The economic and demographic prowess of Africa alone may not necessarily be the turnaround strategy for the continent, as Jay Naidoo argues in the article ‘Africa Rising? Whose Africa?‘ published in the Daily Maverick. He emphasizes that visionary leadership and good governance are what Africa needs to rise above the challenges of the time – above endemic rhetoric and toward a collective action for development.
We invite CIHA Blog readers to comment below about what you believe “collective action” means for just forms of development.
Drawing from the wise saying among the Ankore people of Uganda that “two hands must wash each other” also emphasized in John Mbiti’s description of the African community, “I am because we are and since we are therefore I am”, collective action in Africa may not necessarily be a new phenomenon. However the argument hinges on the leaders ability – and in fact will to translate this philosophy into a strategic development model in view of harnessing collective bargaining and economies of scale when trading with larger economic players. This could limit fragmentation, economic vulnerability and hence operational susceptibility to exploitation.