BY MENGESHA AMARE
Africa has long been deprived of a number of avenues that have potentially led it to prosperity and integration. Even after independence and freedom declaration, countries inflicted with colonialism nostalgia have never stopped giving hard time, interfering, intimidating and disrupting the developing world with a specially emphasis on Africa.
Recent impositions and organized defamations have been clear testimonies for all this evil deeds against the continent. Resisting myriads of futile attempts, organized conspiracies and deliberate dissemination of misinformation about Ethiopia predominantly to hold the African Union Heads of States Assembly at a different site outside Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, almost all African leaders decided the place where the Summit has to be conducted.
This has been a great success for Ethiopia in particular and for the whole continent in general. True, continental conferences and summits held under the auspices of the African Union have provided a new political space for involvement of a number of member states. The 35th Summit is in turn of significantly useful in linking states with broader developments in the relationship among and between themselves and with the African Union.
Having a stay with local media, African Affairs Researcher Samuel Assefa (PhD) said that The Summit has to focus on agriculture, development paths and strong diplomacy instead of being confined with incompatible and untimely rhetoric.
He further stated that the AU Summit being held here has to well capitalize on deliberations like Agriculture and other transformation agenda that can potentially push Africa forward and contain spread of neocolonialism.
As to Samuel, the #NoMore movement which has been inspired by Ethiopia has been fueled all over the continent in general and in West Africa, for instance in Mali and Burkina Faso in particular. As Ethiopia is a country which has practically exercised freedom and fought colonialism targeting at scrambling independent and freedom, its effort to fuel the fight against interventionism continues to overcome the transformed form of colonialism—Neocolonialism.
As to him, when the freedom emblem—Ethiopia—has seriously shouldered the #NoMore campaign which has been rife all over Africa and other countries where black Africans reside, many are following the telling campaign against new form of colonialism.
The #NoMore movement has also come up with the motivation to push the issue of having a seat in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
“Not only is the #NoMore movement initiated by Ethiopia limited to get the stretched hands of colonialism of the western shortened, but has also brought the issue of UNSC representation quest to the front line, and it has been well fueled in many African countries. This appeal raised by many African leaders like Maky Sall, Cyril Ramaphoza, Abiy Ahmed (PhD), even before them by Robert Mugabe, Muammar Gaddafi and others, has been widely entertained all over the continent, and even beyond.
Getting tired of the uninvited intervention and undue meddling, a number of African countries has been expounding the issue of #NoMore well, he added.
As learnt from Samuel, withstanding all intimidations, unfair interventions and tacit or express impositions, many African governments has been committed to support the Ethiopian #NoMore campaign. This step has helped the Ethiopian government be capable of coming up with meaningful steps though it is not sufficient. There are a number of Africans which are seriously waiting for justice and fairness, indeed.
“Despite their knowledge about what will follow next, many African countries has developed confidence to say #NoMore to neocolonialism and get the name of Ethiopia well reputed. Their solidarity has even shown improvement since the coming to power of Abiy Ahmed (PhD),” he stated.
Ethiopian diaspora, foreigners of Ethiopian origin and Ethiopia’s friends rallied abroad have also had great contributions to the effort geared towards spreading the #NoMore movement and even provide Ethiopia with power to inverse big decision, he underscored.
According to Samuel, as Ethiopia is an icebreaker of the matters in Africa, all countries are now determined than ever to practically put into action what this great nation—Ethiopia—has been initiating or doing. Simple citing the case of the #NoMore movement initiated in Ethiopia is quite enough along this line.
What has been uncovered in the summit will provide important information for both scholars and decision-makers about the consequences of summits. The summit can be influential in increasing of leaders understanding of the objectives of the meetings in particular, and of the management of foreign policy in general. Besides, summit diplomacy more generally is worth acknowledging.
It is unquestionably focusing on AU state members benefit out of agriculture and related aspects, general political relations with other states, and economic relations including trade, foreign direct investment and so on.
The summit is without a shadow of doubt of paramount importance in ensuring the realization of its objectives and the attainment of the Pan African Vision of an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, Agenda 2063 was developed as a strategic framework for Africa’s long term socio-economic and integrative transformation. The agenda calls for greater collaboration and support for African led initiatives to ensure the achievement of the aspirations of African people.
The AU is guided by its vision of creating an Integrated, Prosperous and Peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena.”
Fundamentally, peace and security, regional integration and the issue of finance are going to be the thematic areas on which the summit will focus. These areas are of paramount importance in attaining the set targets of the African continent.
It is also working for ensuring the effective participation of women in decision-making, particularly in the political, economic and socio-cultural areas and developing as well as promoting common policies on trade, defense and foreign relations to ensure the defense of the Continent and the strengthening of its negotiating positions.
It is well comprehended that in May 1963, 32 Heads of independent African States met in Addis Ababa Ethiopia to sign the Charter creating Africa’s first post-independence continental institution, The Organization of African Unity (OAU). The OAU was the manifestation of the pan-African vision for an Africa that was united, free and in control of its own destiny and this was solemnized in the OAU charter in which the founding fathers recognized that freedom, equality, justice and dignity were essential objectives for the achievement of the legitimate aspirations of the African peoples and that there was a need to promote understanding among Africa’s peoples and foster cooperation among African states in response to the aspirations of Africans for brother-hood and solidarity, in a larger unity transcending ethnic and national Differences. The guiding philosophy was that of Pan-Africanism which centered on African socialism and promoted African unity, the communal characteristic and practices of African communities, and a drive to embrace Africa’s culture and common heritage.
Speaking about the significance of the summit especially for women, President Sahlework Zewdie said that the role of bringing women to the leadership position is significantly useful in successfully smashing out poverty and backwardness from the soil is worth appreciating. It has thus sparked a ray of for women and girls in particular and for the entire society of the continent in general.
Cognizant of the fact that the main objectives of the OAU were to rid the continent of the remaining vestiges of colonization and apartheid, leaders have been committed and diligent more than ever before to promote unity and solidarity amongst African States.
Furthermore, they are working from dawn to dusk in a well-coordinated manner with a view to intensifying regional integration and sustainable development and safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Member States thereby promoting international cooperation.
Despite their limitations, summits and world conferences can give grantees an important opportunity to contribute ideas to governments and international agencies, and to link with counterparts and kindred movements around the globe. By giving leaders and organizations experience with international forums, issues, and media, participating in these meetings can help grantees build crucial skills in advocacy, policy formulation, and communications skills that are as useful at home as on a world stage.
In the spirit of African integration and with regard to the previous experiences, it can be prime time to come up with an efficient moderated political system for Africa.
In sum, African leaders are now in a position to create an independent, integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena. From this one can easily deduce that the continent has been determined to unite itself, get prospered and tranquil all the time. Besides, this pivotal mission has to be well attained following the relentless efforts of its sons and daughters, not citizens of other nations of the world, and the continent has to be represented by a dynamic force globally.
The February 3/2022
