Hello G-Lers
I enjoyed reading the postings with regards to African unity. I think that
it is a noble goal that Africans need to pursue with vigor.  In recent
years, we have witnessed the formation of economic and political blocks
around the world (case in point NAFTA and EU).

Most proponents of continental unity put the cart before the horse. We
cannot achieve continental unity without strong regional cooperation.
Organizations such as ECOWAS, MAHGREB, and the East African common market
should be used as platforms for the formation of a strong and viable
continental body. A major obstacle to continental unity is the reluctance of
politicians to relinquish or surrender powers to a more centralize body.
ECOWAS has been in existence for quite a while, but it had a limited success
in integrating West Africa into a common market. This is mainly due to
member states not having a uniform policy to achieve goals set forth by the
organization. African unity will only be a reality when our political
leaders realize that they have to loose some power for a greater good.

The emerging trend of closer economic cooperation within countries of
Western Europe, North America and the Asia Pacific rim will force Africa to
forge unions or common markets. The bargaining power of individual states
will be diluted because most of our trading partners in Europe will
negotiate deals to benefit the European Union not individual countries.

Jere Jef,
Daddy Njie.

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