Big-Brother Attitudes Derailing Africa’s Unity & Prosperity

 If two or more entities are bound to work together but some, among them, feel stronger and in a higher position, politically and economically, prospects for respectful relations and a unified standing on matters of common interest get threatened.

Africa has, for many decades after colonial rule, been grappling with the need to unite in the fight against development challenges, neocolonialism, among other critical matters challenging the development of the continent. Major among the causes of the failure to unite is competing power games with some countries elevating their own interests and goals over those of the others (and the continent) despite there being a commonality of problems and pursuits.

Some countries view themselves as democratic and so hold a disrespectful attitude towards others which they regard as “autocratic.” Other countries regard themselves as economic behemoths and so despise those they deem as of a lower economic status. Countries even boast of their land size and despise others for being “tiny.”

This, unfortunately, has led to the continent remaining and sinking further under the arm of the colonial masters as separate countries find it hard to push for their interests independently on the global stage.

When governments are competing for status instead of learning from each other, and together, for the benefit of the masses and the continent’s future, huge apertures are formed through which exploitation by imperialists is entrenched. The ultimate losers in this are the masses whose problems remain unattended to and are, even, exacerbated, and future generations which will, unfortunately, find themselves under economic misery and the heavy arm of imperialism which their forefathers helped continue and strengthen. What a sad state, Mama Afrika!

Humanity has been able to progress because communities have upheld symbiotic relationships. Countries which have managed to achieve notable prosperity have done so because, on top of distinctive internal advantages they enjoy, they have learned to collaborate with others to fill voids of resources (tangible and intangible, human and non-human) needed to achieve such prosperity. Collaboration is enabled by mutual respect, first, and, then, interests being pursued. Without mutual respect; however, interests matter less and can be disregarded.

When countries are kept apart by disrespectful stances against each other, they deny each other the opportunity of collaborative effort towards shared problems and desired prosperity.

 

History of Unity and its Positives.

 

1. Frontline States (Decolonization Era)

In the period between 1960s and early 1990s, a number of African countries (Tanzania, Botswana, Mozambique, Angola et al) came together to end Apartheid and white minority rule in South Africa. These countries were not in a better economic state nor where they of a better global political standing but they managed to, among others, push for the end of British colonial rule in Southern Rhodesia (currently Zimbabwe) in 1980 and an end to Apartheid rule in South Africa in 1994. Countries small and large collaborated to achieve that very necessary change for their brothers and sisters in victim nations.

2. RDF Peace efforts in CAR and Mozambique (Present Day)

 

In December of 2020, under a bilateral agreement with the Central African Republic (CAR), Rwanda deployed troops to fight Bozize-led rebels, ensure safe general elections and provide security to high-ranking officials. This deployment followed another deployment of Rwandan troops, though under the United Nations Mission in the country. Rwandan troops helped the country conduct peaceful elections and have been vital in providing the country a strong shield against a multitude of insurgencies.

In mid-2021, Rwanda deployed its troops to the Cabo Delgado region of Mozambique and in no time, the force was able to pacify a big part of the region helping formerly internally displaced persons to return home, and Rwandan forces are actively providing training to Mozambican security personnel as they continue peacekeeping and enforcement efforts.

3. The Alliance of Sahel States’ mutual defense and politico-economic unity.

After changes of government in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, the new leaders came together, on the 16^th of  September, 2023 to sign a mutual defense pact with intent to “establish an architecture of collective defense and mutual assistance…” for the benefit of the populations of the three countries. These countries have so far been standing tall in the fight against jihadist insurgents. The three countries are already pushing forward toward establishing a federation to counter shared economic, political and security problems. Again, this is made possible by involved countries respecting each other and understanding that none is stronger without the others.

With respectful attitudes towards each other, countries are able to acknowledge their and others’ strengths and can leverage these varying strengths to aid each other in their transformation. Such impactful behavior should not be derailed by big-brother attitudes (which are, by the way, neocolonialism-influenced attitudes).

African governments and masses should live and work with the understanding that a chain is as strong as its weakest link which literally means that a chain’s strength is limited to that of its weakest link. Therefore; no single African country is stronger than the rest. Africa’s strength, for that reason, lies in the collective and not in the individual/disjointed.

 By: Steven Caleb Katurebe