5th African Conference of Commandants: Globalisation and Human Rights in Africa
Prof David Abdulai, CEO & Executive Director of Unisa SBL, was invited by the African Conference of Commandants (ACoC) to deliver a paper at their 5th annual Conference in Gaborone, Botswana. The event was hosted by the Botswana Defence Force through the Defence Command and Staff College and took place from 28 – 30 November 2011. The conference brought together a delegation of generals and staff officers from various defence command and staff colleges across the African continent.The conference, like previous ones, allows military personnel to come together to share ideas on a common approach for teaching at Staff Colleges. Prof Abdulai addressed the issue of: “Globalization and human rights in Africa: a Dialogue”. In his opening statement Prof Abdulai observed that globalization cannot take place without affecting human rights. He stated that in our highly digitalized world today we leave footprints behind in the electronic transactions we undertake, therefore exposing ourselves to the world out there without considering who is keeping an eye on us. This intrusion into our private lives leaves the door wide open for an invasion of our privacy, which in essence is a violation of our human rights. On the question of what the impact of globalization is on human rights is, Prof Abdulai identified the following:
- Globalisation is foisted down the throats of African countries
- It can have an impact on our liberty rights – our rights to our beliefs, freedom of expression and association
- It can impact on our political rights
- Globalisation impacts on our due process rights
- Globalisation impacts on our equal rights
- Finally globalization can impact on the rights of minority groups in countries.
Generally, globalisation is regarded as the progress that brings our global village and its peoples together through travels, migration, war, trade, investment, cultural exchanges, and information and communication technologies and through international organizations. It has the potential to bring enormous benefits to human kind and particularly those living in a developing continent like Africa. But, it has not lived up to this expectation and created a wider division between the “Haves” and the “Have-nots”, says Prof Abdulai.Prof Abdulai observed that globalization has impacted on the economic stability of countries, e.g. poor countries have been pushed to eliminate trade barriers but rich countries have kept theirs up through non-tariff barriers. He also mentioned that through the strengthening of Intellectual Property Rights, most Western drug companies are stopping drug companies in developing countries from manufacturing generic versions of life saving drugs and making them affordable to the poor in developing countries. He said that the problem is not with the ideal of what globalization stands for, but the way it has been managed. It is driven by economics not by politics or by social issues. The impact on political and social rights of people in developing countries cannot be emphasized enough“Globalization has come to stay. Africa must make sure it works for us.” Prof Abdulai said. He said that Africa can manage globalization to enhance human and economic rights:
- Firstly he said that Africa must unite politically, economically and culturally. This will enable the continent to face together all the adverse aspects of globalization. -
- Secondly he said that Africans must have effective governments, meaning governments that uphold the rule of law, have strong and independent judiciaries, are open and transparent, accountable and are relentless in their combat of corruption.
- The third aspect he highlighted is that Africans must let their voices be heard about the adverse impact that globalization has on the people at the numerous international forums. He asked the question: “Who is going to speak for Africa but us Africans?”
- Fourthly he said that Africans should not accept the economic dictum of the Washington Consensus about free markets. “Markets are not free and we know it.” Says Prof Abdulai. It is important that African leaders and their governments play an important role in the economic stability of their various countries
- Finally he said that Africans must get a grip on the degradation of the environment. The degradation of our environment leads to poverty and poverty leads to environmental degradation.
In conclusion he remarked that human rights are about the development of people. It is about how each individual African on the continent can maximize their God given potential to live a decent and respectful life. In enhancing the mandate of the SBL to contribute to capacity building in Africa we are proud to be associated with an organization like ACoC that aims to grow cooperation between African Staff Colleges in order to contribute to joint multi-national and multi-agency institutions.
Written by Cristal Peterson
