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Africa is not ready for integration - Prof Saasa

Africa is not ready for integration - Prof Saasa
Written by Fridah Zinyama and Mwala Kalaluka
Monday, February 02, 2009 3:21:55 PM

ECONOMIC consultant Professor Oliver Saasa yesterday said Africa is not yet ready to become economically integrated because of differences in resources and capacity.

And Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata said Zambians should fight moves by President Rupiah Banda for Zambia to join the proposed Union of Africa Government just as they fought the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland.

Commenting on President Banda's statement before departure for the AU heads of states summit in Addis Ababa on Saturday that SADC leaders fully support the idea of a united African government but with caution on the tactic and speed of implementation, Prof Saasa said the idea of having a United States of Africa was good in principle but could not be achieved at this moment because of the different stages in economic development of its members.

“If achieved, it would be an important union that would allow its member countries to think big and develop,” he said. “But African countries are at the moment not in a position to integrate economically.”

Prof Saasa said each country would have to deal with its own development issues before such a suggestion could be successfully implemented.

“The idea might be attainable by 2050 but not now,” he said.

Prof Saasa called upon the leaders to be realistic even as they held discussions towards having an African continent that was economically integrated.

“It would be advisable if members of different economic blocs like COMESA, SADC, EAC and ECOWAS worked towards strengthening their groupings before considering on the bigger step,” he advised.

Prof Saasa added that if such a decision [to unite Africa] was to take place now without adequate preparation, weaker nations would be disadvantaged.

“This is why adequate time should be given to each country and economic blocs to prepare themselves before taking such a momentous step,” said Prof Saasa.

And Sata said Zambia was not ready to join the African Union (AU) government. He urged Zambians to use everything at their disposal to oppose any decision that would lead to the country joining the proposed AU government. He said the British established the Federation with a view of developing Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), saying it was that move that had enabled the country to withstand the harsh western-orchestrated economic sanctions.

“First of all, Zambia is not ready to join the so-called AU government because we have got no adequate infrastructure,” Sata said. “It is not tenable for many years to come, maybe after 50 years. He (President Banda) went to meet (Col Muammar) Gadaffi but he has never told us what he went to meet him for. It is as if he does not care because what he wants is to make a name.

“We are going to refuse because Banda does not own Zambia. He can go and say ‘yes’ but we are going to say ‘no’. We are going to use everything at our disposal to oppose that. There will be a referendum to ratify the country's joining of the AU government and if Rupiah wants to be a subordinate of Gadaffi, we do not want to be Gadaffi's subordinates.”

Labels: OLIVER SAASA, PANAFRICANISM

posted by MrK @ 3:22 PM