Africa And The Winds Of Globalisation

Vanguard (Nigeria) - AAGM
February 23, 2007
By Okechukwu Emeh

Email this page

IT is evident that Africa is lagging behind in the evolving Marshal McLuhan's vision of "Global Village", as marked by globalisation and global economy which capture aspects of the contemporary zeitgeist. According to Robert Cox in "Structural Issues of Global Governance: Implications for Europe" (in a book edited by Richard Falk and Tamas Szentes, titled New Europe in the Challenging Global System, 1997, p. 56), the two principal aspects of globalisation, which together constitute a global economy, are global organisation of production and global finance. With regard to globalisation, Awake (in "Globalisation: Curse or Cure", May 22, 2002, p.3) says it is "the term some use to describe the growing worldwide interdependence of people and countries".

According to the magazine, the process has accelerated dramatically in the past decade or so, largely because of huge advances in technology, including satellite television, internet, telephone and microchips. Emeka Abone in "Challenges and Opportunities of Globalisation (in Vanguard of June 13, 2002) mentions international trade, finance and investment liberalisation as the basis of the main aspects of globalisation, and information technology, economic liberalisation and democracy as the driving forces of the global village. Thus, he sees this multi-dimensional process (i.e globalisation) as "the process of creating the economic environment that would promote the emergence and growth of a global economy where national boundaries would no longer restrain the flow of commerce and industry. In a similar vein, declining barriers to trade, the creation of a control, have been a driving force behind globalisation (see OECD's publication titled: "The World in 2020 - Towards A New Age", 1997, p. 29).

For Donald J. Johnson, former Secretary - General of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), with regard to globalisation and globalised economy and the attendant growing inter-dependence of nations: "We stand on the threshold of a new global age, where all societies have the potentials of participating actively in the world trade and investment could flow to all people, where the misery and poverty of much of the developing world could become a closed chapter of sad history, no longer a reality of present" (OECD, 1997 p. 7).

Despite the fact that the processes of globalisation and global economy are powerful and dynamic forces for growth and development, it is lamentable that Africa is marginalised in these post - modernist, changing world phenomena - which are seen in some quarters as new agenda in international politics, with the subterranean motive - force of maintaining the status quo, which are not in Third World's interest. This is reflected in the "peripherisation" of the continent in the global economy, widening gap between rich and poor countries, poor capital formation, lack of access to Western markets, jigsaw in trade liberalisation, digital divide in terms of information and communications technologies (ICTs) between the developed world and developing countries, persistent unemployment/job losses, unjust policies of Western - dominated international financial institutions like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), low foreign direct investments, mounting debts and neo-colonialistic, exploitative tendencies of multi-national corporations (MNCs) that place emphasis on profit maximisation than development of host countries and safeguarding of the ecosystems.

Expectedly, those problems and others have occasioned rivalry and tension between the forces of globalisation, especially from Western globalists or "one - worlders" and those of localism / regionalism, who are mainly from the developing world. Concerning such unfolding fiery rivalry and the resultant backlash, Awake (May 22, 2002, p.3) observes: "Since 1999, anti-globalisation demonstrations have escalated in size and intensity. In some cases, world leaders now endeavour to hold their summits in isolated areas where protesters will be hard - pressed to disrupt the proceedings". No doubt, these developments could be seen from spates of violent demonstrations and protests by globophobic activists against globalisation, World Bank, IMF and the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in cities like Seattle (December 1999), Davos (February 2000), Melbourne (September 2000), Nice (December 2000), Davos - Zurich (January 2001), Quebec City (April 2001), Barcelona (June 2001), Gothenburg (June 2001) and Cancun (September 2003). Indeed, protests against globalisation and its symbols have gone from bad to worse.

In the light of the indications that Africa is relegated in the vital aspects of global marketplace and globalisation, developed countries, especially the United States, Britain, France, Canada, Japan, Russia, Germany and Italy, should build a new global partnership, which would allow all nations and peoples to benefit from globalisation. Kofi Annan, United Nations (UN) Secretary- General, had this in mind when he asserted that: "If globalisation is to succeed, it must succeed for poor and rich alike. It must deliver rights no less than riches. It must provide social justice and enhanced communication "(Awake, May 22, 2002, p. II). Essentially, this will require bridging the digital / knowledge gap between the developed world and developing countries, reform of the Bretton Woods Institutions (the World Bank, IMF and WTO), MNCs that are more concerned with sustainable development in Africa than only in making profits, increase in development aid and concession of technology transfer.

Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media. (allafrica.com)

NOTICE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for research and educational purposes.

Subscribe via RSS

Global Food Challenge
IATP explains the policies that have caused the food crisis and the solutions we need.

Green Chemistry
The Green Chemistry revolution is making safer products and protecting human health and the environment.

Local Foods
IATP analyzes the key policy and marketplace issues driving local food systems.

NAFTA
NAFTA leaves a huge footprint on the U.S. and the world. As Washington gears up for the debate, IATP analyzes what's at stake.

Water
From ethanol to privatization, water is a hot issue in trade and agriculture worldwide. Trade Observatory has document and headline collections dedicated to water issues.

Keep up-to-date on the latest trade issues at Think Forward.