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07.04.2014 Feature Article

Never a Dull Moment in West Africa...when E is for EPAs; Ebola Virus; and Energy Crisis(5)

Never a Dull Moment in West Africa...when E is for EPAs; Ebola Virus; and Energy Crisis5
07.04.2014 LISTEN

“The Accidental Ecowas & AU Citizen”:
By E.K.Bensah Jr
The week of 24 March 2014 must probably go down the annals of history in West Africa as one of the craziest times in the sub-region's history.

Just as ECOWAS leaders were gathering in Cote d'Ivoire for critical meetings of the Mediation and Security Council; the Council of the Foreign Ministers; and an ECOWAS Summit, news would break out that there was a scare of an Ebola Virus coming from Guinea, and that it had the potential of spreading beyond borders. As if the sub-region did not already have to contend with the headache of agitations over the decade-long Economic Partnership Agreements! That all this was happening against the backdrop of a long-running energy crisis dogging the sub-region, and affecting especially members of the West Africa Gas Pipeline(WAGP), could only make for a legendary week for West Africa.

I am not going to go into the nettlesome issues around the EPAs, as it is quite clear what this column believes about it – it should simply be dropped by ECOWAS!. Besides this column has made it categorically-clear that the African Union has been grossly sidelined in this whole matter. It continues to beggar belief why no less than the Trade Commissioner of the AU – the counterpart of the European Commission's Karel de Gucht – is ignored at the expense of the European one. It speaks so many volumes about elements of the ECOWAS Commission and their desire to see through an EPA that it is not even one whisker of being funny. I wrote this in the piece “J'Accuse: ECOWAS betrays Community Citizens on the EPAs, while “Super Fatima”, Remains...Saviour

“, and will repeat:
True to form, the Chadian diplomat did not disappoint as she called for the economic integration of African countries, and the necessity for African countries to speak with one voice. Addressing a press conference on 27 January at the AU headquarters in Addis, she was concerned about the lack of coherence with respect to international negotiations, and the manner in which it is obstructing these countries' economic productivity.

Commissioner Acyl explained that dependency on commodity and unprocessed raw materials will not allow Africa to achieve its vision of an integrated, people-centred, prosperous Africa. She added that to further the cause of Agenda 2063, it was pivotal for an economic transformation of African countries and wealth-creation for Africans. In other words, Africa's policymakers have to begin to place premium on implementing existing frameworks such as PIDA(Program for Infrastructure Development in Africa); CAADP (Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program); BIAT/CFTA (Continental Free Trade Area); AMV (Africa Mining Vision); and AIDA (Accelerated Industrial Development for Africa.)

The statement revealed that there has been significant movement around the CFTA. For starters, the AU Commission is in the process of establishing an African Trade Observatory to gather and analyze trade and industry statistics; a CFTA Secretariat that will work with member states and regional economic communities, as well as prepare for the CFTA negotiations in 2015; as well as an African Business Council that will seek to integrate private sector holders with the decision-making process of the Commission.”

As the AU-EU Summit takes place this week in Brussels, I would like to believe that African countries should begin to pay attention to the exhortations of only ONE Commission – and that should be that of the African Union. As to whether this will happen immediately is as evident as the jury is out on whether Ghana will continue to be pressured to sign the EPAs.

E is for ECOWAS, E is for Ebola
Now as if the sub-region did not already have a headache with the EPAs, the region would be confronted with news of an outbreak of the Ebola virus, which dogged Central Africa many years ago. The fact that this deadly virus is right under our noses – what with our porous borders and all – meant that it was an important issue to necessarily seize the attention of the summitteers and policymakers at ECOWAS in Yamoussoukro. As one might expect, it was yet-another opportunity for the foreign press to tar Africa yet-again with a brush of disease(yawn), and exaggerate the crisis to illogical proportions.

At the time of writing, there have been confirmed cases in Guinea, where the outbreak began, now number 127, of whom 83 victims have died. Reports indicate that eight deaths have occurred in the capital, Conakry, with further cases in neighbouring Sierra Leone and Liberia. To observers of the region, the virus is impacting the Mano River Union countries (populated by these three countries with equally-very porous borders). While there have been alerts provided in the sub-region – even in Nigeria – no less than ECOWAS' health agency, the Burkina Faso-based West African Health Organisation (WAHO) has issued the following precautionary measures on their website, which are to be taken by ECOWAS countries:

• Strengthen epidemiological surveillance including the notification of cases to WAHO in order to facilitate regional coordination.

• Identification of diagnostics laboratories in the West African region and or elsewhere including taking measures to prepare for an eventual dispatch of biological specimens to identified laboratory.

• Training and sensitization of Health Workers.
• Provision of information to the population including sensitization via educational messages targeting reduction of risk.

In 2009, in his capacity as a “Do More Talk Less Ambassador” of the 42nd Generation—an NGO that promotes and discusses Pan-Africanism--Emmanuel gave a series of lectures on the role of ECOWAS and the AU in facilitating a Pan-African identity. Emmanuel owns "Critiquing Regionalism" (http://www.critiquing-regionalism.org). Established in 2004 as an initiative to respond to the dearth of knowledge on global regional integration initiatives worldwide, this non-profit blog features regional integration initiatives on MERCOSUR/EU/Africa/Asia and many others. You can reach him on [email protected] / Mobile: 0268.687.653.

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