By Melaku Mulualem (August 26, 2013)
The Organization of African Unity was established on May 25,1963 in Addis Ababa. In 2002 it was formally superseded by the African Union, which has now 54 member States.
The African Union has a vision of “an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in global arena”.
The main tasks of the African Union focus on security and stability, development, integration, cooperation and collaboration among African States, promoting good governance and democracy as well as human rights. From the above mentioned function of the African Union we can understand that this continental organization has vast tasks which need the support of researchers and policy analysts in various fields.
In order to meet the above mentioned objectives the African Union has passed many decisions. Out of these decisions Charters, Treaties, Conventions and Protocols are legally binding on those African countries that ratified them. However Declarations and Resolutions are not binding on member states. According to various sources the main problem of the African Union is the implementation of its decisions by member states. Lack of strong oversigthing mechanism of implementations is the underline problem of the continental organization.
In my opinion, unless the African Union is supported by knowledge it may be difficult to realize the integration of the continent. Currently the African Union is using its internal and external capacity for research works. In the decision making process of the continental organization, the AU Commission convenes meetings of experts from member states in order to get better information and input to the decision.
The other source of information to the African Union is the research works of various institutes and think tanks that are working on conflict analysis. For instance the out puts of the African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD) and Institute for Security Studies ( ISS) are useful to the African Union. Parallel to these sources of information and research out puts, I would also like to argue on the need of a continental think tank for the African Union.
According to different sources, the term “think tank” originates in the 1940s that produces fresh ideas, advice, analysis and various recommendations. Think tanks are useful in producing policy-oriented researches on different pressing issues. Such think tanks strive for having research freedom and independence from specific interests.
Well organized think tanks engaged in “framing policy issues, researching and writing books, articles, policy briefs and monographs, conducting evaluations of government programs; disseminating their research findings and conducting various outreach activities …creating networks and exchanges via workshops, seminars, and briefings…”. In my opinion, the African Union should also have its own think tank that has similar functions with the above quoted activities.
The African Union has various organs with specific tasks. These organs need rapid and high-quality information and analysis for discharging their responsibilities. Especially in making decisions on various issues timely and reliable research and analysis output of the continental think tank is a paramount importance. The think tank can also help in transforming ideas and output of refined researches in to policy issues.
Moreover, organs of the African Union can also rely on various publications of the continental think tank that may contain facts and figures. One can also argue that this continental think tank can have better access to the information of the African Union than any other think tanks working on Africa. This think tank can “play the role of insiders and become an integral part of the policy process”. The African Union can benefit from this think tank that can identify problems and provide possible recommendations and African-led solutions to different pressing issues.
In my opinion, this continental think tank should be comprised of researchers who have high caliber in their specific field of studies. The think tank, which is organized by skilled man power and the necessary materials, is able to conduct state-of-the art policy research that can contribute for managing current and future challenges of the African Union.
Establishing continental think tank means developing ‘one-stop-shop’ system for getting pertinent information and an in-depth analysis for making decisions at various levels of the African Union. This is to mean that organs of the African Union can get knowledge support from one area, rather than outsourcing their research needs to a range of think tanks.
It is my strong belief that the establishment of continental think tank will enhance the quality of the service of the AU Commission to other organs. Based on communication between the continental think tank and the Commission, the former can provide fact-based and policy relevant research and analysis in an intended time. Even if topics of research can be forwarded to the research team from the organs of the AU, researchers can also take their own initiatives to write on hot and important issues that would help Africa to maintain peace and development.
In disseminating its research findings discussion forums and its own websites can play great role. Many other websites of think tanks carry “speeches, commentaries by the fellows, conference reports and programs, synoptic analyses, book abstracts, biographies of their experts, information on events and, increasingly, video and audio clips…”.The continental think tank can also have similar website by which it can disseminate its activities. Through the website it is also possible to spark discussions between researchers and policy makers.
Establishment of think tank for Africa is a good opportunity for experts of the continent to work together on common issues. In addition to this, the continental think tank can also help as a bridge between the African Union and think tanks that are working on Africa, which are trying to establish “working relationships with different organs and institutions of the African Union in order to influence, in one way or another, the decision-making processes of the continental organization”. This continental think tank can support other concerned think tanks to engage constructively with the African Union and its organs in the interest of peace, security and development of the continent.
This continental think tank can be a knowledge center of the continent, which is vital to achieve integration of Africa and to bridge the gap between theory and practice of “Union Government” of Africa. It can have various departments such as department of peace and security, economy, social and cultural issues, energy, human security, democracy and good-governance, legal issues and the like.
In the framework of working in collaboration with other international think tanks, the continental think tank can also establish networkings that help to reach larger audiences. Networking with similar institutions is useful for the promotion of research outputs in its various dimensions-such as economic, social, cultural and political issues.
By establishing working relationships with other think tanks it is feasible to work on common and prime concerns as well as it gives a window of an opportunity to focus on identified problems and challenges so as to develop possible solutions at an early stage. This continental think tank can also play vital role in disseminating information to governments, policy and decision makers, international organizations, academia, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders.
In my opinion, the African Union should have its own think tank that can work on preparing scientific researches based on analysis of data of the continent, networking of think tanks of Africa, advising the Commissioners and other senior officials of the AU including the Panel of the Wise, publishing journals, stimulating debates through conferences and workshops, commenting on draft conventions and agreements of the AU and the Pan African Parliament, linking the programs and activities of Regional Economic Communities , oversighting the implementations of decisions and conventions in the member States, facilitating the integration of the continent, supporting the preparation of the strategic plan of the AU, preparing newsletters and information brochures, facilitating policy dialogues and provide policy recommendations, conducting pre and post AU Summit seminars, documentation of institutional memories, disseminating and publicizing research findings and providing training to the newly recruited employee.
Most think tanks rely on various sources of fund. Of course the mix of funding varies from institution to institution. Donors can also challenge the independence and innovation of the think tank by hampering it from writing on new and important research topics. However, diversified funding base may help in avoiding such influences from donors. Since it is not a profit-making organization, the continental think tank may generate its own fund through projects. For the sake of being out of unnecessary influences, it should also be an autonomous think tank which is committed to making the integration plan of the continent a reality.
Finally, I would like to conclude this article by recommending the main office of the continental think thank of Africa to be near to the Headquarter of the African Union. This is because the think tank can work constantly with the African Union and its Commission at the same place.