Africa-Press – Angola. The African continent marks this Thursday, May 25, 60 years since the creation of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), at a time when it is still facing complex political, social and economic challenges, especially armed conflicts.
The creation of the predecessor of the African Union (AU), in 1963, in Ethiopia, marked a decisive step for the affirmation of Africa, after the hard process of colonization, and for the emergence of a pan-American movement. African that helped design a prosperous continent.
The constitution of this African pact undoubtedly opened a new page in the history of the continent and rekindled the dream of self-determination of the native peoples, but, after six decades, little progress has been registered.
In recent years, Africa has seen setbacks in most of its Member States, which continue to face enormous social and economic problems, slowing down growth and sustained development.
Successive setbacks lead to brain drain to Europe, America and Asia, in search of better living conditions, a reality that needs to be changed.
Currently, Africa is the main source of emigrants in the world, essentially due to its high rates of poverty and underdevelopment, the lack of infrastructure, conflicts and the deficit of democratic principles.
This is aggravated by the fact that several countries continue to be immersed in armed conflicts and profound social upheavals, which result, roughly speaking, from the ineffectiveness of public policies, in addition to being excessively economically dependent.
Despite the countless riches, the continent is faced with the issue of hunger, misery, unemployment, lack of education and basic conditions, such as sanitation, water and electricity, which makes its social indicators retreat.
Meanwhile, the question of wars was still, at that time, one of the most burning problems, especially in the Great Lakes Region, that is, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Burundi and Sudan.
In addition to the conflicts in these countries, to which is added that in the Western Sahara region, the continent faces the tough task of combating acts of piracy and terrorism, which tend to become more acute, above all, on the coast of West Africa.
Globally, Africa is experiencing a critical scenario characterized by the deterioration of social indicators, inequality in the distribution of income, wealth and opportunities, high fiscal deficit and imbalance in the balance of payments, in addition to the unsustainable external debt.
Similarly, African countries have high inflation and inefficient control of public spending, not to mention the lack of infrastructure and high levels of corruption.
Continent of the future
However, despite this complex scenario, specialists in international relations believe that Africa will become the continent of the future. In fact, several indicators, such as its population density, contribute to this.
Africa has a great diversity of natural riches, raw materials in abundance and a mostly young population, being, therefore, a territory of opportunities, in all domains.
Studies indicate that, at the end of the century, about 40 percent of the world’s population will be in Africa, that is, from 2035, the number of young people of working age on the continent could be greater than the sum of the rest of the world .
According to studies, in 2050, one in four people could be African. Another encouraging fact is that, in 2030, around 43 percent of Africans could be, at least, from the middle class.
This year, according to studies, domestic consumption should reach US$ 2.5 trillion, more than double the US$ 1.1 trillion in 2015. Combined consumption and business expenses should exceed US$ 6 .7 billion.
However, for all these variables to be consummated, the continent needs to seek its real identity, overcome the paradigm of economic self-dependence in Europe and America, as well as invest in staff training.
It is imperative that Africa improves conflict prevention and management, adopts the principle of democratic governance and transparent management, tolerance for political and cultural diversity.
Likewise, African leaders must promote the role of women in all activities, create socially oriented market economies, in addition to adequate legislation and institutions for the expected development.
It is also essential that the continent conceive and implement long-term sustainable development strategies, ensure macroeconomic stability and promote an environment conducive to national, regional and foreign private investment, and an equitable pattern of income distribution.
In order to have sustained growth, Africa must also reduce its external debt, the incidence of poverty and social exclusion, as well as invest in regional and international productive cooperation.
According to the political scientist Eduardo Pascoal, it is necessary for Africa to have less and less conflicts and instability, which is why it will need the political will of its leaders to solve these immediate problems.
For that specialist, it is essential that African technicians are valued, and that strategic investments are made in the construction of infrastructures (roads, railways, ports and airports), in addition to the commitment to dialogue as a primordial way for the resolution of conflicts and stabilization of the region.
Some of these assumptions are contained in Agenda 2063, rooted in Pan-Africanism and the African renaissance, which constitutes a robust framework for resolving past injustices and making the 21st century a reality as the century of Africa.
The guiding document of the Long Term Strategy of the African Union envisages, among other goals, a prosperous Africa based on inclusive growth and sustainable development, integrated, politically united based on the ideals of Pan-Africanism and the vision of the Renaissance of Africa.
It encourages good governance, democracy, respect for human rights, envisioning an Africa with justice and the rule of law, peaceful and secure, with cultural identity, heritage, values and common ethics, where development is oriented.
To this end, it encourages confidence in the potential of the African people, especially in women and youth, and in child care, that is, Agenda 2063 envisions a continent that is united, resistant, strong and influential.
Angola’s strategic role
In this context, and in view of the emerging challenges, Angola plays a decisive role in stabilizing the continent, especially the Great Lakes.
According to political scientist Eduardo Pascoal, the Angolan President, João Lourenço, has carried out a strategic action that deserves recognition on the continent, and culminated in his appointment as champion of peace in Africa.
From his point of view, Angola ends up having great challenges in the pacification of conflicts and in favor of the development of each state, stressing that it has obtained prestige in the field of diplomacy, leading African leaders to reflect.
For the political scientist, as a mediator of conflicts in the Great Lakes, Angola’s leadership has enormous challenges, since peace and stability are threatened. “The Angolan State has shown willingness to see the countries of the region and the continent, in general, far from armed conflicts and coups d’état”, he commented.
In his assessment, this can only be done if the political leaders of the countries in the Great Lakes Region demonstrate the same willingness to see dialogue as a way to solve problems.
He defended that the efforts cannot be exclusively made by a single State (which holds the leadership), being necessary that all States look at the issue of instability, insecurity, conflicts and the absence of peace as factors that hinder the development of the region .
Eduardo Pascoal argued that member states can boost
the peace initiative promoted by the Angolan President, applying the path
of dialogue as the best way to solve internal problems.
He added that Angola has one of the greatest responsibilities, as president of the region, made up of the DRC, Zambia, Tanzania, Mozambique, Burundi, Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya and Ethiopia.
“If we take a good look at these States, we will realize that most of them are going through troubled times and many conflicts, a situation that, as president of the region, Angola has been committed to see the conflicting situations that have been observed in the countries of the region resolved. “, he said.
Academician Bonifácio António said that Angola must intensify the values that led it to conquer peace, such as dialogue and diplomacy.
“Angola, as champion of peace and peacemaker in the region, has made efforts to see the continent better and free from conflicts”, he expressed.
Bonifácio António said that the aim was to look at Africa’s development, underlining that “the continent needs
to come out of its eternal sleep and put an end to
the conflicts that hinder the development of its States”.
With this performance, the country has received several praises, as is the recent case of the President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Sahle-Work Zewde, who praised the efforts of the Angolan Head of State, João Lourenço, for the pacification of the African continent.
The Ethiopian stateswoman highlighted the involvement of the Angolan counterpart in ending the crisis between the DRC republics and Rwanda and, more recently, in Sudan.
It is, therefore, with this commitment by Angola and the other Member States that Africa must position itself in the concert of nations, seeking to maximize its innumerable potentialities to overcome underdevelopment.
According to experts, it is fundamental, in this vision, that African leaders invest more in the social and economic sector, so that the results are directly reflected in the well-being of communities.
For More News And Analysis About Angola Follow Africa-Press
