Rethinking Pan-Africanism in the AU (African Union)-Led Regional Integration of Africa: Identity ...

284 Pages·2011·0.9 MB·English

© 2011
Setsuko Tamura
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Rethinking Pan-Africanism in the AU (African Union)-led Regional Integration of
Africa: Identity Politics in the Diaspora Involvement, Afro-Arab Relations and Indian
Ocean Islands
by
Setsuko Tamura

A Dissertation submitted to the
Graduate School-Newark
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
Graduate Program in the Division of Global Affairs
Written under the direction of
Professor Richard Langhorne
and approved by

Newark, New Jersey
May, 2011
Abstract of the Dissertation
Rethinking Pan-Africanism in the AU (African Union)-led Regional Integration of
Africa: Identity Politics in the Diaspora Involvement, Afro-Arab Relations and Indian
Ocean Islands
by
Setsuko Tamura
Dissertation Director:
Professor Richard Langhorne
African regional integration has its ideological roots in Pan-Africanism, which
aims for the unity of African states and African people on the continent and in the
diaspora. In terms of the institutional development, the formation of the AU in 2003 has
been positively viewed as a big step forward for a deeper integration among its member
states. Critically, I argue that Pan-Africanism can be divided to the two conceptual
dimensions that are: 1) racial-cultural affinity; and 2) geographical connection. In the
racial-cultural dimension, Pan-Africanism is deemed to engender pride and solidarity
among Blacks inside and outside the continent. In the geographical discourse, racial and
cultural diversity within the continent is subject to the notion of Africa as a single
regional bloc.
In the post-Cold War global politics the identity issue appears to be a determinant
factor in maintaining global/regional security and arguably promoting regional
integration. A major objective of my research is to analyze the two different dimensions
of Pan-Africanism and assess their ideological influence on the institutionalization of the
AU-led regional integration of Africa. Specifically, my research seeks to answer the two
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major research questions that follow: 1) Can African diasporas play any significant role
in the AU-led integration process?; and 2) How have the intergovernmental relations
among the member states of the Northern Arab region, sub-Saharan Black African region
and Indian Ocean region shaped the institutional development process of the AU-led
African integration? The topic of African identity appears to receive little attention, or is
presupposed as Black African identity. Therefore, my dissertation attempts to explore
this under-theorized issue, applying racial-cultural state identity as an analytical tool in
discussing the AU-led African regional integration.
In terms of research methodologies, this research consists of: 1) Relevant
literature review; 2) Primary and secondary data analysis; 3) Historical and contemporary
document analysis; 4) Archival research at the AU Archives in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia;
and 5) Data collection through interviews with the AU officials and diplomats of African
states and donor states in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and New York.

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Preface
Africa is my second home. I had worked for three years in Mombasa, Kenya as a
Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteer, which was established and has been run by the
Japanese government with a similar objective of the US Peace Corps. As a young
Japanese woman with a positive outlook and adventurous mind, but without
comprehensive knowledge on Africa, my encounter with the continent was full of joy,
excitement and amazement. My old days in Kenya became pleasant and beautiful
memories, which I have always cherished and treasured.
Yet, I have to admit that I was nothing more than muzungu (meaning foreigner in
Kiswahili), even though my work as an environmental conservation educator involved a
lot of grass-roots level interactions and activities. After all, I was on the secure and
privileged side of socio-economic divide in Kenya, which only muzungu and a small
circle of wealthy Kenyans belonged to. As many other Japanese volunteers experienced,
I was struggling to readjust myself and settle down with my emotional and moral
dilemma. In the Japanese society during my childhood and early adulthood, class
struggle was almost a taboo subject. People seemed to enjoy a fair share of economic
prosperity, which Japan had achieved after the World War II. Regardless of my family’s
humble background and rural origin, I always believed that the world is full of wonderful
opportunities, which everyone is entitled to enjoy. I just have to work hard to be
competent. I will get a chance eventually.
Such optimistic naivety crashed when I stepped on the land of Africa. Ordinary
Kenyans had to go through day-to-day survival with a limited social safety net. They had
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to struggle to secure basic livelihoods and access to public health care and education.
Injustice, power abuse and corruption were mounting everywhere. Kenya during the
period of my residence, from 1997 to 2000, was like a capitalist hyena, roaming and
eating up people left behind and exposed to vulnerability and poverty.
Toward the end of my volunteer service, I felt uncomfortable of working to
preserve the beautiful nature and wildlife in Kenya. Millions of foreign aid dollars were
used to protect elephants and other endangered species, which were seen as more
valuable than poor locals by the Kenyan government in promoting nature tourism in
Kenya. Nature-loving European settlers, whom I met through my work, seemed to be
eager to share their affection and wealth with wildlife animals, but not with poor
Kenyans. I felt that I was part of feeding the whole system of capitalist hyena. This
moral awareness made me decide to pursue my study further. I wanted to find the best
way to be truthful to myself. That is the only way I can be truthful to my homeland
Kenya and Africa.
One of my Kenyan friends once told me, “Africa must unite.” He was on the
other side of divide, insecure and under-privileged. He lost some of his family members
as the family could not afford to pay for medical treatment. The illness was curable, but
poverty killed them. He shared with me his aspiration to reform the entire system of
Kenya and advocated for African unity. He understood that this is not just a Kenyan
problem. It is an African problem. Colonialism divided and exploited Africa. Burdens
of colonial legacy have been and will be on African men and women’s shoulders.
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We, Asians, do not advocate for Asian unity. Nobody says, “Asia must unite.”
But, Africans do. They often do. Another good friend of mine proudly declared, “I am
African, born in Ghana.” I have never told people, “I am Asian, born in Japan.” I am
Asian, and I am Japanese. Yet, these two identities do not have any meaningful linkage
or relevance. My Japanese identity gives me a sense of pride and dignity. I do not need
Asian identity to complement this.
Asian regionalism in East and Southeast Asia does exist and has been promoted.
Asian countries try to enhance economic and political cooperation among themselves.
However, Pan-Asian ideology does not exist and is unlikely to emerge. In my view,
Asian regionalism is envisaged in the scope of inter-governmental relations and
multilateral institution building. Asian countries do not need such ideology as Pan-
Asianism to advance regional integration.
At the individual level, I certainly feel comfortable of being around with other
Asian people, Chinese, Filipinos, Korean and Thai to name few. We share culture and
traditions. I love Asian food. I like traveling to Asian countries. Nonetheless, this sense
of affinity does not necessarily translate into cultural Pan-Asianism per se.
Given its origin and history, Pan-Africanims is distinctive political ideology and
cultural and intellectual phenomenon. How has Pan-African ideology emerged and
evolved? What are the implications of Pan-Africanism for contemporary Africa and
African diasporas? My scholarly enquire stems from these simple questions.
My first fieldwork at the African Union (AU) Commission in the summer 2006
helped me to identify some under-researched issues pertaining to Pan-Africanism and
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African regional integration. It has been a great joy to explore my dissertation topic,
which examines the racial-cultural and geographic aspects of Pan-Africanism and their
ideological impacts on the AU-led regional integration of Africa. I hope this work will
contribute to the scholarship of African regional studies and help Africanist researchers
and students to rethink Pan-Africanism as my research suggests.
Taking this opportunity, I convey my deep gratitude to the Division of Global
Affairs (DGA), Rutgers Newark, the State University of New Jersey, who had financially
supported my first four-year Ph.D study with Teaching Assistantship and Dissertation
Fellowship. I also express my sincere appreciation to the Political Science Department,
Rutgers Newark, who awarded Virginia M. Walsh Memorial Fund Award to me in May
2008. This award helped me to finance the expense of my fieldwork in Addis Ababa,
Ethiopia in the summer 2008.
I am greatly indebted to the supervision given by my dissertation committee
members: Professor Richard Langhorne, Professor Said S. Samatar (co-chairs), Professor
Gabriela Kutting and Professor Kurt Schock. I am also grateful for critical comments
given by Professor Yale Ferguson and Professor Heidi Swarts on my dissertation
proposal. I am very thankful to Professor Jean Houbert at University of Aberdeen for
sharing his rich knowledge on politics and societies of the Indian Ocean island countries.
I express my sincere gratitude to the AU Commission, who allowed me to
conduct fieldwork in the summers 2006 and 2008. Special thanks must go to Mr.
Geofrey Mugumya, a former Director of Peace and Security Department, and Mr. Ben
Kioko, Director of Department of Legal Council, both of whom had given supervision
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and kind support to my fieldwork at the AU Commission. I also thank Dr. Admore
Kambuzi and Ms. Aissatou Hayatou-Tall at the AU Peace and Security Department for
sharing their views and insights on the issues of peace and security in Africa. I also
appreciate enormous support given by Mr. Sirak at the AU Archives. Besides those
distinguished individuals, I had been supported by numerous officials and staff members
at the AU Commission during my fieldwork. I am also indebted to the supervision and
support given by the Embassy of Japan to Ethiopia and the AU. I especially thank Mr.
Masaki Morimoto, a former First Secretary at the Embassy of Japan, for his guidance and
support to my fieldwork. Without warm hospitality and tremendous support I had
received from them, my fieldwork in Addis Ababa in the summers 2006 and 2008 would
have not been accomplished.
I also appreciate friendship, encouragement and support given by my fellow DGA
classmates and colleagues. I will treasure our friendship and camaraderie for the rest of
my academic and personal life. Your success is my success.
Last but not least, I wholeheartedly thank my family and extended family, who
have allowed me to pursue my Ph.D study far away from my home and have supported
me always with love and faith.
This work therefore is dedicated to all individuals who have supported my
doctorate study and dissertation research as well as my fellow Pan-Africanists who have
been and will be striving for the unity of Africa.

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Table of Contents

List of Acronyms x
List of Tables xv
I. Introduction 1
II. African Diasporas in the AU-led African Regional Integration: Analysis of the
Racial-Cultural Dimension of Pan-Africanism 24
III. The Afro-Arab Relations before and during the Organization of African Unity
(OAU) Era: Analysis of the Geographic Dimension of Pan-Africanism 63
IV. Afro-Arab Cooperation toward the Unification of Africa – Revival of Afro-
Arab solidarity or Clash of Civilizations? 115
V. The AU-led Conflict Management in the Horn of Africa and Sudan:
Afro/Arab Identity in the Geo-strategic Context 149
VI. Identity Politics in the Indian Ocean Island States: Pan-Africanism in the
Discourse of Racial-Cultural Hybridity and Diversity 185
VII. Conclusion 232
Bibliography 251
Curriculum Vitae 268

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