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Saturday 12 December 2015

The East - West Global Polity Bipolar Delineation

“I cannot forecast to you the action of Russia. It is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma: but perhaps there is a key. That key is Russian national interest”....BBC broadcast (“The Russian Enigma”), London, October 1, 1939 (partial text).


Recent events from the unfolding armed civil conflicts in Ukraine and Syria has once again brought to bare issues pertaining to bipolarity in terms of the Eastern and Western bloc in the cosmos of international affairs. Thought to have been buried after the collapse of the USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) in 1991, global polity assumed a unipolar status as charged by the United States, and other nations including Russia followed in the trail. The global unipolarity status got to its heights in 2001 during the 9/11 terrorist attack on USA as the global commune rallied behind the ‘counter-terrorism’ war maxim. For the first time since the end of World War 2, Russia and the United States seemed to form a cohesive bond.
The issue of the ‘Eastern’ and ‘Western’ confrontation in ideological and political matters can be traced to the ‘Great Schism’ of Christendom in 1054AD; when the Christian church split along Latin and Greek liturgical and  ideological rites resulting in the Western ideological bloc as championed by the Roman Church (Roman Catholic Church) and the (Eastern) Orthodox Church, in which the fault lines followed the East-West delineation of the Roman empire. Though the religious connotation of the East-West delineation has long waned off, it must be worthy of note that Russia’s through Ivan IV ‘the terrible acceded hegemony of Eastern Orthodox Christianity following the fall of Constantinople which ultimately liquidated the Byzantine empire to the Ottomans in 1453; while hegemony of Western ideology transmuted from the Holy Roman empire, and after the Napoleonic wars of the 19th Century Europe to Great Britain and then to the United States after the Second World War.
Delineation of the Great Schism of 1054AD
Source: http://www.slideshare.net/aysarchival07/religion-during-american-occupation-and-the-great-schism-in-the-catholic-church
Source:http://www.generationword.com/bible_school_notes/27.html

Away from the religious prelude, the East-West delineation took an socio-economic ideological format with the installation of the World’s first Communist regime in Russia following the Bolshevik revolution of 1917. Though the delineation was not apparent then, it manifested during the later stages of World War 2. Despite being allies in the fight against Hitler’s Nazism, the Allied powers (USA, UK, France) never trusted the wits of Stalin’s Russia as there was not free access to Russian liberated areas. This made Churchill to make his famous Iron curtain statement in 1946;
 “From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the continent.” 
http://cyclingmagazine.ca/sections/news/iron-curtain-bicycle-trail-10-000km-history-culture-politics/

Apparent during the Postdam and Yalta World War Two conferences, the seeming East-West bipolarity divide rapidly deepened after the end of World War 2 resulting into what was popularly referred to as the ‘Cold War’ and of course propped up the arms raceFully aware of the disastrous implications of any ensuing conflict between global bipolar powers which were armed with Weapons of Mass Destructions (Radiological/Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Weapons), the ‘Cold War’  assumed a proxy front as sundry nations around the world aligned to either the ‘East’ (socialist/communist) or Western (Capitalist) ideologies. These moves were wholesomely not peaceful as it portended opportunity for the Global Bipolar powers to scramble and jostle for allies amongst these nations. With Countries emerging from colonial rule especially in Asia and Africa after World War 2, the USA frenzied about the spread of communism in these newly independent states and therefore sought to influence their governance by all means possible. This notoriously fuelled several Coup d’états in South America, Africa and Asia in especially in the 1950’s -1980’s and the of course, civil conflicts such as the Vietnam war and the Korean War.
http://korean-war.commemoration.gov.au/cold-war-crisis-in-korea/korean-war-strategic-map.php

The Korean Peninsula represents the last bastion of the Global Bipolar divisions. It is a relic of the outcome of the Second World War which divided the Peninsula into USSR and USA spheres of control along the 38th Latitude parallel. Unlike divided Germany which later reunited upon the famous collapse of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and then seemingly aligning to the Western Ideology, North and South Korea have stoically represented all what the East-West bipolar delineation stands for and though they were moves by North Korea to forcefully reunite the Korean Peninsula which resulted into the Korean war (1950-1953), neither side do not seem to let down the rhetoric which is now made more sinister with a Nuclear armed North Korea. As such, the Korean peninsula though currently conflict semi-dormant, remains a potent frontline and fault line in any clash between the bipolar powers.
The Chinese regime also remains a flash point in the East-West conflicting sphere of dominance. Resurging after the Second World War, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) swept to power in 1949 as led by the military prowess of Mao Zedong who defeated the Chinese Nationalists led by Chang Kia Chek. The defeated Nationalists fled to Taiwan and yet till today still refers itself as the ‘Chinese government in exile’. Though this yielded lots of tremors in international diplomatic polity, the Chinese Nationalists were eventually derecognized as representatives of the Chinese Government by the Western powers and subsequently the government Chinese Communists was recognized and invited to take a permanent sit at the United Nations Security Council in 1971. Nevertheless, there still remains animosity between the Communist Chinese government of Mainland China and the Nationalist Chinese government of Taiwan which is backed by the USA but not granted United Nations recognition due to blockage from the Mainland Chinese government. Nevertheless, the Taiwan straits remain a dormant spot in the East-West bipolar delineation.
After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, International polity assumed a seeming unipolar Status with the USA dictating the trend. However at the turn of the new Millennium in 2000, International polity was reawakened to the hot bed of the East-West delineatory polity, with the expansion of NATO and the EU member states to accommodate ex-Soviet satellite states of Eastern Europe and then, Russian Nationalism renewed a resurgence after an economic battering decade following the collapse of the USSR.
https://www.stratfor.com/sample/image/natos-evolution

Finding dynamism in the Vladimir Putin, an ex-KGB (Russian Secret Service) agent who was President and subsequently became Russian Prime Minister, the Russians have seemly assumed a challenging statusquo to USA’s domineering of International polity through the exercise of veto powers at the UN security council and swoopingly taking the first military initiative around conflict spots of interest as seen in Georgia, Ukraine, and Syria.

"One thing I learnt 50 years ago on the streets of Leningrad was that if a fight is inevitable, you need to land the first punch," Vladimir Putin

Buoyed by and economic revival from the oil boom of the mid and late 2000’s, Russia has sought to modernize it’s military and arsenal which has long been held in scorn of being ‘outdated’ by the West.
Russia's Vladimir Putin and The USA's Barack Obama represents all that the EAST-WEST Bipolarity stands for
Source:www.bbcnews.com

Having the knowledge of ‘mutually assured destruction’ in the case of any conflict betwixt the bipolar powers, Russia yet seeks to counter an apparent expansionism of NATO towards its Western borders. Despite an array of ICBMs (Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles), Russia in series of tantalizing militaristic overtures have sent Western/NATO jets of the United Kingdom, Scandinavian and Baltic states scuttling and scamparing to the skies. Indeed whilst the Russian military apparatus is seeing some fighting engagement in Syria, NATO countries (though individually in a separate coalition have joined the fight against the Islamic State in the Middle East) have been having sundry military training sessions across the Baltic and Eastern Europe.

“instead of settling conflicts [the largely unipolar system] leads to their escalation, instead of sovereign and stable states, we see the growing spread of chaos.”- Vladimir Putin

Never since the end of the cold war in 1991 has international polity being heated by divergent bipolarity between the powers. Fuelling and fanning the embers of conflict situations around the globe, it is pertinent for a de-escalation in the aggressive bipolar charge of global powers so that a common understanding and agreement can be reached in sundry problem and conflict situations and issues around the globe.

Monday 30 November 2015

Creating The Africa We Want from AGENDA 2063


‘....Agenda 2063, rooted in Pan Africanism and African Renaissance, provides a robust framework for addressing past injustices and the realization of the 21st Century as the African Century’

Whilst the International Development front tangles with the transition from the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the African Union has charted its own developmental cause for the African Continent with the mantra Agenda 2063- The Africa we want. This Continent wide development initiative is not the first of its kind as there has been the NEPAD (New Partnership for Africa’s Development) initiative, aimed at attaining the MDGs.

Source: www.un.org
‘Agenda 2063’ was conceived as a building block from the Pan-Africanist ideas that founded the OAU (organization for Africa Unity) in Addis Ababa in 1963, with a vision to liberate Africa from the shackles of colonialism. And yes, amid the uncertainties of that era, the struggle was won; though there still remain pockets of colonial enclaves dotting from Mayotte, The Chagos Islands and Western Sahara, the abolishment of the Apartheid regime in South Africa remains a sterling fulfilment of the struggles of the OAU in this regard. As such, the opening statement of ‘Agenda 2063’ pays tribute to the initial strides of Pan-Africanism viz:
OAU founding fathers, Kwame Nkrumah and  Haile Selassie at the inauguration of the OAU in Addis Ababa in May 25 1963
Source: bbcnews.com


We, the people of Africa and her Diaspora, united in diversity, young and old, men and women, girls and boys from all walks of life, deeply conscious of history, express our deep appreciation to all generations of Pan-Africanist. In particular to the founders of the Organization of African Unity for having bequeathed us an Africa with exemplary successes in the fight against slavery, colonialism and apartheid...’


 CREATING THE AFRICA WE WANT from lessons from the past

This being the mantra of Agenda 2063, the thought of achieving the dream defines its call to action; for the cause of Pan Africanism has transmuted from that of anti-colonial struggles, to administering good governance and attaining sustainable development. The fifty year plan of action which connotes Agenda 2063 was born on the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the OAU in May 2013; having succeeded in achieving political independence for 98% of Africa after 50years of its founding.
Source:http://agenda2063.au.int/en/documents/agenda-2063-africa-we-want-popular-version-2nd-edition

Though Pan Africanism seems to be building on a success story of political independence, it will be fool hardy not to take into cognisance the ensuing political maladministration which brewed ethno-religious conflicts/civil wars and near/total economic collapse in most African Countries after their Independence. This disgustingly ‘turned the beggar bowl’ into the hands of most African leaders to the global bipolar powers. As such, Africa has always blamed its woes on the global bipolar actors; from the throes of colonialism, internal/external conflicts, to economic woes.  Such defines the saying that
Africa has achieved political but not economic independence!

Agenda 2063 is an audacious plan and going forward; there are veritable lessons that must be taken into cognisance. After 50 years of amateurship in political leadership and governance, charting a fifty year sustainable development plan calls to question the virtues of competence and dedication in these areas of deficiency. Yet, as inordinate as it seems, it’s achievable.
The world has seen development examples in the Marshall plan that rebuilt a devastated Europe after World War 2; the full emergence and dominance of Asia tiger Nations of Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, South Korea and not to talk of the glories of the Asiatic powers in China and Japan. All these Nations had one thing in common—they shared trademark devastation from the shackles of Colonialism and Warfare after the Second World War and then emerged to the zenith of development less than 50 years after! Of course, Africa nations must begin to rethink their strategic plan of action in achieving Agenda 2063.. However, one thing must be jettisoned- Africans should stop blaming outside forces especially colonist for its woes.

'PARTNERSHIPS'
The walk of Agenda 2063 will be best achieved if complemented by foreign partnerships. As much as African solutions to African problems are being sought, it will be fool hardy to ignore the investive overtures of foreign partners especially the sincere ones.
As a point of note, China has acted and fulfilled a self tasking donation of a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) by wholly constructing and donating the ultra modern Africa Union Headquarters building. As such, the Chinese are no push overs in terms of being development partners. More than that, it would be worthy of note for Africa to understudy the Chinese development success story and imbibe some doctrines where necessary.

The $200million AU ultra modern  Headquarter complex donated and constructed by China at Addis Ababa



Africa like China has footprints in indigenous civilization straddling from the Nile Valley in Egypt and Ethiopia to ruins of Great Zimbabwe in the South. India too like China, having an indigenous civilization success story has built on its past despite being colonized to overthrowing the West in the advancement of Software technology, genetic modified medicine/technology and as such spreading her developmental innovations to several sectors. Identifying Africa as a partner in progress, the Indian Prime Minister during the Inaugural India-Africa summit made this statement
"The hearts of 1.25 billion Indians and 1.25 billion Africans are in rhythm. We are united by youth - two thirds of India and Africa are below 35. And, if the future belongs to the youth, then this century is ours to shape and build,"...Narenda Modi (Indian Prime Minister)
As the journey into Agenda 2063 is being made, Africa should envy the development strategy of the World’s two most populous nations. Surely there are lots of positives to imitate.

THE AFRICA WE WANT
With so much talk on the diversity and plurality of Africa’s populace, the Chinese and Indians have in their endeavours belittled this. What’s next for Africa is to look beyond its current struggles and march on to the Eldorado of development. The vast human and natural resources provides no room for excuse. Acknowledging the efforts of regional blocs at regional integration from free movement of people and goods, this can be built upon by linking the entire continent by rail.
Of course, talk is cheap but in actualizing Agenda 2063, there must be special focus on African induced technological advancement and industrialization. Away from the talk of gender and sundry rights issues, a self driven technology will surely set Agenda 2063 in auto pilot.
Whilst appreciating the efforts of foreign partners, it is pertinent that the materiel and personnel for Africa’s development future is solely African. Africa cannot keep using non African produced essential products like cars, machines, Infrastructure fittings, clothes etc and expect to attain Agenda 2063. Africa’s educational ivory towers must be empowered to initiate the drive through research funding and project utilization. Only then can we have the Africa we want.


The Youth as drivers for ‘Agenda 2063’
 According to the African Union Commission webpage on youth, ‘About 65% of the total population of Africa are below the age of 35 years, and over 35% are between the ages of 15 and 35 years - making Africa the most youthful continent. By 2020, it is projected that out of 4 people, 3 will be on average 20 years old.
The Youths of all climes are conduits of development in their vicinity and any attempt to disenfranchise their productivity through unemployment has always proved destructive to the society and world at large. Examples of such abound in the fascist movement in Europe that fueled the 2nd World War, several guerrilla movements that fueled civil wars around Africa in the last quarter of the 20th Century, the burgeoning revolution of the Arab Spring in North Africa and the Middle East and social vices of armed robbery and gangsterism; all of which make use of youths as foot soldiers.

As such, it is imperative that the African youth be positively engaged and harnessed. Only then can Agenda 2063 for ‘the Africa we want’ be achieved.

Tuesday 24 November 2015

My Agenda 2063 Youth Summit Diary


My recent trip to Addis Ababa, Africa’s diplomatic capital in Ethiopia, for the Africa youth day celebration on November 1 was a mesmerizing experience. Originally not part of my strategic plan for the year 2015, when preparations for the trip came on board in late August due to motivation from my boss, Mr David Allu, the reverie of my last trip to East Africa in 2009 for the Zain Africa Challenge inter University Quiz competition where I first set foot on Kenya and Uganda drooled my voyaging appetite.

My Arrival at Addis reminded me of the Zain Africa Challenge in Kampala of 2009




 Setting out from my abode at Uyo, Akwa Ibom State in far Southern Nigeria in the early hours of 25th October, I journeyed Northwards to Abuja in a bid to catch a 
flight to Nairobi en route Addis Ababa. I was joined in Abuja by James Allu and 
fellow delegates Chiagozie Udeh and Ngozi Emmanuel; together, we set out for 
Addis Ababa.
Our trip to Addis was eventful, top of which was the cancellation of our 
connecting flight from Nairobi to Addis Ababa. Of  course, we got a five star treat at Nairobi’s Panari Hotel (just for a night though), and thenceforth continued our
 journey to Addis. Landing Addis Ababa on 28th October at Noon, we were warmly received at the Bole Airport after immigration formalities by the YALDA-AAU team (Youth Alliance for Leadership and Development in Africa—Addis Ababa 
University Chapter) who were the conference organizers, and conveyed to our lodging at Afarensis Hotel.

Joyful Arrival short with South African Delegate Tshepo Morabane and James Allu(below)



Peacefully lodged at Afarensis Hotel, we were treated to an Ethiopian welcome 
luncheon after registration on 29th October, and then we had a delegates training session to acquaint us with the conference formalities. As such, delegates were 
divided into three committees with each one assigned an African Country. The
 committees were

- Gender Equality, Women in Business and Entrepreneurship



- Right to Health and Right to Education

- Youth Civic Space and Diaspora in Youth 

I was assigned to the ‘Youth Civic Space and Diaspora in Youth’ Committee as the Eritrean delegate, with delegate partners in Musinguzi Wilfred and 
Bit Maher Saad.
On 30th October, the summit began with a prelude of a Model African Union General Assembly at the Main Conference Hall of the Old African Union Building. After a short session there, we dispersed for the committee sessions.

Setting for the inaugural MAU General Assembly


The Eritrean Delegation at my committee.. Bit Maher Saad to my right and Musinguzi Wilfred to my left


Representing Eritrea to talk on Youth issues was no mean task especially with the troubles the country is alleged to have with Military Service conscription, mass
 abscondment of Eritrean delegates at sport competitions as asylum seekers not 
to talk of countless Eritrean youths who risk their lives fleeing their country to 
undertake dangerous crossings across the Sahara and Meditteranean. Yet, I was 
determined not to be a passive committee member, ensuring my voice was heard whilst trying to realistically model an Eritrean representation.
Members of the Dias at my Committee
 Exploring the parliamentary naivety of most delegates in my committee,
seemed to be cruising my satisfaction until when a certain Lesotho delegate 
moved a motion that Nation states such as Eritrea who having not yet ratified the African Youth Charter be disenfranchised from the committee debate sessions and subsequent voting on any resolution drawn at the sitting. There and then, I 
championed the Eritrean cause by calling for an open worded apology to the 
Eritrean delegation from the Lesotho delegation as their statement seemed 
vindictive. Yet, I vindicated my government as still studying the document of 
which ratification action on the charter will be taken in due cause in the future. I 
intended to stage a walk out, but not wanting to cause a parliamentary crisis, 
stayed action whilst the Chairperson urged progress as the Lesotho delegation 
only stated facts. The Lesotho delegation pressed on to chide my delegation 
saying...
‘It is deeply saddening that reality worries you’.
That statement held me in infamy, dealing a death blow to all my intended 
parliamentary wit. Not willing to drag the matter further, I let things rest.

The fiery Lesotho delegation led by Celma Costa were hot on my nerves


Aligning to blocs during the unmoderated caucus was another issue. Acquainted with the apparent uncooperative stance of Eritrea with her regional bloc, IGAD
(Inter Governmental Authority on Development), and not wanting to sit side by 
side with the Ethiopian delegation, I let my delegation play lone wolf choosing 
instead to independently align with the nearby delegation of Zambia, Congo and 
Benin, and together we worked to a draft resolution. As the committee 
reconvened for a final moderated caucus, time constraint could only allow for the resolution put forward by the Algerian delegation be debated upon and adopted 
as the committee’s final working paper to be presented at the General Assembly.

A shot with the Head of the Algerian delegation of my Committee, Kassahun Niguse


As an interlude betwixt the committee sessions, delegates were given a pep talk 
on Agenda 2063 by an AU volunteer, Jerry Laurence Lemogo.

Jerry Laurence Lemogo giving delegates a pep talk about Agenda 2063

Getting the resolutions passed on the floor of the final General Assembly was no mean task. Whilst others had a near easy passage, that of my committee was 
faulted but in the end, allowed to pass.
Having concluded the sessions of the Model African Union, all was set for the 
Africa Youth Day slated for 1st November. The session was held at one of the 
committee rooms in the new African Union Headquarters building. The day
 themed on  "Agenda 2063" with a special focus on the theme of the African Union declaration of the year 2016 as "African Year of Human Rights –The Africa we want with particular focus on the Rights of Women".

Arrival at the AU headquarters on November 1 for the Africa Youth Day celebration



There were opening addresses notably by the President of the Pan African Youth Union, Francine Muyumba and the Africa Union Commissioner for Human 
Resources, Science and Technology, Dr. Martial De-Paul Ikounga. The message of
 the Head of the African Union commission, Dr Nkosanza Dlamini Zuma was 
relayed in absentia in a short video clip, conveying her best wishes for the African Youth.

President of the Pan African Youth Union, Francine Muyumba addressing delegates


Aside the reading of the resolution from the Model African Union Sessions, there was a presentation of works from African Youths who were deemed outstanding 
in their private endeavours. In all, we were thrilled by the presentation of ten of 
them as ‘Youth Heroes’ for their humanitarian endeavours in
 HIV/AIDS education, girl child empowerment, Sex education etc.
In rounding off the session, there was a hearing on the endeavours of the African Union Youth clubs and other associated youth clubs from their representatives. In the end, there was an urge for more collaborative work amongst these various 
groups, and the Pan African Youth Union which was officially recognized for
 correspondence with the African Union Youth division. More incorporative 
initiatives were suggested to bring on board youths who are not in higher 
institutions of  learning.

YALDA-AAU Executive Director, Bitania Lulu giving a report of the endeavours of her group

The day ended with a photo session as everyone dispersed with a message of
 hope and additional impetus to engage in actualization of Agenda 2063.

Group Photo Session ending the Conference proceedings


Just before my departure, I found time to tour Addis Ababa on 2nd November, 
thanks to my Ethiopian friend Asefa Lintso who in his absence mandated his
 bosom friend, Deneke Desalegn to be my tour guide. Though pained that I 
couldn’t get on the famed Addis metro train, I visited the Museum, Emperor Haile Selassie’s Palace at the Addis Ababa University and of cause the Nigerian 
Embassy.

With my tour guide, Deneke Desalegn at the Nigerian Embassy, Addis Ababa

At late Emperor Selassie's Palace on the grounds of Addis Ababa University

 We were just in time to catch the ambassador, His Excellency, Usman Baraya who just flew in from New Delhi from the just concluded India-Africa summit and of 
course; he treated us to a much long for Nigerian Jollof Rice cooked amazingly by 
an Ethiopian Chef I learnt had been at work at the embassy for 32years!

A shot with the Nigerian Ambassador to Ethiopia and the AUFrom left.. James Allu, Ngozi Emmanuel, his Excellency Usman Baraya, Chiagozie Udeh and 

Samson Faboye

And then we busied ourselves to the 'Nigerian Jollof' courtesy of the Ambassador


Bole Airport was my next port of call for departure from Addis Ababa and 
coincidentally though we booked our flights separately without prior knowledge of one another, I travelled aboard the same flight with delegates I met enroute
 Addis Ababa!


My trip to Addis Ababa was a great experience as I got inducted to Pan African diplomacy.  I met with over 250 delegates from about 30 African Countries and 
surely, my journey into Pan Africanism has just begun!

Agenda 2063, On Y Va