NAIROBI, Kenya — Three politicians from Africa are vying for leadership of the African Union (AU) and presented their visions for advancing regional security, amidst ongoing conflicts and political upheavals, while also emphasizing the need for enhanced intra-Africa trade during a recent debate.
Raila Odinga from Kenya, Mahamoud Ali Youssouf of Djibouti, and Richard Randriamandrato of Madagascar are competing for the position of chairperson of the African Union, which encompasses 55 member states.
The candidates took part in a two-hour discussion in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where they collectively argued for the establishment of two permanent seats with veto power for African nations within the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). This, they contend, is crucial for adequately representing a continent that boasts the youngest demographic globally.
Odinga emphasized that it is critical for Africa to secure these permanent seats, describing it as “only fair” in light of the continent’s diverse membership of over 50 countries. Randriamandrato echoed his sentiments, encouraging unity among member states to collectively advocate for a representative in the UNSC.
These three aspirants are on a mission to sway the majority of African nations ahead of the February election to replace Moussa Faki, the current AU chairperson, who has led for two consecutive terms.
The African Union faces numerous challenges, including internal conflicts and political changes that have led to the expulsion of five member nations from the organization, emphasizing the need for regional security—this was a central topic during Friday’s debate.
Youssouf asserted that by increasing funding for a regional standby force, countries could lessen their dependence on foreign military support, leading to improved regional security. He cautioned that a lack of unity among neighboring nations can jeopardize peace initiatives.
Randriamandrato also urged member states to take charge of their own security, advising against the continued presence of foreign military bases, as these could exacerbate conflict rather than mitigate it.
Despite having a youthful population of 1.3 billion, set to double by 2050, Africa’s inter-regional trade is still beset by difficulties. Odinga pointed out the enormous internal market that Africa has, which represents significant potential for economic transformation through expanded trade among African nations.
Youssouf introduced the idea of a compensation system for varying currency trades to ensure that countries do not suffer losses in trade transactions. He also posed the question, “If we consider a single currency, why not?”
Randriamandrato mentioned the importance of existing regional economic frameworks, such as the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, which can facilitate smoother trade relations within the continent.
The African Union is undergoing proposed reforms aimed at enhancing its structure and leadership to better fulfill its mission. Each candidate pledged to support the implementation of these reforms upon election.
Youssouf noted that essential changes within the AU face financial hurdles that must be addressed, expressing his commitment to advocate for these reforms without imposing them upon the member states.