very few countries in Africa with that distinction. For the purposes of this instalment, I will deal with Libya as a member of the African Union and the ramifications of AU failing to ensure lasting stability in the aftermath of the tragedy that came with the brutal death of one of the most committed AU leaders.
Call him eccentric, power hungry or a dictator, whichever you like, Muammar Gaddafi did not deserve to die the way he did and none of the current African leaders deserves the same. Instead it is Barack Obama, Nicholas Sarkozy and their allies who deserve not only International Court of Justice indictment but death penalty. Africa is interested in the speedy stabilisation of the situation in Libya based on just resolution of the existing internal problems and all key political forces being awarded equal opportunity in running the country. At the same time, Libya is expected to resume active work in AU but African leaders are being careful and sending a message to Europe and America that they might have used war to remove Gaddafi but that Africa will do things on its own pace.
Africa knows that the Abdurrahim El-Keib administration will be confirmed only when Libya starts fulfilling its international obligations made before the conflict, as stated by UN resolution adopted on September 16 2011. The very different approach toward the Libyan invasion by the three groupings is significant and revealing. The Arab League, which started the ball rolling on intervention in Libya back in February when it suspended its membership and then called for a no-fly zone over the country, has now lifted the suspension and turned over the seat to the opposition Transitional National Council.
In effect, it has done what a number of individual Arab states have already done — recognised the TNC as the legitimate Libyan government. The Arab League has also asked the UN Security Council to hand over the UN seat to the TNC as well as pass a new motion unblocking Libyan assets worldwide.
The Mediterranean countries long accepted the NTC before the war was even over, using their control of the seas to give access to Gaddafi. This contrasts with the very different approach by the African Union which at a mini-summit on Friday in Addis Ababa refused to recognise the TNC.
Instead it called for an “ all-inclusive government” in Libya to include pro-Gaddafi ministers. That does not say much for the AU’s understanding of what is happening in Libya, let alone its commitment to democracy and freedom. The AU decision was engineered by many leaders including, President Jacob Zuma who chaired the Addis meeting. He said afterward that the TNC could not be recognised while there was still fighting in Libya.
That sounds like a very convenient excuse from someone who since the Libyan uprising began has consistently supported Gaddafi, he calls him “Brother Leader.” It is an argument that the almost 70 countries which have recognised the TNC obviously reject, at least 20 of them African. Africa is thus clearly split over Libya. Being spilt over Libya does not damage Africa but it damages the AU. Europe has tried to rubbish it a directionless over events there and irrelevant to the policies of so many of its members.
This means Europe sees AU as nonsense.
The fact that AU had its own special link with Gaddafi is also seen as damaging — it was his idea in the first place (he dreamed of it as a precursor to a United States of Africa which he would lead), it was in his hometown of Sirte in 2002 that its predecessor, the Organisation of Africa Unity, decided to create it, and it elected him chairman two years ago.
Another contention with Arab world is that after Gaddafi pulled Libya out of the Arab Leagues in 2002 saying that Libya’s future was in Africa, it became the stage on which he strutted, diverting so much of Libya’s wealth to ensuring a receptive audience.
They say when he was not meddling in other African countries’ internal affairs, backing various political movements with arms and money, he was investing in grandiose projects in order to acquire influence.
Europe thinks post-Gaddafi Libya will not follow suit. It is not going to be particularly interested in the AU after Addis Abbaba’s rebuff nor is it going to be very sympathetic to South Africa or countries that have followed the Zuma line. That is clear.
It will be their loss, not Libya’s. But it explains why, unlike across the Arab world where there has been joy at events in Libya, there is a more negative attitude in much of sub-Saharan Africa. Is it because the people know the Libyan-funded gravy train is not coming their way anymore? — DayAfrica.com.

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