More than a decade after the African Union (AU) launched Agenda 2063, its flagship blueprint for building “The Africa We Want”, a growing question is emerging: whose agenda is Africa really pursuing?
On paper, Agenda 2063 is bold and transformative. It envisages a prosperous, integrated and self-reliant continent, driven by its own citizens and capable of shaping its place in the world.
It speaks of economic transformation, industrialisation, infrastructure development, intra-African trade, peace, good governance and an influential Africa on the global stage.
However, a glance at the diplomatic calendar tells a different story.
Hardly a year passes without African leaders flocking to a major summit hosted by an external power.
There is the recent Russia-Africa Summit held in October, the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), the US-Africa Leaders Summit, the India-Africa Forum Summit, the EU-AU Summit and an expanding list of bilateral and multilateral engagements involving Africa and external partners.
According to political analyst Donald Porusingazi, the deeper issue is difficult to ignore.
“African leaders routinely travel thousands of kilometres to capitals across the world, often accompanied by large delegations, to listen to investment pledges, aid offers, cooperation packages and strategic visions formulated elsewhere,” he said.
He noted that if Africa was really serious about driving its own agenda, the traffic should be the other way round.
“One must ask whether the relationship remains genuinely strategic if Africa is almost always the invited guest and rarely the convenor,” the analyst observed.
“Why is it that Africa’s leaders gather so enthusiastically under the banners of other powers, yet seldom bring these powers to an African-hosted summit designed primarily around African priorities and benchmarks?”
According to Porusingazi, the question is not whether engagement with global partners is necessary. In an interconnected world, Africa needs strong relations with China, the European Union, the United States, India, Russia, the Gulf states and other partners.
“The real issue is whether these engagements are advancing Agenda 2063 or replacing it.”
Porusingazi questioned if African leaders went to these external summits armed with a clear checklist of Agenda 2063 targets
“Are discussions anchored around accelerating the African Continental Free Trade Area, boosting regional value chains, strengthening manufacturing, improving infrastructure connectivity and enhancing food security?”
“Or are conversations largely shaped by the geopolitical and economic priorities of host nations?”
He noted that the risk is that Africa has become a marketplace of competing external interests rather than an architect of its own future.
Indeed, many of the continent’s persistent challenges suggest a disconnect between aspiration and execution.
Intra-African trade remains low compared to other regions. Industrialisation has been slow. Youth unemployment remains stubbornly high.
Infrastructure deficits persist. Commodity dependence continues to define many economies.
These realities raise uncomfortable questions about whether Africa’s engagement with external powers is sufficiently aligned to its long-term development blueprint.
A truly confident and strategic Africa would reverse the dynamic.
“Imagine an annual Africa and Global Partners Summit, convened in Addis Ababa, Johannesburg, Nairobi, Cairo or Abuja, where the AU sets the agenda.”
He said rather than external powers announcing what they intend to do for Africa, they should be invited to explain how their investments, trade programmes and cooperation frameworks support specific Agenda 2063 targets.
“Such an approach would not diminish partnerships. It would strengthen them by ensuring they serve clearly defined African priorities.”
The challenge facing the continent is, therefore, not a lack of diplomatic activity. Africa has never been more courted by global powers.
The challenge is ensuring that diplomacy translates into the delivery of Africa’s own development vision.
JN/APA