HISTORY FORM 4 – AFRICA IN INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Achievements of the EAC East African Community

1. The organization has admitted Rwanda and Burundi and increase the scope of the market.
   
2. EAC facilitated the improvement of transport and communications among the member states
   
3. Opening of the way for free movement of people and goods within this region. It facilitates creation of wealth and job opportunities for peoples of the member states
   
4. Introduction of a common market, goods from any members state can be exported to the region partner states without encountering any tariff barriers
   
5. The EAC provides an important forum where leaders in this region meet to discuss on this problems and other issues facing the region
   
6. The civil society, farmers and other groups are able to interact and exchange ideas freely within the entire region
   
7. Opening up of common ventures among the member states in the areas of education, science and research. For example the inter University council for East Africa ( IUCEA)
   

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The challenges of EAC

The challenges refers to all matters which must be worked out in order to achieve its objectives, they include

1. Conflicts among member the states. EAC has to maintain peace among the member states. The aberrancy peace in countries such as northern Uganda will not enable free movement of people in commercial activities. Peace has to prevail for the eventual success
   
2. There are still some fears among member states that countries with stronger economic such as Kenya are likely to enjoy more benefits from the organization
   
3. Bilateral issues involving different member states also complicated the work of the organization for instance the contest between Kenya- Uganda since 2007 over the tiny mingingo Island which lies on the boundary between the two countries complicates the affairs of the EAC
   
4. Cattle rustling involving border communities in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania has also been another challenge confronting the organization
   
5. Membership of the partner states in other regional organizations also creates problems within the EAC. For example Tanzania is also a member of the SADC while Uganda and Kenya are members of COMESA
   

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 THE COMMON MARKET FOR EASTERN AND SOUTHERN AFRICA ( COMESA)

COMESA is an organization which was created by the treaty that was signed in Kampala, Uganda on 6^th November, 1993. It was made to replace the preferential Trade Areas (P.T.A) which had been formed by Eastern and Southern African states by 1982

Objectives of COMESA

COMESA has various objectives such as

 i. To make trade much easier within the region by reducing and eventually eliminating tariff between this members

ii.  Support co- operation in monetary and financial affairs in order to facilitate sub- regional inter-gration

iii.  To promote and facilitate cooperation of the member countries in trade, industry, agriculture, transport and communication

iv.  To create joint industrial and agricultural institutions with aimed to increase production in the sub- region

 v.  Harmonizes and coordinates development strategies policies and plans within the region

vi.  To build a strong economic base for members as a step toward economic independence in the region.

The reasons which made Tanzania to withdraw from COMESA

(i)     Financial contributions to various economic organizations became a burden to the government expenditure

(ii)   She was avoiding duplications of regional cooperations

(iii)Tanzania was disnglish-swahili/courage” target=”_blank”>couraged by political conflicts in Zimbabwe and civil war in Sudan, Ethiopia and Somalia.

(iv)The country wanted to maximize her effort in some organizations like the East African Community which was formed in early 2000’s

(v)   Tanzania wanted to protect its industrial development from other COMESA members such as Kenya, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Problems facing COMESA

 i. Civil war has been prevailing in Somalia since 1990’s

ii. Multimember ship. For example Uganda is a member of COMESA, EAC and IGAD

iii. Heavy dependence on donor countries

iv. Existence of different currencies also presents the major obstacles to the affairs of COMESA. Each member state of the organisation uses a different currency that making transactions cumbersome.

v. Poor infrastructure in Sudan, Ethiopia and other states.

vi.  Bad governance in Zimbabwe resulted after dictatorship, inflation and fall of economy in 2008

vii. COMESA also experienced misunderstand arising from interpretation of its rules of Origin. The airport of Egyptian comment to Kenya was hampered by this misunderstanding in 2003
viii. Boundary quarrels. This also slowed down the implementation of COMESA programmes for example Ethiopia and Eritrea had fought over border territories since 1990,s

ECONOMIC COMMUNITY OF WEST AFRICAN STATES

ECOWAS is an organization which was formed by English, French and Portuguese speaking countries West Africa under the Treaty of Lome on 28^TH May, 1975 to bring unity for economic development in fields such as industries, transport, telecommunication, energy, agriculture monetary and commerce

Its aim

 i. To eliminate barriers to the free movement of people services and capital

 ii. To remove custom duties between the members states to as to make West Africa a free trade area

 iii. To coordinate industrial and agricultural development policies

Organs of ECOWAS

 i. Authority of the head of states- makes major decisions and policies

 ii. The council of Ministers- assist authority in policy recommendations

 iii. The community parliament

 iv. The economic and social council

 v. Community court of justice

 vi. Executive secretary and ECOWAS fund.

      – Lagos is the headquarter of Executive secretary and controller of fund based in Togo

vii. ECOWAS Bank of investment and Development ( EBID)

viii. Specialized agencies like WAHO- WEST Africa Health Organization and WAWA – West Africa Women Association

Its members

It has about 16 members such as Burkinafaso, Benin, Gambia, Ivory coast, Ghana, Cape Verde, Nigeria, Guinea cannonry, Senegal, Guinea Bissau, Togo, Mali, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Niger, Nigeria and Cameroon

The achievements of ECOWAS

i. It brought unity among West African states by printing conditions in which two different countries could carry out joint projects such as food and transport cooperation between Nigeria and Niger after 1975

ii.  ECOWAS formed a military force known as ECOMO the force helped to defeat a military regime which over the forced helped to defeat a military regime which over the force helped to defeat a military regime which over the  
     force helped to defeat a military regime which over thrown civilian government in Sierra Leone in 1990’s

iii. It set up a fund in 1986 by getting loan from financial institutions in Western Europe and America. The fund improved agriculture, industries, transport and telecommunication in 1929

iv. It made the movement of people between the member states easier since 1979. The member states agreed to eliminate obstacles which prevented people from moving for various activities in the summit held in dalcar,
Senegal

v. It provided a winder market for the member states commodities

           Challenges encountered by the ECOWAS member state

i. Political instability, countries such as Nigeria has had coup’ etat after 1975 civil wars in Sierra Leone in 1990’s. This undermined peace and security seen by in the entire region.

ii. Low prices on products exported to world markets caused poor export earnings of foreign currency

iii. Difference in the official languages between the members make it difficult for West African People to communicate easily in economic activities. The community contain Anglo phone and Francophone countries

iv. Poor infrastructure such as roads still exist in many West African States. This situation hinders easy movement of goods, services and labour.

v. Bilateral and triple cooperation which began before the formulation of ECOWAS appear as obstacle to the realization of its objectives. For example Liberia and Sierra leone had mano River project in 1973 to work in joint
    economic development, Senegal, Mali and Mauritania started the organization for the Development of the Senegal river to construct dams since 1973

vi. Some of the member states failed to remit contributions to the organization as required, and this make the running of the organization very difficult

vii. Some of the smaller economics among the member states find the immerse military and economic power of major economies such as Nigeria overwhelming.

viii. Ideological differences especially between the capitalist countries and socialist countries. For example cote d’ivore under Felix Houphout –Boigny-capitalist and Burkinafaso under under Thomas Sankara- socialist

 ix. Border quarrels for example Nigeria and Cameroon had to go to international court in the Hague for arbitration over the ownership of the Bakazi Region.

  x. Foreign interference in the affairs of the member state. For instance the stationing of French troops in cote d’ivoire since the 1960’s which made the neighboring states including Guinea very uncompromising.

  xi. The vast geographic region makes it difficult for affairs of the organization to be coordinated well.

The Southern Africa Development Community (SADC)

The origin of South Africa Development Community could be traced back to 1979 but formally established in April 1980, with headquarters in Gaborone, Botswana

During its early years, the organization was known as the Southern Africa Development Coordination Conference (SADCC).

Currently SADC has a total of 15 members. The member states include Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar, Seychelles, Mozambique and Tanzania. Other members are Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Mauritius, Swaziland, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe

Objectives of the SADC

1. To harness resources in the region for the benefit of all member states
   
2. To promote economic growth and standards of living ot the member states
   
3. To promote environmental protection and utilization of resources
   
4. To promote peace and security among member states
   
5. To promote sustainable development through cooperation among the member states
   
6. To consolidate the age-old social, cultural and historical sites existing among the region
   
7. To enhance economic development by promoting transport and communicatios in the region.
   

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Achievements of the SADC

The achievements of the SADC are:-

1. Enhancement of security in the region. For example establishment of Ecomog in the Western part of Africa.
   
2. Promotion of democracy and rule of law among the member states
   
3. SADC has facilitated the development of infrastructure among the members states, for example roads, harbour, railways etc
   
4. Promotion of agriculture among the member states agreed in a treaty signed in 1995
   
5. Member state were able to consult on matters that affect the region using SADC as the main forum
   
6. Sharing of water resources in the region. This was agreed in a treaty signed in 1995.
   

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Challenges experienced by SADC member States

1. Production of goods that compete rather than complement each other
   
2. Political instability some of the member states experienced political instability which has interfered with the organization operations. Eg Democratic Republic Congo
   
3. Language barrier
   
4. Differences in political ideology- eg Tanzania and Angola capitalism, others capitalism
   
5. poor coordination and communication between member states
   
6. Some member states exhibit divided loyalties as some belong to other regioner organization such as COMESA
   
7. South Africa is seen as domineering over other member states due to her strong economy this causes a lot of anxiety to some countries.
   

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AFRICA IN INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Most of African states gained political independence in the 1960’s long after, most of the global organizations like United Nations had been established, thus never the less played an important role in Global affairs.

Types of international organizations

1. International Governmental Organizations(IGOs)
   

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          These are organizations made up of two or more sovereign state. For example the united Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the World Health Organization

1. International Non- Governmental Organizations (INGos)
   

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These are organizations made up of individuals or private groups for example organizations like the later nation Red cross, Amnesty International and Transparency international.

Objectives of participating in international affair

The following are some of the objectives of Africa participating in international affairs

i. To show solidarity with other states of the world especially during emergencies

ii. To give the continent a forum through which thus could discuss the continental affairs

iii.  Increased participation in the United Nations General Assembly meant that Africans would hence forth receive more international attention than was the case before.

iv. To demonstrate their sovereignty through participation in global affairs

 v. To enhance Africa’s development for example the participation in the common wealth of Nations intended to develop Africa though English – speaking states that are more developed.

     → Similarly, the French community was meant to coordinate cooperation of the francophone and their former colonial masters

vi. African participation in Non- Aligned Movement was to put the continent in a strategic situation in the struggle for between the Eastern and the Western block during the cold War.

Africa and the UN

The UN is an international organizations comprising of independent states from all over the world. It was formed after the second World War to fulfill the following objectives;

1. To develop friendly relations among states of the world
   
2. To maintains international peace and security
   
3. To promote respect for human rights and freedom
   
4. To promote human welfare by uplifting living standards
   
5. To promote international understanding among nations.
   

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It’s structure/ organs of UN

The UN, whose headquarters is in New York, USA, is made up with

(a)    The general assembly. This is the most supreme organ of the UN. It meets once year unless during extra ordinary sessions and comprises of all members states of the UN

Functions of the General Assembly

(i) Admit new members

(ii) Consider any matter touching on international peace and security

(iii) To approve the UN budget

(iv) To elect no- permanent members of the security council judges of international court of Justice and appoint the Secretary General with approval of the Security council

Each independent country qualities to be a member of the organization. Most of the African countries joined on the 1960’s soon after independence, each member is entitled to only one rote.

Out of 51 founders of the United Nations, only three were African states. Thus were Liberia, Egypt and Ethiopia. South Africa also participated but under while rule

Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda joined the UN as soon as the respective countries required political independence in 1961,1962 and 1963 respectively. By 1980, 50 states in the continent had become states of the UN it continent had become member states of the UN, it constituted one third of the UN membership

Due to the increase member of membership of African countries enabled Africa to push through African agenda in the General Assembly. Such issues includes:-

(a) The evils of European colonialism in Africa and the need for decolonization.

(b) The evils of the apartheid regime in South Africa

(c) The unfair interference of apartheid South Africa in Namibia

(d) Marginalization of the continent in global economy

(e) The danger of the cold War and the great power’s military intervention in the continent.

b. The Security council

This comprises of 15 members, fire of them permanent they include China, Russia, France, United Kingdom and the U.S.A. The ten Norn – permanent members are appointed for a two- year term by the General Assembly. The five permanent members have veto powers. This means if any one of them votes against a proposal, resolution can not be made

Functions of the security council

1. To enforce international peace and security. If any state defied the UN, the Security Council can order for sanction against it. For example Libya, apartheid south Africa and Iraq are good example
   
2. Investigates situations that pose a threat to international peace
   
3. Urges states to conform to peaceful settlements of disputes
   
4. To expel countries that violate UN regulations
   
5. To recommend procedures to be followed in dispute settlements for countries experiencing squabbles
   

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