Addis Ababa - Seven of the world's 10 fastest-growing economies are African. Africa’s information infrastructure is growing, and the mobile phone growth rate on the continent is unrivalled. Economic, cultural and political integration is increasing at impressive levels.
Indeed some may argue that Africa has changed from being “a hopeless continent” to one that is rising and ready to play on the global stage. Africa’s growth has now averaged 5% per annum for more than a decade -- higher than at any other period since the early 1970s.
But how will the continent, with its perceived shortage of a skilled workforce, safeguard this growth and ensure that it is sustained? Will these rapid advancements present an equally quick infrastructure demand and will the continent keep up with such a demand? What about the religious and ethnic-based conflicts that continue to cripple parts of Africa? Will all of that threaten further development prospects?
It is these challenges facing the continent that when it celebrates the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Organisation of African Union (OAU) in Addis Ababa on Saturday, leaders need to ask themselves some critical questions.
May 25 marks exactly 50 years of the signing of the charter establishing the OAU, forbearer of the African Union (AU), in 1963. The Day had become known as ‘Africa Day’.
Milestones achieved
Many say several milestones have been made since the AU came into existence in 2002. The past decade, for instance, saw the launch of several plans to address the continent’s problems, including the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), the formation of instruments such as The African Peer Review Mechanism and the concept of African Renaissance championed by former South African President Thabo Mbeki.
In July 2012, AU leaders elected the first woman, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, to lead the African Union Commission, an administrative body that runs the day-to-day affairs of the continental body.
Dlamini Zuma told a meeting of African foreign ministers underway in Addis Ababa that despite the progress of the last decade on the economic front, this has not yet translated into rapid social transformation.
“It has not yet translated into rapid industrialisation, increases in quality jobs, incomes and sustainable development, nor in the rapid reduction of inequality and poverty,” she said, adding that across all dimensions, Africa still had the lowest human development indicators of any region in the world.
Celebrations planned
It would appear though that all the challenges mentioned by Dlamini Zuma may not deter the thousands of people who are expected to gather at Addis Ababa’s National Stadium to mark the OAU anniversary celebrations.
A youth parade, cultural and musical shows and a soccer match are some of the festivities lined up to entertain the crowds tomorrow.
South Africa said Friday that it would mark the occasion with a series of activities that will include the hoisting of the AU flag and the singing of the AU anthem at the Union Buildings. The country’s government ministers will take part in the hoisting of the African Union flag as well as the launch of the year-long anniversary programme.
Last year, Ethiopia set up a national organising committee tasked with the responsibility of organising what is referred to as the golden jubilee celebration.
SAnews will provide a blow by blow account of the festivities from Addis Ababa. The committee reported this week that it was ready to “wow” the continent.
Among those who are expected to attend the festivities are former Presidents, diplomats and foreign dignitaries, including the US Secretary of State, John Kerry.
President Jacob Zuma, who is in Ethiopia to attend this year’s AU leaders’ summit, which starts on Sunday, will also attend the anniversary celebrations.
The AU website said the anniversary will facilitate and celebrate African narratives of past, present and future that will enthuse and energise the African population and use their constructive energy to accelerate a forward looking agenda of Pan-Africanism and renaissance in the 21st century.
But as Africans celebrate and reflect deeply on the successes of the past 50 years, they need to ask themselves where to now, says veteran journalist and former City Press editor Mathatha Tsedu.
“There’s a mind-set change that needs to happen from thinking about what other people can help us to do, but we need to start saying to ourselves what can we do on our own with the resources we have in the continent? That’s the big challenge facing us for the next 50years,” says Tsedu.
“We must liberate the AU from donor influences and agendas, we need to ensure that African corporates have the resources and make them available to the AU so that the AU can then define Africa’s needs itself… We must start doing it our way instead of reporting to some people elsewhere.”
Proud achievements
While critics and admirers have continued continue laud the AU and say despite the day’s challenges, Africa needs to be proud and celebrate because strides had been made to end the legacy of colonialism.
Ethiopia, the administrative home of the AU, is projected to become the fastest growing non-oil producing economy on the continent, with the 2013 African Economic Outlook (AEO) revealing that the country’s economy grew at 11.4% in 2011, marking the eighth consecutive year of rapid growth.
The Algerian economy grew by 2.6%, driven by public spending, in particular in the construction and public works sector, and by growing internal demand. Kenya and Ghana’s growth was primarily driven by financial intermediation, tourism, construction and agriculture sectors.
Despite high income inequality and their high unemployment rate of about 17% and 25% respectively, neighbours Botswana and South Africa are said to be doing well in terms of diversifying their economies. The AEO says Botswana’s economy remains one of Africa’s success stories, while it says the business regulatory environment in South Africa remains one of the most conducive in the continent.
With the number of youths in Africa set to double by 2045, Tsedu maintains African leaders need to use the next 50 years of the African Union to focus on skills development and put the brakes on the import of skills from Asian and Europe.
“If Africa is to create its own wealth, we need be serious about skilling our young people. For me that is the big challenge.” – SAnews.gov.za
