UNITED STATES OF AFRICA

[Jacaylbaro]

ACCRA, Ghana (Reuters) -- African leaders meet this weekend to debate a grand plan for a continental government, but they face pleas for urgent action now to halt conflicts in Darfur and Somalia and tackle enduring poverty.

 

A summit of the 53-nation African Union starting in Ghana on Sunday has at the top of its agenda a "Grand Debate" on creating a United States of Africa and a federal government to rule it -- a long-held dream of supporters of Pan-African integration.

 

Organizers are billing the three-day Accra summit as a tribute to Ghana's first post-independence president, Kwame Nkrumah, who became the standard bearer of Pan-African unity when he took over from British colonial rule a half century ago.

 

But sceptics doubt the practicality of a federal government for Africa after decades of wars, coups and massacres that often reflect ethnic and religious fault lines criss-crossing a vast continent artificially carved up by former colonial rulers.

 

While most Africans embrace the vision of a united, resource-rich continent of 800 million people able to speak with one voice to the world, campaigners say AU leaders must tackle more pressing problems at their doorstep.

 

"Darfur should be on the agenda, because it's really, really urgent," said Oury Traore, regional program manager for the West African Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP), a non-governmental organization that promotes conflict resolution.

 

Traore's group wants the AU to make its top priority the protection of civilians in Sudan's western Darfur region, where more than 200,000 people have been killed in a conflict pitting Sudanese forces and allied militias against local rebels.

 

"We shouldn't allow room for this kind of insanity any more, in any state," she said.

 

Civil society groups urged AU leaders to act now to bring peace to Somalia by pressing for a political solution there, and some also urged them to look at Zimbabwe, where President Robert Mugabe is accused of crushing opponents and ruining the economy.

 

Organizers defend agenda despite calls to address Darfur

 

But summit organizers defend the single-item agenda, and deny the plan for a continental government is too ambitious.

 

"Yes, we have serious problems, people are dying in places like Darfur and Somalia. But people are dying elsewhere in the world, not just in Africa," Ghana's Foreign Minister Nana Akufo Addo said.

 

Addo said a continent that pooled its resources and spoke with one voice would command greater respect in the world and help Africa shake off the indignity of always being portrayed as a byword for chaos and poverty.

 

"In the last 20 or 30 years we have a continent that has been bedevilled by conflict of one sort or another, vast migration of many of our young people. That is the Africa we want to stop," he said.

 

 

Leaders disagree on timeline for united Africa

 

 

But he recognized disagreements among the AU heads of state about how quickly a federal United States of Africa should be created and how it should be governed.

 

While some leaders like Libya's Muammar Gaddafi and Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade are vocal advocates of a continental government, others, like South African President Thabo Mbeki, are believed to favor a more gradual approach.

 

Gaddafi, who often wears clothes emblazoned with the outline of the African continent, has travelled to the summit by land, drumming up support for his unifying vision, which includes a plan to create a 2-million strong African army.

 

He says Africans will only win respect if they act as a single continent -- a view shared by Nkrumah's son Sekou.

 

"I think ideally it should be a continental government. The problem is not how we get there, it is that we get there," Sekou Nkrumah told Reuters.

[Jacaylbaro]

WHAT DO YOU THINK LADIES AND GENTLEMEN ?????

[rudy-Diiriye]

gaddafi... gimme a break. the same guy who was a terroist yesterday, today is wearing an african clothings talking this nonsense, since no arabs wanna deal with him.

 

get a life gaddafi.

[Malika]

^^^What? Gaddafi a terrorist? By who's standard? Gaddafi is a true African ...God bless him!!He doesnt need the degaa caas,to be what he is,an inspiring African!.My 2C!

 

Jacaylbaro thats good news,its about time Nkurumah's dream of a United Africa is to take shape..hope the Nomads and their cousins in Sudan get their acts straight to join in this great era...The African era!

[Jacaylbaro]

As long as those Arab countries in Africa are against the idea there is a long way to reach that dream of Nkuruma but if we all hold hands we can make it true.

 

I believe Qadafi is playing a very important and excellent role in this issue ,,, he is fed up from those Arabs who value nothing but playing their big calools.

 

Time to join the crew ,,,, time to support the idea ,,, time we get rid of the chains.

[Malika]

True,I forgot about those Arab/African countries,but if Egypt,Libya take a lead role, am sure the others would follow persuit..,They just need to stand above their Arabphonie and embrass the AFRICAphonie..[i sure do hope,while still alive to see,Africa out of its dark continent stigma]

[Som@li]

It is a grand plan, but not feasable right now in my opinion! AU is a failure! Africa has long way to go to implement this ideas.

[Jacaylbaro]

If the east african country is a reality then this could be applied to the whole Africa. Look at those countries already took a big step forward to do some sort of union.

[Som@li]

^loooooool,sarcastic

[Fabregas]

I say lets concentrate on making a unitary government in Somalia, kuwa kale iska daya. Gadafi lol, yesterday it was "Islamic state", then "Pan Arab" state and know he has become a Pan Africanist.

[Allamagan]

Complete copy cat nonsense. Gaajadda & AIDS-ka ha iska saaraan marka hore!

[Jacaylbaro]

I think we can do it ,,,,, let's be optimistic ,, sometimes the solution is in unexpected directions and this might be one.

 

Although i would say we group in regions first then we can come together as a whole.

[Ibtisam]

It is good to learn how to walk (or even stand up!) before running, Then you should learn how to run, before doing the three legged race.!

[Jacaylbaro]

Africa wants to run very fast without legs .... i think they're planning to fly too

[Ibtisam]

^^Them damn Africans should stop chewing & drinking so much, then they shall understand the concept above and apply it, instead of trying to fly!.