Friday, December 09, 2005

What have we done to Nkrumah's legacy?

In May 1963, 42 years ago, Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana's first president at the time of their independence (1957) had an 11-point proposal:

1. A union government of African states.
2. A common economic and industrial programme for Africa.
3. An African common market
4. A common African currency.
5. An African monetary zone.
6. An African central bank.
7. A continental communication system.
8. A common foreign policy and diplomacy.
9. A common system of defence.
10. A common African citizenship.
11. A common African army with an African high command.

Will think about the state of affairs on these issues a lot in the next few months. Some of these goals have been embarked upon with more certainty and determination than others (trying to avoid the loaded term, "success").

The recent attempt to create regional markets in East Africa, for example, have been the closest thing to #3, a common African market; and #10, a common African citizenship.

The African Development Bank (AfDB) established in 1964 had the intention of promoting economic and social development in Africa, as iterated by Nkrumah, #6.

The Nigerian attempt during Liberian crisis to send peacekeepers was an anomolous example of creating an African peacekeeping force, or, #9, a common system of defence (I believe his idea would incorporate the 'peacekeeping' exemplified by Nigerian forces).

That's all for now.
g'night

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