EU is 50!

I wish I were in Germany these past days! Why not, the European Union is FIFTY! Why not, remember the infectious hospitality of the Germans during the FIFA World Cup? Why not, don't we recall that this continent has now been weaned from centuries of endless and senseless wars? Why not, from six founding members to twenty seven strong and counting!

Are there problems? Why, of course there are, and ought to be. Aren't there in individual states and nations? Pray, these are normal in evolving relations. I am not depressed. Things can only get better. The politicians and bureaucrats are getting the message! No question.

Let Europeans celebrate! Deserved.

Thanks to the EU, the world is more balanced and truly global. Thanks to its golden jubilee, the African Union (AU) has a pragmatic example if not worthy role model. Thanks to its plurality, our world can look forward to a true Global Village and rich unity-in-diversity!

The EU is 50...Hurray!!!

US vs Iran

We've been here before! Obstinacy. Isolationism. Superpower arrogance. Failed intelligence. Etc. The six party talks over North Korean nuclear impasse is ongoing and cautiously promising. The sticking point is about US-DPRK relations. The North Koreans don't want to be dictated to by America. The South Koreans do not agree with America's threat and bully diplomacy of the last six years. China and Russia are balancing things, while Japan is in muted and aware alliance with the US.

Despite all the past bad blood, the US and North Korea are now talking. What a relief! Keep it up, guys, it's the right steps to peace. With Ban Ki-Moon on board, the prospects are good.

Now we hear a lot of buzz around the world of some possible American military attack on Iran. Though this is furiously denied and serially refuted by both the Pentagon and the White House, no one seems to believe them, any where. Why? Credibility problem. And that is a pity for the world's superpower - leader of the free world! Sad.

The greatest pity however will be for President Bush and his neocons to, against all opposition, even in the US, attack Iran - under any pretext whatsoever. The Europeans have warned him, Tony Blair has demurred, and both Russia and China do not support this misguided project. His blaming Iran for the mess in Iraq is simply buck-passing and scape-goating.

As the Syrian President told Dianne Sawyer of ABC News, has America, with all its resources, been able to secure its borders? Why blame Iraq's neighbours for illegal entry of insurgents or jihadists in Baghdad? Surely, regional cooperation on this matter is better than regional conflagration!

Disbanding the Iraqi military and unleashing billions of dollars on the flux populace without any records or programmes - perhaps to buy "hearts and minds"! - was a sure fire guarantee of the sustainable resistance the coalition forces now confront. The recent US National Intelligence Estimate was quite instructive, and is corroborated and heightened by the latest Inspector General's Report, which indicted the Policy Unit in the Pentagon on the manipulation (or was it doctoring?) of pre-war intelligence. There are too many flaws in George Bushes war in Iraq! It is now time for humble pie and soul-searching. The American voters get it. Will their president?

If the US wants to succeed in Iraq, the White House better revisit the Baker-Hamilton report without dilly-dallying. America must talk with Syria and Iraq. Period.

Congress need to hold this White House to full accountability and multilateralism. The Middle East should not be the cradle of the Third World War, or unceasing fountain of blood! No more.

Emulate China...where it fits

Rather than wholesomely criticising China in its African endeavours, the West should reexamine itself and kindly pursue a more pragmatic relationship with our continent. For example, what has the ACP-EU Cotonou Agreement (or its predecessor Lome Conventions, for that matter) so far done for Africa and Africans? This brilliant pact has remained a paper tiger for ages, bogged down by bureaucratic bottlenecks, political gerrymandering, and even outright deceit - in some cases! How can this partnership truly work when the private sector, civil society, experts and professionals are cleverly excluded from benefits, support and participation? Everything seems tied to governments - which is not the practice in Europe - against the logic of market forces, knowledge economy, specialisation and globalisation!! Personal, private and individual initiatives are either forbidden or stifled!!!

If the pact had been proactive and honestly implemented over the years, the level of poverty in the region would have been different. It suited the parties (mostly politicians and civil servants!) to keep and sustain the status quo, even when the truth is known. After all, the EU has several diplomatic missions, and its members also do, across the ACP. How then can they pretend not to know what is on ground in these countries viz a viz the Agreement? They do. The ACP powers also do. Between them both, plenty is amiss!

Reviews and so-called revamps of the pact have failed because the raison d'etre is undermined each time. The Agreement is too complicated and burdensome in structure, its wordings are not user-friendly and its mechanisms are bureaucracy-skewed. If the EU really wants to work with ACP, it must do so ACROSS the board of the polity, economy, geography and demography. Just as it does in Europe! Why should anyone require government licence or stamp (incorporation, for instance) to benefit from development assistance, when you have missions? Do you do that in Europe? That is a sure way to put crusaders, critics, researchers, professionals, writers and journalists in the pockets of repressive regimes or under censorship. Risk takers, as researchers, entrepreneurs and crusaders, are critical forces for change worldwide, they are same for ACP - thus, EU support should be unencumbered.

China's approach is "trade & development" oriented. Yes, there are grey areas, but the West has many issues with the PRC itself yet does trillions of dollars business there! Sensible. It is better to be constructively engaged than to isolate. China is doing same in Africa.

And, hey, Africans are no fools, you know. They will not permit recolonization, you bet! Friends
are better helpers and persuaders than antagonists, I would say. Constructive engagement!

Chancellor Angela Merkel should use the German presidency of the EU to refocus and rejig the ACP-EU Cotonou Agreement. It will not work profitably as it stands. Real stakeholders should be brought on board from both sides, and the resources should be disaggregated. There are too many EU institutions and too few ACP players to make it profitable! There are also too many meetings, too much paperwork, and lopsided access in the whole endeavour!! It certainly needs some fresh air and new spirit in line with present realities: Free up the funds and monitor same like hell! Cast the net wider and firmer!! Do for ACP what and how you will do for Europe!!!

The ACP-EU Cotonou Agreement needs to be dynamic, realistic, creative, programmatic and BOLDLY projectised.