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The African Union has 54 member states — all of them are located on the African
continent. But as early as January, that could change.
Haiti might be en
route to becoming the first country to join the African Union that isn’t
actually African. Or is it?
Mian Georges, of Benin, is among the
thousands of United Nations personnel from Europe, the Americas, Asia and
Africa, who’ve participated in missions in Haiti in recent decades. But Georges
says for Africans, the connection to Haiti is unique.
“We are practically
connected by umbilical cord to Haiti,” he said. “Our histories are common. Our
cultures too. When I came to Haiti, it was basically the same food. I feel like
I’m back home in Africa.”
And Georges’ country, Benin, has a special link
with Haiti. It was a Beninois, Toussaint Louverture, who led Haiti’s successful
rebellion against the French at the end of the 18th century. That established
Haiti as a symbol of black independence.
So to many Africans and
Haitians, the idea of Haiti becoming a member of the African Union seems
natural.
Last July, at an African Union summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia,
Haiti’s communication minister Ady Jean-Gardy moved to make it
official.
“We’re already in the Organization of American States,” he
said. “We have a representative at the European Union, and we think we should be
in the African Union.”
Jean-Gardy said an AU membership could lead to
economic exchanges geared toward development, and inclusion in African trading
blocs.
The AU postponed a decision on Haiti’s inclusion in the union
until January 2013. But Africa appears poised to let Haiti into the
fold.
Babacar M’Bow, from Senegal, is a cultural consultant with a focus
on Haiti. And he’s been pushing for Haiti to be let into the AU.
“Our
parents were advocates for Haiti,” he said, “so we inherited this
charge.”
To many Africans, there is a sense of indebtedness to Haiti
because Haiti has been an advocate for Africa. When Haiti was the only black
member of the United Nations, it pushed for the liberation of Africa from
colonial rule.
Haiti also enjoys a level of prestige in African countries
that it doesn’t have closer to home.
M’Bow says he grew up in Senegal
surrounded by Haitian professors and artists. And the Democratic Republic of
Congo has welcomed waves of Haitian professionals.
Jean-Junior Joseph
served as communications chief for Haiti’s prime minister a few years ago. Then
he went to Congo to work in a similar position.
“The prime minister spoke
to me on different occasions, and said, ‘what can we do for you?’ They always
think we belong to them. They think, ‘well they shipped you over there. Now come
back to us,’” he said.
After the 2010 earthquake, the Democratic Republic
of Congo, dependent on foreign aid itself, pledged to donate $2.5 million to
Haiti. And Senegal’s president flew 150 Haitian students to Dakar to attend
college there, for free.
Small-scale exchanges have also been
happening.
Earlier this year, Port-au-Prince resident Baudeler Magloire
flew to Benin on a National Geographic travel grant to share his expertise in
composting toilets with organizations there. And he was struck by how connected
people there seemed to feel to his country.
“When I said I was Haitian,
they said, ‘Yeah, Haitians are our brothers.’ Most people know the history of
Haiti, they learn it in school, and there are people who worked in Haiti,’” he
said.
And while many here in Haiti believe their country is essentially
African, their understanding of what Africa is is more complicated. To some, it
is where they go after they die. Others think it is a single country. And it
gets worse in some circles, according to M’Bow, who visits Haiti
often.
“Most Haitians are ignorant of Africa,” he said. “If you want to
insult somebody, you will call him an African, ‘Look at an African!’ It is a
derogatory term, and it highlights that ignorance. So there is work to be
done.”
M’Bow says there’s also work to be done if Haiti wants to joint
the AU.
“If Haiti is a member of the African Union,” he said, “all bets
are off. Haiti is subject to analysis and criticism as any other member state of
the union.”
In other words, the Haiti-Africa relationship would have to
develop beyond symbolism and shared history
http://www.pri.org/stories/world/africa
... 11789.html
continent. But as early as January, that could change.
Haiti might be en
route to becoming the first country to join the African Union that isn’t
actually African. Or is it?
Mian Georges, of Benin, is among the
thousands of United Nations personnel from Europe, the Americas, Asia and
Africa, who’ve participated in missions in Haiti in recent decades. But Georges
says for Africans, the connection to Haiti is unique.
“We are practically
connected by umbilical cord to Haiti,” he said. “Our histories are common. Our
cultures too. When I came to Haiti, it was basically the same food. I feel like
I’m back home in Africa.”
And Georges’ country, Benin, has a special link
with Haiti. It was a Beninois, Toussaint Louverture, who led Haiti’s successful
rebellion against the French at the end of the 18th century. That established
Haiti as a symbol of black independence.
So to many Africans and
Haitians, the idea of Haiti becoming a member of the African Union seems
natural.
Last July, at an African Union summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia,
Haiti’s communication minister Ady Jean-Gardy moved to make it
official.
“We’re already in the Organization of American States,” he
said. “We have a representative at the European Union, and we think we should be
in the African Union.”
Jean-Gardy said an AU membership could lead to
economic exchanges geared toward development, and inclusion in African trading
blocs.
The AU postponed a decision on Haiti’s inclusion in the union
until January 2013. But Africa appears poised to let Haiti into the
fold.
Babacar M’Bow, from Senegal, is a cultural consultant with a focus
on Haiti. And he’s been pushing for Haiti to be let into the AU.
“Our
parents were advocates for Haiti,” he said, “so we inherited this
charge.”
To many Africans, there is a sense of indebtedness to Haiti
because Haiti has been an advocate for Africa. When Haiti was the only black
member of the United Nations, it pushed for the liberation of Africa from
colonial rule.
Haiti also enjoys a level of prestige in African countries
that it doesn’t have closer to home.
M’Bow says he grew up in Senegal
surrounded by Haitian professors and artists. And the Democratic Republic of
Congo has welcomed waves of Haitian professionals.
Jean-Junior Joseph
served as communications chief for Haiti’s prime minister a few years ago. Then
he went to Congo to work in a similar position.
“The prime minister spoke
to me on different occasions, and said, ‘what can we do for you?’ They always
think we belong to them. They think, ‘well they shipped you over there. Now come
back to us,’” he said.
After the 2010 earthquake, the Democratic Republic
of Congo, dependent on foreign aid itself, pledged to donate $2.5 million to
Haiti. And Senegal’s president flew 150 Haitian students to Dakar to attend
college there, for free.
Small-scale exchanges have also been
happening.
Earlier this year, Port-au-Prince resident Baudeler Magloire
flew to Benin on a National Geographic travel grant to share his expertise in
composting toilets with organizations there. And he was struck by how connected
people there seemed to feel to his country.
“When I said I was Haitian,
they said, ‘Yeah, Haitians are our brothers.’ Most people know the history of
Haiti, they learn it in school, and there are people who worked in Haiti,’” he
said.
And while many here in Haiti believe their country is essentially
African, their understanding of what Africa is is more complicated. To some, it
is where they go after they die. Others think it is a single country. And it
gets worse in some circles, according to M’Bow, who visits Haiti
often.
“Most Haitians are ignorant of Africa,” he said. “If you want to
insult somebody, you will call him an African, ‘Look at an African!’ It is a
derogatory term, and it highlights that ignorance. So there is work to be
done.”
M’Bow says there’s also work to be done if Haiti wants to joint
the AU.
“If Haiti is a member of the African Union,” he said, “all bets
are off. Haiti is subject to analysis and criticism as any other member state of
the union.”
In other words, the Haiti-Africa relationship would have to
develop beyond symbolism and shared history
http://www.pri.org/stories/world/africa
... 11789.html
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