Recently, opposition leader Raila Odinga declared his interest to bid for chairperson of the African Union Commission to replace Moussa Faki, whose term ends this year.
The announcement has animated Kenya’s discussions, with many expectedly viewing it through a political lens. Curiously, the loudest support has come from the government side. The ruling Kenya Kwanza coalition has thrown its weight behind Raila’s candidature.
Raila’s Azimio la Umoja coalition has not shown similar confidence. From what seemed like a hurriedly organised press briefing to uncoordinated announcements by luminaries in the coalition, Azimio seems to be groping in the dark as it navigates the ‘uncharted territory’.
This deserves looking beyond our usual animated political frame of mind to examine the development.
Flanked by Nigeria’s former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Raila shared a brief behind his desire to serve the AU. An avowed pan-Africanist, he explained his desire to centre the continent within the global system.
The paradox of a resource-rich continent languishing in poverty is one thing he opined needs to be addressed. This, he pointed out, can be addressed through continental unity and by leveraging extant complementary opportunities.
He also spoke of the persistent migration crisis plaguing Africa, with lives lost en route to the search for a more fulfilling life outside the continent. As a basis for his suitability, he referenced his experience, having previously served as the AU’s High Representative for Infrastructure Development in Africa.
There is little doubt about 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 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 borne out by some indicators. Slightly over 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 per cent 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 pointed out, centring 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. This is a key challenge that must be confronted by any AU leadership. The sad reality is that Africa’s pain 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 hand in exploiting minerals in the eastern part of the country.
The AU should lead from the front in weaving an African narrative and building fortifications strong enough to withstand continued desire by foreign players to create cleavages and exploit them at Africa’s expense. 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 the AU, leading such conversations is as baffling as it is unsettling. If successful, Raila may want to lead the quest to reverse Africa’s narrative and role on the global stage.
PhD Student at the University of Nairobi. [email protected]
