| Chapter 1: | Introduction: Transition, Continuity, and Change |
|
|
The formation of the Union Government remains stalemated since the Special Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the African Union on the Formation of a Union Government convened in Accra, Ghana, on July 1–3, 2007. The summit met with the sole objective of a “Grand Debate” on the establishment of the government, and a decision could not be reached. Nigeria and South Africa, two key regional players, opted for “gradual incrementalism” through a subregional integration approach, rather than a continental approach of the formation of a union government. Countries like Libya and Senegal adopted a more proactive and radical stance on a union government. Indeed, when the AU was to be formed, Muammar al-Gadaffi of Libya toured several African countries soliciting support for the Union Government initiative. However, fear, apprehension, and perceived loss of power and authority by the political leadership in several countries worked against the project at the Accra summit. In spite of this, the union government idea presents the images of the future for the continent.
Engaging the Present
The various chapters of this book engage the present condition of the integration process in Africa, which will provide the basis and roadmap for the future. How has Africa faired with regard to the evolving key institutions, structures, and processes of the African Union and the regional economic communities (RECs)? While this book does not cover every area of the integration project, it nonetheless focuses on the salient political and economic issues from a nuanced perspective.