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African Union (Addis Ababa)

Africa: What Can the Continent Expect from a New U.S. Administration?

Jean Ping

26 September 2008

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document

Washington, DC — It is a great honour and privilege for me to participate in this important Annual Congressional Black Caucus Foreign Affairs Brain Trust having taken over the mantle of leadership at the African Union Commission some four months ago. I like to express appreciation to the Caucus for the invitation and thank Congressman Payne for his encouragement for me to be here.

I am also honored to share the podium with such distinguished Panelists who will certainly bring to bear their respective rich insights on the very pertinent theme of this event.

The 38th Annual Congressional Brain Trust is taking place against the background of a unique and historic Presidential electoral process vindicating both the aspirations and "raison d'Etre" of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC). Indeed, we salute your sustained and gallant efforts in achieving your noble objective of defending the "human and civil rights of all underrepresented people and ultimately providing a voice to the aspirations of African-Americans". This is truly a tribute to this great Nation, a bastion of democracy and political freedom so ardently upheld both domestically and internationally.

We, in Africa, cannot but remember how the CBC stood with its brothers and sisters in Africa during the struggle against colonialism, apartheid and minority rule, which led to a free Africa and the institution of democratic rule on the continent.

In the same vein, the annals of the US Congress are replete with the record of CBC leadership and solid contribution in influencing US policy towards eradicating poverty and promoting economic development in Africa.

I therefore welcome this opportunity to take stock of past challenges and achievements, as well as look at the prospects for future US/Africa relations under a New Administration.

It would be remiss of me to proceed further without, at this juncture, joining in the somber remembrance of the victims of September 11 by offering my personal deep solidarity and that of the African Union Commission as well as the entire continent to the families and loved ones of the victims. The heinous and barbaric terrorist attacks, which remain forever engraved in the memory of the entire World, can NEVER be justified and MUST be defeated, AT ALL COST, through steadfast solidarity and concerted global action.

Allow me to now continue by briefly outlining some challenges and achievements in the Commission's efforts to chart the course of a 21st Century Africa under the aegis of the African Union.

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

First and foremost, let us not entertain any doubts in our minds that Africa will transform in to the Continent of the 21st century. For illustrative purposes, according to recent studies, Africa has registered average economic growth of 3.3 percent since 2004 and 5 percent in 2006 and 2007, while the Consumer Price Inflation (CPI) fell from an average of 29.1 percent over 1988-97 to 8.5 percent in 2005. Furthermore, a reduction in conflicts and increased economic and political good governance has borne fruits moving the continent from a deficit of 8.1 percent of exports goods and services over the period of 1988-97 to a surplus of 5.9 percent in 2000.

Paradoxically, the same studies confirm what has been further reaffirmed that despite all these positive indicators, Africa's attainment of the Millennium Developing Goals remains elusive.

At the recently concluded UNGAS High Level Meetings, the focus of efforts was to ensure that commitments to address the special needs of Africa was pivotal. The outcome of these meetings, however noble, is yet another litmus test for the political will of development partners to translate into practical realities and tangible results their various commitments and pledges.

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen;

We have come to the realization that continental integration is a sine qua non for socio-economic development for Africa. The potential of integration cannot be overstated. This includes: rapid economic growth, greater economies of scale and better opportunities for Inter-Africa cooperation in the critical areas of peace and security as well as the provision of the infrastructure necessary for development, which our individual countries cannot provide on their own.

It is in this respect that existing initiatives are being reviewed to fast track our integration agenda. These include: the Abuja Treaty; the implementation of the Minimum Integration Programme for Regional Economic Communities (RECs); the rationalization of the RECs; the establishment of the three financial institutions, namely, the African Central Bank, the African Monetary Fund and the African Investment Bank as well as the assessment of the status of regional and continental integration.

One of the instruments we have used to achieve socio-economic development in Africa is the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), an Africa-led and driven initiative, inspired by a desire to assume full responsibility for our development agenda. Although we have not realized the maximum benefits from the support our partners have given NEPAD, its existence has been a major instrument for the continent's development. It is my firm belief that its integration in the AU structure and processes will help us better achieve our aims in the future.

The strengthening of democratic governance through homegrown initiatives such as the African Peer Review Mechanism and the recently adopted Charter on Elections and Democracy are critical and irreversible steps that we have taken towards the consolidation of durable peace and stability. These efforts have also led to significant improvement in the promotion and protection of Human rights within the continent, with the process for establishing the African Court of Human and Peoples' Rights, including the election of its judges and installation in Arusha, Tanzania its permanent site, having been completed. The Court plays a complementary role to the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights established in Banjul, the Gambia since the late 1980s. The promotion of the rights of women and girls is a related focus of our efforts in this area.

Excellencies,

Ladies and gentlemen

With respect to consolidating peace and security on the continent, the Commission continues to exert vigorous efforts towards the establishment of the various components of the continental peace and security architecture based on the following four structures: The Peace and Security Council, the Continental Early Warning System, the Panel of the Wise and the African Standby Force with its regional brigades.

In this regard, it is worth mentioning the following progress:

• The Panel of the Wise was inaugurated on 18 December 2007 and is currently operational;
• Establishment of the Continental Early Warning System has made significant progress
• Guideline documents relating to doctrine, standard operating procedures training and command, control, communication and information systems have been adopted by African Ministers of Defense
• A Protocol on Cooperation Between the AU Regional Mechanisms was signed in January 2008. 

While capitalizing on these efforts, the African Union Commission has continued to support various peace processes and peace consolidation efforts mandated by the AU Peace and Security Council. Some of these efforts have led to successes while others are still steadily making significant progress towards positive results. In the interest of time, allow me to just mention the situations of Kenya and Zimbabwe both of which tested our collective spirit of "African solution to African Problems". Today, we have reasons to hail both situations, which although imperfect, we have taught us some good lessons which will be of tremendous use to us in the future.

Let me now briefly highlight the critical issue of financing AU peace keeping operations. Our experiences in this area have, over the years, been frustrating posing serious obstacles to the African Union's ability to undertake peace keeping operations. There is need for sustained political will and commitment on the part of the international community to identify predictable, sustainable and flexible resources to enable the AU to undertake peace operations in the context Chapter VII of the UN Charter bearing in mind that the responsibility for maintaining peace and security all over the world rests with the United Nations.

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