Africa In Crisis: Can Djibouti's Mahmoud Ali Youssouf Steer African Continent To Stability As The Newly Elected Chair Of Auc?
Africa
Politics
The African continent is facing political instabilities, conflicts, and revolutions, which have created discussions among most African countries and continue to brew revolutions and resentment from citizens and the military. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf succeeded Chadian Moussa Faki as the African Union Chairperson (AUC) at a very interesting time when most Africans are crying for help due to injustices and political instabilities from their own countries and their neighbours. In his past capacities, Mahmoud has served from 2005 to 2024 marking a 19-year tenure as Djibouti’s minister of foreign affairs. In addition, he has served in other capacities in regional and national foreign affairs policies, enhancing complex international relations. Among African countries currently experiencing political and economic surges and revolts include DRC Congo, Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda, Niger, Gabon, Burkina Faso, and other African Countries. Despite most of these countries claiming to have democratic constitutions, Freedom House (2023) claims that most African countries are led by dictators who collaborate with the West to terrorize and grab from the Africans. Although the new chair claims to be knowledgeable about diplomatic principles, he is likely to offer less just like his predecessor, Moussa Faki. With Just a few days in office, Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye is facing trials at the hands of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and the military, which is led by his son. Over to their neighbours, the Eastern DRC is facing unending violations of human rights and deaths due to the long-ongoing conflicts. According to BBC (2024), in Burkina Faso, though the country claims to have a democratic leadership, the military led by Ibrahim Traore seems to have done great work transforming and liberating the country, which is celebrated by the Burkina Faso citizens and other Africans. These ongoing African conflicts and instabilities claim the lives of Africans. Many Africans are statistics to death, and others are displaced. A country like Sudan is facing the worst displacement in the African region with more than 7.3 million people displaced in the country and an estimated 200,000 individuals killed due to war between government forces and opposition forces. Despite countries like Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali being in the African continent, they are distancing themselves from their association with the AU and ECOWAS, which tests the AUC chairperson's ability to integrate the continent and re-align the government through the promotion of democratic leadership from the existing military law. This also tests the ability to respect the will of the people and their sovereignty of choice of their preferred form of governance. On the other hand, the resurgence of a rebel group, M23, in Eastern Congo, which seems to have gained support from the Congolese, threatens the stability of its neighbors, including the EAC and SADC members (IPIS 2024). The DRC conflict is estimated to have caused the displacement of more than 8 million people leading to the involvement of other countries in the conflict thus making the situation even worse for DRC people. The African issues are more complex than they seem. Despite them appearing as African issues, they always have a hand and interference from other continents. This poses a dilemma for the AUC leadership on how to resolve African issues and conflicts without involving outsiders who are people of interest in African affairs. Another complexity is how the leadership shall draw the line between the African preference for leadership and needs without inviting other continents. The “RICH POOR” Africa is almost in shambles, which needs urgent and intentional reshaping by African governments and their people. The opportunities and unexploited minerals leave the continent exposed from within and in the world. While Mahoud Ali is entrusted with turning around the situation in 4 years, the big question remains on the approach to the African issues and his effectiveness and abilities to bring solutions. While the African presidents are instrumental in bringing the desired changes by Africans, they have stood as the perpetrators of injustices faced by Africans. Therefore, to transform Africa, the AUC leadership can only facilitate Africans to have a say in their governance, issues, and resources. This is a test on who the AUC chairperson chooses to listen to: Africans or their heads. African history always informs of Africans' commitment to their liberation and continuous revolutions to freedom and sovereignty. Therefore, the choice of approach shall guarantee either a prosperous Africa or a legacy of unending revolutions with poverty and continued exploitation.
16 DAYS AGO
