I have always been fascinated by maps. The first map is said to have been invented by Academic Anaximander. He reportedly believed that the earth was shaped like a cylinder and that humans lived on the flat, top portion of it. His work was completed by Gerardus Mercator’s, whose map is widely used in classrooms or in an atlas. The topic is not whether his understanding of geography was complete or not. We should appreciate his enthusiasm. The Agenda 2063 can also be described as the road map for the continents inclusive and sustainable socio-economic development, while Pan-Africanism and African Renaissance are the principles that would define and influence how the continent will achieve this. Pan-Africanism is the belief that Africans are one people with common interests who should be brought together. It has frequently taken the form of a political or cultural movement in the past, whereas the African Renaissance, according to Thabo Mbeki, former president of South Africa (1999-2008), is a rediscovery of what Africa once was: a people free in mind and soul, capable of original thought, confident to live and embrace life holistically, united with itself, nature, and God. Pan Africanism is recognised to have guided Africans in their struggles against slavery, colonialism, apartheid, and racial discrimination, and arguably led the founders of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU)s to self-determination, integration, solidarity, and unity. Agenda 2063 is the continents strategic framework for achieving inclusive and sustainable development. It is the contextualised idea of the pan-African desire for unity, self-determination, independence, progress, and commonwealth. The African Unions Heads of State and Government signed the seven ambitions of painted Africa at the 24th Ordinary Session of the Unions Assembly in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in 2015. (1) A prosperous Africa based on inclusive growth and sustainable development, (2) an integrated continent, politically united based on the ideals of Pan Africanism and the vision of Africa’s Renaissance, (3) Africa of good governance, democracy, respect for human rights, justice and the rule of law, (4) a peaceful and secure Africa, (5) with a strong cultural identity, common heritage, values, and ethics, (6) whose development is people-driven, relying on the potential of African people, especially its women and youth, and caring for children, and (7) Africa as a strong, united, resilient and influential global player and partner. These would end wars and conflicts among African countries, build shared prosperity, build responsive and democratic governance, and end the continents marginalisation. Africa would leverage the demographic makeup, natural resources, urbanisation, technology, and trade prospects as a scaffold to ensure its transformation and renaissance in order to fulfil its aspirations. For the Agenda to be realised, poverty on the continent must be completely eradicated through investment in African peoples capacity, skills, and assets, as well as increased education and active promotion of science, technology, research, and innovation, in order to build knowledge, human capital, capabilities, and skills to drive innovations. To provide decent and affordable housing for all Africans in clean, secure, and well-planned environments, to grow and industrialise African economies, to modernise African agriculture and agro-businesses, to combat climate change, to establish a complete and sustainable continental free trade area, to support young people, and to achieve gender parity, among other goals. For Agenda 2063 to be achieved, all of these must be implemented, monitored, reviewed, and anchored by accountability and transparency. So what good is a map if you dont know where youre going? What qualifies it as useful? Scale, symbols, and grids are all common map features that make a map readable, comprehensible, and followable. All maps are scale models of reality; one must be able to utilise a constructed map to reach a place in real life. If Agenda 2063 is to be the template for Africas promise of grandeur, it will have to be a little more elaborate. It has to portray the reality of the African continents most basic and local members. The Agenda is flawless and well-articulated, but where are the scales, symbols, and grids that make it attainable, as well as a detailed action breakdown. How, for example, would poverty be entirely eradicated in the villages, aside from speeches and well-written reports? What specifically will be done to improve education? Is it by dismantling colonial-based curriculums, old-fashioned teaching or learning systems, and other factors that encourage African children to want to study in Europe or else (brain drain) rather than grinding and working hard to improve their sometimes deplorable communities? Is it through preaching and truly executing true governance, one that advocates for the ordinary citizen rather than the interests of the few elites? Ill be forgiven if I use explicit language. The Agenda 2063 is surely an amazing pledge, however, more theoretical than action-oriented, more glamorised than realistic, and more sophisticated than indicative of Africas best, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth and development. It points out that, while it may be evident how an African country may implement the approach, it fails to elaborate on collective change. Africas countries are not only numerous, but also different in terms of culture, language, natural resource richness, and security. Some are islands, landlocked, or simply insecure. How will Africans work together to overcome their differences, how will we cover up for each others shortcomings, how will we learn from each other, who and what will be compromised? Do we have capable leaders to lead such change, and can we trust ourselves and each other to adhere to the code, and if not, what will the measures be, or better yet, who will enforce them? Will they be respected enough without necessarily involving the foreign hand? If Agenda 2063 is our road map Im afraid, it may not be complete yet. Or should we have a ‘Mercator’ to complete ‘Anaximander’s map.
