Concerns Over Tumultuous Global Politics On Display At AU Summit

The 39^th African Union summit kicked off in Addis Ababa today with the continent’s leaders voicing concerns about the impacts of shifting global geopolitics on Africa.

In a lengthy opening speech, Gedion Timotiwos (PhD), Ethiopia’s minister of Foreign Affairs, described a geopolitical landscape in which security, cutthroat competition for resources, and a technological arms race are quickly supplanting economic and humanitarian cooperation.

“Our continent remains gripped by incidents of unconstitutional changes of governments which are undermining the normative foundation of our Union. The evolving geopolitical landscape, in which multilateralism and global cooperation are eroded, is also adversely affecting peace and security in our continent. Fierce competition for technological supremacy, control of critical mineral resources, and major logistics routes are becoming a dominant feature of international relations. Trade and economic cooperation are becoming subordinated to political and security considerations,” Gedion told AU representatives today.

“In this context, many big and middle powers are vying for Africa as a site for their competition, and as an instrument of their ambitions. Unfortunately, a mentality of dominance, extraction, and exploitation still colors the way many external actors view our continent. AU and African unity must be strong if we are to defend our continent from predatory moves that might come from all corners.”

The Minister lauded examples of progress over the past year, including unity in Africa’s call for reforms to the UN Security Council, climate justice, and the global financial architecture.

These common positions were on display during the G20 summit on African soil, in Johannesburg, South Africa, last November.

Gedion noted that several African countries held elections this year, and said that more and more countries are relying on the AU Commission for electoral processes.

“These are some of the positive developments we need to consolidate. What we need is not mere charity or goodwill of others, but true partnership,” the Minister underscored.

At the opening session, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, president of the AU Commission, said that while Guinea and Gabon have rejoined the AU through restoration of constitutional order, “instability and terrorism persist in parts of the continent.”