The seminar, co-hosted by the Institute for Security Studies and the Southern African Trust, brought together about 30 participants from civil society, research and academic institutions, government and diplomatic missions.

Cheryl Hendricks opened the seminar by underlining the significance of Africa Day, which commemorates the formation of the Organisation of the African Union and which celebrates Africa’s achievements. She observed that in many respects, this year we will be reliving the grand debate of the early 1960s with pan-Africanists calling for political and economic integration, and moderates calling for a more gradualist approach that gave birth to the OAU.

She outlined the stated rationale for a continental government pointing out that any union must be of African people, and not merely states. Integration is said to hold the key to resolving Africa’s problems.

However there are obviously many challenges that pose doubt on the readiness of Africa to embark on this institutional arrangement. Hence the current debate with arguments on the one side noting that we should first concentrate on strengthening current AU structures, and those on the other, noting that we should increase the pace of integration as in our current modus operandi, conditions will never be ripe.

This debate is, however, largely taking place amongst African heads of state, yet, it is African citizens who need to be deliberating, for it is they who stand to gain or lose the most. It is a debate ostensibly carried out for the purpose of facilitating the integration of Africa’s people.

George Mukundi gave an historical overview of the pan-African debate, underscoring the motivation for shared historical and cultural values, collective self-reliance, self-sufficiency and political freedom. He observed that Africa has continued to remain poor and divided.

The establishment of the African Union in 2002 was meant to accelerate the continent’s integration process and to strengthen its shared values and common purpose. But the challenges to continental integration have remained, especially with AU member states still holding onto the issue of sovereignty. The contradiction is that it is these leaders who are leading the debate on the formation of a ‘United States of Africa’. He noted the challenges to continental unity including; mistrust, economic inequalities, racism and questions of ethnicity. He also pointed out that political leaders are at the moment pursuing the question of integration without involving the general public.

As a way forward he pointed out the need for AU to take tough and courageous decisions and determination to enforce them, to consult and involve all Africans, to strengthen and rationalise the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) as the building blocks to achieve a Union government, address the recurrent financial constraint on the union and adopt measured steps that take into account complementarity of political and economic structures.

Prince Mashele made a presentation 'African Union government: Between dreams and reality'. He observed that the debate on a ‘United States of Africa’ picked up momentum from the 7th African Union Summit in Banjul Gambia in July 2006.

At this summit, a study report on the ‘United States of Africa’ was presented outlining concrete steps to be taken. Mashele critiqued the proposed road map arguing that there was no way the pan-African parliament (PAP) would start legislating by 2009. He also questioned the possible contradictions between the powers bestowed on the PAP to legislate and the assembly as the highest decision making body, adding that without political will, nothing would work.

He pointed out the divergence in suggestions over the structure of the union with some suggesting a federal government while others proposing the strengthening of the current structures of the African Union. In conclusion, Mashele observed that in the face of the myriad of problems facing the continent, the current debates on continental integration will neither lead to a ‘United States of Africa’ nor continental government. He termed it misplaced optimism and mere sensation.

Ozias Tungwarara picked up from Prince Mashele’s conclusion, arguing that as a Zimbabwean, he was attracted to the optimism of continental integration. He observed that the idea of a United States of Africa was good, although there was still work to be done, especially in making it resonate with the general public.

He observed that while the proposal for a continental government would have profound implications on the majority of African people, the African Union has not involved them. Civil society too, he observed, have not been effective in mobilsing people to participate in the debates. The debate has remained elitist rather than people centred. Civil society’s participation has largely been constrained, partly by the lack of cross-border networking to pressurise governments on issues of continental interest. The question, he posed is what should civil society do in the current scenario? Do they take the ‘United States of Africa’ debate back to the people for discussion before the Accra Summit or remain in reactionary mode?

He also pointed out that the debates on continental integration seem driven by neoliberal economics. He urged for the Accra summit to be withheld until ‘people’s’ voices have been heard and that civil societies should come up with new options relating to people’s engagement and coordinate efforts between civil societies focusing on development and those on politics.

The discussant, John Tesha, observed it is apparent that the continental landscape has been changing, as evidenced in the occurrence of regular elections and presidents leaving offices peacefully. He pointed out that the discourse on continental integration embodied the message of African solutions to African problems. He agreed with the need for an inclusive process, although he observed that the civil societies do have a platform at the African Union (ECOSOC). He urged the civil society to make use of available mechanisms and avoid being reactive. He conceded that that 2015 may be too close for political integration, and called for gradual and realistic time frames. He also called for advocates of ‘structured and inclusive’ processes to make concrete propositions about how that should be done. One critical question, he felt, needs to pursued is the financial implication of an African Union government.

During the plenary a number of issues were raised. These included the possible immigration challenges that could arise from political integration, a concern with abstract debates that are never implemented, the question of what makes the integration debate necessary at this moment, and the argument that presenters were offering an ‘all or nothing solution’.

It was suggested that some countries, which are more eager, would probably proceed with the political integration and others join them along the way. Other questions related to differences between North Africans and the rest of the continent, the effect of Alpha Konare’s possible resignation from the AU leadership, whether the continental integration process has borrowed from other models, such as the Asian model, and the argument that civil society could too be considered elitist.

In response, Prince Mashele observed that the current continental integration discourses are motivated by political not economic integration, pointing out the challenges of infrastructure. He observed that the question of timeframes should not be a concern given that the EU has been driven by the desire for concrete measures and not timeframes.

Mashele also pointed out the disconnection between the North and the rest of Africa, as amplified in the NEPAD process and peacekeeping missions on the continent. He underscored the need for a functional or sectoral integration e.g. regionally and across certain sectors such as infrastructure.

George Mukundi contested the notion that political integration would create migration problems, citing examples in West and East Africa, which currently allow free movement. He observed that Kadhafi’s pronouncements provided impetus for the debate on the United States of Africa, and it appears other leaders have bought into it. He observed that there was no problem with countries borrowing models which work elsewhere, provided these models are domesticated and made relevant to their new contexts.

Ozias Tungwarara argued that the debate should not be attributed to an individual, but rather be seen in the pan-African paradigm where Africa seeks to address its development challenges. He observed that from the research he has done, it is apparent that there has been little consultation on the proposed African Union government. The ECOSOC platform, he further observed, has been in interim mode all along. He urged for civil societies to create independent spaces for participation in the African Union. He emphasised the need for critical contributions from all the constituencies.

John Tesha answered the question of ‘why now’ with a rhetorical one ‘why not now?’ He observed that there is no need to question when some countries decide to lead, arguing that it is quite normal everywhere in the world. On the question of civil society participation, he said, he saw no obstacles, and observed that it all depended on initiative.

Cheryl Hendricks recapped the debate touching on the main running themes. She said the question on timing should be rephrased to 'why only now' since the raison d’etre of the OAU and AU were supposed precisely to lead along this path. She concluded by underscoring the need for the debate to be taken beyond the ‘blue chip’ NGOs to the masses.

Civil society groups in Nigeria raised the need to look critically at the performance of existing institutions, before a consensus is reached on the formation of an African Union government or a United States of Africa, during a one-day roundtable organised by ActionAid in Abuja, Nigeria on May 25, 2007.

The roundtable attracted 32 representatives from civil society organisations, media, ministries of foreign affairs, the labour movement, academia, ECOWAS, private sector and other stakeholders. The meeting noted that a United States of Africa is a desirable vision, but raised some challenges including common political and cultural values, identity, citizenship integration and state power.

Speakers at the roundtable also raised concern over what was described as 'lack of democratic credentials and credibility of the African leaders, inadequate infrastructure, violation of human rights of citizens across the continent, restricted movement of Africans within the continent, context of sovereignty, political instability, travels within the continent and language barriers, immigration, setting up policy standards and adhering to them'.

Participants at the roundtable observed further that African governments need to popularise the proposal for the continental government amongst their people through sensitisation meetings, the media, academic discourse, and research into past experiences and achievements, such as OAU and AU.

In a communiqué produced by the roundtable, participants recommended the need to analyse the achievement of the African Union, and use the lessons learnt to discuss the formation of a United States of Africa.

The assessment of AU performance should be based on the implementation of existing decisions and performance of relevant institutions. This should involve all relevant institutions, governments, CSOs, media, businesses in the process leading to the formation of the United States of Africa.

Civil society must ensure that there is no disconnect between leaders and the peoples of Africa toward implementation of the proposed United States of Africa.

As a next step, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be hosting another public forum to discuss the proposal, and civil society has requested to work in conjunction with the ministry to organise these discussions.

For further information contact:
Túndé Àrèmú
Tel: +234 (9) 290 7867/8
tunde.aremu at actionaid.org

Afroflag Youth Vision, a network of youth organisations, and Oxfam GB recently held discussions at the Axum hotel in Addis Ababa on the African Union’s proposal to establish continental government. 150 participants from mainly local NGOs, universities, international organisations, and embassies, and national and international media attended the event.

Three presentations clarified the implications of the AU proposal. Desire Assogbavi, Oxfam GB, pan-Africa senior policy analyst provided a brief analysis 'AU Study on the Continental Government towards the United States of Africa'.

Dr Tim Murithi, senior researcher, Direct Conflict Prevention Programme, Institute of Security Studies (ISS), presented a paper 'From Pan Africanism to the Union of Africa'. Derese Getachew, lecturer in sociology and social anthropology, Addis Ababa university, presented a paper 'African Citizenhood and Challenge to realize the United States of Africa'.

Participants expressed concerns about the timing, feasibility and lack of citizens’ involvement in the process of establishing a union government. For most of the participants, this was the first time they had heard of the proposal. They felt that integration and/or unity of the continent should start from the bottom - the people, not from the top - with heads of states. A true African citizen must identify with and be able to move freely within the continent. African Union member states must also establish common standards of democracy and human rights, before establishing a union government.

Further, conflicts within and across national borders continue to plague the continent. The current AU must demonstrate a greater capacity to resolve ongoing conflicts on the continent. Though participants did not reject the idea of establishing a union government, they were concerned that the timeframes for achieving the proposal were too ambitious. However, a first step towards achieving unity would be to rationalise existing Regional Economic Communities.

More importantly, there needs to be more media involvement and coverage, especially in local languages, to promote greater awareness and involvement of the public in the process of establishing union government.

Four former Nigerian governors accused of corruption are on the run from the anti-graft agency, after their terms of office expired on Tuesday. Elected officials enjoy immunity from prosecution while in power. The runaway governors did not hand over power in inauguration ceremonies held across the country.

Niger's parliament voted Prime Minister Hama Amadou's government out of office on Thursday after opponents accused it of complicity in a corruption scandal that has shaken the world's poorest country. A majority of 62 deputies in the 113-seat national assembly backed a no-confidence vote, which meant the government of the landlocked West African state was automatically obliged to resign under the constitution.

The annual G8 summit of wealthiest nations has become something of a talking shop for 'what to do about Africa' as successive G8 presidencies attempt to come up with fresh solutions to the continent's hardships. After a strong focus on aid and debt relief at the 2005 summit in Gleneagles, this year's summit in Germany will see a return to a recurring theme in G8-African relations: the need to reward good governance with greater investment for long-term growth.

"The Old Man is strong!" is a favourite chant of supporters of Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade, whose rule over the West African state looks set to become stronger still in parliamentary polls. An opposition boycott of the polls will leave the field clear for a sweeping victory by the octogenarian president's Sopi coalition, whose name means "change".

The United Nations Foundation is seeking to recruit a Director of Global Fund constituency building. The Director will report to the Foundation’s Senior Vice President who has direct responsibility for partnership development and fundraising.

A United Nations group has issued a series of key messages targeted at encouraging different audiences to boost access to financial services – from opening bank accounts to taking out loans to buying insurance – to the poor. These messages, aimed at governments, regulators, development partners and the private sector, were formed by the UN Advisors Group on Inclusive Financial Sectors, which was created to promote financial inclusion in poorer countries.

Umaru Yar'Adua takes office as president of Nigeria on Tuesday, inheriting a catalogue of crises compounded by doubts over his own legitimacy after a flawed election. The 56-year-old state governor was handed a landslide victory in last month's presidential poll, described as "not credible" by international observers because of widespread vote-rigging and violence.

Despite pressure for Sudan to accept a peacekeeping force of 23 000 troops and police, a key African Union committee has not approved plans sent by the United Nations, diplomats said on Thursday. Sudan has been sent an informal copy of details drawn up recently but a formal submission cannot happen until the AU's Peace and Security Committee gives its consent.

The World Bank's International Development Association (IDA) has reduced support for poverty alleviation programmes in Uganda over concerns about the allocation of funds and financial management, the Bank said. The IDA is a section of the Bank that makes interest-free loans to the world’s poorest countries.

POVERTY remains a scourge that the world is grappling with, and the case is no different in Namibia, where stakeholders are meeting for a three-day conference to discuss how the country can find effective means to reduce poverty. The first national conference on poverty reduction, unemployment and entrepreneurship, which began in Windhoek yesterday, is being held under the theme 'Entrepreneurship as an alternative source to employment creation and poverty alleviation'.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour, has criticised the appalling conditions in prisons in the Democratic Republic of Congo, while also suggesting the authorities compile an inventory of earlier serious human rights violations. "Congo’s prisons are overpopulated because there are many prolonged detentions as most detainees don’t have access to justice," she said.

A Zambian court ordered former President Frederick Chiluba on Thursday to stand trial on corruption charges on August 14, rejecting arguments from his doctors and lawyers that he was too ill to be prosecuted. "We should proceed with this matter to help all the other parties involved and also considering the period of time it has taken since the matter was last heard," Magistrate Jones Chinyama said in a ruling issued in Lusaka.

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) said on Thursday it would resume operations in the drought-affected Karamoja region of northern Uganda following government assurances on the security of staff. The U.N. agency suspended food deliveries to half a million people struggling to cope with the effects of drought after a WFP driver was shot dead on Monday during an ambush by unidentified gunmen in Kotido District

The MS Training Centre for Development Cooperation (MS-TCDC) offers courses which strengthen the internal governance of civil society organisations and other courses which enable organisations to work with communities and to engage with government and private sector in policy making. There are three new courses: Project Planning and Management course; the Participatory Forest Management course; and the Basic Financial Introduction course. The courses target primarily people and organisations working in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, and secondarily those from Zambia, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Ethiopia, South Sudan and Somaliland.

In the preparations for this year's summit of the Group of Eight most industrialised countries, to take place Jun. 6-8 in the Baltic seaside resort of Heiligendamm, Germany, aid for Africa has topped the agenda. But the farm subsidy factor is likely to be avoided in the debate.

The African Union (AU) has instituted an audit of its institutions as debate escalates on the form of a proposed Union government. Chairperson of the AU Commission, Alpha Oumar Konaré, said the AU will finalise the audit “before it can conclude the debate of the formation of a Union government.” Existing AU institutions are the AU Commission, the Pan African Parliament (PAP) and the Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC).

FEATURES: Hakima Abbas reports back on an historic meeting of Chinese and African CSOs in Shanghai held at the same time as the African Development Bank meeting.

COMMENT AND ANALYSIS:
- Abdirahman Aw Ali on the case for African Union recognition of Somaliland
- Janice Golding considers research debates about biodiversity and climate change in Africa
- Henning Melber on black economic empowerment and kleptocracy in Namibia
LETTERS: Jens Galschiøt from Denmark on the banning of a sculpture in London
PAN-AFRICAN POSTCARD: Tajudeen asks whether the new president of Nigeria will be a new Robin Hood
BOOKS & ARTS: film Review: OBberlin-Inanda: The Life and Times of John Dube; Poetess poem

WOMEN AND GENDER: South Africa’s Sexual Offenses Bill welcomed
CONFLICT AND EMERGENCIES: AU yet to approve Darfur force
HUMAN RIGHTS: New Niger slavery study welcomed
SOCIAL MOVEMENTS: Niger Delta youth shut pipeline valve
REFUGEES AND FORCED MIGRATION: The accountability gap in refugee protection
ELECTIONS AND GOVERNANCE: New Nigerian leader faces catalogue of crises
CORRUPTION: Niger parliament votes out government over corruption
DEVELOPMENT: Farm subsidies a taboo at G8
HEALTH AND HIV/Aids: One million southern Africans in need of treatment
EDUCATION: Donors failing children in conflict states
LGBTI: Africa’s gays and lesbians combat bias
ENVIRONMENT: Uganda acts to save rain forests
LAND & LAND RIGHTS: Report on Rwanda’s Batwa
MEDIA AND FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION: 24-hour network launched
INTERNET AND TECHNOLOGY: Programme for low-cost PCs launched
PLUS: e-newsletters and mailings lists; fundraising and useful resources; courses,
seminars and workshops, jobs and books and publications

*Pambazuka News now has a Del.icio.us page, where you can view the various websites that we visit to keep our fingers on the pulse of Africa! Visit