United States of Africa

There are many points from this article with Chairman Jean Ping that I could agree with; however, there are quite a few points which leave me concerned.

First, while I am a huge supporter of African Unity, as I believe a unified Africa would benefit the continent in terms of power on the international stage, I believe that those who would like to see a United States of Africa in 3 years or even 9 years, are getting way ahead of themselves. I whole-heartedly believe in the African Union, but we must be honest and realize that it does not nearly have the power with which a Union of its description or mission should have. Merely look at the plethora of conflicts there are on the continent currently and the inability of the AU forces whether it be physically or monetarily to support their causes without the support of the EU or UN. I would like to see an AU that can support itself before people start talking about binding all 53 countries together economically, socially, and politically.

Also, I am disappointed with Chairman Ping's response to an indictment against Sudan's Omar Bashir. His nuanced denial of genocide in the Sudan smacks of the same nepotism that has plagued Africa for decades. I can understand his hesitation at preferring to handle this issue with kid gloves; however, if any other president knew about groups of militiamen killing innocent people they would be heavily criticized by the world and expected to protect its people and rectify the situation. Why hasn't the same been expected of this man? One might say it has now that the ICC wants to charge him with crimes against humanity, but if world leaders deny the validity of this claim it sets a precedence that all leaders can turn their heads when these atrocities happen.

I would love to see a unified Africa, but I think there should be an improvement of what currently exists before any other measures are taken.


Jillian Nowlin
Graduate Student
NYU African Studies Dept.

Forming the United States of Africa must become a priority in this generation. It was the wish of men like Kwame Nkuruma who said that, "The independence of Ghana had no meaning if it did not translate into the freedom of all Africa". The colonial borders we so faithfuly defend have become colonial prisons for our peple. Europe has dismantled most of its original borders in order to bring about peace. Why should we continue to die for borders we never created. I suggest that the BIG FIVE: South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria, Senegal, and Ethiopia set the pace for this urgent mission. The Africans of the Diaspora need to unite in order to influence the governments that colonized Africa and still hold a grip on the lands they mortgaged to themselves. Unity was the Spirit of PanAfricanism and that is why Dr. WB DuBoise died in Africa hoping for this Union. The Berlin wall is gone and Africa's time has come. Let us bring an end to the senseless wars that have caused so much suffering while war mongers and killers hide behind the shadow of "National Sovereignity." Now is the time.

This Afro-Chinese is a total azzhole. What has he done in Arabs-Africans relationship? Doesn't he know that most Arabs think Africans are good for slavery and the word used in Arab world for Africans south of Sahara means slave? Are even Africans on both sides of the Sahara really ready for unities among themselves that their illusionary and corrupt leaders like to sing to distract their peoples? Shouldn't Africans solve the Somali, Soudan, Eritrea-Ethiopia, Congo and Western Sahara problems first?
Does he know what uniting incompatible people has produced in ex-URSS?
That guy has Chinese ancestry. Why doesn't he tell us where the United States of Asia is? When Pakistan, India, China and Japan are one country the same will happen in Africa.
This lunattic and the alike in Africa should focus on peace and good governance first. Africa is not poor because it doesn't have a continental governement. It is good for more unity around the globe but we need to be realistic. Make people ready first .

Mr. Ping rightly points out that he cannot understand that " You come to help people and they don't help themselves". This has been the eternal tragedy of Africa.

I have personally put at risk my own professional well-being when I insisted, in 2005 as a development worker, that forcing the then-reluctant administration of President Museveni of Uganda to accept the return of opposition politician then-in-exile, Dr Besigye, so that he can contest truly multi-party elections, had to be made a precondition for further development aid disbursement to Uganda. We accomplished that goal, and the multi-party elections held that year gained credibility among the local population as well as the international community that it would never had gained without Dr Besigye's participation in the elections. Things are better now, no doubt. Does this therefore increase, however infinitesimally, the prospect of Africa becoming united, even in 35 years?

Unfortunately, I cannot say that I believe in this pipedream. Why? Because, even after Dr Besigye's return, when the Annual Commonwealth Summit was held in Kampala earlier this year, international news coverage showed crowds of Ugandans mobbing Britain's Queen Elizabeth demanding that Britain bring real democracy to Uganda!

Similarly, whenever the issue of the continued violence of the Lord's Revolutionary Army, an entirely demoniacal group of rebels in the country, comes up, it is to the international community that Ugandans look up to solve the problem. Meanwhile it is said that the Ugandan army is engaged in securing mining resources in the DRC on behalf of Museveni's brother who is alleged to have business interests (closely tied-up with those of influential western interests) in that vast country's fabulously rich mining resources. It is not appropriate to expect even official development agencies to tackle that problem when those agencies have, at great risk to their own finances and to their staff's well-being, successfully given Ugandans a legitimate political opposition. That political opposition must now do its job!

What is true for Uganda is true for Zimbabwe. The opposition led by Tsivangirai won the legislative elections but he had to have a second run for the Presidential elections. He defected because of intimidation. Now, the Zimbabweans want the international community to solve their problems!

I mean: it's always the same in Africa. I am myself African, and true, several countries do very well. But most do not. And, frankly, to ne, it seems like a lack of will, acceptance of adversity as if it were a fatality that only the international community can help resolve. With that kind of mindset, how can anyone progress?

According to our resident expert on foreign policy matters, Governor Palin, Africa is already a country and not a continent. Seriously, does bringing together even more numerous ethnic tribes make sense in view of the fact that just two tribes, the Hutus and the Tutsi, can't get along in Darfur?

In the same breath as discussing union, we hear about east Congo.
And let's not forget Rwanda.
There are more serious problems here than uniting former colonists; there are ancient tribal hatreds.
Good luck with that.

Go to my website at www.advanceafrica.com and you will see that the idea of a United States of Africa is truly possible in this generation. It was the dream of men like Kwame Nkuruma. The big five need to get on this wagon ASAP: South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria, Senegal, Libya and Kenya. The Africans of the diaspora need to unite and create a political forum in order to influence the original Colonial governments that partitioned Africa. The colonial borders we so faithfuly defend are colonial prisons for our people and might have to be dismantled just like Europe has done on its own continent. The pain of our suffering people must become our own. Dr, Otengho sjotengho@yahoo.com

Bull! They will never be a United, and it isn't because of us, EU or China. It's because they still think in terms of tribal lands and not even as states that are whole, but splintered by tribal. They are killing each other over just that. What have we go to do with their killing each other? NOTHING. They are as bad as the Middle East, hanging unto live styles, and tribal believes. GET REAL!!
Bring the United States together did not have to do with tribal. They just don't get the mentality it takes to become united as one. I don't believe they ever will.

We already have a United States of Africa. The last election converted the Untied States of America to the Untied States of Africa with a president elect and significant percentage of the citizens stating they are not Americans but African-Americans. So what percentage is African and what percentage is American? With the emphasis on the "African," it appears the president elect and these African-American citizens align more with African than American.

Considering the EU, United States, China and the rest of the countries have decimated the Africa and corrupted its politicians by forcing slavery, taking land and countries and claiming it as their own they should flip the bill to bring it back together. The people of Africa should not have to put up a dime.