Cry Our Beloved Guinea!

I am beginning to feel a bit embarassed about the situation in Guinea: I don't quite understand what's going on there. Is Camara going to stand in the election -- or is he not?

If he does, then he is contradicting all that he has said about restoring the country to constitutional rule. Then there is the recent shootings of unarmed people in the country. Power is certainly sweet--especially for military juntas--but I felt given the bloodless nature of the coup, Camara was going to be a different kettle of fish.

Looks like I was wrong...

I have tremendous faith in ECOWAS, but I cannot quite understand what it can do now. Already, Guinea has been suspended, so what next--beyond a flying in of a diplomats to speak with the interim government.

More than anything the irony of what is happening in Guinea is that it is happening in the centenary of Osagyefo Dr.Kwame Nkrumah who sought to create close ties with the francophone country to push forward African Unity.

Vacancy Announcement: FES Liaison Officer to the African Union

(thx to AU-Citizens Yahoo list-serv:)

Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung

Addis Ababa Office

Announcement of Vacancy

FES Liaison Officer to the African Union

Addis Ababa, 25^th September, 2009

Background

Established in 2002, the African Union is becoming an increasingly important actor for African and international politics. Especially security policy has developed into a core area of activity for this continental organization, but other policy areas – such as agricultural or social policy – are gaining influence as they are being discussed on a continental level.

The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, committed to the global promotion of social democracy, sees the AU as a potential partner to further its mission. The FES Addis Ababa office, established in 1992, has been cooperating with the AU since 2007, in order to promote the democratic potential of the organization in certain policy areas according to the goals of social democracy. It seeks to support the creation of a peaceful, democratic and socially just Africa that can assume its legitimate global responsibility, but also seeks to critically analyze the development of the organization with the input of important democratic and societal actors, such as Parliamentarians, Trade Unionists, Political Party representatives, Civil Society activists, media practioners, and to feed back its analysis into its political framework in Germany and Europe.

The FES therefore seeks a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the African Union. The FES office Addis Ababa will be upgraded to become an AU-FES Liaison Office. The coordination of its work shall be the task of an AU Liaison Officer. According to the (draft) Africa Strategy of the FES Africa Department, the office should “assume the task of a liaison office and take over a service function for other offices, such as support these offices with information and contacts and by feeding issues into the national and regional work that are easily implementable on the respective levels”.

Profile

The FES-AU Liaison Officer should be an expert in African politics with an ability to sustain high-level contacts and to use the common FES instruments (trainings, workshops, conferences, publications) in order to achieve the defined overall objectives. He/she will report to the FES Resident Representative in Addis Ababa and work in a team with two other project managers.

In detail, he/she should:

· Hold an advanced degree (M.A. or equivalent) in social sciences such as political science, international relations, (African) history, international law or other relevant fields;

· Have significant knowledge of African politics, institutions, the development of the AU and the Regional Economic Communities, especially in, but not limited to, the field of security policy;

· Have at least 3-5 years work experience in continental politics, the AU, or related institutions such as research institutions with a focus on Africa, International Organizations etc.;

· Be fluent in English and French, preferably be proficient in (an)other African language/s;

· Be able and ready to gain knowledge in new policy areas (such as social policy/social security systems) within a short timeframe;

· Be committed to the principles of social democracy and the international labor movement, namely peaceful conflict resolution, international solidarity, social justice, individual and collective freedom and democracy;

· Be ready to undertake extensive travelling, mainly on the African continent;

· Be ready to work in a small team in a participatory manner in the FES Addis Ababa as well as to build up networks with similar institutions as well as FES offices worldwide.

Areas of Work

The AU Liaison Officer will be responsible for

· Implementing the MoU between the FES and the AU: supporting the AU in certain policy areas by engaging it in a political dialogue on issues to be defined in the MoU

· Organizing training and dialogue seminars and conferences in Addis Ababa and other African as well as European capitals

· preparing information material for interested stakeholders, building up a website on continental issues together with other FES offices in Africa

· analyzing the overall development and developments of certain policy areas of the AU and preparing regular publications (policy briefs) on issues of interest

· Sustaining dialogue with AU representatives, maintain a network of contacts with the AU, AU partner organizations and donors, but also with representatives of African labor unions and civil society, media on a continental level

Contract

The contract will be for one year on a renewable basis.

Salary is competitive and negotiable on the basis of qualifications and experience.

Local insurance for health and professional accidents will be concluded by FES Addis Ababa.

Application

If you are interested in this position and fulfill the above criteria, please send a motivation letter and CV in French or English to:

fandrych@fes.org.et and florian.daehne@fes.de

until 30^th October, 2009.

Suitable women candidates are encouraged to apply.

Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be notified.

********************************

Désiré Y. Assogbavi (Mr.)

Tel. + 251 (0) 11 661 16 01 (Desk)

+ 251 (0) 911 20 83 32 (Cell.)

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Highlight of last week: "Africa must indeed unite, but does that mean we should disband the regional economic communities?"

African Union (AU) Africa must indeed unite, but does that mean we should disband the regional economic communities? What value do they have?

August 27 at 11:05am · Comment · Like / Unlike · View Feedback (4)Hide Feedback (4)

Aminu Adamu

The Africa should operate with the regions,it wll make it stronger,we will then have a centralAfrica Union.

August 27 at 11:10am · Delete · Report

African Union (AU)

Aminu, why do u think govts are fighting abouta united AFrica. DO you not think sovereignty will be lost by uniting, in the sense that we would have to give off some of national rights in facour of an integrated "African" one. Is that not a problem?

August 27 at 11:33am · Delete

Aminu Adamu

That is not the problem,we can be integrated.The African countries should have the ministry of cooperation and integration.This could be a good machinery to Unite all of us,to have one African state.It is achievable through the political will of our national leaders in Africa.

August 27 at 11:49am · Delete · Report

Firouzeh Afsharnia

The europeans are already going towards this with the european union, the european parliament and the single currency. It will give Africa the political, and economic clout as well as the synergy of the network.

August 27 at 1:35pm · Delete · Report

Write a comment...

Is West Africa Really Irrelevant to its Citizens?(1)

I am copying below a piece by Public Agenda newspaper of a book launch that took place two weeks ago. I was also asked to cover that launch. I want to post the "official" version from a paper here, noting that the initial comments by "stakeholders" were by me, but the paper did not bother to seek my views as they probably think I'm small fry:-):

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from:http://allafrica.com/stories/200908140718.html

allAfrica.com

Public Agenda (Accra)
West Africa: Ecowas Integration Remains Irrelevant to Citizens

Ebenezer Hanson

14 August 2009

Stakeholders and policy makers have asked actors of ECOWAS to make the issue of subregional integration relevant to nationals of member countries by constantly engaging them in activities on the subject.

According to them, the issue of integration appears to be an abstract concept which exists in the minds of heads of states and governments, and public officials and has no bearing whatsoever on the lives of West African nationals.

These were some of the concerns raised during the discussion session of the launch of a book, "Nation- States and the Challenges of Regional Integration in West Africa: the Case of Ghana", edited by Prof. Kwame A. Ninsin, Scholar- in- residence at the Institute for Democratic Governance(IDEG) , last Wednesday.

"How many Ghanaians know of ECOWAS, they have no feel of it? ECOWAS remains at the aspect abstractions. We need to find out the views of Ghanaians on the subject," one participant said. [that was yours truly! more elaboration later!]

Prof. S.K.B Asante, a consummate diplomat with enormous experience on regional integration, regretted that the Ministry of Regional Integration and NEPAD created as an independent ministry in 2000 was later subsumed under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2005.

"It was wrong for the two ministries to be merged as after the merger issues of Foreign Affairs overshadowed those of ECOWAS and regional integration".

He disclosed that many other African countries took a cue from Ghana's Ministry of Regional Integration whose establishment was regarded as landmark arrangement for the driving of ECOWAS agenda.

"After the merger I wondered whether officials from the Foreign Ministry who attended ECOWAS meetings after their return briefed the relevant institutions," said the Prof.

President of the Ghana Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Wilson Attah Krofah, stressed that an integrated ECOWAS will inure immensely to the benefit of the private sector as it will present a 250- million market to players in the industry. However, he bemoaned the non involvement of social actors such as entrepreneurs in the formulation of ECOWAS protocols. "Get private sector operators involved in the formulation of protocols so that their concerns could be addressed".

"Nation-States and the Challenges of Regional Integration in West Africa: The Case of Ghana", the brain child of IDEG and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), is a 160-page featuring seven chapters authored by researchers, practitioners and policymakers. It discusses critical issues such as Implementing the ECOWAS Idea in Ghana: Taming the State, Empowering the People; Ghana and the politics of sub-Regional Integration; Regional Integration in West Africa; A single Currency for West African: Prospects and Challenges; Gender mainstreaming: National and Sub-regional policies of integration.

Others are, the paradox of West African Integration: Experiences, Perceptions and Notions of Integration among Ghanaians', Ghana's Agricultural Commodity Trade to ECOWAS: Implications and options for Regional Integration and the Language Factor in West Africa's Integration.

Reviewing the book, Dr. Vladimir Antwi- Danso of the Legon Centre for International Affairs, commended the depth of work by the authors. However, he lamented the omission of such relevant topics such as ECOWAS from the perspective of civil society, and ECOWAS and NEPAD.

He also disagreed with the conclusion drawn by one of the authors, Prof. Kwame Boafo-Arthur, that "Dr Kwame Nkrumah was opposed to integration schemes that posed a threat to the sovereignty of the newly independent African countries." Dr. Danso argues that Nkrumah's work towards integration was rather unparalleled during his era.

Dr, Abdul Lamin, Programme Specialist, Social and Human Sciences of UNESCO, revealed that his outfit initiated the project in 2005 and so far 10 books have been written in 10 different countries. He revealed that they hope to publish 17 books out of which 15 will focused on their respective countries.

He said UNESCO is committed to supporting Africa-led initiatives, as part of UNESCO's mid-term strategy "Since Africa, through the authority of the African Union and other statutory bodies have identified regional integration as major priority fro accelerating the continent's development, our role is to support the continent in these efforts..."

The Executive Director of IDEG, Dr. Emmanuel Akwetey, said there is a momentum building up about the integration of Africa both political and economic. He said the move is an exercise harking back to the great strides made by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.

Prof. Kwame Karikari, who chaired the event, noted the rate of the integration process is erratic varying with different periods." Sometimes you begin to wonder whether we are integrating at all considering the frustration one goes through in an effort to acquire a visa to another African country".

---------

Thoughts much appreciated!!!

Facebook Friday:What's Cooking in the "Statusophere" on AU?

It's been a while since I asked a question that generated as much discussion as this one this pastt week. My questions was:

The EU tells us that with the Lisbon strategy, they will become a competitive economy by 2020. The African Union*AU* tells us that they will be united by...2034!! 14 years too late my brothers! Wake up and smell the burning gold and cocoa that is being shipped out. Africa MUST--Can-- Unite! Now. Be the change you want to see!

Kindly find below a screen capture of the responses to the question:









Best of the weekend!

No Excuses for the AU-frican: Go Educate Yourself!

It needs not be said how great the obstacles out there as an African remain. I am not content being a Ghanaian and a West African/ECOWAS community citizen. Surely Africa is more than Ghana and West Africa?

I can get up tomorrow, find some money, head for the airport with my passport and find myself in any West African country without being harassed about a visa.

I'd like to think that I could do that in Kenya, Uganda, Zambia, South Africa, Chad.

Not so. Even the way some of our other African countries treat us is not on.

These are some of the reasons why a united Africa would serve us: hassle-free (or relatively hassle-free) travel for starters. Our govts give foreigners waivers of all kinds, tax holidays of all kinds, yet frustrate our fellow AU citizen's chances.

It has got to stop--but it does not only start with our policy-makers. It begins with YOU! This is because all I have said is common knowledge and perhaps populist. Go surf the 'Net. Tweet! Get on Facebook! New media is bringing Africa to life. Just get connected! And learn the facts for yourselves...

Meaning EDUCATING yourself the best way how on the latest developments on AU affairs. We have no excuses!

While you are there, you might be interested in some other AU-related links on Facebook as well. Perhaps you might even want to walk into a hotel wherever you may be in Africa and ask why there is no sub-regional flag and/or AU flag, but plenty of European/Western flags flying there?

I can do it. Can you?

Thanks for your time!

There are NO excuses. Africa Must--CAN--Unite!

46 Years After the AU: The Role of Education

I had the privilege of speaking to the non-profit organisation the 42nd Generation's meeting of the AU--46 years later last Saturday at Busyinternet in Accra. Below are some of the highlights of that speech.

They say if you want to hide anything from the Black Man, put it in a book! This much continues to hold true among the African Youth. While it is true that much of them have imbibed--and continue to imbibe--AU matters and the eminence of Osagyefo Dr.Kwame Nkrumah, many are found napping when it comes to the latest publications out there on the Internet.

First of all, Obama and Dr.Nkrumah are both revered and respected not just for their inspirational speeches but their education: Obama is a constitutional lawyer, Nkrumah was a Ph.D holder. And perhaps one of the first of his kind among his contemporaries of the time.

How many leaders in two decades have been governing and writing -- never mind as prolifically as Nkrumah did? On the fingers, perhaps?

When Malcolm X talked about "education being the passport for the future", he was not being platitudinous: he was speaking a profound truth about knowing and educating oneself by any means necessary.

In 2009, there are no longer ANY EXCUSES! The advent of the New Media technologies, such as FACEBOOK, TWITTER and whatnot have exposed Africans to tremendous and astronomical levels of information and education that they really have no excuse if they remain ignorant about issues.

I pointed to the latest UNCTAD Economic Report on Africa on regional integration, and the most recent publications coming from the African Union website.

If the African youth is as serious as it claims to be, then it should be perusing the internet and finding what publications are out there to give them the answers they seek to elucidate on African development.

I quoted ECOBANK from the UNCTAD publication, and was surprised how very few people knew of the genesis of ECOBANK. UNCTAD writes:

Another prominent West African investor in Africa’s banking sector is
Ecobank. This truly pan-African bank was created by ECOWAS and established
in Lomé, Togo, in 1985, but the company was not licensed to operate as a bank
until 1988. Through greenfield investments and M&As, Ecobank has pursued a
proactive policy of African expansion and is now the leading pan-African banking
group, present in more African countries than any other bank – 25 countries with
over 500 branches. This is part of a dynamic strategy for geographical expansion that has resulted in this banking group being more widely present than any other
on the continent, though it is only the 23rd by capital value (African Business,
2008b).

Its growth has occurred mainly in three separate phases. Ecobank started its
operations in Togo in 1988 and quickly established presence in neighbouring
Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria in 1989, followed by Benin and Ghana in 1990. The
next phase of expansion started in 1997 with branches in Burkina Faso and Mali.
In 1999, Ecobank widened its presence in the West African region to Guinea,
Liberia, Niger and Senegal. Between 2000 and 2005, Ecobank established
presence in Cameroon and Cape Verde, but it is especially as of 2006 that the
third wave of expansion began, when Ecobank started business in Sierra Leone
and Chad. In 2007, Ecobank strengthened its presence in West Africa with new
operations in Guinea Bissau, Sao Tome and Principe, and the Gambia. It also
continued the expansion into Central Africa by opening subsidiaries in Cameroon,
the Central African Republic and Rwanda. In 2008, this continued with Malawi,
Congo, Kenya, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Ecobank
has plans to expand its presence in Africa to 33 countries this year, starting with
Gabon, the United Republic of Tanzania and Zambia by mid-2009 (Ecobank,
2009).

So a lengthy piece from pp.72-73 inclusive that explains how closely-related ECOWAS is with ECOBANK.

Bottom line is that if the African personality is to mean anything to and FOR the youth, then it means that they should be educating themselves on all and sundry regarding affairs on the continent. There remain many success stories; they just need to know where to look. Plus the publications are there--online; they should also be looking.

All is not lost--and will not be as long as the African Youth embraced the education of themselves like no-one's life depended on it.

I have a podcast of my speech, which link I will point to once I upload it on my site on www.ekbensah.net