What Ruto can learn from EU to enable Raila impact the AU

President William Ruto inspected a guard of honor when he opened the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) plenary sitting at Parliament Buildings in Nairobi on March 5, 2024. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

Raila Odinga's expressed interest for the African Union Commission (AUC) Chairman position has sparked intense debates not only in his Nyanza political backyard but also in the entire country Kenya but across the African continent.

I am quite intrigued by the confidence Kenyans have that they are offering Africa one of their best leaders for this Job. We almost feel it's a big sacrifice we are making given the role Mr Odinga has played in Kenya's modern democracy. This is why some Kenyans are campaigning calling him the President of Africa.

But does AUC chair have the powers equivalent to the expectations? William Ruto recently inherited Paul Kagame's burden to strengthen the African Union amid varied interests.

The question is whether as AU Champion for Institutional Reform, Dr Ruto can make the AUC and Pan-African Parliament (PAP) reflect the structures that have made the European Union (EU) stronger than not only individual member states but also a collective of the member states that is the opposite of the AU. As it is currently, the AU is only as strong as member states allow it since African presidents have the misconception that a stronger AU threatens their sovereignty hence National interests are prioritised over transferring powers to AU. So what lessons can President Ruto learn from EU that can transform the AU to live its expectations?

First, the EU is in prime position when it comes to global trade. The openness of its trade regime has meant that the EU is the biggest player on the global trading scene and remains a good region to do business with. That same cannot be said of Africa since Africa is far from being the market that Europe is. One can establish a hub in some key cities within EU and distribute to all EU member states like what flower farms or pharmaceutical firms do but the same cannot be said of Africa.

In fact, the EU's population of 448.4 million is a third of Africa's 1.46 billion people. But it is the world's largest trading bloc and the world's largest trader of manufactured goods and services. The question is how Africa's heads of state and government can position the continent in global trade. By integrating AU's trading regime. But this cannot happen when narrow National interests come ahead of economic integration. The AU exists yet the continent has too many economic blocs that are equally not well integrated to boost global trade.

Within EU, there is only EU as an economic bloc while within AU, there are about eight regional economic blocs, namely; Arab Maghreb Union (AMU); Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA); Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD); East African Community (EAC); Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS); Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS); Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD); Southern African Development Community (SADC).

The saddest thing is that in as much as these are economic blocs, there is rarely any tangible economic parameters for membership other than geographical proximity. Within EAC, for instance, the admission of Somalia is worrying given the fact that Somalia brings more economic troubles than solutions to EAC.

The AU can borrow a leaf from EU's parameters for admission into the Union and so the economic blocs. The EU apply the Copenhagen criteria as the essential conditions all candidate countries must satisfy to become a member state.

These are, first political criteria that address stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities. Second, economic criteria: a functioning market economy and the capacity to cope with competition and market forces. Third, administrative and institutional capacity to effectively implement and ability to take on the obligations of membership.

Fourth, the Union's capacity to absorb new members, while maintaining the momentum of European integration. It is clear that if you apply these criteria, many African countries will not only not qualify to be members of their regional economic blocs but also members of AU. This will improve the political stability, economic environment and administrative capacity of member states as it enhances the absorptive capacity of the Union itself.

Second, AU's real powers need not reside in its assembly, composed of heads of state and government but in AU's institutions which include AUC, PAP and African Court on Human and People's Rights. EU has been successful since Supranational, binding powers are exercised by its institutional organs; European Commission and the European Parliament as opposed to AU where the PAP does not exercise any binding legislative powers.

The same challenge is seen when AU cannot compel member states to comply with AUC, African Court and PAP directives. This is the reason why for the last three years, over 93 per cent of AUC directives have not been implemented, President Kagame's proposed changes were frustrated and Faki Mahamat, the outgoing AUC chair will not be too proud of his legacy.

Third, AU member states need to cultivate a culture of trust in AU for it to consolidate its position in global trade and achieve political, social and economic integration. EU has had to go through this the tough way. The Euro, EU's currency, faced instability because of the trust deficit and national interests whereby for any economic, political or social decisions, no country felt European first but, for instance, German, Italian, French, Spanish or Italian first.

This can only happen if AU's Constitutive Act allows the assembly to transfer some of its powers and functions to its organs such as PAP, AUC and the African Court. Since trust is earned than just given, there is a need for purposeful driven and stewardship leadership.

This is because, Mahamat's leadership in several occasions have raised more questions than answers and we hope that Raila's leadership, if elected, might earn this trust for the AU. Raila will not remain silent like Mahamat did regarding atrocities committed by Ethiopian forces in Tigray, a matter that was resolved by former President Uhuru Kenyatta as the peace negotiator. With President Ruto's new role, Raila's stewardship if elected and Uhuru's experience in peace negotiation, AU is destined for greatness if they take the pathways to Supranationalism rather than Nationalism.

The writer, Prof Fred Ogolla, is a management expert