(Part II)
With reduced external intervention and resource exploitation, Africa’s potential would contribute to the emergence of the concept of Africa rising at global level. This has been further pushed and shaped by African leaders. Within Africa, the political and socio-economic changes of the past decades have ignited a growing sense of pride, assertiveness and continental delight and satisfaction. This is expressed by envisioning for “Africa’s renaissance,” that enables the building of continental institutions.
While the drive has been to exercise the concept of “African solutions for African problems,” its leaders have been proactive and contributed to debates on “global governance”, development, democracy, peace and security.
The changing continental and global factors have also favored a more interconnected African people, who could share their art, culture, innovation and entertainment with the rest of the world. As internet connectivity and access to smart phones improved, Africans, including Ethiopians, could share their experiences and at the same time, challenge prejudiced narratives about Africa as the “dark continent.”
Moreover, Africans could also have their say on global issues. The increasing number of African public servants serving and leading international organizations such as the World Health Organization or the World Trade Organization also introduces or propagates the idea of Africa as a global player and Africans as global citizens.
Because of the legacy of colonialism and neocolonialism, Africans have not initially been given the status they deserved. However, the African leaders who led liberation movements in their respective countries came to emulate Ethiopia in defending their freedom. Immediately after liberation, Africans came to the forefront with enhanced continental and global governance. These developments contributed to a shift in Africa’s global image, from African countries as spectators to global participants with their own interests and contributions.
African diplomats have strongly defended their interests whenever these have been disregarded by the superpowers. These powers have tried to extend their means of exploitation of African resources without the consent and permission of the natural and legal owners.
It has been a long time when an increasing number of highly skilled African public servants worked in leading international organizations. Before joining these external organizations, African experts, including Ethiopian specialists, have served their own people in their home country. This proved that Africans are capable of presenting themselves at continental and global citizens. These developments have implications for global governance.
This indicated by making analysis of Africa’s growing assertiveness which focuses on the continent’s demand for more representation at global level. This is expressed in the capacity to make decisions on activities and processes that affect Africa directly. This is just one aspect of Africa’s global agenda, while the ambition is to have a say on global matters.
African countries, including Ethiopia, have to be contributing to the shaping of the emerging global order. They are already making their contributions on the framing and management of global challenges, including poverty, food insecurity, unemployment, income inequality, unequal distribution of the means of production.
African states have claimed the right to push agenda on several political, economic and social issues that affect their people. They claimed equitable distribution of medical, educational and other social services through the medium of UN and other multilateral agencies. When these and other basic services did not result in the intended outcomes, they have continued the fight for equity by pushing for reform of global agencies and their regulations on proper and fair distribution of their services.
African states have negotiated with the developed world and challenged them on issues related to environmental problems. They pushed for the introduction of concepts and practices related to, for example, climate justice and common responsibilities to ensure equity and effectiveness in climate mitigation and adaptation efforts. Africa, including Ethiopia, strongly believed that they are forced to find solutions for problems they have not created such as environmental disruptions.
African countries have called for the reform of existing multilateral institutions in line with the needs of developing countries. They have put forth suggestions on how to reform, for example, the global financial institutions to ensure access to more and better capital and credit. They wanted that existing multilateral systems work better for all.
African leaders have continued to push for the reform of the UN Security Council (UNSC), by adding two permanent seats for Africa. Reforming these multilateral institutions will require time for a concerted and sustained push by African countries, including Ethiopia, and other regions. If achieved, the reform of these global institutions will have far-reaching effects beyond Africa. It will also enhance the international standing of the African continent. It may also change the power relations and operations behind UNSC decisions. In the meantime, African countries, including Ethiopia, will seek alternative approaches and opportunities for their global role.
These roles may include issuing common African positions, taking leadership roles in the UNSC, and diversifying partnerships. This strategy is particularly beneficial in terms of building alliance in conducting global trade and politics. In the short to medium term, some African and global trends may influence the future role of Africa in global affairs. However, there is the question of whether the current momentum for multilateral reform yields results or not.
Various developments have exposed ineffectiveness of the existing global institutions in dealing with volatile issues. The global system and its major institutions have come under closer scrutiny for their lack of representation of the world majority. This issue has led to discussion in the West and the rest of the world. In other words, reforming multilateral institutions that do not fully represent the majority of the people in the world have to be reformed.
A reform agenda, influenced by African countries, may have a useful impact in favor of the continent. However, experts think that a more serious reform agenda regarding the multilateral system that reflects the changing global order will take time. Another time consuming factor is the extent to which African countries, including Ethiopia, are able to carve out their role in the emerging global order.
As a collective organ, African countries may carry out global diplomacy on issues that affect them. In this respect, they need to envision realistic means of shaping the very rules, regulations and politics behind global governance. This would allow for a realistic and strategic engagement at the global level.
In the meantime, African countries, including Ethiopia, have to figure out innovative thinking on how to create opportunities to fulfill their political, economic and social objectives. Since African countries have diverse interests and objectives, the AU has the task of facilitating common agenda for all its member states. This task presents some challenges to such a joint endeavor in which all member states have to agree to common agenda of global governance.
African countries are expected to pursue most of the global governance agenda through independent engagement for forming “coalitions of the willing” based on their common interests. Most of them will benefit from the revision and design of strategies for partnership with major partners at the bilateral and multilateral levels.
Similarly, the AU may deal with international organizations seeking opportunities in its international role in favor of Africa, including Ethiopia. The current challenges, including poverty, unemployment, hunger and natural disasters within the continent are perhaps more debilitating. Also, growing insecurity in some pockets of the continent, such as the Sahel and the Horn of Africa, lack of accountability in governance in many countries, and economic hardships that many countries are experiencing are worrying developments.
These internal domestic problems have also contributed to lack of continental measures that can resolve problems and enhance Africa’s global representation.
In the past two decades, more countries with continental clouts are struggling with insurgencies, internal conflict, political crises and economic downturns, forcing them to focus on domestic matters instead of continental issues. Thus, as Africa’s global importance grows, a number of questions remain an unanswered. These questions are related to the realization of the role of Africa’s full potential; its preconditions; reaction of the world to changes in Africa; and more importantly, its meaning for the realities of African poor.
To exploit these potentials in favor of Africans, there has been a need to create an organization that unites the people of the continent. Ethiopia has played a leading role in creating such an organization. It has been one of the founders of the OAU, now the AU with its headquartered in Addis Ababa.
Ethiopia played a great role in the joint UN-AU peacekeeping mission. It also had critical responsibility in the regional affairs, particularly in the Horn of Africa. Its influences have shaped and designed the AU’s continental policies and programs. Currently, Ethiopia is home to major organizations such as AU, UN-Economic Commission for Africa, Pan African Chamber of Commerce, etc. It enabled Africans to deliberate on their own problems.
Ethiopia has also played a strategic role in hosting member states of the AU. The European Union, WTO, WHO and other UN organizations have looked for Ethiopia as a major ally in their attempt to assist African countries. Ethiopia has also played an impressive role in military policy in the Horn of Africa and as a host to thousands of refugees, mostly from its neighboring countries. Ethiopia’s policies in Africa, including the Horn region, have the goal of maintaining peace, law and order as well as global governance in the region and the world at large.
BY GETACHEW MINAS
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD SATURDAY 5 APRIL 2025
