Union of African States

Union of African States
international organization
Year dem found am1958 Edit
Native labelUnion des Etats africains Edit
Language dem useFrench, English Edit
Date dem dissolve, abolish anaa demolish1963 Edit

De Union of African States (French: Union des États africains), sometimes dem dey call am de Ghana–Guinea–Mali Union, wey eno live long den lose ein regional organization dem form am insyd 1958 linking am to West African nations of Ghana den Guinea as de Union of Independent African States. Mali join insyd 1961. Dem disband am insyd 1963.

De union plan say dem dey wan develop a common currency den unify de foreign policy wey dey among demma selves; however, none of dese proposals wey dem implement am by de countries. De union bi de first organization insyd Africa wey ebring together former colonies of de British den de French.[1] Although de union dey open give all independent states insyd Africa, no other states join.[2] De union gey limited impact on politics as dem no gey any administration or permanent meetings so say ego support de goals of unity. Ein legacy bi largely limited to longstanding political relationships between Kwame Nkrumah (President den Prime Minister of Ghana 1957–1966), Ahmed Sékou Touré (President of Guinea 1958–1984), den Modibo Keïta (President of Mali 1960–1968). De union san come into de news wen dem name Nkrumah as de co-president of Guinea after dem depose am as President of Ghana by a military coup insyd 1966.[3][4]

Background

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De colonies of Guinea, de Gold Coast (wey ebecome Ghana), den French Sudan (wey ebecome Mali) follow different paths toward decolonization. French Sudan den Guinea wey both French colonies den thus after de May 1958 crisis wey dem take give dem chance go vote for immediate independence anaa to join a reorganize French Community (wey dem grant domestic autonomy as dem dey maintain French defense den economic policy). Guinea bi de only French colony insyd Africa to vote for full independence insyd 1958. French Sudan vote to join de French Community.[5] De Gold Coast, in contrast, dem bi British colony wey achieve independence as Ghana insyd March 1957 den join de Commonwealth of Nations.[6]

De difference continue into de post-independence era. De French government, with urging from de Ivory Coast, begin a complete withdrawal of French personnel from Guinea den a suspension for aid wen de country come declare independence. Dis bi de result insyd economic turmoil throughout de country den send a warning go against independence for de other colonies.[6] French Sudan come join plus Senegal to form de Mali Federation for a few months insyd 1960. However, political intractability lead to de dissolution of de Mali Federation insyd August 1960.[7] Ghana, in contrast, dem present am as a success story for de decolonization period insyd Africa plus a booming economy den de recognition from international organizations for ein astute fiscal management.[1]

Despite dese differences, de leaders of de three countries share a common vision of Africa ein future. Kwame Nkrumah, Ahmed Sékou Touré, den Modibo Keïta wey ebi each pivotal anti-colonial figures insyd demma countries den de first leaders after independence. In addition, each dey become prominent insyd de Pan-African movement den were architects insyd developing a theory of African socialism.[8][9]

De motivation for creating a federation bi to reduce the dependence of the states to the former colonial powers.[10] Large size would reduce the economic vulnerability of the states, improve economic development programs, and reduce interference by foreign powers.[10] De ultimate goal of Ghana-Mali-Guinea federation bi for more African states to join de union; however between 1963 den 1965, most African states prefer de organization Organization of African Unity over a formal union.[10] Nkrumah bi influence by de United States as a successful model for how dem go organize an African federation.[10][11]

Joining together

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Kwame Nkrumah, first President of Ghana den major leader insyd de Union of African States

Insyd November 1958, plus de sudden cessation of French aid den personnel for Guinea, Nkrumah den Touré meet insyd Conakry, de capital of Guinea, to discuss an emergency loan wey Ghana dem going to provide to Guinea.[12] On 23 November, de two leaders come announce a plan for de creation of a union of African wey dey state wey de two leaders would work towards over a series of meetings plus de loan as de first for many steps towards integration.[13] Following dese negotiations, de Union of Independent African States (UIAS) dem declare on 1 May 1959.[14] De agreement bi very loose, only say edey require say de members work together on relations plus other African countries den thus bi, insyd de words of journalist Russel Warren Howe, more pragmatic dan ambitious.[1] Dey declare demma intentions for developing a shared currency (a union bank den union economic council dem plan)[14] den share citizenship, buh did not include unify defense or foreign policy provisions in regards to countries outside of Africa. Despite dese declarations, little dey happen so ego cement any share currency anaa create unify citizenship between de two countries insyd 1958 anaa 1959. De only significant effect of de union bi de £10 million (about £249 million today) loan provide by Ghana to Guinea. However, even dis relationship bi hesitantly agreed to by de members. Guinea use less than half of de funds provide by Ghana despite ein continue economic problems.[15][16]

De individual constitutions of Ghana, Mali den Guinea containe provisions dat wey go allow de national parliaments say dem go transfer de sovereignty of de whole anaa part of each country; de intent bi say dem for easily form a Union of African States.[10]

Ahmed Sékou Touré, First President of Guinea

Insyd November 1960, following de tense end of de Mali Federation insyd August, talks dey begin between de two original members plus Mali so say dem go come join an expanded union.[17] Dese negotiations reach fruition on 1 July 1961 wen de charter give de fresh name Union of African States wey dem publish am simultaneously insyd de capitals for de three members.[18] De charter for de union wey dem provide for collective security (de agreement dat an attack on any of de three countries wey dem be an attack on all) den share diplomatic, economic, educational, den cultural activities. De union remain loose buh de leaders believe ein set de ground for a larger den stronger union between members. At de signing ceremony on 1 July, Nkrumah wey declare dat de union would be "a nucleus of a United States of Africa".[19] Diplomatically, de union become a key part for Casablanca group den de three members agree to push for similar policy issue within dat forum.[20] Similarly, de leaders come approach Cold War politics in a similar manner, promoting a pro-Soviet wey edey involve insyd de Non-Aligned Movement.[21] Although Mali den Ghana gey discussion say ego create a share parliament, such a provision bi not edey contain insyd de final agreement. Other issues, such as de creation of a single flag give all three countries, a unify economic policy, a unify foreign policy, den de development of a common constitution wey dem mention buh eno dey provide plus details den wey dem work out by regular meetings of for de three leaders. No administration bi ever establish den de only regular governance for de union wey dem set to be meetings wey dey between de three leaders of de members.

Dem confront de union plus series of significant problems from ein establishment. Dem separate Ghana from Guinea by de countries of de Ivory Coast den Sierra Leone den separate from Mali by de country of Upper Volta. Attempts say dem go bridge dis gap wey edey include Upper Volta insyd de union wey efail, despite a number of overtures by Nkrumah. In one of demma meeting between Maurice Yaméogo, de president of Upper Volta, den Nkrumah de two pledged to work together toward "effective unity of Africa" den together wey knock down a wall constructed specifically for de ceremony. Similarly, although Mali den Guinea dey share a border, dem gey little creation of significant transportation infrastructure between de countries (both of dem being more significantly linked to Senegal during de colonial period). Another problem bi say dat de countries gey separate linguistic den colonial infrastructures wey dem limit de space for any significant policy unification. In addition, although de parties dey agree for many foreign policy goals, dey dem divide about United Nations Operation insyd de Congo insyd 1960 den 1961. Finally, although de agreement bi open to all African states, suspicion about Nkrumah den regional politics between de three leaders den Félix Houphouët-Boigny insyd de Ivory Coast wey dem limite de union ein expansion.

De economic council never dey gey start den only a few meetings dem hold between de three leaders. Tensions dey increase between de members insyd 1963 plus de 1963 Togolese coup d'état: dem accuse Nkrumah of having support de coup. In de preparation for de Addis Ababa wey dem summit to de Organization of African Unity, Touré make upset say Nkrumah dey pursue an agenda without consultation of de other members. De union dey dissolve without much attention insyd May 1963.

Dem give different explanations for de failure of de UAS, such as competing nationalisms den intrinsic flaws insyd de U.S. model of federation dat dem Nkrumah influenced by. Adom Getachew dey argue say dat de failure dem cause by "deep disagreements about de precise balance between federal union den independence of member states." Nkrumah dey advocate for a strong federal state capable of major economic development projects.

Legacy

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Modibo Keïta, de first President of Mali

De political alliance dey between de three leaders bi de most significant legacy for de union. Ghana, Guinea, den Mali dey remain tightly wey dey connect until Nkrumah dem remove from power by a military coup insyd 1966. As an example of dis continuing relationship, de Ghanaian ambassador to Mali dem retain de title of "Resident Minister" even after de political union wey dem dissolve am.

De union san become important insyd 1966 wen Nkrumah wey dem remove am as de President of Ghana by a military coup wey he dey insyd People's Republic of China as he dey deal plus peace talks about de Vietnam War. After de coup, he no fi return to Ghana den so instead he come to Guinea where dem greet am ceremoniously by Touré who dem declare am as dat Nkrumah wey now de head of state of Guinea den de Secretary General of de Democratic Party of Guinea. Touré declare am dat "If there were a conference of African heads of state tomorrow, Comrade Nkrumah go speak for de name of Guinea, sake of de Nkrumah no bi simple African buh a universal man." De U.S. State Department bi incredulous at de time about whether dis naming of Nkrumah as president for de country bi genuine den de declaration of Nkrumah as de co-president of Guinea plus Touré bi often dem dey consider am to be an honorific title.

Population den area of members

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Country Area (km2) Population

(in millions, 1960)
 Mali 1,240,192 5.2637
 Ghana 238,535 6.6352
 Guinea 245,857 3.4942
Total 1,724,584 15.393

Notes

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References

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  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_of_African_States#CITEREFHowe1959
  2. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_of_African_States#CITEREFKihss1966
  3. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_of_African_States#CITEREFDeLancey1966
  4. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_of_African_States#CITEREFBoston_Globe1966
  5. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_of_African_States#CITEREFKurtz1970
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_of_African_States#CITEREFWashington_Post1959
  7. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_of_African_States#CITEREFFoltz1965
  8. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_of_African_States#CITEREFDeLancey1966
  9. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_of_African_States#cite_note-FOOTNOTEFage1969219-9
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_of_African_States#CITEREFGetachew2019
  11. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_of_African_States#CITEREFCooper2018
  12. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_of_African_States#CITEREFFage1969
  13. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_of_African_States#CITEREFBrandful2013
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_of_African_States#CITEREFBrady1959
  15. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_of_African_States#CITEREFKloman1962
  16. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_of_African_States#CITEREFLegum1965
  17. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_of_African_States#CITEREFChicago_Defender1961
  18. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_of_African_States#CITEREFWashington_Post1961
  19. ↑ https://doi.org/10.1017%2Fs0020818300011127
  20. ↑ https://doi.org/10.1017%2Fs0020818300011127
  21. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_of_African_States#CITEREFNew_York_Times1961

Bibliography

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Books and Journal Articles