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Momodou
Denmark
11828 Posts |
 Posted - 06 Jul 2007 : 21:42:59
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Foroyaa Editorial
AFRICAN HEADS OF STATE AGREE ON THE NEXT STEP FORWARD
NO TURNING BACK
The 9 Ordinary Session of the Assembly by Heads of State of the African Union held in Ghana from 1 – 3 July 2007 is now history.
Despite the fact that the Heads of State exceeded the time allocated to the Grand Debate and stayed half a day extra to complete their mission, there is still the dominant opinion in the local and international media that the summit was a failure and that the Grand Debate amounted to nothing.
These opinions, however, cannot be dismissed entirely as hostile propaganda. It may be borne out of the long history of holding OAU Summit without achieving the goals of unity.
Furthermore, there is the issue of information access. Such summits are usually held under close doors and there is no independent news agency that is capable of getting vital information until a final communiqué is issued. The AU Commission needs to look into the problem of access to information during such important summits. One cannot close summits to the media without any consistent briefing and expect the African people to be properly informed.
However, Foroyaa would like to counsel the media fraternity to read in between the lines to get to the truth. Foroyaa is privileged to know the basis of the Grand Debate. Every information we have given so far can be taken as irrefutable.
The 9th Ordinary Session has been devoted exclusively to the Grand Debate because of the commitment to accelerate the process of economic and political integration.
Foroyaa had made it categorically clear that the grand debate is not about spontaneity or gradualism in establishing a union government and state but an attempt to find a realistic way forward or continental unity.
The term of office of the chairperson, deputy chairperson and commissioners had also expired and their election was due. This often comes with immense lobbying.
In his interview, President Kufour of Ghana, the current president of the Assembly, corroborated Foroyaa’s statement by asserting that “the debate has not been about winners and losers, majority or minority, instantists or the gradualists. We emerged with a common vision in principle for the realisation of a union government. We all have a shared vision of a united, vibrant continental union”.
The lesson is clear.
Those who claim that the summit was a failure are entitled to their opinion. They are no different from those who originally claimed that OAU will never be transformed into the AU when the Heads of State first went to Sirte, Libya in 1999.
However, in 2002 South Africa became the host for the birth of the African Union. Three years after the birth of the AU, the Heads of State established a Committee of Seven Heads of State to preside over a study on the establishment of African Union government and the United States of Africa.
These Seven Heads of State presented their report in 2006. This study is made the Subject of a grand debate in 2007.
At the end of the summit the Heads of State agree to set up a committee to prepare a time frame and road map to found the union government which will be considered for adoption by the Heads of State in January 2008 which is the period scheduled for the 10 Ordinary Session.
What is unrealistic about such a proposal? What would have been the realistic option? Those who claim that the final decision is unrealistic now have the duty to tell us what is realistic. If they have no offers to give then they should be seen as criticising for the sake of it. This will not take Africa forward.
We must again emphasise that the United States did not become united after eradicating poverty and civil war. It became united in the midst of poverty and civil war. In the same vein, the different states of the US did not unite because they were even in economic and social development.
They united and promoted balance and proportionate development. Africa has no option for attaining optimum social and economic development than unity.
Foroyaa will keep you informed of all progress and obstacles. We are however, certain that we will see African unity in our life time.
This is the verdict of history and it is irrevocable.
Source: Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No. 78/2007, 6 – 8 July 2007
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