Ebenezer T. Bifubyeka (Ten)Biafra, Mbarara, Western Uganda.
LIBYAN President, Colonel Muammar Gadaffi is championing his vision of uniting Africa into United States of Africa (US-AFRICA) in a bid to meet the challenges of globalisation.
To him, if 53 African states unite into one government with a: single army, single currency and single passport, they will end endemic poverty, attain market self-sustainability and resolve conflicts without interference from the west.
Although the unification of Africa would yield development, it is still a distant achievement. It’s a topmost step on our developmental ladder and we need a formula to get there. We must tread on the first step, then the second, the third – until we get there.
This formula of getting to the uppermost step needs planning, research and identification of developmental steps on which to step on in a systematic order.
Gadaffi’s first step on the ladder towards the formulation of US-Africa should be dissemination of his skills in sufficient distribution of natural resources to all African countries in order to create a foundation of unity.
Jerry Okungu, The New Vision’s columnist, in his article of February 6, 2009 considers Gadaffi as a lesser devil compared to countries like Nigeria, Sudan and other oil-producing countries in Africa – when it comes to distribution of natural resources.
African leaders don’t want to share resources and responsibilities. Uganda and other member countries of the Nile Basin are opposing the new treaty to give Egypt and Sudan the right to consent to use the Nile waters. The Nile Cooperation Framework, an agreement to replace the 1929 agreement and 1954 treaty that allow Egypt and Sudan to own the Nile water – has been pending for 10 years!
If we can’t share water peacefully – mere water, is it power that we shall share? We need to start with spreading the gospel of environmental conservation and address the escalating Global Warming (the rise in temperatures – caused by heat – trapped by the increasing amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere).
Climate Change – resulting from Global Warming – is affecting agriculture on which over 80% of Africans depend! We are still depending on rain-fed agriculture. And Gadaffi, as the new chairman of African Union, should play a key role in mobilising each African country to combat Global Warming and stabilise Climate Change.
The head of Uganda’s Climate Change Unit, Philip Gwage warns, ‘Developing countries – like Uganda – have contributed least to the bad impacts of Climate Change, but will suffer more from associated disasters!’
It’s therefore my appeal to Gadaffi to first promote tree planting and conservation of our natural resource base. If all our African countries build the capacity to harness nature, share resources and prioritise the issue of natural resources as an indispensable pillar for economic development, then we shall have a basis on which to merge.
After we have developed the capacity to distribute resources sufficiently, share them and trade them legally, we shall attain market independence. But this requires us to strengthen COMESA (Common Market for East and Central Africa), ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States – founded in 1975 by sixteen member-countries) and SADC (Southern African Development Community – comprised of fourteen countries).
Most importantly, uniting Africa will need regional integrations first. We shall first need to win Tanzania’s will and consent to establish East African Community, integrate other coalitions say, Western African Community, North African Community, Central African Community and South African Community.
With such strong regional blocs in place, we can unite and make a strong US-Africa. Yes, we can!
For about 1.5 decades, Gadaffi has been urging African leaders to unite Africa to one country with one government, which is a good gesture. But what foundation has he laid down to realise his dream? How many countries has he taught or persuaded to make a man-made lake and man-made river like he did in his previously desert-stricken country?
LIBYAN President, Colonel Muammar Gadaffi is championing his vision of uniting Africa into United States of Africa (US-AFRICA) in a bid to meet the challenges of globalisation.
To him, if 53 African states unite into one government with a: single army, single currency and single passport, they will end endemic poverty, attain market self-sustainability and resolve conflicts without interference from the west.
Although the unification of Africa would yield development, it is still a distant achievement. It’s a topmost step on our developmental ladder and we need a formula to get there. We must tread on the first step, then the second, the third – until we get there.
This formula of getting to the uppermost step needs planning, research and identification of developmental steps on which to step on in a systematic order.
Gadaffi’s first step on the ladder towards the formulation of US-Africa should be dissemination of his skills in sufficient distribution of natural resources to all African countries in order to create a foundation of unity.
Jerry Okungu, The New Vision’s columnist, in his article of February 6, 2009 considers Gadaffi as a lesser devil compared to countries like Nigeria, Sudan and other oil-producing countries in Africa – when it comes to distribution of natural resources.
African leaders don’t want to share resources and responsibilities. Uganda and other member countries of the Nile Basin are opposing the new treaty to give Egypt and Sudan the right to consent to use the Nile waters. The Nile Cooperation Framework, an agreement to replace the 1929 agreement and 1954 treaty that allow Egypt and Sudan to own the Nile water – has been pending for 10 years!
If we can’t share water peacefully – mere water, is it power that we shall share? We need to start with spreading the gospel of environmental conservation and address the escalating Global Warming (the rise in temperatures – caused by heat – trapped by the increasing amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere).
Climate Change – resulting from Global Warming – is affecting agriculture on which over 80% of Africans depend! We are still depending on rain-fed agriculture. And Gadaffi, as the new chairman of African Union, should play a key role in mobilising each African country to combat Global Warming and stabilise Climate Change.
The head of Uganda’s Climate Change Unit, Philip Gwage warns, ‘Developing countries – like Uganda – have contributed least to the bad impacts of Climate Change, but will suffer more from associated disasters!’
It’s therefore my appeal to Gadaffi to first promote tree planting and conservation of our natural resource base. If all our African countries build the capacity to harness nature, share resources and prioritise the issue of natural resources as an indispensable pillar for economic development, then we shall have a basis on which to merge.
After we have developed the capacity to distribute resources sufficiently, share them and trade them legally, we shall attain market independence. But this requires us to strengthen COMESA (Common Market for East and Central Africa), ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States – founded in 1975 by sixteen member-countries) and SADC (Southern African Development Community – comprised of fourteen countries).
Most importantly, uniting Africa will need regional integrations first. We shall first need to win Tanzania’s will and consent to establish East African Community, integrate other coalitions say, Western African Community, North African Community, Central African Community and South African Community.
With such strong regional blocs in place, we can unite and make a strong US-Africa. Yes, we can!
For about 1.5 decades, Gadaffi has been urging African leaders to unite Africa to one country with one government, which is a good gesture. But what foundation has he laid down to realise his dream? How many countries has he taught or persuaded to make a man-made lake and man-made river like he did in his previously desert-stricken country?
Ends.
Word count: 637.
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