President Mugabe chats to AU Commissioner for Peace and Security Ambassador Ramtane Lamamra while incoming Cissa chairman Retired Major General Happyton Bonyongwe (left) and outgoing chairman General Rashid Lallali look on., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.
Wednesday, 15 May 2013 00:00
Stephen Mpofu
Zimbabwe Herald
Does it make any logical sense for one to die of thirst while standing waist deep in water? Better still, should one die from hunger while standing in a warehouse packed with food?
The latter appears to speak volumes for modern-day Africa. Africa is undoubtedly still the richest in natural resources — in spite of their systematic plunder during decades of foreign rule and yet, paradoxically, the continent remains a Cinderella in the world in terms of development.
The underdevelopment of the continent could get worse if nothing is done by Africans collectively to stop erstwhile foreign rulers coming back in a vengeance to try to complete the unfinished job of cleaning out the continent of even those resources that God had hidden away underground while foreign ruling cultures remained in force on the continent.
This greater threat maybe decided from an address by President Mugabe to the conference of Intelligence and Security Services of Africa in Harare recently in which he called for the use by Africa of her natural resources, now exploited by foreigners, to benefit Africans and end conflicts arising mostly out of want.
Once Africans are in control of their natural resources they will add value to the raw materials by processing them into finished products before export, and this means secondary industries will be established to process the raw materials, creating more employment in the process.
But while other speakers at the conference also decried the rampant exploitation of Africa’s natural resources concomitantly with foreign exports of violence and similar conflicts by big powers to destabilise Africa and make it vulnerable for political and economic exploitation, no indictment of Africa over its inability to resist foreign influences was heard, and this suggests that Africa succumbs willy-nilly to exploitation by powerful nations.
Indeed, one might go further and say Africa as a continent lacks the will to resist foreign influences and power hunger appears to be at the core of the failure by African countries to stand together as an indomitable force against foreign intrusion politically or economically hence Africa’s continued underdevelopment.
The continent might therefore wish to learn something out of a recent call by United States President Barrack Obama for the Americas — North and South — to stand together by integrating their policies and development initiatives as a region; otherwise they risked lagging behind developments taking place in other regions of the world.
Mr Obama’s call appears to be the right point of departure for regional groupings in Africa towards the continent’s development as a whole.
But today Big Brother politics stands as the Achilles’ heel in different economic regions of Africa pooling their economic, social and political resources to become powerhouses of development so that as a totality the regions merge into a continent much more developed than is the case at present.
Unfortunately, however, a country touting itself as an economic giant in a region appears keen to continue to feel big if neighbouring countries wallow in relative poverty. That lack of social, economic and political solidarity opens the way for opportunists to engage in reciprocal love affairs with Africa’s enemies.
The existential nature of political sell-outs translates into “give us money and help us to get into power and we will put our country at your political and economic pleasure”, for instance.
Zimbabweans and no doubt Africans elsewhere, on the continent, will profess to the existence of such inverted patriots in their own countries.
But luckily for Zimbabwe, the country has in President Mugabe and his colleagues in Zanu-PF, people with an unflinching intrepidity and a clear vision, thanks to the armed revolution which has resulted in land and minerals being exploited to benefit Zimbabweans who claim common ownership of these resources, with land a continuing inheritance for future generations until the end of the world.
Foreign exploiters use their dirty money or religious extremism to stir up and perpetuate conflicts in Africa as cat’s-paws in their obscene quest for Africa’s abundant rich resources.
The writing certainly appears inscribed in bold letters on Africa’s board: “Africa is for Africans, but if you sleep foreigners will put you in harness to control you again.”
So the time is long overdue for Africans to combine rhetoric and action to reverse unfortunate bromide whereby the continent continues as a playground for exploiters of resources that should feed Africans while serving also as a fillip for economic and social emancipation in a world where the havens continue to run riot with their exploitative tendencies.
The above is an impassioned plea by this pen to the African Union whose predecessor, the Organisation of African Unity, successfully prosecuted the liberation struggle on the continent to now marshal developmental initiatives in all of its member states into a bold march to catch up developmentally with the rest of the world so that hunger and insecurity give away peace and stability. Put in a nutshell, the EU should not labour under some illusion that a Good Samaritan will happen on the African scene to muster a coalescence of fragmented developmental policies and initiatives in order to give the continent a new lease of life.
In this regard the onus remains entrenched within the auspices of the continental body to pull Africa out of its rut, as articulated by President Mugabe and the other speakers at the Conference of Africa’s Intelligence and Security Services.
The alternative is obviously ghastly to contemplate as individual countries will continue to huff and puff in an unending marathon after ever receding mirages in the form of full bellies and peace and stability and national security.
UNSC promotes peace in Africa
Wednesday, 15 May 2013 00:00
UNITED NATIONS — The UN Security Council on Monday called for a comprehensive approach to fighting terrorism in Africa by promoting economic and social development across the continent.
The 15-nation body, in a presidential statement adopted at the start of an open debate on combating terrorism in Africa, said it “notes with deep concern that terrorism continues to pose a serious threat to international peace and security . . . and prosperity in Africa.”
The Council members voiced deep concern at the increasing violence perpetrated by armed groups in several regions and sub- regions of Africa, said the statement.
“The Security Council underscores that the long term fight against terrorism must adopt a comprehensive approach by dealing with the challenges of increasing economic growth, promoting good governance, reducing poverty, building state capacity, extending social services and fighting corruption, particularly in Africa, but also in other regions,” it said.
According to the statement, the members of the Council recognised that “terrorism will not be defeated by military force or security forces, law enforcement measures, and intelligence operations alone.”
As a result, they underlined the need to address the conditions conducive to “strengthening efforts for the successful prevention and peaceful resolution of prolonged conflicts, and also promoting the rule of law, the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, good governance, tolerance and inclusiveness.”
In the statement, the Security Council stressed that terrorism cannot and should not be associated with any religion, nationality or civilisation.
“The Security Council also reaffirms that member states shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State, and shall also give the United Nations every assistance in any action it takes in accordance with the United Nations Charter, and shall refrain from giving assistance to any State against which the United Nations is taking preventive or enforcement action,” said the statement.
The Council also called on UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to provide “a comprehensive survey and assessment” of the UN’s work in assisting member states and sub-regional and regional entities across Africa in fighting the continent’s terrorist threats.
In addition, the most powerful body of UN reiterated that the scourge of terrorism can only be defeated by a sustained and comprehensive approach involving active participation and collaboration of all states, and relevant international and regional organizations and civil society.
China said that efforts should be made to help African countries build their capacity in the fight against terrorism, calling for support and assistance to Africa “without any attached political conditions.”
Li Baodong, China’s permanent representative to the UN, made the remarks at an open debate of the UN Security Council on peace and security in Africa, which is themed on the challenges of the fight against terrorism in Africa.
“Terrorism organisations take advantage of the political and security turmoil in some parts of Africa and incessantly spread their activities to the continent in an attempt to establish a new safe haven there,” Li said, pointing out that the terrorist activities and ethnic and religious conflicts, which are interwoven in Africa, affect each other, further intensify the arms proliferation and cross-border organised crimes.
The Chinese ambassador underlined that limited resources and capacity are the biggest restriction of African countries to combat terrorism.
“We urge the international community, the developed countries in particular, to redouble the efforts in helping African countries promote capacity-building in justice and security sectors, strengthen the exchange of experience and information sharing, and support the relevant efforts of regional and sub- regional organizations,” he said.
Li also emphasised that the security turmoil in parts of Africa is the “hotbed” for terrorism and urged the international community to be objective and fair, comprehensively and proactively support the African countries and regional organisations in their efforts of maintaining regional peace and security.
“The international community should pay good attention to the economic and social development in Africa, effectively honour their commitment and actively provide the assistance to African countries without any attached political conditions,” he said.
The Chinese envoy reiterated the attitude of China, which is also a victim of terrorism, in supporting African countries in their efforts to combat terrorist activities.
“We will continue to do what we can to provide support and assistance to African countries to jointly face the threat the terrorism has brought to Africa and the world at large,” Li added.
— Xinhua.
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