Speaking of Sovereignty, Positive Connections, Billions-Strong previously (neo) Colonized Continent
SUCCESSOR TO the Organization of African Unity (OAU 1963-1999) and headquartered in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), the African Union (AU) was established officially in 2002. It is a “continental body comprised of 55 member states” situated on the African Continent. |
SUCCESSOR
TO
the Organization of African Unity (OAU 1963-1999) and headquartered in Addis
Ababa (Ethiopia), the African Union (AU) was established officially in 2002.
It is a “continental body comprised of 55 member states” situated on the
African Continent.
|
The website Nations Online lists the continent
of Africa as the world’s “second-largest continent” (48 countries on the mainland, six islanded) covering “20 percent” of the planet Earth’s total land area; a
population “1.37 billion people” inhabiting “54 sovereign countries” and “two
disputed areas” (the latter “Somaliland, autonomous region of Somalia, and
Western Sahara”). Western Sahara is under occupation of Morocco and is claimed
by the Polisario” (Western Sahara’s indigenous population, the “Sahrawi
people” or “Sahrawi nationalism” opposing Spanish colonialism 1884–1975 and Mauritanian and Moroccan invasions 1975–1979;
1975-present; historically represented by the “Polisario Front”; seeking “self-determination”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polisario_Front; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sahrawi_nationalism).
https://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/world_population.htm
|
Below are the 55 Member States, their abbreviation,
and date of joining the OAU or AU
|
|
Central
Africa
|
|
- Republic of Burundi
Burundi 25 May 1963
|
- Republic of Cameroon
Cameroon 25 May 1963
|
- Central African Republic
Central African Republic 25
May 1963
|
- Republic of Chad
Chad 25 May 1963
|
- Republic of the Congo
Congo Republic 25 May 1963
|
- Democratic Republic of Congo
DR Congo 25 May 1963
|
- Republic of Equatorial Guinea Equatorial Guinea 12
October 1968
|
- Gabonese Republic
Gabon 25 May 1963
|
- Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe São Tomé and Príncipe 18 July 1975
|
|
Eastern
Africa
|
|
- Union of the Comoros Comoros 18
July 1975
|
- Republic of Djibouti Djibouti 27 June 1977
|
- State of Eritrea Eritrea 24
May 1993
|
- Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Ethiopia 25 May 1963
|
- Republic of Kenya
Kenya 25 May 1963
|
- Republic of Madagascar
Madagascar 25 May 1963
|
- Republic of Mauritius Mauritius August 1968
|
- Republic of Rwanda
Rwanda 25 May 1963
|
- Republic of Seychelles Seychelles 29 June 1976
|
- Federal Republic of Somalia
Somalia 25 May 1963
|
- Republic of South Sudan
South Sudan 27 July 2011
|
- Republic of the Sudan
Sudan 25 May 1963
|
- United Republic of Tanzania
Tanzania 25 May 1963
|
- Republic of Uganda
Uganda 25 May 1963
|
|
Northern
Africa
|
|
- People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria Algeria 25 May 1963
|
- Arab Republic of Egypt Egypt 25 May 1963
|
- State of Libya Libya 25 May 1963
|
- Islamic Republic of Mauritania Mauritania 25
May 1963
|
- Kingdom of Morocco Morocco 1963/31 January 2017
|
- Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic Sahrawi Republic 22
February 1982
|
- Republic of Tunisia Tunisia 25 May 1963
|
|
Southern
Africa
|
|
- Republic of Angola Angola 11
February 1975
|
- Republic of Botswana Botswana 31 October 1966
|
- Kingdom of Eswatini Eswatini 24 September 1968
|
- Kingdom of Lesotho Lesotho 31
October 1966
|
- Republic of Malawi Malawi 13
July 1964
|
- Republic of Mozambique Mozambique 18 July 1975
|
- Republic of Namibia Namibia June
1990
|
- Republic of South Africa
South Africa 6 June 1994
|
- Republic of Zambia Zambia 16
December 1964
|
- Republic of Zimbabwe Zimbabwe 18 June 1980
|
|
Western
Africa
|
|
- Republic of Benin Benin 25
May 1963
|
- Burkina Faso [1958–1984 Republic of Upper Volta] Burkina
Faso 25 May 1963
|
- Republic of Cabo Verde Cabo Verde 18 July 1975
|
- Republic of Côte d’Ivoire Côte d’Ivoire 25 May 1963
|
- Republic of the Gambia Gambia
9 March 1965
|
- Republic of Ghana Ghana
25 May 1963
|
- Republic of Guinea
Guinea 25 May 1963
|
- Republic of Guinea-Bissau
Guinea-Bissau 19 November 1973
|
- Republic of Liberia
Liberia 25 May 1963
|
- Republic of Mali
Mali 25 May 1963
|
- Republic of Niger
Niger 25 May 1963
|
- Federal Republic of Nigeria
Nigeria 25 May 1963
|
- Republic of Senegal
Senegal 25 May 1963
|
- Republic of Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone 25 May 1963
|
- Togolese Republic
Togo 25 May 1963
|
|
|
https://au.int/en/member_states/countryprofiles2
https://au.int/en/overview Africa makes Early-September Headlines
“G20 admits African Union as permanent member: The 55-state bloc received a formal offer at the summit in New Delhi on Saturday September 9, 2023,” https://www.rt.com/africa/582631-african-union-g20-membership/
Making the announcement was India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Environment, Climate, Plunder, Profiteering
“The fundamental logic of … ‘pollution permit markets’ is to benefit polluters”: Ease their journey in polluting endlessly, anywhere, anytime, without check or arrest.
Kenya-headquartered Think Tank “Power Shift Africa” is sounding the alarm about the “Africa Carbon Markets Initiative” (ACMI).
In its September release of results of an investigation, the group concludes that the ACMI is “a Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing” …; “a dangerous distraction for Africa from its real interests and priorities for development, energy, climate, biodiversity and resilience.”
https://www.powershiftafrica.org/storage/publications/The%20Africa%20Carbon%20Markets%20Initiative%20Wolf%20in%20Sheep's%20Clothing_1693903765.pdf The scheme of carbon credits rising from a fantasyland or “imaginary commodity of tons of carbon ‘saved’ credits” continues permissive or neoliberal measures further entrenching the fossil-fuel industry status quo— “allowing companies across the world to continue to burn their polluting product, with impunity”; and ensuring “huge mark ups” for “the financial brokers who buy and sell the credits.”
The “neo-colonial carbon market” scheme of monetizing both the African nature and the climate crisis, enabling “polluting entities to continue polluting” while “shifting the carbon ‘reduction’ elsewhere, as cheaply as possible,” is unconcerned about the “development and resilience needs” of countries and communities of the Africa—human essentials of “food security, thriving economic development, and decent work.”
“The history of carbon markets, and the fundamental flaws associated with commodifying carbon, farming, forestry and other activities, and leveraging these into global financial markets, shows that Africa should not go down the path proposed by the African Carbon Markets Initiative.”
The “wolf in sheep’s clothing” bites into the flesh. Creates a multitude of new and even more serious problems; and never provides real benefits.
Individual Ingenuity, National Sovereignty
A Quest
The Continent of Africa should “focus on real climate solutions” supportive of the development of African peoples and nations.
Power Shift Africa encourages leaders of Africa to look to “financial flows” other than the African Carbon Markets Initiative; “to implement their own zero-carbon sustainable development pathways, while retaining African Sovereignty for delivering development and climate objectives.”
The countries of Africa, overall, “should increasingly and purposely invest domestic means and currencies in renewable(s) and in sound industrialization, ensuring democratic sovereignty over their own development pathways.”
Sources
Paper Power Shift Africa “The Africa Carbon Markets Initiative: A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing,” September 5, 2023, https://www.powershiftafrica.org/publications/the-africa-carbon-markets-initiative-a-wolf-in-sheeps-clothing
https://www.powershiftafrica.org/storage/publications/The%20Africa%20Carbon%20Markets%20Initiative%20Wolf%20in%20Sheep's%20Clothing_1693903765.pdf
Source BackgroundPower Shift Africa’s website gives its mission statement in part as “mobilizing climate action in Africa and amplifying African voices through increased visibility in media and public communications” ; and its goals as establishing “a strong network of African media professionals to increase engagement and amplifying climate change and energy advocacy at national, continental, and global levels;” and strengthening African voices that sense connections between renewable energy mechanisms and systemic means of lessening African poverty and as necessary steps toward sustainable development. https://www.powershiftafrica.org/about-us
info@powershiftafrica.org; No: 5, Waridi Court, Rose Avenue, Kilimani, Nairobi (Kenya)
AU Background The African Union is rooted in the “post-independence continental” Organization of African Unity formed in 1963 with Charter signatures of “32 Heads of independent African States” convening in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. At its website, the AU proclaims, “An Integrated, Prosperous and Peaceful Africa driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena.” African Union Headquarters, Roosvelt Street W21K19, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, https://au.int/en/overview
https://au.int/en/member_states/countryprofiles2
Nations Online, One World Africa, https://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/africa.htm; One World Population, https://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/world_population.htm
News Reporting RT News “G20 admits African Union as permanent member: The 55-state bloc received a formal offer at the summit in New Delhi on Saturday,” September 9, 2023, https://www.rt.com/africa/582631-african-union-g20-membership/
RT News “Climate groups reject African environmental initiative: The scheme is misleading and imposes neo-colonial barriers to achieving genuine development paths in Africa, organizations argue,” September 6, 2023, https://www.rt.com/africa/582485-climate-activists-reject-african-environmental-initiative/
RT News, “African civil organizations demand removal of US company from Climate Summit board: Western governments and corporations have hijacked the event to advance a pro-West agenda and interests, activists claim,” August 18, 2023, https://www.rt.com/africa/581406-african-civil-societies-us-company-climate-board-membership-concern/
Composition and Commentary excluding quoted material and individual images
Copyright © Carolyn LaDelle Bennett
Author’s links: www.BennettsAmericanEpitaph.com
https://www.facebook.com/carolynladelle.bennett
https://insightbeyondtodaysnews.blogspot.com/
https://www.xlibris.com/en/search?query=Carolyn+LaDelle+Bennett
https://www.xlibris.com/en/bookstore/bookdetails/828689-epitaph