 | | Aspiration 3. An Africa of good governance, democracy, respect for human rights, justice and the rule of law. Goal 11: Democratic values, practices, universal principles of human rights, justice and the rule of law entrenched. http://conta.cc/2kTnF5u Somalia's new President Abdullahi Farmajo On February 8, 2017, Somalia's incumbent, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, conceded defeat in a state-man's fashion to former Prime Minister Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo saying that "history was made; we have taken this path to democracy." The civilian transfer of power in another African nation further cements Africa's embrace of the electoral box to decide. President Farmajo who had lived in Buffalo, New York, USA holds dual Somali-U.S citizenship. He took the oath of office in what would be Somalia's first fully functioning central government in a quarter-century. He was declared victorious when incumbent President Mohamud dropped out of the contest in the second round after losing 184 to 97 to Farmajo. |
Aspiration 2. An integrated continent, politically united and based on the ideals of Pan Africanism and vision of Africa's Renaissance. Goal 10: Communications and Infrastructure Connectivity.
Africa's Integration
It is unrealistic to envision a unified Africa that is unconnected.
Africa's first electric, transnational railway took its first journey from the capital of Djibouti to Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, in January 2017.
Locomotives for the new Ethiopia to Djibouti electric railway system outside a train station on the outskirts of Addis Ababa. Sept. 24, 2016
In early January 2017, the first train buzzed and made its way on the tracks of a $3.4 billion electric railway connecting Ethiopia and Djibouti and access to the Red Sea. The 750-kilometer (466 miles) line is expected to carry up to five million tons of goods per year with potentials to have massive impacts on the economies of both countries and the East African region at large.
At the official launch of the project, Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn said its importance cannot be overstated. "This project is like our blood vessels," according to statements to VOA, reported by Somali service reporter rode on the inaugural train. "The reason is because Ethiopia's outlet is through Djibouti. Therefore, this project determines if we can live or not live."
The train projects are funded, to a large extent - about 70%, by loans from China's state-run EXIM Bank and built by China Railway Group and Chinese engineers.
Looking towards China, the arguments point to the dynamic nature of the understanding. China's loans have conditions that are different from most credit structures in the West. The Chinese official statement is "...Chinese loans closely fit a country's ability to repay" (Brautigam 2009, p. 185).
If repayment in economic capital is not possible, China accepts (African) natural resources at market prices as a viable repayment solution (Carmody, 2011). For instance, Ethiopia was able to pay back its Exim Bank loans in sesame seed exports (Brautigam, 2009).
Oil collateral is directly utilized to finance credit. Therefore, the IMF's "static" credit systems and China's "dynamic sustainability" approaches to loan financing exercise a diverse range of options to support repayment (Brautigam, 2009). These conditions recognize the context of recipients and prioritize repayment rather than creating eternal debt. (Citations from Humphrey Public Affairs Review).
China also loves to fly its flag on projects it funds, including on state-owned buildings. So Chinese presence or benevolence cannot be missed. |
Aspiration 1: A Prosperous Africa based on inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development. Goal 2: Well Educated Citizens and Skills revolution underpinned by Science, Technology and Innovation. http://conta.cc/2lbsYg8
AFRICAN MATTERS OF EMERGENCIES: The African Capacity Deficiency Syndrome Need to develop Africa's human and social capital
"The time to accelerate capacity building is now or never. The continent does not have the luxury to waste time anymore. Phelekezela Mphoko." Vice-President , Zimbabwe Mr. Emmanuel Nnadozie, Executive Secretary of ACBF
"Africa's skill gap is preventing the continent from achieving its optimum economic growth" the Pan African think tank, African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), said on November 13, 2014. The Executive Secretary ACBF, Mr. Emmanuel Nnadozie, told China Xinhua News in Nairobi, Kenya, that there is a shortage of human capacity in the areas required to accelerate economic growth. The Alarm Bell on the deficiency of skilled African expertise was rang - or presented to the AU Executive Council in 2015 by ACBF. The foresight was noted in the AU Executive Council Decisions to include AU citizens in the Diaspora as internal solutions to the shortage of expertise. The directive expressly liked Migration and Development with a call for full representation of AU citizens in the Diaspora in the AU Economic, Social, Cultural Council and systemic inclusion in AU programs. EX.CL/277 (IX) EX.CL/Dec.305 (IX) |
WE ARE NOT EDUCATING OUR YOUTH TO SOLVE AFRICAN PROBLEMS. WE NEED TO MAKE THEM EMPLOYABLE. ABCF
In a year dedicated to harnessing the Demographic Dividend through investments in Youth, Africa must rededicate and redouble efforts to create economic opportunities and market-driven approach to education and training, including technical and vocational skills programs to respond to market demand. The focus should also shift from low-productivity subsistence work to more productive activities in modern manufacturing and services.
The African Union has unveiled the Continental Education Strategy 2016-2025 (CESA 16-25), which also addresses the UN Sustainable Development Goal in Education (SDG Goal 4). CESA is driven by the need for a transformed and integrated education system geared towards the development of knowledge, skill and values that address African problem and development while competitive in the 21st century global market.
In January 2016, the AU announced in a press briefing by the then AU Commissioner for Human Resources, Science and Technology, Dr Martial De-Paul Ikounga, that the strategy moves away from perspectives and minimalist goals that focus on just human empowerment to creating enabling conditions that help individuals and nations to address crucial developments and realize their fullest potential. Content and performance standards - what students learn and are able to do in light of productivity - are crucial in the school reform.
It may be helpful for educators and teachers to have ongoing professional development training on CESA. English. French |
AFRICA'S FINANCIAL LIBERATION WITH POLICY SPACE
Agenda 2063 Aspiration 7: An Africa as A Strong, United, Resilient and Influential Global Player and Partner. Goal 20: Africa takes full responsibility for financing her development: http://conta.cc/2kgNtd1
The Priorities are: African Capital market; Fiscal system and Public Sector Revenues; Development Assistance (reduction).
Africa's quest for sustainable and self-reliant development is at-risk when Africa cannot find its way out of the financial dependency trap.
A prerequisite for self-mastery is for Africa to create the necessary policy space in order to determine her development. Domestic Resource Mobilization (DMR) offers the advantages of greater domestic policy ownership and better coherence with domestic developments that are not compromised by the disadvantages associated with Foreign Direct Investment, foreign aid or conditional aid, which are tied to the objectives or interests of foreign investors or donors. Reflecting the need for financial independence, in July 2017, at its 27th Ordinary Summit in Kigali, Rwanda, the AU announced a plan on self-funding. Then, foreign donors paid for 73 percent of the $781 million (708 million euro) budget. The plan adopted is to levy a new 0.2 percent tax on imports and use the funds to pay for the functioning of the AU. Rwanda's Finance, Minister Claver Gatete, said it could generate as much as $1.2 billion (1.1 billion euros). IS AFRICA TRANSLATING AU DIASPORA CAPITAL TO SELF-SOLUTIONS?
Diaspora Sovereign Bond (Diaspora Investment Fund) from AU citizens living in the Diaspora and leveraging Remittances are included in Goal 20. According to the African Development Bank, Africa could potentially raise USD $17 billion a year by using future remittances as collateral (African Economic Outlook: External financial flows and tax revenues for Africa: African AfDB, OECD, UNDP 2016.) The official amount of remittances is acknowledged by researchers to be substantially less than the amount transmitted, including through informal sources that are not added in the official amount. Nevertheless, even the official amount exceeds the total Official Development Assistance (ODA) to Africa by foreign donor countries: Here are some reckoning examples among many: 1. ECOWAS Diaspora has steadily become a major source of financing for development in West Africa. Remittances have registered an annual average growth of 5% since 2005. From 2006, the amount have exceeded the total ODA to the 15 Member States in the region.
2. In December 2016, the official record of Nigerian Diaspora remittance in 11 months rose to $35 billion USD.
3. The Kenyan government acknowledges that "due to the huge sums involved, remittances are now being recognized as an important contributor to the country's growth and development.
4. About 40% of Somali families rely on remittances for basic needs such as food, housing, medication in a country where the official annual remittances of $1.3 USD billion is more that all foreign aid and investments in Somalia combined based on the study published by Adeso, Oxfam and the Inter-American Dialogue. In 2013, while on a visit in Britain, former Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud called on Somali Diaspora residents in the Diaspora to return home to rebuild their nation. In September 2016, he made the same appeal to Somali Diaspora residents in Minnesota, USA and noted Diaspora industrialization developments in building new infrastructures. http://conta.cc/2lojrCr .
5. In 2016, in briefing Members of Parliament about current issues and development in Ethiopia, one of the issues presented and discussed by Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn was the involvement of Ethiopian Diaspora in the overall nation building process. Hence, he said, the government will do everything possible for Ethiopian Diaspora residents to actively take part in building their nation and maximize their development contribution in the second Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP-II) period. "In the current era of intensifying global human and capital flows, Diaspora contribution to the development of their home countries is crucial. Nowhere is the role of Diaspora in sustaining local livelihoods and supporting national development as evident as in Africa." Citation: In line with convention, income is the flow of money that individuals receive from labor, government transfers, intrahouse hold transfers, or investments. Wealth or net worth, refers to the accumulated stock of savings, real estate, retirement funds, stocks, bonds, and trust funds |
THE NEW LEADERSHIP IN THE NEXT FOUR YEARS
It is an encouraging stride that the positions for public offices at the AU is not a coronation but vigorously contested. In the just concluded election for the Chairperson of the AU Commission, on December 9, 2016, the five candidates participated in the Mjadala Afrika Debate. Mjadala means Debate in Swahili. The candidates explained their visions for Africa as the top executive of Africa's apex institution. This is still relevant as H.E. Mahamat, in his acceptance speech, indicated that he will call and count on his former rivals to move Africa forward.
The undecided elections in two Commissioner's races leave two vacancies: Economic Affairs and Human Resource Science and Technology. The Commissioners must be a male from the East and a female from Central for regional and gender balance.
On the Commissioners, it was a shake up. Only one incumbent, H.E. Smail of Peace and Security, survived. Open races where the incumbent did not contest: - Infrastructure and Energy: H.E. Amani from Egypt replaced term-limited Dr. Elham Mahmoud Ahmed Ibrahim who is also a female from Egypt.
- Rural Economy and Agriculture: The outgoing Commissioner Tumusiime Rhoda, from Uganda, was term limited.
- Political Affairs: Nigeria's Dr. Aisha Abdullahi chose not to run for reelection.
- Human Resource Science and Technology: Dr. Martial De-Paul Ikounga, from Congo, opted not to contest for his seat.
In the rest of the races, the incumbents did not prevail, except in Peace and Security as noted.
*Term limited means the Commissioner had served two-terms, which means eight years. The position for the Deputy Chairperson was term-limited.
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HOW THE EASTERN FRONT RUNNER LOST Betrayal Fingered. The Eastern Rift and Recrimination
Jan. 31, 2017. Kenya's Foreign Minister Amina Mohamed speaks about the vote
Many theories have been brewing on why the results defied bets or assumptions. The collusion came with an "Et tu, Brute? You too, Brute moments. For context, it is a metaphor for betrayal based on William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar who called out: "Et tu, Brute? to his longtime and trusted friend, Marcus Junius Brutus, prior to succumbing to the fatal stab inflicted by Brutus and co-conspirators in the Senate house.
In this situation, Kenya trusted her East African Community compatriots to co-pilot H.E. Mohamed to victory.
In her first interview after the vote, she now wants Kenya's neighbors re-evaluated for jumping ship, as she believed they were in the same sail, during polls. The re-evaluation, she says, should establish why Kenya's neighbors, whom she did not name, decamped to vote for other candidates. However, she said some of the pledges made were "deceptive."
"Things fell apart at the last round," she told journalists in Addis Ababa."I think the fear from some that maybe we were going to get it (led to this). So they probably withdrew their support."
LESSONS
H.E. Mohamed went further. She said Kenya should draw lessons from the loss. "Are we seen as a friend or a threat?" adding that "appearances are deceptive." "I think we are very honest people, so it is difficult to deal with deceptive people. Going forward, it is a good lesson to learn. "If we ever vied for a continental position, we have to take all that into consideration and probably pick someone who speaks more French than English for the office."
From the outset, the colonial tongue appeared to be the strength of the Francophone countries against the Anglophone. But Kenya's National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale also blamed civil society groups for bringing up the International Criminal Court (ICC) matter at the AU.
H.E. Mohamed attributed her loss on the two main languages spoken in Africa in this way: "Africa is divided along language lines even though the languages don't belong to us. Yet the authors of those languages do not fight among themselves," she told The Standard.
This reminds watchers of the AU unfolding on contest between incumbent AU Commission Chairperson Jean Ping and H.E. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. At the height of the colonial language alliances, she described herself as a Zulu - a not too subtle negation of the colonial bondage - or follies since they serve no African purpose. The Stage By most account, H.E. Amina Mohamed was billed as the lady to beat in the contest. The scars of the suspended July 2016 race in Kigali, Rwanda, must have caused former Ugandan Vice-president, Dr. Specioza Kazibwe, to withdraw. This time, the star of the Southern candidate, Botswana's Foreign Minister, Dr. Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi, who led in July, had dimmed. When the voting African Heads of State took their seats on the fateful day, good bets were calling a duel between Senegalese Diplomat Abdoulaye Bathily and H.E Amina Mohammed. H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chad's Foreign Minister and eventual winner, did not feature in the public radar. - Round One: H.E. Mohamed bested the field with 16 votes against H.E. Moussa Mahamat, who had 14 votes. H.E. Pelonomi Vento-Moitoi and Dr. Bathily each had 10 votes.
- Round Two: H.E. Mahamat took the lead when he received 21 votes to H.E. Mohamed's 15 votes. Dr. Bathily and H.E Venson received 8 votes each. H.E Mba Mokuy, the Foreign Minister of Equatorial Guinea, had two votes.
The suspected East betrayal emerged with change of votes. Since none of the candidates received the required 2/3rd majority, after the third round, the rules kicked in. The candidates with the least votes fell by the wayside. H.E. Mahamat and H.E. Mohamed were left standing. - Round Four: H.E. Mohamed reclaimed the lead with 26 votes with H.E. Mahatma getting 25 votes. Three Member States abstained.
- Round Five: Two of the Member States that abstained came back and gave a vote each to the contestants.
In the next round, three countries that had initially supported H.E. Mohamed withdrew their support.
Then the plot thickened with a watertight scheming by Francophone countries, according to long time watchers of this language device. - Round Six: Another elimination stage. H.E. Mahatma jumped ahead when two countries switched their votes from H.E. Mohamed, which lead to her elimination from the race. Some indicated that Burundi, Uganda, and Tanzania abstained. H.E. Mahatma 28: H.E. Mohamed 25.
It also became obvious that a regional alliance between West Africa and Central Africa in a horse trade on the Chairperson and the Deputy positions tilted the scale against H.E. Mohamed.
Round Seven: This was basically a fait accompli, H.E. Mahatma won with 38 votes.
In this last round, countries from the Southern Africa Development Community that includes East Africa Community member - Tanzania abstained in solidarity with H.E Mohamed after it became clear she had lost ground to the Chadian Foreign Minister.
Here is how an insider narrated one of the intrigues: "The evening before, on Sunday, Jan 29, Morocco's King Mohammed VI hosted a dinner to "celebrate" the country's re-entry into family institution, some believed this event revealed the alliances. "When the Moroccans hosted the dinner, Mr. Mahamat, who was then a candidate, shared the table with Rabat's Foreign Minister Salaheddine Mezoua. This threw reportedly us off balance because Chad's chief campaigner was from Algeria, which doesn't have a rosy relationship with Morocco. Given the diplomatic surprise by Rabat, Kenya had to shift last minute energies to Chad," a lobbyist with intimate knowledge of the matter told The EastAfrica.
Rift and Recrimination in the East
The question of the identities of the countries that switched their votes, which doomed the chances of H.E. Mohamed and why, have captured the fancy and frown of partisans and bystanders alike. There are publicly denials and accusations of lies telling. It was a secret ballot and unless a country abstained or indicates how it voted, the Eastern culprits are coy and elusive. This much is known. As the finger pointing began, H.E. Mariam Ahmed Goumaneh, the Djiboutian Ambassador to Kenya, told the Nation on Tuesday that claims of her country voting for rivals were just negative comments by people bent on spoiling relations between the two countries. "The Republic of Djibouti would like to clarify that we share a cordial relationship based on mutual confidence, despite the outcome of the elections," she said. "The Republic of Djibouti supported the Kenyan candidature, and in addition, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Djibouti, Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, paid a courtesy call to the president of the Republic of Kenya, His Excellency Uhuru Kenyatta, to express the support of our regional candidate." Based on the East Africa publication, a top Ugandan diplomat summed up the Addis Ababa fiasco in this manner: "The backstabbing is shaping into a nasty diplomatic tiff with Amina terming EAC countries as "deceptive". "Are we seen as a friend or a threat?"
In a novel triller account, Ugandan President Museveni was alledgedly spotted with a mischievous grin immediately after the vote.
Versions around the mills indicated that gender bias undermined CS Amina's candidature. Her closeness to President Uhuru Kenyatta was also cited as a disadvantage, which is an odd reason since loyalty is heavily prized by the voting Heads of State when choose their own Ministers.
Some commentators point to Mr. Mahamat's status as an "AU insider," having worked in the peace and security agency on Boko Haram and the Francophone-Anglophone tensions in general. Mr. Elias Ntungwe Ngalame, an AU affairs analyst from Cameroon, said Mr. Mahamat had worked with the AU for a long time.
"The new chairman has worked for AU on peace and security issues and also participated in the peace negotiations in South Sudan. He also played a role in developing AU's maritime strategy and played a key role in Chad's fight against Boko Haram in the Lake Chad region. This gave him an upper hand," Mr. Ngalame said. He added that Francophone countries always worked as a team and this worked for Mr. Mahamat as opposed to Mrs. Mohamed who comes from English-speaking Africa.
Another theory attributed the outcome to the incumbency of Chadian President Idriss Déby Itno who was the Chairperson of the African Union.
For purposes to understand the unkind stab from the East, H.E. Amina Mohamed has called for an "inquest"
The election for the position of the Deputy Chairperson had three candidates with less drama. It took only two rounds. In fact, it would have ended in the first round, but the eventual winner, Ghana's former Deputy Foreign Minister and diplomat Ambassador Quartey Thomas Kwesi, was shy of two votes to meet the 2/3rd majority requirement. During the second round, he won the election with 44 votes and receiving the most confidence from the AU membership.
Back to Addis Ababa
During his swearing in, H.E. Mahamat assured his former competitors that he would call and count on their compatriot support and active participation in the service of the African Union. When the Kenyan delegation conceded defeat, it was the first to offer its congratulations and support for the new AU chair, saying in a statement that the country would "work with (Mahamat) to defend the pan-African agenda of integration for Africa, as well as democracy, sovereignty and prosperity for all of its people".
The two top positions of the AU Commission are now held by men. The new Chairperson of the African Union Authority of the Heads of Government is H.E. Alpha Condé, the President of Guinea, also a male. There are murmurs that may find vocal outlets with fears that women agenda, which H.E. Dlamini-Zuma, the outgoing Chairperson of the AU Commission, championed with zest and vigor, may take backseat. Liberian President Ellen Johnson and Chairperson of ECOWAS is the only woman standing. The first elected female head of state in Africa is stepping down at the end of her second term, as required by the country's constitution. It is a call for more women to run for public offices across Africa - nationally, regionally and for AU's top posts.
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MOST ADMIRED CANDIDATES GRACE IN DEFEAT AND MAGNANIMOUS IN VICTORY
From respondents around the globe, questions were asked to identify which candidates in the 8 Commissioners' races best reflected their idea of contest, discourse and outcome. To be correct, not all the candidates were active or even known. 68% of 1823 respondents chose the race for Peace and Security as the most credible process and H.E. Chergui Smail from Algeria and Nigeria's Fatima Mohammed as the most admired contestants. Read the twitter exchanges between them, after the article on Mrs. Fatima Mohammed.
Variations of headlines have captured the endearing qualities, from:How to lose gracefully! Fatima Mohammed congratulates Smail Chergui after losing AU Commission election to Losing like a Champion.
The AU Citizen Dispatch is republishing an article from Woman. There Is Something To Learn From Fatimah Kyari Mohammed On Losing Like A Winner.
Fatimah Kyari Mohammed, Nigeria's candidate for the African Union Commissioner for Peace and Security has shown that one can lose to another without being bitter about it.
Fatima Kyari Mohammed is a peace advocate and development consultant. She is a senior expert with West Africa Conflict and Security (WACAS). She is also co-founder and coordinator of the LikeMinds Project, Nigeria.
Fatima lost to Algerian incumbent commissioner, Smail Chergui and still congratulated him on twitter.
Smail Chergui beat Fatima at the 28th AU Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, thereby retaining his position as the commissioner.
She also took to her Facebook page to correct the notion that she won with the assurance of working together with him to building a prosperous and peaceful continent.
She said: Contrary to various media reports and information being circulated on social media, Nigeria lost its bid for the position of Commissioner for Peace and Security, #AU Commission to the incumbent Smail Chergui of Algeria. We wish him the best and we shall continue to work together towards building a prosperous and peaceful continent. Elections #AfricanUnion
The Tweets In chronological order: January 30
Amb. Smail Chergui @AU_Chergui Amb. Smail Chergui Retweeted Fatima K. Mohammed Thank u, my Sister. Your love &vision for our dear continent & enthusiasm to serve are inspiring & praiseworthy. Well done & remain blessed.
Fatima K. Mohammed @FKMohammed1 @AU_Chergui The humility and honor is mine. All the best.
Amb. Smail Chergui @AU_Chergui @FKMohammed1 Thank you, my dear Sister, for your kind and gracious words. I am humbled and honored. Fatima K. Mohammed @FKMohammed1 Congratulations to my brother @AU_Chergui of Algeria 4 his re-election as Commissioner, Peace & Security #Elections #28thAUSummit #1Africa Amb. Smail Chergui @AU_Chergui Jan 29 Below, H.E. Chergui Smail graciously thanked his staff |
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