Opinion
By Changkuoth Gem Panyuan
May 23, 2020 (RB), Mother Africa is looking for a purely United African strategy as the only means for coming together of African people. The global 2030 agenda for sustainable development and its sustainable development goals were largely influenced by the common African position on the post-2015 development agenda, through which African states negotiated in solidarity to ensure a comprehensive global agenda focused on structural economic transformation, inclusive growth, people-centered development and durable peace and security.
The African Union has also adopted agenda 2063, which is a comprehensive continental framework that aims to achieve the African Union’s vision of an “integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the international arena”—in other words, ‘’The Africa We Want’’. Africa’s implementation of these two ambitious agendas requires not just a new approach to its own development, peace and security interventions, but also a realignment of the way the continent interacts and partners with the rest of the world.
Agenda 2063 has a fifty-year horizon with first ten-year plan frameworks. This first ten-year plan is focused on issues pertinent to the period but aligned with the expected outcomes at the end of 2063. The key underpinnings for the selection of the goals, priority areas and targets for this first ten-year plan, which should be seen as a subset of the fifty-year plan framework are: areas where the African citizenry expects to see immediate impact within the context of the African Aspirations – these areas constitute the flagship programs of first ten year plan, the short / medium term development priorities of Member States and the on-going continental frameworks that fall within the next 10 years and targets priority areas.
As of the ‘’Africa We Want Contest” its concluded that the creativity, energy and innovation of African youth will be the driving force behind the continent’s political, social, cultural and economic transformation. Youths do not only play a critical role in the socio-economic development of Africa but will also be the beneficiaries of Agenda 2063. To believe in transforming Africa, the following areas need more consideration and should be addressed by this essay.
1. Balancing system of governance (Giving state to nations and leaders stand as servant)
When we say governance balance, is when citizens own their government and their leaders stand us the servants to the people. The governance balance is shown when there is quality leadership. To be familiar with quality leadership, it means public figures stand as servants to people and the public goods are managed reasonably where the nations exercise in free and fair as well as stable economic environment. This governance balance carries with it State peace and Security where the safety of civilians is granted from any threat. It also carries with its public employment opportunities, youth and women empowerment, development and respect of human rights. To balance this system, leaders should first focus on balancing State culture with the world interaction challenge (globalization). By this equation, the fruit of African democracy is met, and we say governance is balanced
2. Balancing AFRICA culture with globalization
Direct democracy was first discovered in Africa before the birth of Christ. African democracy is something that needs understanding and study first before African could adopt both the direct and indirect democracy abroad. In my village, I have seen these two types of democracy (direct and indirect) practiced traditionally. Leading, first request norm and customs, these two are the element of culture. To be frank, unstudied globalization practice is the only challenge that loses African democratic culture and develops a selfish civilization which keeps cultural incorporation away from the current situation. Interaction needs study, this means the practitioners could stay well informed toward globalization while respecting the goodness of their home culture.
3. Youth and Women Empowerment
Youth and women are the vulnerable parties who have been ignored in development and leadership. Youth are being used only to fight on behalf of their politicians without employment opportunities and leadership involvement while women are being considered only at home affairs. The Africa we want needs to be Africa for all including women and youth. Involving women in decision making both at home and leadership matters as well as youth in nation building, the Africa we want strategy should be attended.
4. Economics Balance and Resources Mobilization
Africa attending for the 2063 vision should be masterminded when the economics status of Africa as the whole is stabilized; when the African resources are mobilized at 90% to help fund the way to main goal. The Africa problem is because African by them-selves only believe in change and fund grants by European Union, Troika, China and so on. They do not believe in African change and solution.
To conclude my essay, I am confident that ‘’The Africa We Want’’ could never be achieved without paying due attention to the above four points.