Start on the right foot
Karim Bah in Sierra Leone
The Commission for Africa comes at a time when most Africans think that the African Union is gearing up to be more proactive and relevant to the people of Africa. To some the Commission appears an attempt to confuse and distract Africa and Africans.
Since the end of colonialism, western countries have tried to portray Africa as a lost cause, a continent and people lacking the ability to lift itself up from poverty towards development and progress. Since the first European sailors and missionaries came to Africa, a perception has been promoted that Africans are poor savages who lack intelligence and civilization – but in fact the slave trade and colonialism are the root causes of the African’s present crises. This was the period when Africa was launched into the world economy as a satellite – firstly to provide labour in the plantations during slave trade, and then as producers of primary products during colonialism.
Unless we recognise the past, we cannot chart the future
If Tony Blair is serious about lifting Africa from poverty, the Commission must address the real issues. Exploitative trade relations between Africa and Europe is one. Injustice in the Word Trade Organisation is another. The unfair and unjustifiable debt burden on Africa is a third. But above all The Commission must acknowledge the holocaust of the slave trade by Europe against Africa, and open up negotiations to pay reparations for those crimes.
Instead of addressing those critical issues, the West is trying to integrate Africa into a world economy on an unequal basis. It is like forcing a young boy to fight a heavyweight boxer in a professional fight – a fight in which the referee does not consider that the boy doesn’t even own a boxing glove.
This is not the first time the West has attempted to come up with a prescription to lift Africa from its predicament. All have failed because they started on the wrong foot – solutions from outside. There is no sign that this one is any different. Instead of supporting the African Union, they came up with the NEPAD. Now instead of supporting the Africa Peace and Security Council, comes the setting up the European Military Force for Africa.
Of course there are leading Africans in the Commission itself – but some of us fear that serving African leaders will hide behind the cover of diplomatic language. Will these leaders stand up to Tony Blair and tell him them what’s really in their minds?
If anyone thinks Africa will continue like this forever then they are mistaken. The present generation of young Africans will surely dedicate themselves to the freedom of our peoples. Now is the time for the African Union and African leaders to bring to fruition the dream of Kwame Nkrumah – one united Africa, one common currency, bank, market and security. As Bob Marley said, "Africans Unite, as it has been said, let it be done. Africa unite for the benefit of your people".
Karim Bah is a member of the Pan African Union (PANAFU) and works for an NGO in Sierra Leone