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European Union And Challenges Of Africa’s Development: A Critical Appraisal, 1999-2010
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In Akinyemi’s analysis of the foreign policy of
Murtala/Obasanjo regime, he went into what he referred to as the
environmental background to the foreign policy system, which the regime
inherited. These were the pro-western nature of Balewa’s government,
experiences of The Nigerian civil war, and the reconciliatory nature of
the Gowon administration. He noted that, “Murthla /Obasanjo regime had
to overhaul Gowon’s foreign policy so as to justify their taking over of
power especially as Gowon’s foreign policy exhibited lack of tardiness
in decision taking†(Akinyemi, 1979:153)
Aluko (1981) surveyed
Nigeria’s foreign policy initiatives with particular reference to the O.
A. U. He traced Nigeria’s role in the O. A. U in the first ten years of
the organization. He argued that during the first half of the period,
Nigeria’s role was not commensurate with her size and economic
potentials. She changed from vying for the O. A. U leadership to that of
a kingmaker.
Obasanjo and Oville (1990) observed that Nigeria’s
foreign policy in the years after the unification of Europe in 1992,
would take a dramatic turn. They recounted how the 1957 treaty of Rome,
which gave birth of the E. E. C. came about. The duo equally examined
Nigeria’s relationship with the E. E. C. and concluded that the impact
of the E. E. C on Nigeria is enormous especially as regards foreign
policy.
The authors believed that Nigeria’s economy would be on a
downward trend if she does not consider her national interest in her
association with the community. To really benefit maximally from the E.
E. C. under the umbrella of A. C. P group of countries, Obasanjo and D.
Oville advises that Nigeria should become more strong in her diplomatic
bargaining.
Discussing the alternative standards in Nigeria’s
economic diplomacy, 1960-1985, Asobie (1991) noted that since 1960,
successive Nigerian governments have demonstrated an appreciation of
linkage between the country’s foreign policy and her economic
circumstances. Asobie also looked at how this linkages was conceived and
the policies deriving therefrom, however, differed, though not
necessarily from regime to regime. Overall from 1960 to 1985, he pointed
out three overlapping patterns or strands of strategies, which emerged
in the history of Nigeria’s economic diplomacy. These, Asobie noted are:
The diplomacy of dependent import substitution – industrialization ( I. S. I) 1960-1974
The diplomacy of regional economic integration (R. E. I) 1970-1985, and
the diplomacy of the establishment of a New International Economic Order (N. I. E. O) 1973-1985
The
then Nigerian Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, in
appreciation of the link between Nigerian’s industrial development and
her external relations formulated clearly, the classical dilemma, which
confronted Nigeria at the time. He defined the problem in this way.
At
the present, we lack the necessary capital and technical skill to
d3evlop our resources by ourselves alone,… How are we to o9btain help
from outside and still keep free from being under the influence of one
power bloc or another (Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1961:3).
The
Council of European Union (2005) examined strategies the European Union
will take with Africa between now and 2015 to support African efforts to
build a future. It is a strategy of the whole of the EU for the whole
of Africa. It takes into account regional and country-specific needs and
African countries’ national strategies. Its primary aims are the
achievement of the Millennium Development Goals and the promotion of
sustainable development, security and good governance, in Africa. The
strategy builds on important progress made by the Africans themselves.
Its core principles are partnership based on international law and human
rights, equality and mutual accountability. Its underlying philosophy
is African ownership and responsibility, including working through
African institutions.
Ondrej and Philippe (2006) after bemoaning the
state of the African country, appealed to the European Union to help
Africa overcome its challenges. According to them, if there are still
some reasons for afro-pessimism, they are nourished by worries that many
countries in sub-Saharan Africa will not achieve the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015. In fact, Africa is the only region in
the world where poverty has progressed since 1990. Today, almost one
African out of two lives on less than one euro a day. Two out of five do
not have access to improved water supply, and the coordination of the
common policy on Africa at various levels of intervention. The enlarged
European Union is supposed to assist African countries in their fight
against poverty. It has to keep its promise to Africans to retain
credibility in their eyes.
Sven et al (2009) examined EU and the
challenges it faces with emerging new actors in the international
community and the prospects for European Union development co-operation
in the period up to 2020. They noted that in the past 10-15 years, the
established development donors in the OECD’s Development Assistance
Committee (DAC) have forged a consensus about what aid is for, where it
should be best directed and how it should be managed. With the
increasing salience of a variety of new actors in international
development, both governmental and nongovernmental, this consensus is
being challenged at a time when aid budgets are under threat and when
there are other new challenges for development cooperation, not least
climate change.
Awil (2009) observed that democracy-building in
Africa through the mediation of the African diaspora in Europe is not a
priority on the agenda of the European Union (EU). According to him:
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ABSRACT - [ Total Page(s): 1 ]This study examined the European Union, EU and challenges of African development. Specifically, the study ascertained if the increasing rate of EU-African relations has increased the volume of trade between EU and Africa and secondly, ascertained if the increasing rate of EU-African relations has increased the volume of foreign direct investment from EU states to Africa. The study interrogated the following research questions. First, has the increasing rate of EU-African relations increased the ... Continue reading---
