I am very interested in comparing the African Union to the European Union in terms of structures, treaties, institutions and decision making procedures in general. The EU developed over many decades as a mixture between intergovernmental and supranational organisation. The finality question is still open and nationalists propose renationalization of the EU. How about the African Union? Is there a debate on the overcoming of nation states and a federal and supranational union?
Dear Marcus,
I am not an expert on organizational science but can share my experience derived from field and low level policy making work in 15 African countries.
I think currently there is no debate in overcoming of the nation states. Dominant majority of African countries participate in the process in order not to lose legitimacy with their electorates who have a romantic feeling of Pan Africanism. There are a few institutional reason why the unification will most likely will be limited to economic integration and freedom of movement. First, majority of African nations did not complete their nation building yet. I think losing independence is still a taboo and suggesting it is a political suicide for majority of leaders. Second, in the history of nation states, there is no example of political integration of low income regions to a center without significant transfer of resources from the center or military enforcement. Neither of these are feasible in African context. Third, material foundations of such a large scale integrations such as transportation infrastructure, safety are still problematic in dominant majority of African countries.
I would be inclined to use multi-speed integration approach that is becoming common in European integration discourse. There are small pockets of examples where supranational approach works partially (South Africa - Botswana - Swaziland - Lesotho - Namibia / Kenya - Rwanda / Senagal - Gambia.
Cheers
Murat
Clearly Murat has that wonderful basis for reasonable assessment. I don't! And I'm quite sure that other answers from Africa will add much more than mine. Still, I do have a little experience from several years ago. A colleague and I were asked to deliver a short programme for AU civil servants in Ethiopia. We were lucky enough to get the opportunity to chat with the participants both in and out of class. There were representatives from many countries all over Africa.
I was left with the impression that these people were professionally well connected, aware of common needs and methods, and generally aware of the importance of supranational arrangements where needed. In some cases, a bit like the UK's pre-Brexit approach: supranational arrangements when necessary, but not necessarily supranational arrangements (apologies to W L Mackenzie-King).
I might be quite wrong. You'd need the comments of actual civil servants to confirm or deny my views.
Christopher NOCK
