Statistics indicate that the world is far much peaceful place than it was two decades ago. On average yes, but if you follow the ongoings in Sub Saharan Africa, places like Somalia, Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan, Darfur in particular, you are most likely to dispute these statistics, and rightly so. These are lawless places where one human being only leaves at the mercy of another. Women are raped, maimed, killed and displaced.
Yet all this things happen on the watch of international community. The most sad fact however, is that Africans themselves, through African Union (AU) and regional bodies,such as East African Community (EAC), Southern African Development Community (SADC) and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) can do something about it and yet they choose to act as watchdogs, toothless Rotweillers whose very existence can hardly be justified.
This is one of the many sad stories that has hindered African continent from developing and growing, leaving its 964 million inhabitants the poorest in the world despite the fact that Africa is very rich in natural resources. Now, such negligence or failure to act has catch-up with new catastrophic disasters, global warming, in particular.Unlike the tribal wars, genocides, coups, diseases etc. global warming is not a problem of African's own making, but the continent is suffering the consequences.
For instance, a recent Oxfam report on Malawi indicates that Malawi has suffered significantly in the last 40 years despite the fact the United Nations 2007/08 figures indicates that it is responsible for 0.0 per cent of total global emissions, while the rich countries are responsible for three quarters of total global emissions. The report further states that changes in weather has seen an increase in temperatures and intense rain in Malawi, which it says has led to 'drought and flooding, causing shorter growing seasons, poor crop yields, food shortages, hunger and the spread of disease in a country where 29 per cent of people already live in extreme poverty.'
It is even more staggering when one considers that more than 90 per cent of the population of Malawi is engaged in subsistence-level rain-fed agriculture, and 60 per cent of these are food insecure on a year round basis. This is catastrophic nature of the problem in Africa, and yet it is not Africa's own making. The biggest question, however, is who is going to stand - up against the rich nations on it. I do not have answers but something has to be done for the sake of humanity.
Nonetheless, the report calls for rich countries to reduce their emissions and also provide funds to help poor countries like Malawi, who are not responsible for the changes the climate is forcing on their environment, to adapt. This is very good of Oxfam, a charity that already doing incredible work in 'developing' countries, but do Africa and Africans really want to rely on charities to speak for them? What is the role of African Union? when it cannot point at these issues or criticise rich countries in fear of loosing aid money?
Rich countries have their own priorities, more so during the time when developed nations are suffering from economic recession and they are busy fighting their 'war on terror'. We, Africans must learn to blow our own trumpets, in truth there is no fear. This is a reality and we must stand up against it. African Union must come forward and justify it existence!