The civil society in Africa have criticized the delay in launching of public consultations on the possibility of forming of the United States of Africa ahead of an African Union (AU) Summit in Accra in July to discuss the issue.

"Without public consultation, the United States of Africa proposal will have as much chance of flying as an elephant," Thomas Deve of Mwelekeo wa NGO (MWENGO), a Zimbabwean civil rights organization said in a statement issued in Nairobi on Saturday.

"African governments and citizens must explore the immediate implications and opportunities a Union Government creates for ordinary citizens, particularly those affected by the denial of human rights, poverty and injustice," said Deve, who is coordinating the campaign in Zimbabwe.

The Africa Day was marked continent-wide on Friday during which, the nongovernmental organizations launched a 15-country public debate on the issue.

In a statement issued here Saturday, the nine international civil rights organizations led by the British development lobby group, Oxfam, said the Africa Union Day marked the start of public consultations in over fifteen countries just a few weeks before 53 heads of states meet in Accra to agree on the AU Proposal to establish the United States of Africa.

African leaders agreed in January to meet in Accra from July 2 to 3 to discuss only one agenda, the establishment of a Union Government as a first step towards the United States of Africa.

"Yet, despite extensive research and consultation, the proposal is yet to be placed before Africa's 832 million citizens for consultation," the nine organization, including ActionAid, said.

They said the civil society organizations with support from governments have kicked off debates in fifteen countries. The debates are an unprecedented attempt to involve the public across Africa in the decision-making processes of the African Union Assemblies.

In the fifteen countries, citizens will be asked to reflect on the opportunities of a Union Government for raising the bar for human rights, democratic governance and conflict, the statement said.

The nine non-governmental agencies including Mwengo of Zimbabwe, African Agency for Cooperation and Research in Development (ACORD) in Nairobi, Oxfam, ActionAid, the Southern Africa Trust, AfriMap, and End Poverty Millennium Campaign are in the campaign.

They hailed Wednesday landmark accord in Nairobi to form the Customs Union for the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, saying it brought Africa closer to an economic community.

"The dream of an African Economic Community has recently got a step closer with the signing of common tariffs within COMESA," they said.

They said the Customs Union will be an eye opener in the debate for the United States of Africa because it targets a common market that with the aim of economic growth targets, poverty reduction and industrialization.

"African civil society organizations are in the forefront of generating dialogue between leaders and citizens on this issue said Valerie Traore, Pan African Program Manager, ACORD in Nairobi.

"There are many implications. A more unified voice would produce an effective collective negotiating position on global trade policies such as the Economic Partnership Agreements or with China for instance," she added.

While there is general agreement among member-states on the need for deeper and faster continental political and economic integration, the proposal for the United States of Africa is controversial, the NGOs stated.

Member-states are split between those calling for the strengthening of existing AU structures before taking a bold leap to the United States of Africa and those that argue that as long as the continent remains a motley gathering of fragmented states, continental integration is a futile exercise.

A Ghanaian civil society organization host committee is preparing to take the views generated in the public debates to the heads of states at the AU Summit in Accra.

"Public engagement should not end with an event at the AU Summit. It should be built into all regional integration efforts to ensure that they are relevant, responsive and accountable to African people," Dr. Emmanuel Akwetey, Convenor of the Ghana AU Summit Civil Society Coalition said.

Source: Xinhua