NEW AFRICAN UNION PLEA

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30498, 21 July 1964, Page 13

NEW AFRICAN UNION PLEA

(S.Z.P.A.-Reuter —Copyright) CAIRO. July 19. President Nkrumah, of Ghana, today reiterated his plea for a United States of Africa, telling delegates to the African summit conference in Cairo that “Only a union government can guarantee Africa’s survival.” The only difference between African states on the issue was on the urgency, not the necessity, of such a union, he said. He was “more convinced” than he had been at the Addis Ababa meeting of May, 1963, of the necessity of immediate union. The organisation for African Unity (0.A.U.) established at Addis Ababa had declared its aims against colonialism and other issues but this had not deterred the South African Government, where apartheid had reached new heights, nor the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation for sending arms to Portugal. ’On Paper' Dr. Nkrumah said imperialists regarded the O.A.U. charter as only something on paper, but they would not have defied a union government such as he had suggested. Border disputes between African States would not exist if there were union. He explained that he was not suggesting a relinquishing of sovereignty by the States. He proposed a union government with a president, an executive council of ministers led by a prime minister, a senate and a house of representatives.

President Nkrumah’s speech was followed by Mr Albert Margai, Prime Minister of Sierra Leone, who proposed

that border disputes could be avoided by observing those obtaining at independence. Bilateral agreements defining these borders should then be deposited with the O.A.U. Secretariat. He said that “it was a matter of great regret” certain members were still trading with South Africa, and appealed to the O.A.U. to persuade world powers to end their trade with the republic. On Southern Rhodesia, he said Britain should release all political prisoners there and arrive at majority rule by one man, one vote. There was no doubt the ultimate African aim was to attain unity in the social, economic and political fields, but his delegation wondered when this would be feasible. Mr Sourou Migan Apithy, President of Dahomey, said the O.A.U. was an expression of African solidarity which

had surprised the world and would in time lead to continental union, which would require “superhuman efforts.” Dr. Milton Obote, Prime Minister of Uganda, said all must “work for the unity of Africa” and claimed Angola was a challenge to United African action. He expressed the hope that the Congo, absent from the conference, would find a way of setting up a truly African government.

President Ben Bella, of Algeria, said those who opposed African unity had gathered and were working against it. Algeria had broken off relations with South Africa and Portugal, and the latter was “now training people to fight against us.” On the question of a union government for Africa, he emphasised there could be no big ideas without audacity.

“We have no right to reject a study of this idea, even if it involves difficulties,” he said. A union government for Africa was the ultimate goal.

He described Israel as an instrument “par-excellence” of neo-colonialism in Africa and claimed the policy of racial discrimination was being enforced in Israel against Arabs. He said 75 per. cent of Israel’s trade was with South Africa.