Africa: Challenges to the African Union

opinion

"A little revolution, now & then, is a healthy thing. It is as natural as lightening."

I was in South Africa between July 5 -15, 2002 on a conference and lecture circuit and luckily witnessed closely the official launch of the African Union on July 9, 2002. The spirit of the day was moving and the South African display to celebrate the re-birth of African unity was magnificent. Thabo Mbeki's speech brought in the achievements of the earlier generation of African leaders to underscore the inherited legacy of unification without let up. Leaders after leaders made speeches to the packed stadium and it looked for a moment citizen and leader registered the same aspiration to see Africa fully united. July 9, 2002 confirmed an important achievement that cannot be ignored or belittled. From leaders to ordinary people, from East to West Africa, from Cape to Cairo, a new wind of change to unfurl the unity of the African national idea gripped the African world. Unity became a shared aspiration. Africans- from the continent and the Diaspora- are all NOW for African unity. This has been the defining and crowning achievement of the moment. Today: Africa's time is expressed through its unity, its renaissance starts from unity. Its stake to claim the 21st century will come on the basis of unity. It is necessary to unite to eradicate poverty. Without a united defence and foreign policy it is difficult to turn Africa into a zone of peace, stability and security. The game in town is thus: unity, unity and unity. That shared understanding and realisation is a powerful spur that can generate a self-momentum and energy for converting our leaders rich rhetoric of unity into an important factor to bring about real unity.

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