TheAUmustnotbejustacollaborativeplatformtocoordinateviewpointsandpoliciesasimportantasthatmightseem,butshouldgenerateideas,whichwouldinducefreshthinkingofitsmemberstatesbywhichitwouldceasetobeameretradeunionplatformofAfricanleaders.
INreinstatingthelongstandingtraditionofhavingsmallerandlessinfluentialcountriestoheaditsexecutivebody,the54membersofAfricanUnion(AU)casttheirvotesinasecretballotonJanuary30toelectChadianForeignMinisterMoussaFakiMahamatasthechairpersonoftheAUCommission.
Theelectionofthepreviouschairperson,SouthAfrica鈥檚NkosazanaDlamini-Zumain2012,brokefromtradition,whereboththeAUanditspredecessor,theOrganizationofAfricanUnity(OAU),hashaditsadministrativeleadercomingfromsmallstatesintheregion.Theunderstandingisthatsmallandlessinfluentialstatescouldnevermustersufficientdiplomaticorpoliticalmuscletousetheregionalplatformtoadvancetheirownspecificnationalinterest.Thesestatesaremorelikelytofindtheregionalplatformacompellingmechanismwithwhichtheirowninterestscouldbecoalescedonabroaderframework,tobeeffectivelydeployedtoobtainconcreteresults.
Duetothecriticalchallengesofenhancingtheeconomiesofscaleoftheregionthroughpluggingtheenormousholeofinfrastructuredeficitandconfrontingsecurityproblems,thejoboftheleaderoftheexecutiveoftheAUismoredemandingthanisordinarilysupposed.InterpretingAfrica鈥檚realitiesfromtheroutinesofconventionalwisdommeansfreshthinking,requiringamorescientificinterrogationofthefactsandissuesastheyare.InmorethanhalfacenturyofpoliticalindependenceformostoftheAfricanstates,thereceivedpoliticalwisdomfromtheWest,whichhasshapedinstitutionsandprocessesofthecountriesonthecontinent,hasrefusedtofusewiththefabricsoftherespectiveindigenouspoliticallivesoftheAfricanstates.
Africa鈥檚sociallandscapeisdottedwithyouthrestiveness,deepeningpoverty,anddecayinginfrastructure,onlycurrentlymitigatedbyChina鈥檚decisiveinvolvement.
Therefore,fortheexecutivesecretariatoftheAU,itcannotbebusinessasusual.
Faki,anAfricanpoliticianwithnohistoryofrockingtheboat,mustfindtheunusualcouragetoshakethingsup,ifAfricaistobreakfromasphyxiatingroutines,whichhashobbledthecontinentfromengagingtheworldwiththefullweightofitscapabilities.
TheAUmustnotbejustacollaborativeplatformtocoordinateviewpointsandpolicies,asimportantasthatmightseem,butshouldgenerateideas,whichwouldinducefreshthinkingofitsmemberstatesbywhichitwouldceasetobeameretradeunionplatformofAfricanleaders,asthedefunctOAUwasseriallydeplored.
ThestrandofAfrica鈥檚globalrelationsandcooperationthathasthehighestpossibilityofbringingpracticalvaluetoitsrenaissancemustbecultivatedwithrelevantpolicyengagementstodriveit.China,acountrywhosharedthecommontrenchesofanti-colonialstruggleswithAfricaandhasidentifiedwiththecoreconcernsofsustainableandinclusivedevelopmentwithAfrica,haslaidoutitsroadmapnotonlytostrategicallypartnerwithAfrica,butalsotodevelopacomprehensivelycooperativearrangementwiththecontinent.TheAUCommission鈥檚executivearmmustdemonstrateprofoundunderstandingofthisimportantpartnershipanddesignenablingpolicyframeworkstonudgetheprocessalongandkeepitrunning.
China鈥檚boldestframeworkofinternationalcooperation,theBeltandRoadInitiativeisastrategicplatformtobuildconnectivityamongnationsthroughoverlandandmaritimenetworksofinfrastructure.
China鈥檚unequivocalcommitmenttotheBeltandRoadInitiativebringsAfrica鈥檚moststrategicneedstotheinternationalprioritiesofChina.
SuchanuncommonalignmentofvisionsandprioritiesshouldbeseizeduponbytheAUCommissionleadershiptodriveAfrica鈥檚renaissanceandrejuvenation.Itmustbenewideasandhardworkthatunderwritethecontinent鈥檚fulfillmentofitsmanifestdestiny.
(TheauthoristhedirectorofCenterforChinaStudies,inAbuja,Nigeria)