AU election watch: six questions to the candidates
The three candidates for the position of AU Commission chairperson speak to the PSC Report about their plans
The African Union (AU) Assembly of heads of state and government is set to elect a new chairperson for the AU Commission (AUC) on 17 and 18 July in Kigali, Rwanda. The PSC Report asked the three candidates for the position to speak about their plans for the AU should they get the job.
What is your vision for the position of AUC chairperson?
Speciosa Wandira Kazibwe (Uganda): An AUC chairperson steering Africa towards taking charge of its destiny.
Agapito Mba Mokuy (Equatorial Guinea): Africa needs a chairperson who has experience in dealing with and understanding complex international organisations of the UN [United Nations] system, a chairperson who can easily communicate with the heads of state and government, a chairperson who understands that, as a chairperson, he/she is not a head of state but a secretary at the service of the member states. This is therefore a key to success, if elected by the heads of state and government as the chairperson of the commission.
He should be a technocrat and innovator with the political will of inclusive and concerted efforts with well-established connections with African peoples.
In term of responsibilities he should be able to work for a more united, dignified and prosperous Africa in order to convert its political, socio-cultural and economic strengths that will place it above other continents. Finally, the chairperson should be able to defend the values of the founding fathers of pan-Africanism and the African Renaissance.
Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi (Botswana): My vision for the AUC is an organisation that seeks to deliver real results, pursues common objectives and envisions an integrated, people-centred and prosperous Africa, at peace with itself.
What would be your priorities as chairperson of the AUC?
Kazibwe: My priorities as chairperson will be catalytic interventions aimed at unleashing the potential and creativity of Africa’s people on the road to 2063. These include promotion of peace, security and stability, as the bedrock for sustainable social and economic stability; infrastructure development, to spur production and beneficiate resource exploitation, industry and trade, the movement of goods and labour and the creation of jobs; resource mobilisation – from savings within Africa and the diaspora, promotion of progressive tax policies and efficient revenue collection, capacitating anti-corruption institutions to plug resource leakage, strategic resource application and impactful investments within Africa and abroad; tooling and empowerment of Africa’s people, through research/data collection, effective communication, education and ensuring a healthy Africa; engagement of member states for joint action on Africa’s priorities, and of partners to ensure international diplomacy and actions to secure Africa’s rightful place in the global arena; and reinforcement of existing AU systems, to deliver value and impact for Africa.
Mokuy: It is true that during the past decades the AU has registered a number of considerable advances, nevertheless the road is still long. As such, it will be important for me to collaborate with the various departments and organs in the implementation of the decisions of the heads of state. We will therefore need to concentrate on the following:
- Harmonising the commercial, economic and social policies and have a common bloc in negotiations between the union and the rest of the world.
- Mobilising resources within the continent; defending the sovereignty and the respect of principles adopted by the heads of state, and the creation of the Pan African Tribunal.
- Promoting a culture of peace by assuring the security and stability of the continent.
- Putting in place financial and political tools to render the continent’s small- and medium-sized enterprises more performing.
- Taking into consideration climatic threats and fighting for the protection of natural resources and preservation of biodiversity, defending the African position during international negotiations on the environment and developing policies adapted to Africa.
- Modern education: Developing competences with a special focus on technology, innovation and research.
- Putting in place mechanisms to control the quality and production and increased capacity of production agro-industries and developing local and inter-state markets.
- Defending the rights of all Africans, with particular attention to defending the rights of women and minority groups.
- Giving priority to the role of the African diaspora for the development of the continent.
- Leadership of African youths and participation in decision-making politically, economically and socially
- Respect of human rights, democracy and good governance
- Ameliorate the perception index of the AU: Improving on the image of Africa and respect for African leaders, putting in place synergic actions that link Africans.
- Finally, I will do my best for the AU decisions to be felt by the grassroots populations. This means there will be a need for the heads of state to consider a decision where AU offices will be set up at country levels to assist the Secretariat in Addis Ababa.
Venson-Moitoi: My four-year priority as chairperson of the AUC will first and foremost be to ensure a focused and effective implementation of Agenda 2063 and its Ten-Year Implementation Plan; and to work toward achieving the goals of poverty eradication, fighting economic marginalisation, inequality, women empowerment, and protracted conflict.
However, to achieve the bold objectives of Agenda 2063, a number of inhibitors would need to be swiftly tackled. Thus, in my first 100 days as chairperson of the AU my focus will be getting the organisation battle ready. We need better research and data to make informed decisions. We need organisational systems that support delivery. We also need to ensure accurate monitoring and evaluation; but above all we need to be ready to deliver. To do this we need to spend energy looking inward, making the AUC work better at serving the needs of Africa.
What do you propose to improve the AU’s conflict prevention capacity?
Wandira Kazibwe: The AU has well-thought-out peace and security mechanisms and infrastructure aimed at preventing and mitigating conflict as well as building peace. Capacity for action has been hampered by financial resources. My proposal is to recruit more players and partners, and therefore resources, for actions that promote mediation and peace building. This will be through the capacity to generate data/information on structural elements that reinforce conflict, such as poverty, food insecurity, lack of employment, inequity and lack of inclusiveness. Member states and regional mechanisms will be supported to generate appropriate policies and programmes to involve people and communities to own their peace and mitigate conflict.
Mokuy: As the chairperson of the AUC, I will start by evaluating and analysing the current conflict prevention and early warning mechanisms in the AU. This will permit me to sort out complementary measures of improving on the current mechanisms. Above all, the youths who are most often the actors in and victims of these conflicts will become a major stakeholder in my conflict prevention strategy. Once we get the youths at the centre of decision-making in our conflict prevention mechanism that will be the first step in promoting peace, security and the stability of our continent.
Venson-Moitoi: I am privileged to have been born and raised in a peaceful nation; Botswana. I want to work for peace in Africa, and for that I will do everything within the powers of the AU to make this ambition a reality. The basis of defusing conflict has always been dialogue, which is a very African trait. In Botswana we say, ‘Ntwakgolo ke ya molomo’, meaning that the biggest battle is that of dialogue, violence is the easy way out.
I intend to prioritise consultation and dialogue aimed at bringing to the forefront creative home-grown solutions to the problems posed by conflict on the continent. Strengthening the AU mediation capacity through greater engagement with indigenous civil society organisations that work directly with communities in addressing conflict. Greater engagement and involvement of the regional economic communities (RECs) is paramount given their wealth of expertise and understanding challenges in their regions.
I also intend to accentuate the full implementation of the African Peace and Security Architecture and its attendant protocols. I will underpin any action I take by promoting African leadership and ownership through utilising institutions such as the Peace and Security Council, the African Standby Force, the African Early Warning System, the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) and the Panel of the Wise.
I would also lead a much more visible AU. It is not enough for the AU to engage with peace challenges on the continent from the comfort of the AU office in Addis. Dialogue happens best when we talk at home. So one can expect to see my office and me visiting and engaging across our Africa.
What would be your priorities to improve good governance and development on the continent?
Kazibwe: Good governance and development can be improved through transparent use of existing resources and capacity to deliver services to the people. However, lack of focus can derail even well-intentioned governments. My priority will be to mobilise resources (human, financial and technological) for the generation of timely data to inform policy, strategic planning and impactful application of resources for building effective pro-people good governance institutions – research institutions, political parties, parliament, the judiciary, the media and a civil society that is pan-African in intent and purpose.
Mokuy: I wish to reiterate that the AU has put in place mechanisms for the promotion of good governance on the continent adopted by the heads of state and government and that are being ratified, implemented and domesticated by member states. These include the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, the African Governance Architecture, the APRM and Thabo Mbeki’s panel on illicit financial flows. As mention above, governance and development begins with the ratification, effective implementation and domestication of these instruments.
Therefore my priorities for improved good governance will be lobbying the member states to ratify, implement and domesticate the above instruments, allowing their state of governance to be evaluated by their peers through the APRM and the results showcased within the AU family.
There will be a need to continue working on inclusion instead of individualism and exclusion; ambitions that strengthen rather than undermine others. It is in cultivating a team spirit and constantly animated by a dynamic team for the satisfaction of the commission and the continent that efficiency and rationalisation will be the fundamental principles that actions are articulated in view of affirming its role as an engine and the watchdog of the AU. The functioning, policies and working methods will be simplified and rationalised for the organ, taking into consideration the context around us.
Concerning the management of financial resources put at the disposal of the commission, together we will adopt the most effective regulations for the management of the funds. Transparency, responsibility and accountability will therefore be our watchdog. It will be important to convince member states on the necessity to increase the level of our resources to meet our ambitions and challenges, and to make sure that we are constantly accountable for the funds put at our disposal. This requirement of accountability, probity and transparency is also needed in terms of human resources. Therefore, that staff should feel motivated. It will be urgent to improve on the recruitment system and personnel management that provides for competence.
A priority issue is economic transparency. As such, it will be important to create an African technical structure within the union for technical assistance with putting in place and applying principles of good governance through the control of the budget deficit and the optimisation of the general budget of member states within the union, with the obligation for member states to published annual reports on the situation of the advancement of the basic principles of good governance.
Venson-Moitoi: I am a true believer that there are many wrong ways to do something but there is only one ‘best’ way to do it. Thus my approach to all activities is to constantly seek the best way to achieve the set goal. And not accept that ‘good’ is ‘best’. A lot has already been accomplished in creating institutions and a normative framework dedicated to the promotion of peace, security, stability and sustainable development in Africa and I intend to build on these existing frameworks. I however also intend to review all the governance and policy frameworks within the AU to ensure that they are the best ways to achieve what we seek as a continent. The AU has to function best to achieve its ambitions. We need governance systems that are fair [and] transparent, however without inhibitive red tape to slow us down.
My belief is that the AU must become the resource centre for Africa. Where nations can come to find development data that is pan-African. A place where states can come to share learning with each other to help brothers and sisters develop. A place where our history is documented, so that lessons of the past can help us constantly do better going forward. Knowledge management is a term that I will be actively promoting to ensure that development plans become tangible tools for implementation. We must learn from our history, it enables us avoid repeating the same mistakes.
How do you intend to work with African leaders to ensure that Africa consistently fights impunity?
Kazibwe: Work with governments and RECs to inform, train, empower and capacitate leaders at all levels on assumption of office on the vision, aspirations and values already enshrined in the AU protocols and Agenda 2063.
Mokuy: The AU already has a number of mechanisms to fight impunity and my role is to advocate with member states for the ratification and implementation of these instruments. I mean the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the Ad Hoc Tribunal of the AU and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
It will be important to accelerate the process of the creation of an African criminal tribunal. Therefore, there will be a need for concerted action on the expression of the people’s voice. All those responsible for the insecurity in Africa, war crimes and complicity against humanity will be judged. Yes, they will have to answer for their actions before an African court. The African Criminal Court, when created, must decide on such acts where the national justice does not have the capacity to do so. Member states will need to have that jurisdiction to judge our leaders on our continent with strength and rigour and apply sanctions to the highest levels by adhering to all existing mechanisms at the AU.
Venson-Moitoi: I believe that African leaders on the whole agree on one thing and that is the fight against impunity. To this end I will use my time at the AUC to strengthen compliance and adherence to the principles adopted within the AU and RECs.
How will you make sure the AU is self-reliant?
Kazibwe: Support member states to become self-reliant and, therefore, in a position to sustain contributions to the functioning of the AU.
Invest in short-, medium- and long-term instruments and ventures – like real estate in each African capital and other foreign capitals – to ensure AU presence, and to generate resources for the management of key AU programmes and keep Africa united.
Mokuy: The pan-Africanism that I am defending is also that of liberty and independence and that in which the financial mechanisms are diversified. This independence is attained forcefully by its financial independence. How can we be independent when more than 80% of the budget of our organisation comes from outside? How can we develop and live in peace and security when we cannot decide on the future of our budget? It is puzzling why most of our member states pay their dues with the UN and other organisations while claiming not to be able to pay to the first and most important organisation of the AU. It will be important to: (1) undertake structural political reforms on funding for the autonomous functioning of the union by evaluating the pragmatic capacity of member states; (2) guarantee the contributions of member states; (3) diversify the possibilities of domestic resource mobilisation, like the development of continental initiatives and results-oriented programmes; and (4) create a mark and certification of the quality of Africa (an AU label will add value to African products to the external markets by generating more currencies for the continent)
Economically, it will be important to: (1) harmonise the commercial policies of the AU with a charter that regulates trade between member states and other non-member countries of the union; (2) create a single market for Africa that eliminates economic boundaries and favours free movement of goods and people, thus reducing political boundaries and custom duties; (3) take concrete actions to develop professional and specialised small businesses that can produce quality and quantity products; (4) develop public and private partnership between African small- and medium-sized enterprises and intensify international cooperation to favour the transfer of technology; and (5) improve basic rail and road infrastructure that will foster intra-African trade and minimise the costs of the economic operators because of poor infrastructure.
Venson-Moitoi: The AU is not, by nature, an income-generating body; it will always rely on funding from its members. Self-reliance would only come when the organisation no longer needs funding from external institutions and donor agencies outside Africa.
The challenge has always been the inability of some member states in meeting their financial obligations as members of the AU. The result then becomes the AU’s requiring extra funding from either others or donors. So the answer is to find means and ways to ensure all the members meet their obligations.
It needs to be said that the AU itself has not always been exemplary in reporting back on the use of the funds it has been advanced; one possible reason why some member states have reservations to fund. This would also challenge the drive to involve the private sector, as it would, naturally, insist on good governance and transparency across the board. We need to account better for what we do, not just for the results of our programmes but also for how funds are utilised. This I believe will be the key to self-reliance within the AU.
Picture:@Jacoline Schoonees/DIRCO
