Resources
Wednesday, May 18, 2022
  • Login
Journalists for Justice
No Result
View All Result

Browse by Topic:

  • Home
  • Communities of Justice
  • Opinion & Analysis
  • Human Rights
  • Elections
  • About US
  • Our Work
  • Careers
No Result
View All Result
Journalists for Justice
  • Home
  • Communities of Justice
  • Opinion & Analysis
  • Human Rights
  • Elections
  • About US
  • Our Work
  • Careers
No Result
View All Result
Journalists for Justice
No Result
View All Result
Home African Union

Union is a useless bloc for Africa, says Ghanaian economist

Journalists for JusticebyJournalists for Justice
August 17, 2016
in African Union
Reading Time: 2 mins read
A A
0
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Ghanaian economist Professor George Ayittey says the African Union should be disbanded because it serves no purpose in the continent.

 “Not surprisingly, the AU has achieved spectacularly little in its decade and a half of existence,” says Ayitte.

The professor says the AU Commission’s authority mostly serves to create suspicion and intrigue and ultimately to instill resistance in member states to the body’s dictates.
He also says that the union has embraced a policy of noninterference in the affairs of member states, so as not to scare off those governments accused of war crimes or with abysmal human rights records.

“It is famous for its annual summits, where unrepentant despots sip champagne and applaud their own longevity while issuing preposterous communiqués that nobody else in the world pays attention to. Instead of a centralised but weak organisation like the AU, Africa needs a looser style of confederacy that allows national actors to coordinate decisions with one another, rather than imposing choices on them,” he says.

Prof Ayitte says that since at least the start of the global financial crisis, and certainly since last month’s Brexit referendum, the EU has proved it can’t work for Europe. African leaders should now admit that a meretricious caricature of it can’t possibly work for Africa.

RelatedStories

Worsening human rights situation dominates debate at African Commission meeting

Situation in Central African Republic

AU to launch mediation and peace keeping fund

“Equally misguided is the AU’s preference for inclusivity. Unlike EU countries that had to meet certain political and economic benchmarks for membership, any rogue or deadbeat African country has always been allowed to join the AU,” he says.

He goes on to add:  “In fact, 18 countries should have been disqualified for not paying membership dues to the OAU, but Qaddafi paid off their debts so they could join. The AU also embraced a policy of noninterference in the affairs of member states, so as not to scare off those governments accused of war crimes or with abysmal human rights records. Every African country except Morocco is currently a member.”

He says the AU has proved equally inept on the economic front.

“The body couldn’t even afford to build its own headquarters, so China picked up the tab for its glitzy $200 million building in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia,” he says in an article written for Foreign Policy.
Here is a link to the Prof delivering a TEDEX talk. 

Previous Post

My baby girl dodged three abortions and an adoption

Next Post

Trial of man with alleged link to terror group starts today at ICC

Journalists for Justice

Journalists for Justice

Related Posts

69th Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human & Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) #69OSACHPR

Worsening human rights situation dominates debate at African Commission meeting

November 18, 2021
Situation in Central African Republic

Situation in Central African Republic

January 27, 2020
AU to launch mediation and peace keeping fund

AU to launch mediation and peace keeping fund

January 27, 2020
Africa most affected by refugee crisis

Africa most affected by refugee crisis

January 27, 2020

Clouds of smoke and no fire in AU’s ICC withdrawal strategy

February 1, 2017

There is no way Kenya was going to take the AU chair

January 1, 2017
Next Post

Trial of man with alleged link to terror group starts today at ICC

0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Login
Notify of
Please login to comment
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
No Result
View All Result

Recent Posts

  • Hope at last for Kenyan victims, but is TFV’s planned support enough?
  • Gicheru asks ICC judge to admit new evidence
  • Abd-Al-Rahman paid Janjaweed, witness tells judges
  • Gicheru opposes prosecution bid to introduce ‘fresh’ evidence
  • Khan wants Mokom to have access to Yekatom-Ngaïssona trial materials

Recent Comments

  • JFJ - Journalists for Justice on Kenyan lawyer denies bribery charges at the ICC
  • JFJ - Journalists for Justice on You did me wrong, Bemba tells ICC as he demands 70 million euros
  • JFJ - Journalists for Justice on Two victims’ lawyers in Kenyatta case in line to become next ICC prosecutor
  • JFJ - Journalists for Justice on Profiles of the four people shortlisted for the job of ICC Prosecutor
  • Write My Essay on Afghanistan case fails to take off at the ICC — pragmatism’ or surrender to the powerful?

Archives

Categories

JFJ – Journalists for Justice

We call out impunity wherever it occurs; we advocate justice for all victims of atrocity crimes; and we work with people of goodwill everywhere who share our values.

Browse by Topics:

Archives by Month:

Never Again
INTAHE
BarometreVerite
The Victims' Bantaba
No Result
View All Result
  • Confronting Impunity
  • Communities of Justice
  • Opinion
  • About US
  • Our Work
  • Login

Copyright © 2019. Journalists for Justice has asserted its right to be recognized as creators and owners of the content here. Reproduction in part or in whole is permitted on condition that JFJ is acknowledged and notified.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
wpDiscuz