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Africa @55: Political threats remain

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WHEN the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) was formed on May 25 1963, the bloc was driven by an objective of doing away with all forms of colonialism while at the same time uniting Africa.
But the threat of Africa getting nominal independence was always there and lurking.
Nominal independence is when a country controls the flag only, while the means of production and land are in the hands of others. The stalwarts behind the formation of this significant bloc were acutely aware that in the absence of unity between and among African nations, colonialism and neo-colonialism would be difficult to contain.
As such, they anchored their objectives on attaining political independence first before pursuing economic independence.
When the process of integrating Africa into one entity began, many nations, especially those in the southern Africa region, were still under the yoke of colonialism and the need to proffer support was even more compelling.
This was a fight for Africa’s resources, itself the cause of the Berlin partitioning of the continent.
During the ill-fated Berlin Conference, Africa was divided into territories from which European countries created the platform to colonise the African continent.
In their 1997 report titled Geography: Realms, Regions and Concepts, de Blij and Peter O. Muller, describe the Berlin Conference as the venue where Africa’s fate was sealed.
“The Berlin Conference was Africa’s undoing in more ways than one. The colonial powers superimposed their domains on the African continent. By the time independence returned to Africa in 1950, the realm had acquired a legacy of political fragmentation that could neither be eliminated nor made to operate satisfactorily,” reads the report in part.
“In 1884, at the request of Portugal, German Chancellor Otto von Bismark called together the major Western powers of the world to negotiate questions and end confusion over the control of Africa. Bismark appreciated the opportunity to expand Germany’s sphere of influence over Africa and desired to force Germany’s rivals to struggle with one another for territory.
At the time of the conference, 80 percent of Africa remained under traditional and local control.
What ultimately resulted was a hodgepodge of geometric boundaries that divided Africa into 50 irregular countries.
This new map of the continent was superimposed over the 1 000 indigenous cultures and regions of Africa. The new countries lacked rhyme or reason and divided coherent groups of people and merged together disparate groups who really did not get along.
Fourteen countries were represented by a plethora of ambassadors when the conference opened in Berlin on November 15 1884. The countries represented at the time included Austria-Hungary, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, The Netherlands, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden-Norway (unified from 1814-1905), Turkey, and the United States of America. Of these 14 nations, France, Germany, Great Britain and Portugal were the major players in the conference, controlling most of colonial Africa at the time.
The initial task of the conference was to agree that the Congo River and Niger River mouths and basins would be considered neutral and open to trade. Despite its neutrality, part of the Congo Basin became a personal kingdom for Belgium’s King Leopold II and under his rule, over half of the region’s population died.”
It is important to unpack the current state of affairs in Africa in light of the Berlin Conference.
The Berlin Conference not only resulted in the colonialisation of the African continent, but created states that were run by Western powers while land and minerals were plundered with impunity.
Zimbabwe has just emerged from almost two decades of a bruising fight with Western powers over its land and abundant natural resources.
Today the threat of neo-colonialism remains a distinct possibility through the divisions that continue to rock the continent and the poverty confronting it.
Liberation movements in southern Africa continue to be on the receiving end of the machinations of Westen powers who want to plunder the region’s resources. The West’s strategy revolves around installing puppet governments that have nothing to do with the liberation struggle.
Africa has sought to tackle these problems.
In January 2015, Africa came up with an initiative aimed at making the continent highly industrialised within the next 50 years.
Agenda 2063 is a road map of developmental programmes which Africa, as an integrated continent, is determined to carry out over the next 50 years.
It is anchored on the realisation that, as a continent, Africa has the capability to realise its full potential to fully develop and establish flourishing, inclusive and prosperous societies. And as Africa celebrates its 55th anniversary, there is no doubt Africans are committed to actualising the seven aspirations entrenched in Agenda 2063.
The seven aspirations are:
l A prosperous Africa based on inclusive growth and sustainable development;
l An integrated continent, politically united based on the ideals of pan-Africanism and the vision of Africa’s Renaissance;
l An Africa of good governance, democracy, respect for human rights, justice and the rule of law;
l A peaceful and secure Africa;
l An Africa with a strong cultural identity, common heritage, shared values and ethics;
l An Africa whose development is people-driven, relying on the potential of African people, especially its women and youth; and caring for children
l Africa as a strong, united, resilient and influential global player and partner.
The question remains whether Africa will be able to meet these targets, given how deeply divided the continent is.
For Zimbabwe, the ride has somewhat been on the positive, with the country’s revolutionary Land Reform and Resettlement Programme of 2000 already showing signs that it has responded to the aspirations of the majority.
The over 400 000 families who have benefitted from the programme have made huge strides in their lives with the majority of them being proud owners of property, sending their children to schools.
Small-scale miners have also benefitted from the Government of Zimbabwe’s mechanisation programme which has seen them producing more than 50 percent of the country’s annual gold production in 2017.
But the country’s political arena continues to be disturbed by the ever intrusive hand of the West, particularly the US which wants to install a government that panders to its whims. History is the best teacher in this regard.
In its issue of May 12 1965, The Wall Street Journal published a story that was replete with the US’ capitalist thinking.
Under the headline ‘Poor Nations’ Plight’, the paper first analyses ‘which countries are considered industrial and which backward.’
It said:
“A generally used breakdown, however, has recently been maintained by the International Monetary Fund because, in the words of an IMF official, ‘the economic demarcation in the world is getting increasingly apparent’.
The break-down, the official says, ‘is based on simple common sense’.”
Africa has failed to develop because of the West which continues to plunder its resources.
Now consider the following statements:
l Jacques Chirac (2008): “Without Africa, France will slide down to the rank of a Third World power.”
l Francois Mitterrand (1957): “Without Africa, France will have no history in 21st Century.”
l Jacques Godfrain (2011): “A little country (France) with a small amount of strength, we can move a planet because of our relations with 15 or 20 African countries.”
l Pierre Moscovici (2013): “We have to speak the language of truth: African growth pulls us along. Its dynamism supports us and its vitality is stimulating for us… we need Africa.”
Africa should be independent and free from undue influences and pressure from external patronage.

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