Beyond the rhetorics, when will ordinary everyday Africans feel the impact of existence of the African Union?
I've been asking these questions with the assumption that I have no answer to them,
hoping that these questions will provoke a deep conversation across the continent on the need to transform the continental body from being an elite club for African Heads of State to a more vibrant, focused, responsible, responsive and operationally tilting towards the interest of ordinary everyday Africans, and genuinely committed inter alias, to Africa's intra- & inter- trade progress, fostering improved multilateral trade treaties that put jobs on the continent.
While our market in Africa is 'eyed' and tapped by businesses outside Africa, the principle of reciprocity shouldn't be undermined. African businesses should be able to access markets of other regions at the same conditions that allows businesses of those regions to access our market.
The transition from aid-driven Africa to market-driven, value-driven and purpose-driven Africa should be prompted and pushed to realization by a renewed, more dynamic and determined African Union.
We must revisit instrument, the Charter that set up the African Union with the aim to review it to give more responsibility and power to the continental body to function effectively in the light of 21st century realities like the European Union.
Africa's Inherent Wealth And Development Potential:
Africa is rich in mineral resources, and said to be worth Hundreds of Trillions in $US . But until there are well articulated policies, political stability, visionary leadership at country level and at AU level, the continent will remain impoverished despite inherent wealth.
Electric cars revolution has seen price of Cobalt surge. Cobalt is an indispensable material used by electric car makers.
Africa via Democratic Republic Congo has the largest deposits of Cobalt.
Unfortunately, there seems to be no vision, no articulated and coordinated policies to ensure that both DRC and Africa derive maximum benefit from the "necessity" placed on Cobalt by global players like electric car makers.
Africa must begin to come to the negotiating table from the position of strength. And Africa does have strength. Let no one tell us otherwise. If there is no negotiating table, we must create one!
The rest of the world shouldn't continue to develop using Africa 's resources while Africa and Africans remain underdeveloped. We need to go back to the negotiating table or create a new table for talks to have a better deal.
Talking about better deal, it's not just pricing the commodity. It goes beyond pricing. There is environmental implication that should be addressed.
There is health implication to be addressed. There is need for human development of the locals. Kids must go to school, not mining sites. Need to build factories and create jobs for locals in a more formal setting. Etc.
By Andrew Adedayo Adetoye
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