The next AUC Chair must revive Africa, the sleeping giant
Photo: Raphael Obonyo (centre right) / © X; in collage with the African Union conference center in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia / © Maria Dyveke Styve
From February 2025, African Union Commission (AUC) will have a new chairperson. The new Chair will be elected to succeed incumbent Chairperson Moussa Faki. The hope is that a new chairperson will usher in a new African Union Commission.
The next Chairperson should work on three key priorities during their term in office – reform African Union and the Commission, help Africa face today’s geopolitical crises, and promote the strengthening of African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to boost sectors that can generate jobs for youth.
Already, the race for African Union Commission’s chairperson position is gaining momentum with candidates including Kenya’s former prime minister and opposition leader Raila Odinga, Djibouti’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Mahmoud Youssouf, Somalia’s ex-foreign minister Fawzia Adam and Seychelles ex-VP Vincent Meriton must demonstrate their commitment to improve youth condition and position.
Everyone is concerned as to whether the candidates can help revive Africa, the sleeping giant and bring fundamental change. The African Union and its concomitant AUC are at crossroads: They must choose either to enact significant reforms or accept their impending decline.
The next AUC chairperson must be willing to make much needed reforms. Africans want a chair who will bring a massive step change in policy making and development, and promote ambitious agenda for Africa – agenda 2063 – with a goal to strengthen Africa’s independence and resilience.
It starts with leading genuine progressive reform so the African Union can deliver on its priorities. An effective AU will largely depend on a strong and well-capacitated commission that will implement essential and strategic policies and support member states to unite and make progress.
The continent deserves a stronger financially autonomous AU and AU Commission that rests on the support of the countries on the continent and not rely on external financial support from foreign countries to run its affairs. Anything else is a mistake for the future of Africa. AUC must help Africa to generate resources and develop will to take charge of its affairs.
The African Union must become a true geopolitical actor and respond to today’s challenges on the continent and rest of the world. Current geopolitical developments present the world with major challenges with increasing rivalry between major powers including Russia, China, and the United States.
It is critical for Africa to play an active geopolitical role -use its power to build peace and ensure progress. Equally important, African Union needs allies and partners.
African Union Commission needs a leader who will promote and accelerate implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement.
The trade pact, which seeks to create a single market for goods and services and promote cross-border movement of capital and people, was expected to boost intra-African trade — currently at only 18 per cent—and regional integration.
A report by the International Trade Centre (ICT) states that the AfCFTA agreement can create more jobs and entrepreneurship opportunities for young Africans, recommending that ways be established for the youth to benefit from a single market. That is why the next AUC chairperson must ensure the trade pact is fully and properly implemented.
Author
Raphael Obonyo is a Public Policy Analyst, TEDx speaker and an author. Email him at raphojuma@hotmail.com.
(This article was first published in the Nation Africa/Business Daily).
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