National Issues
African Union finally wakes up to Trump
The reaction of the African Union (AU) to United States (US) President Donald Trump’s latest utterances during a discussion in the White House about migration and refugees came as a surprise to many AU watchers.
Ebba Kalondo, AU Commission spokesperson, told news agencies on 12 January that she was ‘frankly alarmed’ by Trump’s vulgar remarks – allegedly referring to Haiti and African countries as ‘s**thole countries’. She said Trump’s statements were ‘particularly surprising’ since ‘the US remains a global example of how migration gave birth to a nation built on strong values of diversity and opportunity’.
Kalondo’s boss, AU Commission chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat, met with US ambassador to the AU Mary Beth Leonard at his headquarters in Addis Ababa on 15 January. ‘I took the opportunity to express the AU’s outrage’ at Trump’s comments, Mahamat tweeted after the meeting. He said earlier that he was ‘dismayed’ given that ‘the US is a unique example of how migration contributes to nation-building based on the values of diversity, tolerance and opportunity’.
The AU mission to the United Nations (UN) in Washington asked for a retraction and an apology and said the remarks ‘dishonour the celebrated American creed and respect for diversity and human dignity’.
This flurry of reaction from the AU is unusual for an organisation that rarely speaks out on current affairs issues affecting ordinary African citizens. Up to now, official AU reaction to Trump’s statements and travel bans, which have affected several African countries, has been muted.
In January last year, at the 28th AU summit in Addis Ababa, Mahamat’s predecessor Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma did remark that ‘the very country to whom people were taken as slaves during the Trans-Atlantic slave trade has now decided to ban refugees from some of our countries’. This aligns with some of the comments from the AU last week. In September last year, Mahamat said he was ‘perplexed’ by Chad’s inclusion on Trump’s travel ban – but there didn’t seem to be any official AU statement.
The fact that hundreds of thousands of African refugees and migrants risk their lives to seek a better life elsewhere has certainly been a tricky issue for the AU. There has been little formal discussion in the AU since the crisis of migrant deaths in the Mediterranean started several years ago. Only late last year, after a CNN video showing migrants being sold as slaves in Libya, did Mahamat and the AU make plans to help get the migrants home to safety. A high-level meeting on migration was also held in Morocco earlier this month. A report on migration is expected to be tabled by Morocco at the 30th AU summit starting in Addis Ababa next week.
So does this expression of outrage against Trump mean the AU will be more forthright in future? Will it engage with the rest of the world on the issue of migration and refugees?
Of course, the downside of taking a stand is that it leaves the AU open to attack. Since Kalondo’s remarks, social media has been abuzz with accusations against the AU’s habitual inaction and failure to condemn ‘corruption and bad governance’ in Africa. Others say the AU should ‘focus on human rights and improving our economies rather than fixating on Trump’s newest diplomatic blunder’.
South African columnist and gender activist Sisonke Msimang says Africans shouldn’t waste their time reacting to Trump, but should rather acknowledge the hardships of Africa’s poor.
Despite the criticism, the AU’s statements and Kalondo’s quick reaction could be seen as a move in the right direction for the AU. John Stremlau, visiting professor in international relations at the University of the Witwatersrand, says Kalondo’s statement drew attention to the US tradition of aspiring to higher moral values. Stremlau recently authored a report on the first few months of Trump’s presidency. He says by emphasising ‘shared values’ of democracy and civic principles in the US and Africa, Kalondo is speaking ‘over the head’ of Trump to those in the US who seek the ‘moral high ground’.
African heads of state and the AU have been largely silent over the issue of Trump up to now, because they have been perplexed, just like other world leaders and analysts – and no one ‘could see what this is leading to’, says Stremlau.
He says while Trump’s authoritarianism, ‘tribalism’, attacks on the media and repression of critics will resonate with African strongmen, there is a ‘historic shift’ in Africa towards creating ‘regional diplomatic norms’. The AU’s Constitutive Act and the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance are examples.
Following the AU statements, several African leaders – including Ghana’s former president John Dramani Mahama and Senegal’s President Macky Sall – have spoken out against Trump’s comments, calling them ‘racist’ and ‘insulting’. In several countries the US ambassadors were summoned to explain Trump’s remarks – a démarche, in diplomatic terms, that sends a strong signal of disapproval from a host country.
The position of US ambassador in South Africa has been vacant for over a year now since former ambassador Patrick Gaspard left at the end of 2016. The fact that Trump hasn’t yet appointed ambassadors in key countries like South Africa and elsewhere in Africa, and that the post of assistant secretary of state for Africa is still vacant, indicates his general indifference when it comes to the continent.
The diplomats who are in place have tried to mend fences in the past few days by stressing the existing good relations between Africa and the US. The acting ambassador in Pretoria said her country ‘deeply respects the people of Africa’. The US embassy to the AU tweeted that ‘the US deeply values its enduring partnerships with Africa’.
The comments made by African leaders at the upcoming AU summit in Addis Ababa starting on 22 January will indicate whether or not these diplomatic overtures have been successful.
In response to the escalating security challenges plaguing Nigeria, no fewer than 16 state governors have thrown their weight behind the establishment of state police forces.
This development was disclosed by the National Economic Council (NEC) during its 140th meeting, chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima, which took place virtually on Thursday.
Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu, who briefed State House Correspondents after the meeting, revealed that out of the 36 states, 20 governors and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) were yet to submit their positions on the matter, though he did not specify which states were among them.
The governors advocating for state police also pushed for a comprehensive review of the Nigerian Constitution to accommodate this crucial reform. Their move underscores the urgency and gravity of the security situation across the nation.
Similarly, the NEC received an abridged report from the ad-hoc committee on Crude Oil Theft Prevention and Control. This committee, headed by Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, highlighted the areas of oil leakages within the industry and identified instances of infractions.
Governor Uzodinma’s committee stressed the imperative of political will to drive the necessary changes and reforms needed to combat crude oil theft effectively.
Renowned academician, Professor Augustine Okereke, from the Medgar Evers College/City University of New York, has emphasised the detrimental impact of a lack of strong social institutions on Nigeria’s sustainable development.
Presenting a lead paper at the First Annual Ibadan Social Science Conference hosted by the University of Ibadan, Professor Okereke urged President Bola Tinubu to foster robust institutions capable of combatting corruption and addressing social ills.
“All our institutions are on the decline,” warned Professor Okereke, underscoring the urgent need for effective structures to facilitate sustainable development. He highlighted the challenges faced by African countries, emphasising the risk of continued poverty, underemployment, and injustice without these foundational structures.
The Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Ibadan, Professor Ezebunwa Nwokocha, asserted the university’s commitment to providing intellectual, context-specific solutions to Nigeria’s challenges.
He called on state and federal governments to patronise researchers in the country, emphasising the faculty’s reputation for producing intellectual leaders.
Professor Nwokocha stated, “Our faculty is reputed for offering deeply intellectual, workable, and context-specific solutions to the challenges faced by Nigeria over the ages.” He emphasised the significance of the conference’s theme in aiding Nigeria’s navigation through its complex existential reality marked by despair, rising inflation, insecurity, corruption, and unemployment.
During the conference’s opening, Vice Chancellor Professor Kayode Adebowale noted the relevance of the theme, “Social Science, Contemporary Social Issues, and the Actualization of Sustainable Development,” urging participants to generate transformative ideas for Nigeria.
Acknowledging the nation’s progress over 63 years, he expressed concern over setbacks in the economy and social indices, hoping the conference would proffer solutions.
In his keynote address, Professor Lai Erinosho stressed the rapid worldwide social change in the digital age, citing both benefits and unanticipated consequences for human survival. He cautioned against embracing same-sex relationships, citing dangerous implications for humanity.
The First Annual Ibadan Social Science Conference convened a diverse array of participants to explore solutions and intellectual leadership in addressing Nigeria’s pressing challenges.
As the country grapples with economic challenges, the latest figures from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed a surge in the inflation rate to 28.92%, according to the December 2023 Consumer Price Index (CPI) released on a Monday afternoon.
The CPI, tracking the fluctuation in prices of goods and services, illustrates a notable increase from the previous month’s 28.20%, underscoring the pressing concerns surrounding the nation’s economic stability.
In a recent report, the Statistics Office revealed a notable uptick in the headline inflation rate for December 2023, marking a 0.72 percentage point increase from the previous month’s figure in November 2023.
On a year-on-year basis, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) highlighted a significant surge, with the December 2023 rate standing at 7.58 percentage points higher compared to the corresponding period in 2022.
December 2022 witnessed an inflation rate of 21.34 percent, underscoring the economic dynamics at play.
“This shows that the headline inflation rate (year-on-year basis) increased in December 2023 when compared to the same month in the preceding year (i.e., December 2022),” NBS said.
In a further revelation, the bureau disclosed that the month-on-month headline inflation rate for December 2023 experienced a 2.29 percent surge, surpassing November 2023 by 0.20 percent. This indicates a swifter rise in the average price level compared to the preceding month.
The report highlighted a concerning acceleration in food inflation, reaching 33.93 percent on a year-on-year basis for December 2023. This marked a substantial 10.18 percent points increase from December 2022’s rate of 23.75 percent. The data underscores the persistent upward trend in food prices, a trend exacerbated by various government policies, including the removal of subsidies on petrol.
Notably, in July 2023, President Tinubu declared a State of Emergency on food insecurity to address the escalating food prices. Taking decisive action, the President mandated that issues related to food and water availability and affordability fall under the jurisdiction of the National Security Council, recognising these as essential livelihood items in need of urgent attention.
In Monday’s inflation report, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) detailed the key contributors to the year-on-year increase in the headline index. The leading factors include food & non-alcoholic beverages at 14.98 percent, housing water, electricity, gas & other fuel at 4.84 percent, clothing & footwear at 2.21 percent, and transport at 1.88 percent.
Additional contributors encompass furnishings & household equipment & maintenance (1.45 percent), education (1.14 percent), health (0.87 percent), miscellaneous goods & services (0.48 percent), restaurant & hotels (0.35 percent), alcoholic beverages, tobacco & kola (0.31 percent), recreation & culture (0.20 percent), and communication (0.20 percent).
The report highlighted a substantial 24.66 percent change in the average Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the twelve months ending December 2023 over the previous twelve-month period. This represents a significant 5.81 percent increase compared to the 18.85 percent recorded in December 2022, indicating ongoing inflationary pressures in the economy.
Food Inflation
In a concerning trend, the food inflation rate for December 2023 surged to 33.93 percent on a year-on-year basis, marking a substantial 10.18 percent points increase from the same period in 2022, when the rate stood at 23.75 percent.
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) attributed this rise in food inflation to notable increases in the prices of various essential items. Key contributors include bread and cereals, oil and fat, potatoes, yam, and other tubers, fish, meat, fruit, milk, cheese, and eggs.
These price hikes collectively contributed to the intensified strain on consumers, highlighting the complex dynamics driving the upward trajectory of food prices.
“On a month-on-month basis, the Food inflation rate in December 2023 was 2.72 percent, this was 0.30 percent higher compared to the rate recorded in November 2023 (2.42 percent),” it said.
Clarifying the dynamics behind the recent uptick, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) explained that the month-on-month increase in food inflation for December 2023 was spurred by a heightened rate of escalation in the average prices of oil and fat, meat, bread, and cereals, potatoes, yam, and other tubers, as well as fish and dairy products like milk, cheese, and eggs.
“The average annual rate of food inflation for the twelve months ending December 2023 over the previous twelve-month average was 27.96 percent, which was a 7.02 percent points increase from the average annual rate of change recorded in December 2022 (20.94 percent),” the report added.
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