By: Solomon Dawit
Unlike in the decades in the past, no continental agenda, once on the platform, seems to hang out for future treatment. This is probably attributed to growing sense of brotherhood, shared aspirations, taking action where and when it calls for, common ownership of continental agendas, and sharing experience – and all that under the auspices of African spirit from the AU.
Issues untouchable in times past are now fought out face to face. Owning of such issues of the Sudans, creating a government from a wrecked Somalia, and fighting the faithless infidels disguised in the name of real religion in that country is a new phenomenon in the history of the continent.
African voice reaching all corners of the planet, and valued to the measures of dignity of the African continent is another. This in turn has garnered new friendships beyond diplomacy. Many are lining to invest and benefit in independent African countries with their own political systems guided by their own constitutions, and international conventions when applicable.
A lot can be talked and written about new and major accomplishments in the African continent. But what is in store for us not yet getting a touch of our thinking, and practice is where we have to reflect and craft relevant agendas for urgency:
Ø Loose ends of guarantee of peace all over the continent
Ø Excessive dependence of the agriculture on nature
Ø Lack of a long term continental strategy, from continental aspirations, and continental vision
Ø Excessive lack of the knowledge and practice of the sciences and technologies now in full control of human existence, for good or bad, on the planet
Ø The void between all the needs of Africa ( as a continent and as a country in the near future) on various practical issues and requisite strategic framework to fully exercise on the issues.
Ø And above all, still, the need of rock-steady foundation on which our confidence will rest amidst all challenges on the pipeline.
What does our reading about ourselves, at the moment, tell us?
v Soaring population
v Surging unemployment
v A big part of the youth sentimentally looking at itself elsewhere
across the oceans
v Less friendly natural environment
v Less secured peace
v A continent, still aloof from the sciences and technologies of the millennium
v Still tied up solely to agricultural products
v Absolute dependence on foreign health materials
v Sustained dependence on costly foreign construction, and consultancy services – of brainwork – throughout the continent.
What is to be done?
First and foremost is to give recognition to what problems we are still stuck to, and the fact that we are in the grip of glaringly readable consequences.
When we come to searching for solutions, the premises of the change will have to rest on rock-hard guiding principles, not easily swayed by alien thunderstorm.
It is based on those principles we can offensively go for clearing the continent of any fog guarding quite a good part of the gloom we have traversed. It is then, our ideas and actions propel our continent to strategic heights.
Not throughout the continent has ever peace reigned even after about the whole continent’s independence in the 1960s. But, after so long, we are witnessing comparative peace all over., It is likely that the ugly face of war will wane through time. But absence of war – no war at all – only will not guarantee permanent peace. Crunching the ideas for viable peaceful life for all Africans being good, it is its survival, in practice, that matters.
For peace and more, the requirement of solid continental institutions now inexistence is on the horizon. The nature of those institutions is continental. They are neither national nor regional.
What makes those institutions continental? Following is a sample of what continental institutions may be idealized. They will be, in all aspects continental including:
¬ Definition and elaboration of purpose
¬ Mission and strategy definition
¬ Decisions for establishment
¬ Financing and running
¬ Location as per continental decision
¬ Follow up and management
¬ Resource allocations
A sample from among many institutions could be the following:
Continental Universities:established solidly, but to start with selected subject matter in science, technology, engineering, medicine and social sciences. Agricultural Universities on their own: May include agricultural specialized training, and research
Continental research centers: including armament and security. Specialized technical centers: Road, railway, airports and seaports design and constructioninstitutions with training centers of different levels
Continental telecommunication institutions:Telecommunication science and technology is admittedly mysterious in our continent. As far this sector is concerned, Africa is dependent on others in absolute terms. Let alone continental secrets, individual family-life secrets are exposed to the owners of the system. This technology with a raised nomenclature – cybernetics – and its concomitant genetic engineering are absolutely non-African, for neither our contribution nor
their operations exist in the continent in substance. People may argue that we too are there, but we are not. The poor boys and girls feeding on the leftover of hotels, universities and the like may take themselves as sharing the real dishes of those institutions; in like manners, we may sentimentally align ourselves with the owners of those technologies, and probably more. That is a wrong picture about us, if it ever exists.
Saying that, can any African country alone, and for that matter an African region dream having the capacity to filling the void, and with the urgency for the survival of the continent,?
This idea will help pooling the best of Africans who want to serve their continent but living and working elsewhere below their capacity. There are scientists, professors, and specialists feeling pain from lack of space in their continent they can fill for its success. There are many coming for visit of their homeland with something in their baggage they feel beneficial in their countries. Sometimes they come in groups with some assignments pertinent to their specialization and engage themselves where they feel their contribution is worth their effort. They are visiting doctors, engineers, and other professionals. It is those and more who will join in the long term strategic endeavors of the continent. As one can’t benefit without collecting water where and how, in the absence of organized motion, it is difficult, and most of the time impossible to garner the best of resources, including the best people.
To conclude: The dawn of Africa has manifested in a form of hope and eagerness to double, triple, …multiply our steps forward – a glaring feature of our continent. On the other hand, we are aching as a consequence of what our continent lacks most. That is where the run is so demanding, and calling for the full energy of the whole continent. It is either which will decide on our fate – surge forward with momentum along a new road paved with new guiding principles, new ideas, vision, mission and clear goals and targets in practice to witness our shots.