By Ayuure Kapini Atafori
The Afrocentric Network has urged the African Union (AU) to take decisive actions to address the critical issues facing Africa, and live up to its founding principles.
“It is time for a united, strong, and self-reliant Africa that protects its people, resources, and heritage,” The Afrocentric Network said in a statement issued in Accra, Ghana’s capital city, on 24th May, 202 to mark African Liberation Day, which falls on 25th May.
“The African Union (AU) has been dormant for too long on critical issues. The conflict in Congo and the humanitarian crisis in Sudan demand immediate and effective intervention. It is unacceptable that civilians suffer while warlords and generals engage in destructive power struggles. The AU must establish strong robust peacekeeping forces to bring stability and order to troubled regions,” the statement said.
The Afrocentric Network condemned the recent incident involving United Nations (UN) peacekeepers who allegedly smuggled gold from the Congo. “This situation underscores the urgent need for African nations to reconsider the presence of UN peacekeeping forces, whose activities now appear more aligned with economic exploitation than with peacekeeping. We urge all African heads of state to expel UN peacekeepers from their countries to protect our precious resources.”
The statement said the increasing challenges at border crossings, where open extortion has become the order under the guise of yellow fever vaccinations and extort. It said yellow fever is a relic of the past, and the mandatory vaccination requirements are outdated and exploitative.
The Afrocentric Network asked the AU to address the extortion and ensure smooth and fair border crossings, and the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare yellow fever and its vaccination unnecessary to curb the extortion.
It regretted the current state of democracy in Africa is characterized by elections becoming a playground for businessmen, drug barons, crooks, and thieves who are seeking profit rather than public service. “This monetization of politics has led to poor governance and harmful policies. If this trend continues unchecked, it will fuel civilian calls for coups as a desperate measure for change since these crooks have mastered the act of destabilizing civilian-led revolution attempts.”
The statement recognized and commended the recent decisions by various military governments to expel French and American military forces from their territories, as well as Chad’s decision to not renew the UN troops’ contract. It noted that these actions represent a reclaiming of African sovereignty and a call to look towards longstanding allies like Russia, which has historically supported African nations without engaging in colonial exploitation.
It urged the AU to take significant actions to ensure the prosperity and sovereignty of the African continent. “This year, we commend the military juntas across Africa for making decisive moves that many elected leaders have hesitated to undertake,” The Afrocentric Network said.
“We salute the people of Senegal for their resilience in ensuring timely elections and commend the newly elected President and Prime Minister Sonko. Their success is crucial in demonstrating that young leaders can govern effectively. The people of Africa are watching and supporting them, hoping their performance will inspire similar progress across the continent,” the pan-African group said.
It called out the United Kingdom for its patronizing loan of looted artefacts to the Ashanti Kingdom, and demanded that the stolen artefacts must be returned to their rightful owners unconditionally. It appealed to the Ashanti Kingdom not to return the artefacts under any circumstances, asking the kingdom to demand for the remaining ones to be brought back.
“We commend Egypt for their honorable act of joining South Africa in dragging Israel to the International Court of Justice, these acts of humanity are noble and reaffirm the position of Kwame Nkrumah, Nelson Mandela, and many more positions on the Israel-Palestine war.”
Afrocentric Network is dedicated to promoting African culture and advocating for economic empowerment and Africa’s Unity among black communities worldwide through art and activism. It advocates for policies and actions that enhance the welfare, independence, and cultural heritage of Africa. Its mission is to serve as an instrument through which the rights and dignity of Blacks are recognized universally.
