The African Union (AU) has come under fire for dismissing its popular permanent ambassador to the USA, Zimbabwe born Dr. Arikana Chihombori-Quao. (1)
Since accepting the position in December 2016 (after almost a year persuading her to take up the role) Dr. Chihombori-Quao transformed what was simple protocol office to a world class respected, vibrant and results oriented mission of the African Union that she has “led with courage and vigor in galvanizing peoples of African Descent.” (2)
She defined her own mandate as:
“To promote Africa in the Americas and more importantly, to mobilise the African diaspora – meaning all people of African descent living outside of Africa. We at the AU understand that for the continent to move forward it will need its people in the diaspora. The brain drain from migration has caused Africa to suffer a lot. Mobilising the diaspora and encouraging involvement in the development of Africa is key to our mandate.” (3)
In spite of pursuing this mandate with unquestionable zeal, on October 7th 2019, she received the curiously worded letter from the former Prime Minister of Chad, now African Union Commission Chairman, H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat:
“I have the honor to inform you that, in line with the terms and conditions of the service governing your appointment as Permanent Representative of the African Union Mission to the United States in Washington, DC, I have decided to terminate your contract in that capacity with effect from November 1, 2019.” (Emphasis added) (4)
There was a global outcry against the decision, sparking headlines like: ‘AU faces backlash after terminating ambassador’s appointment’, ‘Unrest at the African Union Follows the Firing of Popular Ambassador’ and ‘International support grows for fired African Union ambassador Dr. Chihombori-Quao’. Former Ghana President was withering in his assessment:
“The dismissal of Arikana Chihombori-Quao, AU Ambassador to the United States raises serious questions about the independence of the AU. For someone who spoke her mind about the detrimental effects of colonization and the huge cost of French control in several parts of Africa, this is an act that can be described as coming from French-controlled colonized minds. How can this shameful behavior emanate from us? A woman with all that it takes to galvanize our continent is chopped down by French-colonized power mongers good enough to be cleaners or pruning trees at the Elysee Palace. With leaders of this kind, how can this continent ever progress?” (5)
The Spokesperson to the Chairperson of the African Union Commission scrambled a hasty rejoinder, replete with questionable mathematics eight days later:
“Dr Chihombori received a letter on 7 October 2019 bringing her tour of duty to an end, in line with the terms and conditions governing her contract of appointment, after serving three years as Permanent Representative of the African Union Mission to the United States of America, and appreciating her contribution to the Union during her tenure. This is normal diplomatic practice for political appointees everywhere.
Dr Chihombori has never been sanctioned by the Commission on any public pronouncements she has made during her three-year tenure and nor has the Commission ever thought the need to do so. On the contrary, Dr Chihombori has maintained a public presence freely without fear or prejudice to voice her opinions. Therefore to state or suggest that Ambassador Chihombori’s termination of service is due to any pronouncements she has made, or opinions she may have held during her three-year tenure, is patently untrue.” (6)
Commentators like Dr Mumbi Seraki were amongst the many to (proverbially) ‘call shenanigans’ and also uncovered evidence of a smear campaign against the ambassador. (7)
The widespread belief is that, contrary to any convenient ‘leaks’ about procurement violations (8), Dr Chihombori-Quao due to her outspoken views on the colonial legacy in Afrika, being particularly scathing about what she terms “the pact for the continuation of colonisation,” more commonly known as the CFA Franc Zone. This Zone encompasses fourteen west and central Afrikan states: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad (the AU Commissioner’s home country), the Republic of Congo Cote D’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo:
“Through the CFA franc zone, France is able to control the money supply, monetary and financial regulations, banking activities, credit allocation, and budgetary and economic policies of these nations. In addition, it breeds corruption and illegal diversion of public aid between France and its former colonies. For instance, conditional French public aid has forced these African states to spend the ‘aid’ money on French equipment, goods or contracts with French firms, especially construction and public work firms.” (9)
It’s not hard to see who the beneficiaries are in such an arrangement. According to the Human Development Index, out of 187 countries, the last three and seven of the worst ten countries are from Francophone Africa. Conversely, the former French President, Jacques Chirac, once said:
“We forget one thing: that is, a large part of the money that is in our [i.e, the French’s] wallet comes precisely from the exploitation of Africa [mostly Francophone Africa] over centuries… without Africa France would slide down into the rank of a [third] world power.” (10)
In spite of this admission, France takes strong exception to this reality being pointed out. Thus, earlier this year when Italian deputy prime minister Luigi Di Maio declared: “If we have people who are leaving Africa now it’s because some European countries, and France in particular, have never stopped colonising Africa. If France didn’t have its African colonies, because that’s what they should be called, it would be the 15th largest world economy. Instead it’s among the first, exactly because of what it is doing in Africa”, his ambassador in France was subjected to a severe carpeting by the government. However, the comments were not described as false, but “hostile and without cause given the partnership between France and Italy in the European Union” (11)
So far, over 70,000 have signed a petition, started by the African Diaspora Congress and supported by the African Union African Diaspora Health Initiative, Africa In Diaspora (AID) – Voice, Pan African Diaspora Youth Association, Pan African Diaspora Women’s Association, Africans in Boston, The African Diaspora Foundation, DFW Inclusive African Community Organization and Global African Business Association, to have Dr Chihombori-Quao reinstated (https://www.change.org/p/african-leaders-and-presidents-reinstate-african-union-ambassador-chihombori-quao?recruiter=1009205040&utm_source=share_petition&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_initial&utm_medium=whatsapp&recruited_by_id=5bf27f50-ecdc-11e9-8a05-fbb6c11ea402&share_bandit_exp=initial-18336973-en-GB&share_bandit_var=v2&utm_content=washarecopy_18336973_en-GB%3Av4).
Whether or not the petition succeeds in getting Sis. Arikana her job back, it will shine a light on the African Union and its fitness for purpose, if its personnel decisions can either be dictated by a coloniser, or even if autonomous fly in the face of common sense and ostensibly the best interests of global Afrika. As Professor Horace Campbell, the Kwame Nkrumah Chair at the Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana at Legon, pointed out, “The fact that over 70% of the AU Commission is funded by imperialist states (called donors) is itself one indication of the infrastructure of capital flight.” He adds:
“The scandalous relations between France and the puppets in many former colonies are well known and it is these puppets who compete to protect France in the corridors of the African Union.” (12)
So in spite of its denials, it is entirely believable to many that the AU could act against the interests of Afrika and Afrikans to placate a colonial power. Its member’s capitulation over United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973 that initiated the 2011 NATO invasion of Libya (either through naivety or gunboat/big stick diplomacy) is a recent example (13). And a tragic one at that, given one of the key objectives of the invasion was the scuppering of the plan for Afrikan monetary union:
“For fifty years the Pan African project was pushed forward by the Lagos Plan of Action and the Abuja Treaty of 1991 establishing the African Economic Community. The former President of Libya had gone ahead with precise plans for the gold reserves of Libya to be used to anchor the African currency. After the NATO intervention in Libya it emerged that the primary motivation for the launch of the war was to halt the process of realizing the Pan African project of a common currency in Africa. Revelations from the correspondence between the Secretary of State of the United States, Hilary Clinton and Nicolas Sarkozy, the President of France in March 2011 revealed that the plans for the NATO intervention were dictated by the following issues:
A desire to gain a greater share of Libya oil production,
Increase French influence in North Africa,
Improve his internal political situation in France,
Provide the French military with an opportunity to reassert its position in the world,
Address the concern of his advisors over Qaddafi’s long term plans to supplant France as the dominant power in Francophone Africa.” (14)
In addition to the onerous machinations of the Euro-USA axis that stymies any orientation towards self-determination, there is also a suggestion that the calamitous miss-step that resulted in the sacking of the ambassador is founded on the AU leaders’ inability to understand the so called ‘diaspora’ other than in terms of remittances and hence “are being exposed for their silence on what is happening to Africans on a day to day basis in the face of police killings.” (15) Thus, even if the AU leaders had an idea that Dr Chihombori-Quao was making great inroads by articulating an ancestral connectivity, they may not have had the historical and psychological comprehension of why.
Nevertheless, four years after the Libya debacle the AU launched its Agenda 2063 initiative with the affirmation that, ‘we rededicate ourselves to the enduring Pan African vision of “an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the international arena.” They further state that:
“Since 1963, the quest for African Unity has been inspired by the spirit of Pan Africanism, focusing on liberation, and political and economic independence. It is motivated by development based on self-reliance and self-determination of African people, with democratic and people-centred governance.
We aspire that by 2063, Africa shall:
• Be a United Africa;
• Have world class, integrative infrastructure that criss-crosses the continent;
• Have dynamic and mutually beneficial links with her Diaspora; and
• Be a continent of seamless borders, and management of cross-border resources through dialogue.
Africa shall be an integrated, united, peaceful, sovereign, independent, confident and self-reliant continent.” (16)
Some of the responses to the sacking specifically linked Agenda 2063 with the work being done by the ambassador. For example, Cikiah Thomas, Co-Chair of the Global Afrikan Congress wrote:
“The GAC is a participant in the AU’s 6th Region Initiative and we are cognizant and fully supportive of the AU Agenda 2063.
We have not perceived any deficiency, unethical and/or unprofessional behaviour on the part of Dr. Chihombori-Quao in her pursuit of the AU’s aspirational agenda.
We are therefore kindly requesting your office to objectively and impartially carry out an investigation into the circumstances related to Dr. Chihombori-Quao’s dismissal. This impartial investigation should be transparent, with the clear view to help with the restoration of the confidence and the positive response that had started to emerge from Dr. Chihombori-Quao’s engagement with the diaspora communities.”
Similarly, Professor Apollos Nwauwa, the secretary of African Diaspora Congress opined:
“Dr. Chihombori-Quao has spoken globally to empower all those of African Descent to come together. The goal is to build the ‘Africa We Want’ as adopted in African Union Agenda 2063. The unification of the African Diaspora as espoused in A.U. Agenda 2063 is contrary to the Africa that has been marginalized and pillaged through inequitable colonial and post-colonial contracts. Dr. Arikana has been outspoken about neo-colonial maneuverings and exploitation that still exist today. Her dissemination of the truth has garnered her attention and support around the world.” (17)
Though only halfway through her tenure, Dr. Arikana Chihombori-Quao was doing her level best to articulate these aspirations to a receptive diaspora. She has also thus far been gracious in her response to the commission dated October 9th 2019:
“I also note with gratitude that your Excellency’s letter takes note of the hard work, commitment and personal effort I have made in serving African interests in Africa, the American continent and the diaspora and acknowledges that in a short span, I have unreservedly employed great passion and commitment and converted the Washington DC Mission from a Protocol Office that I inherited barely 3 years ago to a world class respected, vibrant and result oriented Mission of the African Union. I thank you Sir for the support I received from yourself as the Chairperson, all Commissioners, Directors and staff of the Commission as well as all the Organs of the AU and specialized agencies.
In the meantime, I wish to reserve my acceptance of your decision until I receive written confirmation that the outstanding dues as well as my separation entitlements are ready. I look forward to working closely with your office during this short time, when it behoves us to manage the transition without compromising the image of our mother body and as well as my persona.”
In many eyes, she gave some much needed credibility to a body (the AU) that not so long ago was regarded as “a particularly corrupt and brutal enforcer of western rule in Africa.” (18) She spoke with a candour and honesty rare in senior officials. On that note we close with Arikana Chihombori-Quao in her own words in an address that reportedly got her fired:
“It is important that we understand our Afrika from the root cause. So as if (the) Berlin conference were not enough, when the colonisers were leaving the continent between 1958 and 1961, France did something that was just downright terrible. Made the Afrikan leaders sign what they call the pact for the continuation of colonisation. France made Francophone countries sign the pact for the continuation of colonisation. Allow me to highlight a few of the items in the pact for the continuation of colonisation. And I urge all of you to Google it, and read it. And if that does not disgust you, I don’t know what will.
First, the French said ‘well you see, we built a few schools, a few roads, a few hospitals, taught you about the fork and knife and sitting on a table and eating with utensils. We’re going to call that the colonial debt and for that you’re going to pay in perpetuity. In addition, you will deposit 85% of your bank reserves with the French Minister of Finance, collectively. The French Minster of Finance will take all your deposits – it was 85% back then, it’s down down to about 60. The French minister will then invest that money in the French stock exchange, under the French name, you may or may not know the returns.
Today, France is taking out of Francophone Afrika over 500 billion dollars. We, The Afrikans, the poor countries, we’re giving France over 500 billion dollars a year. And no one is talking about it. The latest figures are saying, for every 14 billion dollars that France takes out of Afrika, by the time they finish investing it, they’re realising upwards of 300 billion. So, in actuality, France is taking out of Africa trillions of dollars, year in, year out. Should any these counties wish to access some of their own money that they deposited with France, they have to submit their financial reports for the country. And if approved, they can only access up to 20% of that money, as a loan, at commercial, at commercial interest rates. Figure that one out. That is our reality.
It gets better. They were also told, if you need any military equipment, you can only purchase it from France. Your military can only be trained by France. That France will have military presence in your own country and can invade you without notice, should they feel French interests are being violated. Language of instruction shall be French. All your minerals discovered, France has the first right of refusal. All the contracts, big contracts, private and public, French companies have the first right of refusal.
Ah my brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, if you were to go home a run for president, on your first day in office your chief of staff comes to you and says ‘oh by the way Mr President, Madam President, before you start I must read you the do’s and don’ts as stipulated by the pact for the continuation of colonisation.’ And your chief of staff reads this to you. What power do you have? This is precisely what our colonisers wanted, to leave us in a position, that no matter how hard we try, trying to get a leg up, is mission impossible. But in those incidences that we’re able to, regardless because that’s who we are as Black people, we’re very easy to destabilize.
Others might say, ‘but ambassador, why haven’t the Afrikan leaders done something about this horrible pact?’ Well they have. In the past it’s very well documented. Of the sixty something coups that took place in Afrika, seven of them are documented as having been orchestrated by France and seven of those involved an Afrikan leader being assassinated during a coup. And those coups were done precisely because those Afrikan leaders, those Pan-Afrikan leaders were trying to pull out of sign the pact for the continuation of colonisation.
Now there’s been other coups that were created by just mercenaries who were running around trying to destabilize Afrikan countries and always because the Afrikan countries would have discovered a natural resource. And they created those coups so while the locals are fighting, thrown into a civil war, they will be siphoning that natural resource. We know the game now. We’ve seen them play the game. So it’s not like there was no attempt to pull back. But the reality is even now, when leaders have tried to push back on certain issues, next thing you know, there’s conflict in that country. And who are they using for the conflict? Us.” (19)
(1) Bukola Adebayo (16/10/19) AU faces backlash after terminating ambassador’s appointment. https://edition.cnn.com/2019/10/16/africa/petition-over-sacking-of-au-ambassador/index.html
(2) Stacy M. Brown (18/10/19) Unrest at the African Union Follows the Firing of Popular Ambassador. https://lasentinel.net/unrest-at-the-african-union-follows-the-firing-of-popular-ambassador.html
(3) Azad Essa. (24/07/17) Q&A with AU ambassador to US Arikana Chihombori-Quao. https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2017/07/qa-au-ambassador-arikana-chihombori-quao-170719090234363.html
(4) Brown. Op. cit.
(5) Ibid.
(6) Ebba Kalondo (15/10/19) Communiqué on the end of tenure of Ambassador Arikana Chihombori-Quao, AU Permanent Representative to Washington, DC. https://au.int/en/pressreleases/20191015/communique-end-tenure-ambassador-arikana-chihombori-quao-au-permanent
(7) Dr. Mumbi Show (24/10/19) AU THROWS MUD At Fmr. Ambassador To US through “leaked Investigation Documents” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyZA6ANGZ4U
(8) Ibid
(9) Mariamawit Tadesse (10/08/18) The CFA Franc Zones: Neocolonialism and Dependency. https://economicquestions.org/cfa-franc-neocolonialism/
(10) Ibid
(11) Peter Stubley (22/01/19) France summons Italian ambassador after outrage over colonialism remark: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/france-italy-ambassador-colonialism-africa-luigi-di-maio-five-star-eu-a8740206.html
(12) Horace Campbell (17/01/17) Pan-Africanism and the Global Economic Crisis: African Union Faces Turbulent Headwinds. https://www.globalresearch.ca/pan-africanism-and-the-global-economic-crisis-african-union-faces-turbulent-headwinds/5569029?utm_campaign=magnet&utm_source=article_page&utm_medium=related_articles
(13) Mustafa Mheta (05/04/19) How the African Union and the United Nations failed Libya. https://www.voices360.com/community-development/how-the-african-union-and-the-united-nations-failed-libya-20653147
(14) Campbell. Op. cit.
(15) Ibid
(16) African Union Commission (2015) Agenda 2063 – The Africa We want (Popular Version) https://www.un.org/en/africa/osaa/pdf/au/agenda2063.pdf. p. 4
(17) Brown. Op. cit.
(18) Thomas C. Mountain (10/05/12) AFRICAN UNION: Instrument of Imperialist Rule. https://www.globalresearch.ca/african-union-instrument-of-imperialist-rule/30783
(19) Obinwannem News. (15/10/19) Colonialism in Africa: The speech that got Dr. Arikana Chihombori -Quao fired from her position. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDLtlxvcQHE
We ask the question:
Why was the AU Diaspora Ambassador SACKED?
1) Have you signed the
1) Have you signed the petition to reinstate Dr Chihombori-Quao?
2) Does the sacking “raise serious questions about the independence of the AU”?
3) Do AU leaders understand the dynamics of the diaspora?
4) Does the AU have the wherewithal to implement Agenda 2063?
5) How can the work she started be continued?
Our Special Guests:
Bro. Ldr. Mbandaka: Resident guest who is Spiritual Leader of the Alkebu-Lan Revivalist Movement and UNIA-ACL Ambassador for the UK and national co-Chair of the interim National Afrikan People’s Parliament. Bro. Ldr is a renowned Afrikan-Centered Education Consultant and educator and is a veteran activist of over 30 years standing. He is a featured columnist in The Whirlwind newspaper and author of Mosiah Daily Affirmations and Education: An African-Centred Approach To Excellence.
Bro. Cikiah Thomas: based in Canada, he is the international co-chair of the Global Afrikan Congress (GAC), founded in Barbados in 2002. Among the primary objectives of the GAC are: To serve as a vehicle for the unity and reunification of all Afrikan peoples worldwide; To facilitate mutually supportive liberation, transformation, payment of reparations and economic development initiatives brought by Afrikans and Afrikan descendants and to establish supportive relationships among Afrikans and Afrikan descendants.