by Chengetai Madziwa – SANF 05 no 50
Rooted in the Organisation of African Unity formed 42 years ago, development in Africa has shifted from a focus on political independence to economic emancipation, now driven by the African Union.
The OAU “was charged with the responsibility to promote the unity of our continent and lead us on the long road to the total liberation of Africa, and its successful development in conditions of peace, stability and democratic rule,” said South African President, Thabo Mbeki, in a speech on Africa Day, celebrated by the continent on 25 May each year.
The achievement of these objectives is based on unity of the African people through a common and shared vision for the future, said Mbeki. “The establishment of the OAU 42 years ago constituted an important statement that the peoples of Africa share a common destiny.”
Through unity of purpose demonstrated by the continent’s leaders, the OAU ended colonialism across the continent and helped to abolish apartheid in South Africa.
After realising political independence in most African countries by the late 1970s, the continent began preparing for another battle — economic emancipation. This led to the adoption of the Lagos Plan of Action by heads of state and government who met in Nigeria in July 1980.
The Lagos Plan of Action was developed as the continent’s blueprint through which Africa could, based on the principle of collective self-reliance, achieve rapid economic and social development. Through this blueprint Africa has continued efforts to overcome the persistent problems of underdevelopment.
The former chairperson of the OAU Liberation Committee that supported the political liberation of the continent, Ambassador Hashim Mbita of the United Republic of Tanzania, urged the current generation to pursue the development of the continent as envisaged by the leaders.
Speaking at a symposium in Zimbabwe to mark Africa Day, Ambassador Mbita urged the new generation to be resolute in the struggle for economic and social development on the continent.
“We need efforts for community development as opposed to individual prosperity,” said Mbita, who played a significant role in achieving the independence of southern African countries, including the end of apartheid in South Africa.
With the achievement of political independence, it became imperative that a new institutional framework be put in place. The OAU was thus formally transformed into the African Union in July 2002, giving a fresh impetus to Africa’s development agenda.
With its development programme — the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) — the African Union has established the framework, tools and common purpose for the continent to achieve its goals.
NEPAD seeks to drive African integration, building on regional economic trading blocs such as the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
SADC’s Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) advances the NEPAD ideals at the sub-regional level. The 15-year RISDP was launched in March 2004 in Arusha, Tanzania and is being unbundled through short-to-medium-term business plans.
Transformation at the sub-regional level has in many ways followed the socio-political transitional process at the continental level. The Southern Africa Development Coordination Conference (SADCC), the precursor to the development community, SADC, was formally launched in April 1980.
It was initiated by the leaders of Front Line States, based on the July 1979 Arusha Conference which agreed on a strategy to form a regional body. SADCC was launched in Lusaka, by a Summit of leaders nine southern African states – Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and the soon-to-be independent Zimbabwe.
SADCC’s principal objective was to reduce dependence on apartheid South Africa, particularly in the areas of transport and other infrastructure.
With the economic and political landscape changing at the regional, continental and global levels, SADCC leaders transformed the organisation, through the Windhoek Declaration and Treaty of 1992, into the Southern African Development Community, seeking deeper regional integration.
The SADC family has since grown to 13 members including Namibia which joined in 1990, South Africa (1994), Mauritius (1995) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (1997).
SADC has continued to regenerate itself with a recent institutional restructuring exercise that has culminated in its long term development plan which compliments NEPAD goals at the Africa level, and the Millennium Development Goals at the global level.
It is fitting that Africa has set aside 25 May as a day when the continent can reflect on its many historical transformations and achievements, notably the road from the Lagos Plan of Action to NEPAD. (SARDC)
