The African Union Met Again But The Hot Spots Still Remain Hot

By Dr. Suleiman Walhad

In the Gambian capital of Banjul, the African Union met yet once again in its now annual rencontre – the 7th Summit of the Union from July 1st to July 2nd, 2006. It must have been very long meetings for the African Head of States in view of the long list of hot and still hotter issues they must have dealt with as is usual for Africa. They must have started their discourses with beautiful words in the form of speeches lamenting the sad story of the continent, what they all think must be done and what should have been done. These should have colored the already colorful African meeting (in terms of their bright and colorful traditional dresses) with no good results as usual.

The Summit would have opened with an inaugural speech by the President of the AU Secretariat, the Malian Alpha Konare, who must have been shocked at the level of corruption in his organization as a result of the publication of the Audit Report of Ernest & Young, which disclosed a wide spread misappropriation of the meager funds of his poor organization. The story has already led to the resignation of his Director of Finance at the Secretariat.

The Somali problem, complicated now by the ascending star of the Union of Islamic Courts and the presence of a delegation from the Somaliland Republic must have caused headaches for these leaders. Issues such as the never-ending Somali problem should have been worked out by regional groupings such as IGAD, which unfortunately also includes the sick baby of the continent - Somalia. Alas! like all things African, and IGAD is no different, they have not solved the problem but continue to complicate it because of their selfish interests.

The interminable Darfour Crisis and its effects on Chad and the Central African Republic must also have caused another terrible headache for the leaders who gathered in Banjul. The Hissaine Habre story and the rapport of the Commission of African Jurists and the unfolding story of Charles Taylor must have taken their toll on these hapless leaders.

The Banjul story did not end with the aforesaid. It was made hotter by the long standing issue of the Western Sahara, where the continent seems to be divided and taking sides, with some such as Southern African countries led by South Africa defending the erstwhile principle of self determination, while others such as Senegal, the Burkinabes, and their colleagues, the Gabonais, defending Morocco’s right to absorb the ex-Spanish Sahara. Sometimes one wonders, how such a diverse continent with diverse populations and diverse objectives, sometimes led by animal/tribal instincts, could ever come to solve complicated issues such as the above noted.

The African rencontre was not spared of further difficulties for they must also have enjoyed the Ethiopian/Eritrean war songs in the form of beautiful oratory by their dictators, each defending that barren little piece of real estate between the two countries, which we all saw in our screens and in the process killing thousands of their citizenry in that illusive “country honor”.

They are reported to have agreed to take bold steps, on paper of course, on these issues and the many other problems besetting the continent only to be dusted again next year, wherever they would be meeting. And the continent (and its population) will continue its lethargic and slow survival march as it has been doing for millennia, like or not and they would meet again to discuss the same problems. I wonder why spend so much energy and fanfare going to these presidential/regal meetings. If they cannot accept compromises and advice and suggestions and solutions that solve the continental problems, why do they waist the meager resources of the “rich” continent. It is the irony of the continent that it is the most endowed continent in natural resources, yet it remains the poorest in world standards such that poverty is equated with Africa. Guess what…It is because of its leadership.

We also must wait for another year to see how far they progressed or regressed.

Awdali@gmail.com

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