What does Africa want? Over the past two weeks, as the Russian invasion of Ukraine has unfolded, we have seen a confused, inconsistent, uncoordinated and hapless Africa stagger from being a cheerleader for one superpower or the other, while failing to ask and answer the most crucial question: what do Africans and humanity in general have to gain from this?
There isn’t a war in the world that has been fought for Africa or for its benefit. All wars, on this continent and elsewhere, have been for the benefit of others: those who want control of our mineral wealth or those who want power over us. Africans are the victims of most armed conflicts on the continent and outside it.
Africa will be a victim of this current conflict triggered by the invasion of a sovereign state, Ukraine, by Russia. Our finance minister tried to shield SA from the punishing increases of the petrol price by not increasing the fuel levy in his budget last month. Well, oil prices have gone berserk since the Russia-Ukraine conflict started. South Africans — and ordinary Africans across the continent — will face rising transport and food prices as a result. One report suggested that the local fuel price could go up to R40 a litre. That would cripple many consumers here — and that’s just one example of how badly things could go.
This is where our leaders have failed us. They have been rooting for Russia or clapping for Ukraine or the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation countries. One wants to weep. Our people stand to suffer serious hardships from this and any other conflict. Yet the people who should be protecting us from these looming hardships are cheerleaders for Putin or those he is attacking. Few of our leaders are saying: as a continent, let’s coordinate and find ways to lessen the impact on Africa, while finding ways to make this macho-driven, stupid conflict stop.
Africa, and the AU, seems oblivious to the opportunity to define itself with its own interests in mind. What do we want? What is our vision of ourselves in 50 years’ time? That is what should be guiding our response as a continent to the current global crisis and others.
The first truth to confront is that Russia is pursuing its own interests in Ukraine. It is not bombing that country because of any great philosophy such as the lie that it is “denazifying” Ukraine. It is doing what it is doing for itself and for its leader. It is certainly not doing it for Africa or in consideration of Africa.
In fact, Africa should be extremely worried about this invasion. Do African leaders seriously believe that Russia would act in the continent’s interests if there were some strategic country on the continent which it suddenly feels it needs to invade or cow into submission? Do the same leaders think that the US would act in Africa’s interests in the same situation?
For centuries Africa has been a continent that has been trampled upon by whoever considered themselves a great power of the time. Africa’s ancient treasures have been looted, its people have been enslaved and its mineral resources have been ruthlessly exploited. Yet the lesson has seemingly not been learnt. Most African nations are still aligning themselves with other nations’ interests instead of their own or the continent’s.
Right now, the continent is the site of competition between China, European powers, the US and Russia. Russia, via mercenary organisations aligned to its military, is involved in conflicts in countries such as Mali and the Central African Republic. Complaints about China’s investment practices on the continent abound. France continues to play some sort of Machiavellian god with the politics of francophone African countries. Other European countries do the same with their former colonies. The US wants to regain its strategic influence over the continent, with President Joe Biden promising a major summit with African leaders this year.
Yet Africa, and the AU, seems oblivious to the opportunity to define itself with its own interests in mind. What do we want? What is our vision of ourselves in 50 years’ time? That is what should be guiding our response as a continent to the current global crisis and others.
Yet from our reactions to the invasion, it is clear we have neither a vision nor plan. Current AU chair Macky Sall deplored Russia’s invasion, while regional powerhouse SA reprimanded and isolated its foreign minister for doing the same. Kenya’s representative at the UN was hailed a hero for standing up for small countries’ sovereignty and condemning Russia’s invasion, yet SA’s ANC is making it clear that it stands on the side of the aggressor, Russia.
So, what does Africa want? We are a continent without a vision and without a plan. We cannot sing from the same hymn sheet when crucial decisions are before us. We have abandoned self-interest and chosen to be cheerleaders for others. We don’t know what we want. We have leaders without vision.
We will lose big. That’s the tragic price of not knowing what you want.
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