Africa Should Unite Or Die

[jankren]

Africa Should Unite Or Die



Libya's president, Muammar Gaddafi, has told Africa it must "unite or die" and should become a federation with a single government, along the lines of the United States.

Speaking on the eve of the African Union Summit in the Ghanaian capital Accra, the Libyan leader said the continent should unite so it could compete in a globalised world.

President Gaddafi outlined his plans in a speech at the University of Ghana, but while it was met with applause and cheers, the views of his fellow African leaders range from enthusiasm to outright rejection.

"My mission is to wake up the African leaders to unify our continent," he said.

Accra is the final stage of President Gaddafi's week-long tour of western Africa, which has also included Mali, Guinea, Sierra Leone and the Ivory Coast.

Single government

At each stop he has held rallies calling for the establishment of United States of Africa and a single government.

"How can an African country face a Europe that is united, negotiate with the USA, Japan or China," he asked, saying that with a single government, Africa would be on an equal footing with them.

"If the African masses are enlightened and aware ... then Africa will come into being," he said. "Those at the summit should hear the voice of the masses."

He also believes the move would staunch the flow of migrants to Europe, by exploiting its own resources and creating jobs in Africa.

Although the African Union was only formed in 2001, the idea was first suggested more than 50 years ago.

African leaders including Kwame Nkrumah, the late Ghanaian president, and Julius Nyerere, the first president of Tanzania, were both advocates of a single government.

African unity

The idea is said to have first been mooted at the fifth pan-African Congress held in England in 1945, and led to the formation of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in 1963.

The Libyan president's enthusiasm for a single federal government fits with the possible future development of the African Union (AU).

The body was formed from the amalgamation of the African Economic Community (AEC) and the OAU.

Its remit is to promote unity and solidarity, democracy, economic development and international co-operation, especially by trying to end conflict within the continent.

Longer term, the AU plans include a single currency and integrated defence force, as well as proposals for a single cabinet and head of state.

But President Gaddafi faces difficulties in promoting his plan.

While some governments, including those of Senegal and Zimbabwe, are said to be in favour of such a move, others such as South Africa and Uganda reject it.

Gradual steps

Others say there must be gradual steps towards unity, starting with the consolidation of existing economic blocs.

Critics of the African Union say it has proved unable to tackle some of its existing aims.

They point to a range of conflicts, ethnic and religious diversity and the unequal distribution of wealth across the continent as evidence that it would be almost impossible to bring together Africa's 900 million inhabitants.

Some question how a federal government would be able to enforce policies when the countries that make up Africa find it difficult to solve them individually.

Even within the cheering audience in Accra there were sceptics. "It is a premature movement," John Awesi Amponsah, a 27-year-old student, said. "We have lots of ethnic, financial and economic hassles which need to be addressed before we think of a united African continent."
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exer...D8B73642D2.htm

United States of Africa is definitely a great dream. Unfortunately it is likely to remain so well beyond the near future. Moreover, comparing the union of the whole Africa and USA is undoubtedly absurd.

[Earl of Rochester]

Honestly they should strive for something like this first. North Africa and South Africa would most likely be the easiest regions to unite. Followed by West Africa. I Imagine East and Central Africa would provide some serious difficulties.

[Poisoner]

There cannot be a union in Africa as long as those arabs keep killing blacks in Sudan.

[Sher Khan]

There cannot be a union in Africa as long as those arabs keep killing blacks in Sudan.

We should be so lucky if that's the only reason...

[jankren]

There cannot be a union in Africa as long as those arabs keep killing blacks in Sudan.

Please educate yourself before commenting on the situation of a faraway country across the ocean.

The woman on the left is an African Sudanese while on the right is an Arab Sudanese.

It is ridiculous to say one of them is killing the other because she is black while both of them are really black in any standard.

[killerchinchilla]

Please educate yourself before commenting on the situation of a faraway country across the ocean.

The woman on the left is an African Sudanese while on the right is an Arab Sudanese.

It is ridiculous to say one of them is killing the other because she is black while both of them are really black in any standard.

Poisoner I think was referring to Darfur specifically I assume and possibly the civil war between 'black' Africans and 'Arabs'. That is and does happen and has spread into Chad (I think).

On the issue of African union, I'm not sure most the countries would want to lose their independence. And there seems to be hostility between certain countries, and not all of them have stability. Perhaps if they formed a series of trading blocks like the EU was then move on from there. Of course that'd mean they'd have to deal with situations like Zimbabwe.

[Trey]

Please educate yourself before commenting on the situation of a faraway country across the ocean.

The woman on the left is an African Sudanese while on the right is an Arab Sudanese.

It is ridiculous to say one of them is killing the other because she is black while both of them are really black in any standard.

That picture is so innacurate its atrocious. I have personally met Arab immigrants from Sudan, and some of them appear to be almost white. Granted his son, who is also a good friend of mine is a little darker, but nothing even close to what you posted.

[Arceus]

That picture is so innacurate its atrocious. I have personally met Arab immigrants from Sudan, and some of them appear to be almost white. Granted his son, who is also a good friend of mine is a little darker, but nothing even close to what you posted.

i think when he say "arab" he mean they are muslims, you cant tell the difference since both are black, most of the killing in africa are done by african who are muslim not arab muslims ( light skin)

[jankren]

i think when he say "arab" he mean they are muslims, you cant tell the difference since both are black, most of the killing in africa are done by african who are muslim not arab muslims ( light skin)

I was just saying that the reason the Arab Sudanese militia are killing the African Sudanese is not because they are black in color because most Arab Sudanese in the soutern Sudan are very black in color also because they have intermarried for centuries.

By the way, speaking of Sudan I think this is partially the fault of the British who gave power to the ethnic Arab Sudanese when Sudan was granted independence.

[Syron]

personally i'm not too fond of large unions anyway, i simply don't think they'll work in the people's interests. It could bring more prosperity to africa but probably at the cost of stability which, for the moment would simply split any union before it had the chance to form. So i say, not yet.

Please educate yourself before commenting on the situation of a faraway country across the ocean.

The woman on the left is an African Sudanese while on the right is an Arab Sudanese.

It is ridiculous to say one of them is killing the other because she is black while both of them are really black in any standard.

Talk about eduacating oneself...

For a start there is a noticeable difference in their features! Unless of course you judge everyone by the shade of their skin?

Secondly you should know arab is a linguistical/ethnic distinction. the sudanese arabs migrated into what are now sudanese lands from the very north of africa (libya/egypt etc) and got there no doubt from the arabian peninsula during the arab conquests.

[crazyj]

The biggest obstacle is language. Too many languages for Africa to ever be one cohesive whole. Also, all those Islamic nuts who would never submit to a unified, non Islamic government.

Please educate yourself before commenting on the situation of a faraway country across the ocean.

The woman on the left is an African Sudanese while on the right is an Arab Sudanese.

It is ridiculous to say one of them is killing the other because she is black while both of them are really black in any standard.

You are right. Its really Arab Muslims killing African Christians and other non Muslims.

[Denny Crane!]

The biggest obstacle is language. Too many languages for Africa to ever be one cohesive whole. Also, all those Islamic nuts who would never submit to a unified, non Islamic government.

Really, have you heard of the EU? Its the perfect model for Africa.

You are right. Its really Arab Muslims killing African Christians and other non Muslims.

A very strong attempt to make this a muslim vs christians conflict, have you any evidence or reasoning to make such a strong assertion that religion caused the tensions?

Please tell me what you think in relation to this: Tensions have stemmed from disaffected regions that spawned rebel groups that were financed by external hostile sources to the current regime in power in Sudan. The NDA, specifically the SPLA have recieved logistical and armaments from ethiopa and uganda, and used eritrea as a training ground. The US has armed both these groups and the Beja rebel group in the East.

It is interesting that you noted it was mostly religious tensions since in the southern regions of the six million residents that have been most negatively affected by the war (up to 2 million displaced) a vast majority practice local indiginous beliefs despite the prescence of christian missionaries.

I would propose that given its recent history Sudans problems are a bit more complex than that. It is made up of a large collection in the south and the east of many many different tribes and culturally diverse enough to have different languages. Egypt annexed the northern part, a spiritual leader managed to unite the entire of the sudan region later and was later overwhelmed by a mixed force under Lord Kitchener, though in name jointly administered by Britain and Egypt it was in fact a colony of Britain in all but name.

I think looking at the history we see the same thing time and time again throughout African History, artificial borders are drawn and groups are forced together where ordinarily they would not neccessarily be forced to exist under one mandate. The tensions are both ethnic and political and in reality religion is just one more difference that these very different people have. In essence each culture is striving to dominate and aquire patronage of the government for their area.

The Ethnic cleansing is a result of a government desperatly clinging to power, quite successfully so far if by despicable evil means.


What are your thoughts on the religious influence then?

[Enemy of the State]

This wont help - it will worsen the situation. Some dictator will no doubt rise, as custom in many African countries. Now usually these dictators are content with destroying their own countries and killing their own people, but if one was to rule Africa we would probably see a massive genocide all over Africa.
Even if there was a sensible president and government, they will be overwhelmed. Africa is full of troubles like poverty, starvation, disease. And there is just too many of it all over the continent.
Uniting it will prove difficult in the first place. The southern part of the continent is Christian, while the northern is Islamic. There is also a big number of people that believe the native religions. I am certain there will be some conflict.
It wont happen, and if it does, Africa is going to further doom itself.

[Primvs Sextvs Loverlord]

A unified Africa can never happen.
Small tribal countries such as Sierra Leone and Uganda have internal tribes who can't get along with each other, how can you expect the Swahili peoples to get along with Arabs, whites, pagans, etc and vice-versa?

However, I'd like to add that Qaddafi is not the spawn of all things demonic as your local Fox News anchor will tell you, he's a man of vision, as much as you'd hate that notion, and that's a quality very few African leaders have.

[Tabell]

What an awful idea! African politicians are far too volatile. If anyone is ever going to fire ICBMs, it would be an african dictator.

[Bootsiuv]

The only reason the U.S. is how it is is because the east coast basically took over the entire continent (manifest destiny, anyone?)....it's a completely different situation, and a completely different time.

[Primvs Sextvs Loverlord]

Africa's problems begin with how the colonial powers divided them. All the straight vertical and horizontal lines that you see in African maps are a courtesy of bad divisions. Groups that traditionally never got along were made to live in the same country. This needs more elaboration, I'll be back after lunch.

[Kleos]

Africa's problems begin with how the colonial powers divided them. All the straight vertical and horizontal lines that you see in African maps are a courtesy of bad divisions. Groups that traditionally never got along were made to live in the same country. This needs more elaboration, I'll be back after lunch.

While the colonial divisions of Africa have certainly not helped the situation in Africa; there are many other problems that cannot be pinned on the Imperial powers of Europe. For instance land degradation, HIV, a brain drain (there are more Ethiopian doctors in the USA than in Ethiopia) and several other problems are all adding to the current situation in Africa. You could also point to India; when Britain granted independence there was also ethnic and religious violence, but this has been resolved and now India is a quickly developing country.

To refer to the original point, I dont feel that Africa has to unite - but if it could be done it would most probably be of benefit. However, of course the problem is doing it. If even Europe struggles to put together a fair and efficient economic or political union it would be very, very tough for Africa. (who have the added problems of more contrasting religous and ethnic divides). Assuming for a second it could be done; we have the already mentioned problems of possible corruption or dictatorship.

[BSZ]

Honestly this is impossible, atleast within the next few ceturies and we will not see something like this in our lifetime for sure. Atleast that is how I see it.

Africa is far too fragmented as it is at them moment, there are more civil wars in Africa than any other part of the world. Just look at a country like Ethiopia which has a highly modern military for example. At the moment they have at least 15 different rebellions around the country, led by different warlords. And then there's a country like Somalia, which is at this moment is considered a failed state by the UN, where there are an immense number of different fractions trying to gain power. And this is just two of the countries on the continent.

On top of this, there's enormous differences over the continent. Ranging over economics, where countries like Egypt, Libya and South Africa are relativly well developed, to Niger, Sierra Leone and Mali, which are the poorest countries in the world. Then there's different religions all over the continent, not to mention different languages and vastly different cultures. And then there's problems such as drought, poverty, HIV/AIDS, constant wars and warlords trying to seize power, dictators not willing to gove up power, not to mention the vast geographical area that Africa covers.

All of these make it completely impossible in my opinion that Africa will unite in a future that I can honestly see. And then this continent is already struggling with the artificial borders that the colonial powers created....

[Icefrisco]

It can never happen because the people are too diverse. Also, who would want to live under someone like Qaddafi? He would probably be the one to unite the Maghreb.