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May 25, as every year, was World Africa Day celebrating the founding of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), which became the African Union in 2002. This year, May 25 was also the day chosen for the launch in Dakar of the first edition of RASA, the Alternative Report on Africa. What’s new with this report?
In fact, number 1 in the Alternative Report on Africa was preceded by number zero, which was published in 2018, which clearly showed the ambition of this initiative from 16 African organizations: “To propose a report for Africa and Africa, a report that takes account of the social , economic, cultural, religious, political, environmental developments and transformations that give a different view of Africa ”.
Number 1 in RASA, which was therefore published on 25 May, adopted the theme of “the sovereignty of African societies in the face of globalization” and was naturally and, I would say, more legitimized by the global health crisis. This revealed the dead end of economic and political models and methods that ignore the complex balances necessary for progress, even the survival of human societies.
Having chosen to speak of the sovereignty of African societies and not of African states is significant from this point of view. It is not about promoting a narrow and nationalist vision of sovereignty, but about reaffirming the need to organize more than ever to defend the interests of African societies, today and even more of tomorrow by identifying and restoring leeway. in all areas: in particular economic, monetary, political, cultural and digital.
You are pleased that the drafting of the foreword to this alternative report on Africa has been entrusted to the former President of Cape Verde, Pedro Pires …
It really is an excellent choice. This report pays tribute to two strong personalities, the committed Pan-Africanist economist Samir Amin, who died in August 2018, a few weeks after the publication of number zero in RASA, to which he had contributed much despite his already fragile health. Tribute therefore also to former President Pedro Pires, now 87 years old, a veteran of the War of Independence in Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde, who was then Prime Minister of Cape Verde from 1975 to 1991, then President of the Republic from 2001 to 2011.
Unlike many others, his commitment to freedom and better conditions for his citizens will never have been hurt by a link to power, privilege and wealth. And this undoubtedly strongly influenced the positive path in his country. The Cape Verde archipelago is increasingly isolated in a West Africa where the rulers and their followers more and more openly despise democratic values and the principles of the rule of law.
You are actually saying, Gilles, that the celebration of Africa Day has been hurt by the new coup in Mali …
Yes, this fifth manifestation of the continuing political breakdown of Mali reminds us of the imperative to keep our feet on the ground, to think and act on the basis of what exists. This existing is an exceptional political and security fragility in many African countries, including the largest in terms of population and size. Whether it is Nigeria, Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Chad, Sudan or Mali …
In his preface to RASA number 1, Pedro Pires demands that one begin to avoid the fate of the African continent for “a motorist who drives fast, at night and without headlights, on a road he does not know.” Unfortunately, this disturbing picture is the one that Mali evokes for me today. This country is one of the few where Africa Day is an official holiday. Although the temptation to be discouraged is strong, resignation is not an option. It is in each of the African countries that the fate of the entire continent is played out. Africa cannot abandon Mali to any colonel.
The Africa Shadow Report website: https://rasa-africa.org/
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