Charles Aikens

"For many of the
African nations, the
struggle for equity has
been long and continuous,
since the first slaves were
brought to these American
shores. Now, many leaders
seem be saying that it's
time to build new
relationships, especially
with those who can be
known and trusted.
To access what can result
of this unification, one
might take a serious look
at the development
of African countries and
their accelerating populations
from rural to urban areas." 

At last, African nations have united on the vast continent where civilization began, and from whence most U.S. Blacks were brought. The May 24th -28th OAU Summit, spurred by the late Rev. Leon Sullivan, was attended by Muslim Minister Louis Farrakhan, who warned the Black leadership that the world is nearing the end of racism, sexism, and materialism. At meeting in Zambia the OAU was reborn as the African Union.  

For many of the African nations, the struggle for equity has been long and continuous, since the first slaves were brought to these American shores. Now, many leaders seem be saying that it's time to build new relationships, especially with those who can be known and trusted. To access what can result of this unification, one might take a serious look at the development of African countries and their accelerating populations from rural to urban areas. 

Many of Africa's problems, if left unattended, could have serious repercussions, not just because of municipal growth in Africa, but also nation and internationally, because who rules this rich and fertile continent, rules the world.  

In the past, high levels of urban poverty, unemployment, and crime have combined to create a politically volatile situation, much of which has led to seemingly impossible solutions to unrest.

Today, many African nations have been victimized by dysfunctional and poorly managed and inadequately serviced urban areas, most of which have not attracted investment, created employment opportunities or growth. As a result, many Africans have moved to more efficient and relatively safer and more prosperous cities in other nations--and sometimes, these migrations have taken place illegally.

Historically, in most other regions of the world, urbanization has been a driving force for innovation and advancement, spurring the economic growth that has fuelled development. But this has not yet been the case in Africa, and now it is incumbent on African governments to create the political and policy environment that will permit it to also hap- pen in their countries.

Thereby, they are seeking to improve the well being of Africa's burgeoning urban populations, while also improving the lives of Africa's poor.

A Global Coalition for African Policy Forum reported that, "one of the results of urbanization is a lack of employment or income, insecurity, social exclusion, and absence of safety nets, which are the norm. Other features of urban poverty include hunger, poor health due to nutritional deficiencies and unhygienic living conditions, and limited access to school and health services.  

As a result, survival in African cities has become the main preoccupation of the urban poor. Women and children were described as particularly high on the list of the vulnerable poor, and were most likely to be the first affected by food shortages and as a result, many of their offspring become involved in crime.  

But to improve this social situation, the report said it was important to recognize the negative implications of crime and insecurity on new investment and expansion of existing business. Therefore, they said it was imperative that crime be combated and safety and public security be restored if African cities are to be in a position to fulfill their potential for attracting new investment and retaining existing businesses. For municipalities, one of the most obvious challenges is the re-establishment and maintenance of public security and rule of law. Inner city youth of Oakland also might take heed to the fact that the increase of criminality helps to decrease the prospect of companies and jobs coming into their cities and remaining.  

Whether in Africa, or America, the challenge facing most so-called underdeveloped countries is to address current problems while at the same time creating the policy environment that will allow cities to become more effective centers of growth and progress. Cities have to be made governable, livable, and economically viable. This implies a more proactive and integrated policy stance and greater innovation on the part of national and local authorities than has been the case to this date.

Finally, it is commendable that the African heads of state managed to reach this level of maturity with the assistance of Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi. Gadhafi helped to show that Africa and perhaps the world couldn’t survive in the present reality of globalization if it remained as it was, a loosely united group of nations.  

Africans first did this with the Organization of African Unity that was formed more than 36 years ago. At the same time, no matter what development takes place in the city or outside in rural areas, it must take into account the need to prevent environ- mental destruction while working to build upon political gains. These nations must also seek to prevent wedges from being driven between them as they attempt to develop lands of oppressed nationalities and division should not be tolerated or the offering of trinkets in return for exploration and exploiting of resources. []