Last week, Raila Odinga declared his interest to vie for the position of the chairperson of the African Union Commission to replace Moussa Faki Mahamat whose term comes to an end this year. The announcement has since animated discussions in Kenya, with majority expectedly viewing it through a political lens.
Curiously, the loudest support has come from the government side. The ruling United Democratic Alliance and Amani National Congress, both part of the ruling Kenya Kwanza coalition, have thrown their weight behind Raila ’s candidature. Azimio has not exhibited similar confidence. From what seemed like a hurriedly organised press briefing, to uncoordinated announcements by luminaries, the coalition seems to be groping in the dark as it navigates the ‘uncharted territory’. It deserves looking beyond our usual animated political frame of mind to examine the development.
Flanked by Nigeria’s former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the former premier shared a few reasons why he wants serve in the AU. An avowed pan-Africanist, he explained his desire as that of rightly centering the continent within the global system. The paradox of a resource-rich continent languishing in poverty is one thing that he says needs to be addressed.
This, he points out, can be addressed through continental unity and by leveraging extant complementary opportunities. The persistent migration crisis plaguing Africa did not escape his mention either, with lives lost en route to the search for a more fulfilling life outside the continent. As a basis for his suitability, he references his experience, having previously served as the AU’s High Representative for Infrastructure Development in Africa.
There is certainly little doubt to Raila’s experience and knowledge of Africa’s challenges, needs and aspirations. Africa’s richness is anchored in its vastness in terms of size, population and the natural resources. It is home to approximately 1.3 billion people, inhabiting a geographical expanse of 30 million square kilometres of land.
Its poverty is on the other hand borne out by some indicators. Slightly more than half of the 700 million people categorised as living in extreme poverty are in Sub-Saharan Africa, according to the World Bank. The continent’s share of the global Gross Domestic Product is a paltry three percent despite commanding 18 per cent of the global population. Europe, which commands half of Africa’s global share of population at nine per cent, controls 20 per cent of the global GDP.
Numerous challenges have been identified as contributing to Africa’s sub-optimal performance. They are political, economic, security and diplomatic in nature. Some are internal to the continent, while some are external. As Raila points out, centering Africa’s place in the globe through positive exploitation of its resources should naturally be a shared interest, especially by Africans and in Africa. The existence of the AU is intended to achieve this.
Some initiatives have been birthed for the purpose. An outstanding example is the African Continental Free Trade Area, currently the largest free trade area in the world. If well implemented, it is estimated to hold the potential for creating 18 million jobs, while boosting real income by $300 billion by 2035. Now in its fourth year, the jury on AfCFTA impact is still out there.
Ultimate success, however, lies partly in freeing Africa from the bondage of international interests. It is a key challenge that must be confronted by any AU leadership. The sad reality is that Africa’s bane is a boon for some global interests. The Sentry has, for instance, documented how international interests continue to enslave the Democratic Republic of Congo to perpetual instability.
Foreign companies ‘enjoy’ a free had in exploiting minerals in the eastern part of the country. AU should lead from the front in weaving a narrative and building fortifications strong enough to withstand continued desire by foreign players to create cleavages.
Africa’s profile should be raised to that of a player; and not a pawn in the global game of chess. Recently, France announced its intention to hold a humanitarian conference for Sudan later in April. That it is a European country and not an African country, or AU, leading such conversations is just as baffling as it is unsettling. If successful, Raila may want to lead the quest at reversing Africa’s narrative and role at the global stage.
The writer is PhD student at the University of Nairobi, [email protected]