United African government to carry greater international influence

"A united Africa speaking with a single voice would also be more influential in global affairs. Furthermore the benefits of political and economic integration are evident when we look at the experience of other regions of the world [such as the European Union]," the minister said.

She was speaking during a debate on President Kgalema Motlanthe's State of the Nation Address.

The idea of creating a future union government for Africa, which is believed would boost Africa's international standing, has been discussed for several years among the region's leaders.

However, many African leaders are reluctant to relinquish any of their sovereignty to a new government, while some favour strengthening regional institutions before creating a continent-wide system.

The establishing of a unified Africa to give Africa stronger bargaining power at international forums has been a dream of several generations of pan-Africanists.

It was also a topic which received much attention at the 12th AU Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia last week. Leaders had agreed on transforming the African Union Commission into the AU Authority as a compromise step toward eventually forming a continent-wide government.

"We have just come from Addis Ababa where it was decided that the African Union Commission should be transformed into the African Union Authority in an effort to strengthen it. However, the details are still to be worked out," she said.

Minister Dlamini-Zuma said that economic regional and continental integration was not optional but a must due to the current global financial crisis as well as in the wake of some of the destructive conflicts Africa has been experiencing.

"There can be no doubt that a better Africa requires that we accelerate investments in some critical sectors like energy, infrastructure such as roads, ports and telecommunications, facilitating easier intra- and inter-regional trade, especially because Africa has most of the landlocked countries," said the minister.

Article published courtesy of BuaNews