3 snaps for AU
At the end of this piece by M, a few thoughts i would like to add... Just like the beautiful people snapped their fingers on live 8, here we go...
Snap1:
Intra trade increased by about 20% this past year. Considering Africa's population, isn't that not an immense market and potential? More of that please.
Snap2:
May i reiterate M's point from Pragma 6 on real solutions especially on civic education. an argument can be made that the seedlings of an African Renaissance have already sprouted and need some serious watering and tending. I would like to point to KJ's Head on corrishon. If you follow the series carefully, you will see empowering messages about voting, democracy and the voice of the youth, especially encouraging them to get voting cards for 2007 elections in Kenya.
Snap3:
Mshairi highlighted a quote from Muammar Gaddafi who was speaking at the African Union summit. 'Begging will not make the future of Africa - it creates a greater gap between the great ones and the small ones,' and Black Ambition gave me a heads up on gaddafi's call for a borderless Africa. The African Union IMO holds much promise in conflict resolution amongst other things. The AU is currently in Darfur but with alimited mandate. [According to an African Union (AU) press release, on May 28, 2004, the AU committed a ceasefire monitoring mission to the Darfur region. Currently, the mandate of the African Union (AU) troops is to oversee the ceasefire and protect the monitoring force on the ground. Their mandate does not extend to the protection of civilians whose lives are in constant danger; AU troops can only protect civilians from imminent threats during accidental "encounters."] I think it comes down to lack of cash. If African leaders were more forward looking and took ownership of our problems, then funding for the AU would not be dependent on appeals for 'logistical support' to the west/GS to intervene in troubled areas, and if we did intervene it would be more than to deal with accidental encounters. In the budgets of African countries, an allocation for payment into the AU would be good. Diaspora contribution to the AU would also be a good thing. Feel free to share what you think, especially in regards to the AU.
Snap1:
Intra trade increased by about 20% this past year. Considering Africa's population, isn't that not an immense market and potential? More of that please.
Snap2:
May i reiterate M's point from Pragma 6 on real solutions especially on civic education. an argument can be made that the seedlings of an African Renaissance have already sprouted and need some serious watering and tending. I would like to point to KJ's Head on corrishon. If you follow the series carefully, you will see empowering messages about voting, democracy and the voice of the youth, especially encouraging them to get voting cards for 2007 elections in Kenya.
Snap3:
Mshairi highlighted a quote from Muammar Gaddafi who was speaking at the African Union summit. 'Begging will not make the future of Africa - it creates a greater gap between the great ones and the small ones,' and Black Ambition gave me a heads up on gaddafi's call for a borderless Africa. The African Union IMO holds much promise in conflict resolution amongst other things. The AU is currently in Darfur but with alimited mandate. [According to an African Union (AU) press release, on May 28, 2004, the AU committed a ceasefire monitoring mission to the Darfur region. Currently, the mandate of the African Union (AU) troops is to oversee the ceasefire and protect the monitoring force on the ground. Their mandate does not extend to the protection of civilians whose lives are in constant danger; AU troops can only protect civilians from imminent threats during accidental "encounters."] I think it comes down to lack of cash. If African leaders were more forward looking and took ownership of our problems, then funding for the AU would not be dependent on appeals for 'logistical support' to the west/GS to intervene in troubled areas, and if we did intervene it would be more than to deal with accidental encounters. In the budgets of African countries, an allocation for payment into the AU would be good. Diaspora contribution to the AU would also be a good thing. Feel free to share what you think, especially in regards to the AU.
posted by Afromusing at
7/05/2005 09:55:00 PM
4 Comments:
People will not take the AU seriously if it does not speak out against its own errant elements, case in point Mugabe and Museveni
I love the way your mind works, Afromusing!
I am a great fan of the AU and like to think it has great potential - if only African leaders would see its importance and invest in it.
The AU needs some strong leadership and is read for heroes/heroines. Leaders willing to stand and be counted on behalf of Africa’s citizens.
Gaddafi’s motives are suspect; the man should stop funding and arming rebel armies across the region if he is serious about African advancement.
Thanks for the post.
i wish this was the end of politics of empty words, declarations, statements, agreements, and so forth.
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