African Union: The Joy or Tragedy of A New Headquarters Building?

On

the 28th of January, 2012 African countries will collectively descend

to a new low on the global index of state sovereignty, territorial

integrity and actual independence of nations. On that day, Chinese

President Hu Jintao will be in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to commission the

new $124 Million African Union Headquarters built and donated to the

continent by China. Termed “China’s gift to Africa,” the edifice was

constructed by the China State Construction Engineering Corporation with

over 90% Chinese labor.

It is to the discredit of the African

Union and therefore, every individual and country within that regional

body that in 2012, a building as symbolic as the African Union

Headquarters is designed, built and maintained by a foreign country, it

does not matter which country.

The ancient and modern history of donation of

buildings and structures from one nation to another is filled with

intrigues and subterfuges, conquests, diplomatic schemings, espionage

and counter espionage, economic manipulations, political statements and

dominations. The construction of the Trojan horse by Odysseus and its

‘donation’ resulted in the Greek conquest of the ancient city of Troy

after 10 years of unending skirmish.

In building the Basilica in Rome – termed the

“greatest of all churches of Christendom,” contributions from faithfuls

were emphasized rather than donations from friendly nations. Even the

gift of the Liberty Statue from France to the United States on occasion

of the latter’s independence was a joint effort, whereby over 120,000

Americans led by Joseph Pulitzer contributed funds for the construction

of the pedestal in 1885.

In rare glimpse into the matter, the book Architecture of Diplomacy, Jane C.

Loeffler reveals the underlying diplomatic maneuverings and

political ramifications that defines the construction of American

embassies all over the world. The author states that building an embassy requires

“as much diplomacy as design.” Loeffler enumerates factors

seriously considered in the construction of an American embassy building and they

include “World politics, American agendas, Architectural

politics, cultural considerations, security” and several others.

Common sense dictates that in an era of increasing

exploitation of Africa’s natural resources by foreign powers including

China, that the African Union, rather than the apparent submission

signified by acceptance of the construction of its headquarters by

China, will be an organization advocating for fairness in the

relationship that exists between the continent and the global powers.

Should security considerations be included, then the

question arises as to how African heads of state and government could

hold confidential meetings in a building they have no idea how it was

wired. What guarantee do African governments have that every word

uttered in the new headquarters in Addis Ababa is not heard in Beijing?

What evidence negates the suspicion that all activities in the just

completed building are not replayed on a large screen in Beijing as

Chinese secret service agents watch?

Culturally, indigenous Bantu culture abhors

dependence on others for sustenance. A favorite Swahili proverb of

Mwalimu Julius Nyerere’s is “Mgeni siku mbili; siku ya tatu mpe jembe”

which means “treat your guest as a guest for two days; on the third day

give him a hoe.”

Indigenous African tradition largely abhors

dependency of any kind. It is frowned upon for a man not to thatch his

rooftops well before the rainy season, or to stay back while others are

going to the farm, except he is bedridden. Add this to the logic

espoused in Archtitecture of Diplomacy, and one reasonably

concludes that it is unacceptable for Africans to accept a building

from China that will house what should be the landmark of the

continent’s achievements and its aspirations for the future.

Clearly, much indiscretion was exercised by the

African Union officials in the acceptance of the offer of a new

headquarters from China. The African Union has since deviated from the

ideals of its founding fathers when in the 1960s Kwame Nkrumah and other great

African leaders sought to establish an organization that would

protect the geographical contiguity and territorial integrity of African nations.

Emperor Haile Selassie in his historic 1963 speech stated

clearly that the Organization was founded because “Africa has been

reborn as a free continent and Africans have been reborn as free men.

The blood that was shed and sufferings that were endured are today

Africa’s advocates for freedom and unity.”

Contrary to his predecessor’s commitment to the

continued freedom of the continent from imperial forces, Ethiopian

President Meles Zenawi - currently being accused of selling huge

swathes of Ethiopian land to foreign countries – on a tour of the

facility boasted of how he singlehandedly lobbied Chinese officials to

build the new headquarters and how he exempted taxes on all Chinese

imported construction materials.

Gleeful at the opportunity for African heads of state to indulge in their lifestyles

of conspicuous consumption during

meetings and summits, AU Projects Director Fantahun Hailemikael reports

that among the several luxuries of the building is a “helicopter landing pad, so

visiting dignitaries will be flown from the airport.” Of course the dignitaries will

be spared the sight of the slum that much of

Addis Ababa is. They will be flown from the airport to the AU building

and from there to Sheraton Addis, reportedly the best of its kind around the world.

While the African Union think it has gained from

China by moving into its new ultra-modern facility, the reality is that

the continent has lost tremendously in all matters worthy of reasonable

consideration. The move to reverse the derogatory perception of Africa

and Africans by all non-Africans has suffered another major setback.

The resultant effect will be the continued political and economic

manipulation and domination of the region by the West, and now China,

and soon the rest of the non-African world.

By Chika Ezeanya

A Ryoichi Sasakwa Young Leaders Fellow, Chika has

worked as a consultant on different aspects of Africa’s advancement in

Nigeria, Washington D.C. and in Rwanda. She blogs at

http://www.chikaforafrica.wordpress.com/