Africa Project Database 2001
Economic Transition and Sustainability
by Philip B. Smith
Centre for Energy and Environmental Studies
University of Groningen, The Netherlands
"How did the world get to where it is?"
We are here to talk about how to create a sustainable world society under conditions of political and economic transformation. Before attempting to provide answers to this question, it is well to take a good look at the historical developments that got us into the situation, call it "mess" if you like, that the world, in particular Russia, is in. In his introduction to this meeting, Joachim Spangenberg has told us about indicators which can tell us whether or not a country is on the road to a sustainable future. These are very important and useful. Especially since Joachim has also introduced social sustainability indicators, and not only physical sustainability indicators in his efforts to decide whether or not a society is approaching or going away from sustainability.
I have great respect for Joachim's pioneering, multi-dimensional approach to sustainability, in which many different dimensions have to be considered if one is to come to grips with what sustainability really means. But my approach is quite different. I talk about politics, and I think that I should explain why. It is because in environmental studies, the condition of the environment is always discussed in terms of numbers. As an ex-physicist I perhaps wish that the essence of the problematique could be captured in numbers. But it can't be. I now believe that no numerical approach, be it one- or multi-dimensional can possibly describe the infinite complexity of the world about us. The problems are political, not numeric. They arise in the hearts of men, and are therefore qualitative, not quantitative.. So do not expect me to present numbers, or forumlas.
To begin with, I want to compare politics with economics. This will, I hope give you a better idea of my general orientation.
On 26th November 2000 the idea was born to start up an Initiative for peaceful and sustainable development in Africa. This was founded on 20.01.2001 in Dortmund (Germany) with a participation of colleagues from 12 African States as well as from Europe. Out of this Initiative INES went on with its Africa Project: „Peace and Sustainable development in Africa“. Throughout the whole year INES supported different groups and single people regarding a variety of new project ideas and started to build up a wide spread network throughout different African countries, Germany and Europe, connecting people of all ethics and races all over the world.
In the course of this year we were able to finalise our project application: “Peace at the Great Lake – as contribution for sustainable development in Kongo-Kinshasa”. In the following You will find a short summary of the Project Application:
Summary: Project Application
Background and history of a conflict
The African dilemma – expression of a mislead global economy?
Africa is often described as a lost continent, particularly in international politics. First and foremost are demographic and ecological conflicts. Critics will often point out political and cultural conflicts of national and continental alliances, to prove that any given assistance must fail. The complex of cause and effect in political, economical, socio-cultural, historical and ecological matters is often paid little attention. Africa is not a lost continent and, as a matter of fact, is not being treated like one, except to justify action or non-action Africa is easily stigmatised as being lost. This continent provides huge mineral resources for transnational conglomerates and their political economy, the industrial nations. This results in growing dependency on the western-European imprinted world.
Particularly fatal proves to be the necessity to live up to market-focused economic standards of competing companies by trying to adjust the African political economy to international economic standards. These standards meanwhile cease to be provided by cultural nations, instead they're provided by international independently acting conglomerates. Socio-cultural issues, taking part in politics, educational systems, communication on intra- and inter-cultural levels and civil cooperation and solidarity are not to be found in enterprises that are un-attached to countries and struggling for expansion. The grown connection to the world market is based on dependency and stands in opposition to continental and cooperative development in Africa.
The reasons why African countries and cultural groups don't coordinate their effort in solidarity, are certainly to be found in historical and international backgrounds. Ethnical and tribal conflicts, jealousy of mineral resources, strife for power and corruption result in severe political conflicts which can only be solved within Africa.
In the meantime, international conditions need to be changed to enhance the self-sufficient African development. Constructive dialogue between directly opposing parties is as necessary as communication with those indirectly involved. Without accepting and acknowledging common responsibility, the process of finding solutions by mediation will not be possible.
Congo Kinshasa – Africa’s first “World War”
The escalation starts
In 1997 the Alliance Of Democratic Forces to Liberate Congo (AFDL) conquered Kinshasa after seven months of war, bringing their speaker Laurent-Désiré Kabila to power, supported by US-diplomats as well as by Angola and Zimbabwe. This was already the base for new conflicts, due to the fact that the allies now were trying to reach their own goals: Rwanda had supplied military consultants and several ministers from Rwanda reported directly to Kigali. Uganda's president Yoweri Musevini was dreaming of a street or even railroad-track, Harare then again, was getting ready to sign contracts for exploitation rights with Kinshasa. The "obligation to ungratefulness" shown by president Kabila towards his former allies, ruined all hope. In August 1998 it came to the outbreak of the second war in Congo. Rebels, being disliked by the population who objects to the second war, have split up in three rivalling groups (RCD, RCD-ML and MLC).
Resources
Knowingly, the most important reasons for the war that is going on since three years are the tremendous resources of Congo with the adjoining countries Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Zimbabwe and Angola directly involved as main actors. The report, submitted to the UN security-council states that the war in Congo meanwhile has become a lucrative business for all parties involved. It also silently implies that this is why the war's still going on - and no one is actually interested in a peaceful solution.
“The main reason for this war in Congo is to gain access, control and profit from trade with five minerals: coltane, diamonds, copper, cobalt and gold."
Conflict-parties and activists
Those parties and activists involved in the conflict can be found on a local, regional and global level. On one side there are the allies of Congo's government, Angola, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia. On the other side are the occupiers Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi. They are allied to the Congo's rebel groups: RCD (Congo's congregation for democracy), ruling the eastern part of Congo and MLC (Congo's liberation movement) together with Congo's congregation for democracy – liberation movement (RCD-ML), controlling the northern part. These rebel-groups, mostly founded and supported by Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi, now exploit the country by smuggling mineral resources.
Furthermore involved in the conflict is the Central African Republic under president Ange-Félix Patassé, since this country provides an important line of supply for the rebels in Congo's northern part. To keep internal politics under control Patassé maintains alliances with several rebel-groups. Regional activists in trying to mediate in the conflict are Botswana, the South African Republic, Mozambik and Tanzania.
Furthermore involved in the conflict is the Central African Republic under president Ange-Félix Patassé, since this country provides an important line of supply for the rebels in Congo's northern part. To keep internal politics under control Patassé maintains alliances with several rebel-groups. Regional activists in trying to mediate in the conflict are Botswana, the South African Republic, Mozambik and Tanzania. The most important ally is Zimbabwe, who's government is dependent on 12,000 soldiers sent by Zimbabwe’s president Mugabe to help his friend Kabila. Ever since, Zimbabwe’s army has been present as a military and economical. In Angola a civil war is raging, it's the longest continuous conflict in Africa and one of the bloodiest. More than half a million people have died, more than three million became refugees. UNITA-rebels control Angola's diamond mines, with diamond trading they manage to maintain a guerilla-army of originally 87,000. While UNITA has financed the war by exploiting diamond mines, the government profits from tremendous oil-sources offshore from Angola. Both sides are not anymore fighting for ideological reasons, but merely over the immense richness of the country. For Rwanda the only official reason to be involved in this war is the fact that Hutu-militia, being responsible for genocide in 1994, are hiding in the eastern part of Congo. The Tutsi-dominated government claims to simply care about their own security and they therefore support rebels hostile towards the government with their own army. Withdrawal of Rwanda’s troops can according to Paul Kagame only happen under one condition: He asks for protection from Hutu-militia. Uganda, too, is almost exclusively economically interested in Congo. President Yoweri Museveni has announced numerous times the withdrawal of his troops from Congo. Wherever Uganda's army controls areas in Congo, they openly patronize gold and diamond traders, organize the import of consumptional goods from Uganda and export Congo's natural resources. For more than seven years Burundi has been the scene of a civil war between the minority of Tutsi who control the army and government, and the majority of the Hutu population.
Another important part are non-national parties like large-scale enterprises. In Kivu, the Somigl (Société minière des Grands Lacs = Mining society of the Great Lakes) has a monopoly on producing Coltane. The worlds leading producer of tantal-powder is Germany's company H.-C. Starck, a subsidiary company of Bayer. Local NGO´s can also be of great importance in mediating the conflict and accompanying the peace-process. Asadho (African association to defend human rights) is the most important organisation fighting for human rights in Congo.
The peace treaty
The wording of the peace treaty from July 10th 1999 provides, that after establishing cease-fire the so-called "negative forces" are being disarmed. As next step to start an inner-Congolesian dialog bringing new constitutional order to the country and last the withdrawal of all foreign troops. Angola and Namibia supporting Kinshasa's regime. Laurent-Désiré Kabila was practically forced to sign the agreement since Rwanda’s army threatened to conquer Mbuji-Mayi, capitol city of the Kasai district, which with its numerous diamond-mines, is therefore the most important economical resource of the country. From then on, Kabila tried by all means to undermine the agreement as it was such a disadvantage to him. On January 16th 2001 Laurent-Désiré Kabila was shot in Kinshasa by a member of his body-guard.
A new plan for peace and concessions to the economic nations – a new start following old patterns?
The retreat of the foreign troops is only happening at very little steps. Regardless of their approval and upon several requests, the MLC has not followed this so far. Nevertheless all involved parties know: Foreign troops in Congo will not completely withdraw without the certainty of knowing that they've secured their own (security-)political and economical interests in Congo.
Joseph Kabila, successor of the decreased president declared his willingness to make concessions in all controversial points immediately after his nomination on January 17th 2001. He owes to his political-economic moves the fact he got invitations to discussions in Washington, Paris and Brussels. Joseph Kabila dared a new start and opened the country for the free-market economy, but demands 20,000 UNO soldiers for the implementation of the peace plan. So far just 1,300 UNO are in the country in order to protect a few hundred observers. The European Union has announced on May 7th of this year the resumption of their co-operation in development with Congo.
Also the sanction, which the UN report suggest, are questionable. Congo's government and their supporters Angola, Zimbabwe and Namibia remain unmolested and turn exclusively against Congo rebels and their supporters Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi. Those parts of the country being controlled by rebels are not supposed to achieve any help from the EU. Congo's civilians are still outside of the discussion, but however still between the lines of fire.
A postscript: Investigation report on "illegal plundering of natural resources in the Democratic Republic of Congo" (DRC) as of April 16th 2001
"The conflicts in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) mainly revolve around access, control and trading with five mineral resources: Coltane, diamonds, copper, cobalt and gold." "Plundering natural resources from DRC by foreign troops has become systematic and systemic"
“This is the vicious circle of the war. Coltane enables the continuous presence of Rwanda’s army in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The army gives shelter to individuals and businesses exploiting the mineral, sharing the money they earn with the army in return."
The report mostly talks about eastern Congo. Whereby Rwanda primarily deals with Coltane to finance their army and the war. Rwanda’s army works in symbiosis with war-opponents Ruwandian Hutu-militia and Congolese Mayi-Mayi-militia to transport Coltane. Hereby the report talks about Sabena Cargo and a daughter of the French company Bolloré who are the most important foreign companies involved. The report is more reserved on activities of Kabila's government in which Angola, Zimbabwe and Namibia have a share.
The report's conclusions are very partial and affect solely Congo's rebels and their supporters. Symptoms are being dealt with, but conclusions for the complex socio-economical and political causes of regional instability are drawn insufficiently.
Conference “Demands for a peaceful and sustainable development in Africa”
The latter half of the year was dedicated to the preparation of our conference “Demands for a peaceful and sustainable development in Africa” as a contribution to the preparation of the world summit in Johannesburg.
The seminar will be held on March 01st and 02nd 2002 at the Protestant Academy in Mülheim. Focuses of this seminar are the demands for a sustainable and peaceful development in Africa - a continent that is regarded by many as a lost one.
Beginning with an analysis of the political, social and economical situation in Africa, we will also deal with the issues of conflict management, for peace is an unalterable part and an assumption for sustainable development. Therefore the topics like civil wars or warlike disputes - first of all in the region around the great lakes need to be discussed. We would also like to put emphasis on the European and German Africa-policies and initiatives by German NGOs concerning worldwide sustainability. This kind of a seminar can only come up with initial stages of analyses and may present proposals for a deeper discussion. This is the reason why we suggest to offer a meeting for everyone who is interested in a continuing network. The seminar is addressed to everyone who is interested in the present and future situation of Africa, to NGO’s working on this subject, scientists and Africa related institutions working in the field of sustainability. This is supposed to go far beyond the previous economical discussion about debt releases etc. An interdisciplinary work is hereby a basic need.
African Student’s Conference
On September 14th 2001 we participated in the African Student’s Conference in the Hague which was organised by the Hague Appeal for Peace and the African Committee. Throughout this conference it was possible to enlarge our network project. We were also able to invite the Dutch Foreign Minister Roel van der Veen as speaker to our Africa Conference “Demands for a peaceful and sustainable development in Africa” in Mülheim in 2002.
African Centre Dortmund
On 17th November 2001 we participated in the first meeting to set up an African Centre in Dortmund. The structure, location and thematically relevant topics for the development were discussed. In our Cooperation with Caritas and Mr. Cisse Herrenkind we continued working on the construction of the African centre, as a forum for Africans and Africa interested people, a centre to the networking of Africa oriented activities, a venue for meetings of Africans and Germen, a place for advice and support and a venue for culture, socio-politics and economics.
Homepage
We are considering to set up a homepage to present the results of our work and to build up a focal point for all members and non members who are interested in this Project. Unfortunately, we were so far no table to realise this due to the lack of financial resources.
Further Contact:
INES
Nicola Hellmich Phone: 0049 (0)30-44 01 04 98
Gutenbergstr. 31 Fax: 0049 (0)30-44 01 04 97
D-44139 Dortmund Mail: [MAIL HellmichINESwebde[/MAIL]