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On 26 May 2013, at the African Union (A.U.) ordinary meeting, a letter from the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mrs. Dr. Nkosazana Dlaminin Zuma was presented via email, the letter later became famous known as “email from the future“. Its content was the vision of 50 years later for Africa in economics, technology, peace and security, democracy, environment, infrastructure, gender equality, employment, agriculture, and health sector. This vision was named Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want.
In implementing and monitoring this vision, AU prepared a self-evaluation review that would take place every 10 years and carry out under the African Union Commission (AUC) together with the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD). The first review was done in 2020 and the second was done through 38 out of 55 African countries. In that, A.U set 7 priority areas as “Aspirational Level” which are Integrated Economic Development, Continental Partnerships under the auspices of Pan Africanism, democracy and the Rule of Law, Peace, Culture, People driven development, and Africa as strong and influential global partner.
In the first 10 years review, East Africa passed with 53%, Southern Africa with 50%, West Africa scored 45%, Central Africa with 42%, and North Africa with 39%.
Report Analysis: How far are we?
This analysis will go through two (2) goals out of twenty (20) and gives its assessment, especially in the areas (within those goals) that either the report has not explained or has explained to an insufficient level.
Goal No. 3 concerning Health, the report stated that Africa had reached 77% of its Health program target for its people while explaining that the remaining few percentages were caused by the presence of COVID-19. Maternal health services along with controlling infant mortality have been stated as the main reasons for the high percentage of success in this goal. Let’s begin here; Africa has been importing more than 70% of all medical equipment and drugs used by its people from foreign countries, this situation has led to the importation of few drugs to the needs due to the high importation cost. Research from the Center for Global Development explains in detail that low-income countries pay 20 to 30 times more in drug costs compared to high-income countries.
In 2019 AU established an institution called African Medicines Agency (AMA) whose aim is to manage health services in Africa. One of the tasks assigned to the AMA is the improvement and development of medical research and laboratories for the production of drugs and vaccines, although only 22 countries in Africa ratified this agreement. Since the AMA depends on the contributions of AU member states to whom they have been less contributing, this situation has led to the unsatisfactory performance of the agency. In 2022 the agency fundraised a donation of 100 million Euros from the Bill and Melinda Gate Foundation and the European Union so that it can carry out its initiatives.
Let it be known that the success in the health sector through reproductive health services mentioned in the report is still aid from foreign countries, especially the United States through its “program” of AMPLIFY-PF and PEPFAR in Africa.
The 13th goal in this plan of Agenda 2063, aimed to preserve African peace and stability. The report analyzed only one area of deaths resulting from terrorist attacks, especially in the countries of Burkina Faso and Chad.
Many Africans expect that the analysis would go further, especially to look at issues such as the endless war in the country of Libya, which the AU has largely abandoned and left to the countries of Turkey, the United States, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and the European Union to mediate and end the war. Africa has been a mere spectator in the war on its land.
This war has continued to fuel another security crisis in Africa of “Trafficking humans in containers” carried out in the coastal area of Libya. It is estimated that every year approximately 150,000 people try to cross the Mediterranean Sea to Europe. As of 2019, an estimated 19,000 people were drowned trying to cross, and this report is only deaths within 6 years. While these abuses continue for Africans, the country of Rwanda has taken this as an economic opportunity and needs to be paid money by the British Government to “help” European countries to take care of the many poor Africans mostly from Nigeria, Ghana, Gambia, and Eritrea who were trying to cross to those European countries.
It is not surprising to find that other countries in Africa are jealous of Rwanda for having that “deal”.
Africans still face the issue of hunger and food insecurity, especially in countries like Somalia, Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Djibouti, and Kenya. Drought has continued to threaten human existence in those areas, let alone the endless wars in Sudan, Mali, DR Congo, Mozambique, etc.
It is clear in the evaluation of this AU report that there are still many serious efforts to be taken. The continuation of the plans and the facilitation of the plans has still been a big stain for the African Union and its members. Several times it has been reported that the African Union Reserve Force (AU Standby Force Brigade) failed to carry out its activities due to the small number of financial contributions from partner countries. This situation leads to the existence of endless wars that lead the affected countries to seek help from foreign groups and nations, a move that threatens the freedom and liberty of those African nations.
In 2022, the AU adopted a resolution to establish the African Pharmaceutical Technology Foundation (APTF) as a plan to ensure Africa can produce vaccines, medicines, and medical equipment. This implementation plan is not different from AMA, although APTF is being financed by the African Development Bank (AfDB). If this plan succeeded, Africa would have made a big step in the health sector and the independence of its nations and people. We shall wait for this magic but as many Africans believe, then “let’s not stop praying” until this one thing succeeds.
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Ezra Nnko is an expert in Geopolitics and International Policy based in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. He currently works for Liberty Sparks, an independent think-tank that operates in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Malawi.
