Globally, respect has become a function of economic power and political influence; two things Africans at the continental level lack. No other group will better discuss how far reaching the disrespect for Africa than cosmopolitans bearing African passports. However most have a thing or two to say you about racial prejudice and political disregard for Africa certified travel documents during the course of their many journeys. Handing over an African passport to airport officials is an irresistible invitation for a little extra questioning and security checks they hardly ignore. Racism is alive and well disguised in the international system where it is often subliminal.
Prejudice exists for more reasons than its various forms, but a combination of Africa’s repulsive economic dependence, political voicelessness and socio-cultural stagnation perpetually makes Africans susceptible to all.
Diplomats from Africa are more famous for their perpetual requests for loan packages and aid. Who made Africa the responsibility of the international community? To be sincere, nobody is particularly fond of people always in need; especially when they can not capitalise on the needy. It is for these reasons Africans are not taken seriously like they ought to.
The fact that Africa is considered the most naturally endowed region of the world in term of resources, yet an economic burden to the world, is shameful and has cost us our dignity. Consequently, “Africa for Africans” as the African Union so aptly put in its Agenda 2063, will rely heavily on human capacity development if it is to be success.
Becoming a highly economically valuable people and region is important for the well-being of Africans, their reputation, and will most certainly discredit all forms of prejudice that we have come to be victims of.
To achieve this, Africa needs:
MASSIVE INVESTMENTS IN EDUCATION
The very reason Africa was at a disadvantage when it came in contact with Europe was because of superior European technology, which directly exposed the low productivity of our value based cultural and vocational education system. How Africa can use education to combat racism is to engineer savvy policies that will aggressively increase enrollment rates into primary schools and ensure that students remain in classrooms until the completion of their secondary education. Africa’s curriculum must reflect the times we live in, with special emphasis on ‘innovativeness; and critical thinking especially at the tertiary level. In this age of innovation inspired growth, professionals in STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics) fields bear the burden of development more than any other group, and thus, must be made to tap and surpass the African creativity which allows their counterparts in the ,music industry to invent a trendy dance step for every song.
The ubiquity of high academic achievement and vocational training (for who can’t pursue higher education) in a country doesn’t automatically translate into a vibrant economy–skills and technical knowledge lay the foundation.Venture capital investments only through investment and funding, are necessary to convert highly skilled workforce into economic prosperity.
STRATEGIC ECONOMIC AGENDA
Economic power and technology is why the world today revolves around Europe, America, and of late China. China over the last four decades grew to become a superpower, despite having about the same population size as Africa. Economists generally attribute much of China’s rapid economic growth to two main factors: large-scale capital investment (financed by large domestic savings and foreign investment) and rapid productivity growth. These two factors appear to have gone together hand in hand. Economic reforms led to higher efficiency in the economy, which boosted output and increased resources for additional investment in the economy
Like China, Africa will require strategic leadership, political stability and fiscal discipline to effect economic policies. Creating an enabling environment for businesses to thrive is as important as attaining a high literacy rate to prevent brain drain. A population with a highly skilled workforce experiences limitations.
South Africa recently came up with a move to ensure wealth distribution across racial groups and close inequality gaps by adopting a policy that requires 26 percent of mines in the country to be black owned. The government is also making laws that will guarantee the redistribution of lands unfairly put in the control of minority whites by the apartheid government.
Meanwhile in francophone African countries there are certain laws which compel 14 African states to put 65percent of their foreign currency reserves into the French Treasury, plus another 20 percent for financial liabilities. This means that such countries only ever have access to 15 percent of their own money. If they require more, they have to borrow their own money from the French at commercial rates. This has been the case since the 1960s. This is an unjust agreement that should make everyone mad. But why aren’t the citizens of these countries mad enough to speak up?
France remains unchallenged and the muteness of the international community continues for one reason only, political power. The African Union as a whole lacks the political influence to change the system; it may also be that they receive enough foreign aid to ‘not’ speak up against this injustice. African nations are exploited, foreign aid packages are sent back to Africa with clauses that ensure political reforms do not threaten the exploitative system,thereby leaving the region economically dependent and politically voiceless.
The South African government is able to roll out policies that will create wealth for blacks in the country because it is a black controlled (political power) government that is conscious of economic empowerment of blacks and regardless of possible consequences– has the will.
The rest of Africa must adopt South Africa’s emancipatory approach to the development of economic strategies which not only focuses on growth and development,but also considers the identity of those who control the means of production driving the growth and development.
POLITICAL MIGHT
Black is beautiful means nothing until we are black and powerful
It was not so long ago that President Mugabe was decrying the unfairness of the international system because it lacks African voice, he emphatically stressed the needs for reforms that give Africa a permanent representation in the UN security council to guarantee that Africa’s interest is fully represented directly.
North Korea is a great example of what having a global political voice can do for the reputation of a country. Despite being as poor, hungry, and faced with uninspiring GDP figures and weak export like much of Africa, North Korea’s independence (isolation) and unapologetic resolve to pursue self determination commands respect. As a recipient of foreign aid like most countries in Africa, making fun of them is unpopular. What we hear are threats and whenever we we get the opportunity to see the country on TV, we see stoic face soldiers in columns marching and chanting songs of national pride, but behind and ahead of the parade are sophisticated military hardware for which they are proud. Perhaps it is all they have to boast of, but the equipment is proof of their ingenuity. No one dares to ridicule a hungry nation with big toys like Moscow, Washington and France. North Korea shares socio-economic problems with Africa and living with sanctions (half of which Africa doesn’t suffer), but people will listen when they talk.
Decolonising French Africa again will require a tenacious and concerted action of the entire continent of Africa for these 14 countries to attain political and economic sovereignty. This is because the beneficiaries of this lopsided colonial currency arrangement will fight back using similar tactics like the French sponsored regime changes of the past, and political assassinations of government officials. Although, proper political education of the masses will be needed if success is to be achieved, their ignorance is often capitalised upon by people acting against their interest.
Political awareness will deliver Africa from the illusion that good grammar and fine western clothes which characterised the early post colonial era equals civility and respect of the world. It didn’t work for past generations and it will never work. True civility is to be organised, and pioneering our struggle against oppression and institutionalised prejudice must be political and socio-economic. When we achieve a high level of development and economic relevance, there will be no need to ask for apologies whenever Africans are victims of racism and prejudice, it will be a matter of trade sanctions. No matter how frustrated the Egyptian official who recently called Africans “dogs and slaves” was, thoughts of what his country stands to lose economically will serve as a deterrent. Success is the best response they say.
Socio-economic success and laws against racism alone will never be enough to turn the hearts and retarded minds of bigots. It most certainly hasn’t for the Jews especially if you consider the fact that antisemitism is very much alive today. A people who overcame oppression and victimisation like Africa, through concerted efforts from Jews all over the world have built a success and powerful State of Israel. The Jews are more hated for their ability to succeed and how they retain their income within their community than for other reasons. How much worse would it have been if the Jews were as underdeveloped and shared in the misery of poverty, hunger, disease, illiteracy and impotence that has become the badge of the African continent and people of African descent.
The glass must be seen as half empty when evaluating how much needs to be done. World power status isn’t meant for everyone, at best it can only be in turns as nobody knows how far down the list will have to go for us to see the first Sub-Saharan African country in line for global dominance. But what we need is for one country to get it right and change the narrative for the world order to see that we are a people too. For the sake of our kind, just one.
