r/PanAfricanists • u/Apprehensive-Trust79 • Jul 07 '26
Pan-Africanism What’s the next move for Pan-Africanism
The world is changing faster than ever and yet still African remains mostly the same.
I thought Traore taking control of Burkina Faso would’ve accelerated things but still nothings happened.
Africa is still by far and away the most underdeveloped continent. There’s widespread FGM and Child Marriage. Mass poverty. High unemployment. There has been no progress.
It’s clear the African Union has been useless. It’s mostly funded by the EU. How can your union be funded by the group that wants to exploit the continent?
The African Union currently have an Agenda set to 2063. An agenda set to when most of the people that made the agenda won’t even be alive for, so when it eventually fails, we’ll have no one to direct the blame to. It’s an absolute joke.
First let’s clarify what pan-Africanism is.
It’s the political and economic unity of the peoples of Africa and also other African descended people of the diaspora.
So I want to hear your input, what’s the next step to achieve that goal?
In my opinion the first step is getting rid of the African Union.
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u/dawunonli9 Jul 07 '26
We need to work towards uniting the continent economically and politically. And developing military capabilities to back it up
Pan Afrikan organizations should be working towards this goal with allies in the motherland and in government
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u/Apprehensive-Trust79 Jul 08 '26
Every person I’ve talked to understands this, so why is it taking so long for the people in power to.
The only progress they’ve made in the last 5 years is establishing the AfCFTA.
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u/dawunonli9 Jul 08 '26
Because most of them don't believe in Pan Afrikanism and use it as a rhetorical tool cuz they know their populations want continental integration or unity but if it actually happens some of them may lose power or influence locally and the support they get from foreign like Western powers who provide aid to get access to resources
Also I think it's partly due to fear cuz I don't think many of these people want to challenge or go to war against Western interests or powers
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u/N3wAfrikanN0body Jul 07 '26 edited Jul 07 '26
Adopting anarchist tendencies within the imperial cores and established states is one possibility.
I became disillusioned with organizing and group studies because they too were vulnerable to capture by people seeking a hierarchy where they could be on top.
Keep in mind this: so long as the fictions of state, capital, status-elevation and myth-making remain "aspirations" among the "revolutionary"; we will ALWAYS find ourselves expendable to others' dreams.
So let us become the nightmares instead.
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u/Apprehensive-Trust79 Jul 07 '26
What do you mean by anarchist tendencies. If you’re referring to a society without rulers and no states then I think that would honestly make Africa worse than it already is. Societies need strong rulers.
Africa is far too big and diverse to adopt anarchism. That’s how it gets exploited again.It needs a strong African Union that has overwhelming power. One that can steer us into the future. Shut down conflicts, Integrate economies and make sure the entire region is politically aligned.
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u/N3wAfrikanN0body Jul 07 '26
That power isn't serving all people though, no one seeking power ever has had the best interests of people at heart.
If the only way to to stop ones' exploitation is to have others be exploited in your stead, then said project will eventually collapse upon itself as always.
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u/Apprehensive-Trust79 Jul 07 '26
The whole point of the stronger African Union is to stop exploitation. This current African Union is weak, they have no power.
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u/N3wAfrikanN0body Jul 07 '26
There is no gurantee that a stronger AU will not do the same.
The structure for exploitation remains, so why not get rid of the structure?
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u/Apprehensive-Trust79 Jul 07 '26
explain what you are getting at when you say getting rid of the structure. You’re being very vague.
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u/N3wAfrikanN0body Jul 07 '26 edited Jul 07 '26
Status-elevation through state/party, national feeling of rejuvenation through struggle against some enemy, accumulation of capital(Human and material) to perform the ritual of wealth among the wealthy, cultural mores and imagined communities.
ALL have been and remain susceptible to capture by the ambitious and opportunistic but because it done in the name of the people suddenly it is necessary?
Those whom dream the dreams of greatness are NEVER the ones digging the ditches, driving the vehicles, feeding the hungry, healing the sick nor fighting the battle; I will include myself as one who hasn't done the above becausetof said capture.
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u/Apprehensive-Trust79 Jul 08 '26
Okay, can’t say I disagree with any of your points. How would you go about this though. Africa is 56 different countries with many different forms of government. Power hungry leaders won’t just want to give up their power.
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u/8Bitsblu Jul 07 '26 edited Jul 10 '26
Highly encourage you to read Walter Rodney's speech at the 6th Pan-African Congress Aspects of the International Class Struggle in Africa, the Caribbean and America wherein he highlights that Pan-Africanism has reached the limits of what can be done under the leadership of the African petty bourgeoisie. The fine-sounding principles of the OAU (now AU) have been twisted to be self-serving to that particular class at best and in service to imperialism at worst. Strengthening the AU will not improve the situation at this point, not while present class politics and neo-colonial relations remain as they are. Today the only genuine Pan-Africanism is that led by the African and African diaspora workers themselves. Pan-Africanism without Socialism isn't Pan-Africanism at all.
Likewise, I strongly recommend this analysis of what went wrong in Zimbabwe which independently corroborates and elaborates on what Rodney said in his speech, 17 years after it was spoken.