Foreign ministers and delegates from more than 50 African states showed more skepticism than enthusiasm on Thursday for Libyan leader Moammar Gadaffi’s idea of creating a single African army to defend the continent.
Convening on the eve of a pan-African summit, Libyan officials touted the proposal as ”a progressive idea,” but delegates from other nations cautioned that it needed a lot of research. They questioned how the continent could unite militarily if it cannot unite politically.
The idea of forming a single African army was broached in July 2002 during the first summit of the African Union, which replaced the 39-year-old Organisation of African Unity. The OAU was widely criticised for doing little to prevent African despots from plundering their countries and oppressing their people.
The young African Union aspires to be more effective, but it labours under financial constraints, including a $40-million debt inherited from the OAU.
Gadaffi first proposed the single continental army at the 2002 summit in Durban, South Africa. He renewed his proposal three days ago at a meeting of African defence ministers.
The Libyan foreign minister, Abdel Rahman Shalqam, took up the cause on Thursday on the sidelines of preparatory meetings for the two-day summit that opens on Friday.
”This is a progressive idea,” Shalqam said. ”If we had said in the past that we are going to connect the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea (by digging) the Suez Canal, nobody would have believed us. But big ideas start like that.”
He added: ”Africa needs $15-million every year for its military forces. To do what? To fight each other.”
Africa is one of the most troubled regions in the world.
Devastating local wars, including those in Sudan, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire and Liberia, fuelled the idea of having some kind of regional security force that could stay aloof from internal wars and help bring peace.
A senior African diplomat, speaking on condition neither he nor his country were identified, said the formation of a united army is
a long-term project and requires more cooperation than currently exists on the continent.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher said that a united African army was ”a worthy cause.” But he cautioned it would ”take a lot of research and time and we shouldn’t rush things”.
After the African Union summit opens on Friday under the chairmanship of Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano, members are expected to finalise a ”peace and security protocol” that would allow for an exchange of information and strategies to combat criminal activity and political instability on the continent.
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan arrived in Sirte late on Thursday to attend the summit. – Sapa-AP