voiceless and when we try to talk our voice is drowned by the loud voice of the powerful master. But this trend of events could not be allowed to continue eternally.
Africa must act. Africa must develop strong systems of governance coupled with improved infrastructural development. African leaders must invest in their populations and have a strong and vibrant skilled manpower. It is practically the same as treason for an African leader whether in politics, religion, business, or culture to feel secure by keeping their money in Swiss Banks and invest in the London Stock Exchange and buy a home in a Scandinavian or European country. Africans must invest heavily in the health sector and hence control the sickness of the population, otherwise we shall continue to be mocked as a sick and nauseating continent. Since education and research are the real tools to turn around the fortunes of any population, educational curriculum should be revised to address this requirement. Without a vibrant research culture, there is little chance that meaningful development would be achieved. Research is important because it engages the mind in generating ideas, and the hands in experimenting them. Africa will participate in the world discourse as a meaningful partner, if there is some significant development in all its dimensions. None will respect or listen to any leader whose middle class is the political elite around him and its cronies, whose country lacks infrastructural development, whose population is sick, poor, hungry, emaciated and ignorant. It is not helpful for Africa to keep blasting and criticising the west for whatever they do to Africa, rather Africa must look for answers to get out of this humiliating situation of marginality and how to achieve the development of the continent.