The United States of Africa

Sunday morning and there is a typical Sunday morning talk show on the radio. The journalists, who have nothing else to do on a Sunday, get paid well for appearing on a Sunday morning. The BBC has one as well.

One of the subjects today is the recent discussion at the African Union summit of President Gaddafi´s proposal to make “a United States of Africa”. USA … hmm …

Let me start by being rational …

It has taken Europe to arrive at the current European Union (area 4 million square km and 27 countries, population 500 million) 50 years to arrive, since its start as the EEC, at its present state. We still don´t agree with each other.

Africa has an area of a 30 million square km and 53 countries, a population of 900 million. They were colonised by eight countries. The first one to be “decolonised” was in 1956, and the last in 1980.

Last week we celebrated our Independence Day. The United States of America has one so why the fuck shouldn´t we? Along with every other country in the decolonised world.

We are one of the few countries in decolonised Africa to be considered a “model” democracy. So who did we invite to celebrate our independence? Presidents of three of our neighbouring tinpot dictatorships, one of which is considered possibly the worst in Africa.

Let us consider another USA – the United States of Asia. - I´ll leap some countries along the way …

Azerbaijan … Iran … Afghanistan … Pakistan … India … Myanmar …Vietnam … China … Japan.

Let us consider another USA – whoops, a name change, USSA – the United States of South America.

Mexico … Guatamala … Honduras … Bolivia … Venezuela … Brazil … Uruguay … Paraguay … Argentina …Chile …

Have either of these continents even considered some kind of common economic community, let alone a mega-country?

No.

Sure, there are customs and tariff agreements – MERCOSUR amongst the South Americans. Sure, they have regional summits, ASEAN, for some of the Asian countries. Have any of their leaders proposed a USA?

And I haven´t even got to the Middle-East (deity forbid) or the Pacific …

So let me start being irrational and I´ll leap some countries along the way

Egypt … Libya … Algeria … Chad … Sudan … Nigeria … the rest of west Africa … Somalia … Uganda and Kenya … Congo (both) … Zambia … Namibia … Angola … Zimbabwe, and South Africa (zig-zagging across a continent).

The African countries cannot organise the Economic Community of East African States, SADC etc

So at the African Union summit you waste time talking about President Gaddafi´s idea rather than discussing Darfur, Somalia, Eritrea vs Ethiopia, Zimbabwe or even an AU peace-keeping force?

I think President Gaddafi is mad! I think some of you are of the same opinion.

So why the fuck did you let it get on the agenda?

But hey let us have a continent wide election for a continental leader. I will vote for President Gaddafi. Will you?