The other point that must be observed is that America is not a continent. It is a country, albeit an important one. It is contemptuous of President Obama to invite Africa – an important continent – as if it were some “Banana Republic.” Africa must be respected and African heads of state must not compromise the respect for Africa.
As Prof. Ngungi wa Thiongo has put it, “Africa is a huge continent, the US, China and India can be contained within it. This means that Africa has the most natural resources – including land for agriculture and mines for almost every mineral. These, including her human resources, have played a central role in the evolution of capitalism from its mercantile through its industrial to its current global finance dominance – all to the advantage of the West, and to the disadvantage of the people of Africa.”
Many African leaders, now and before, have routinely been irritated by the condescending treatment Africa has received from some Western countries including the US. At one point, the late Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser elucidated: “We [Africans], are a sentimental people. We like a few kind words better than millions of dollars given in a humiliating way.” Another great African mind, late President Ahmed Sekou Touré of Guinea once bluntly stated: “An African statesman is not a naked boy begging from rich imperialists.”
Fast-forward to 2014, and the attitude of the US towards Africa largely remains un-reassuring and rather disturbing. As the African leaders therefore meet with President Obama at this unprecedented assembly, they will only serve justice to their people if they boldly and resolutely scrutinise and interrogate the US about why they have actually called this summit. This is their chance to seek answers to many events experienced at the hands of America in Africa.
When talking about moving Africa forward, both economically and politically, America has advanced the issue of African youth. One of its agendas – training “Young Africa’s Leaders” – saw just this June, some 500 African students reportedly arrive in the US to be trained in several American universities on “African Leadership”. These students, who the Americans call “Africa’s Most Promising Leaders”, are wholly funded by the US government.
As the African leaders sit at the roundtables with the American government, they should query why, and if President Obama would, for example, offer similar programmes to the Russians or Chinese. African leaders should be wary of the long-term intentions and impact of the US’s “training” of African leaders, on Africa’s behalf. The spectre of Africa being ruled by proxy or puppet leaders trained to serve not African interests, but those of their masters, can never be taken lightly or be ignored.
African youth is a very important continental asset. Without the youth, there is no tomorrow, they are the future custodians and trustees of this continent. And as such, they must be meticulously trained for leadership in accordance with the deepest aspirations, interests and needs of African people. To allow a situation where African youths are trained by foreign powers with vital economic and other interests in the continent, is like parents who give their children to strangers to bring them up. This issue is therefore of vital importance to raise as African leaders meet up with the world’s lead superpower.
What we require is a partnership of equals. In this day and age, technology talks. And if this summit is truly “unprecedented”, one area that needs vigorous consideration, is that of the massive transfer of high technology for the economic development and technological advancement of Africa.
African governments should be lobbying to learn from the US, and through the transfer of technology and skills obtain the required technology for Africa that will fast-track the development of the continent.
The onus is on African heads of state to find solutions to questions of technology and skills transfer. One way that might be explored at this Summit, is to seek an exchange of Africa’s raw materials, especially minerals and oil, for the continent’s needed technology, as opposed to cash, goods or services.
Africa will only become wholly self-reliant if technological advancement is part of its economic development trajectory. And if the US is to use this Summit as a forum for realising Africa’s economic advancement, for mutual benefits, then technology transfer should be at, or near, the top of the agenda.
Practically all development analysts would argue that Africa needs to be assisted in this manner, and it is imperative that this Summit should begin the process.