In a world of multilateralism that often leaves out Africa to suffer the consequences of threats it was not given a chance to decide on, security experts have noted that the continent needs to look inward on what it can leverage to demand a seat at the table. This was highlighted during a panel discussion on ‘Securing Africa in a Fragmented World’ at the inaugural International Security Conference on Africa (ISCA), held on May 19, at Kigali Convention Centre. Held under the theme “Reshaping Africa’s Landscape in a Dynamic, Complex Global Environment”, the two-day forum offers continental and global defense, intelligence, and security actors to tackle pressing security challenges and shape a collaborative future. ALSO READ: Africa’s peace, security cannot be outsourced – Kagame Speaking during the panel, Martini Kimani, CEO of Africa Centre in New York, said that one does not get included in the permanent ranks of the United Nations Security Council to be a substantive member who can wield the veto just because, they have to generate their own form of power and independence so as to sit at that table as an equal. ALSO READ: Former UN official talks upcoming international security meet in Kigali “You can go to the Security Council permanent membership like a proud peacock, but you may emerge like a plucked chicken because the Security Council veto and permanent membership is only one dimension of national power that is arrayed against other intelligence, security, economic and political powers.” According to him, the question for Africa when it comes to multilateralism is to go beyond the demand for inclusion and look inward and talk about the demand for leverage. “What is it that allows Africa the leverage to sit in the permanent ranks? What is it that allows Africa to demand a seat at the table and to get it not because we have been left out, but because of our leverage?” Kimani noted that this boils down to African institutions, reimagining and re-energizing security architectures, meaning going back to the original reasons the African peace and security architecture was built, being true to it, and making sure that the parts of it that have been captured or diverted by others are re-taken back into African hands to be used. Additionally, he said that it can only take a group of less than 10 committed African leaders to shift and change the multilateral system to be more responsive to Africa's definition of its interests. “That leverage comes from development, and that development comes from independent thinking and ownership of our own process and our own states. All we have is what we have. Partnerships can come later, and so the instruments we have built, they are all we have and they are sufficient.” Victor Gao, the Vice President of Centre for China and Globalization, said that Africa needs to be further consolidated and strengthened so that for all the Security Council meetings of the UN Security Council, there will always be a representative for Africa. “While we always talk about security versus development, these two things are intimately integrated, they cannot be separated,” he said, giving a warning that Africa should be ready for the AI revolution and not be left behind. “When you travel throughout the corners of the African continent, you worry that Africa is not fully integrated into this AI tsunami. We need to speed up, we need to mobilize all resources, and I think the open-sourced AI development of DeepSeek represents a new trend. This means lower cost, enabling all participants to play a useful role, and all African countries have a choice to really play a very significant role.” “The real competition may not be between China and the United States, or China and Europe. The real competition in the coming years may be AI versus Homo sapiens. We need to be prepared, and we need to really speed up.” Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of ISCA Advisory Council, noted that African countries need to first own their problems and find solutions internally, mainly led by good governance that delivers for the population. He added that this should also be coupled with solidarity among African states, when there are threats in the Sahel, people should not look elsewhere.” “We will not work in isolation, we will work with the rest of the world, but based on well-known reciprocal interests. It is time to take ownership and act fast,” said Faki, who is also the immediate former Chairperson of the African Union Commission. President Kagame opened the conference during which he urged experts present to work towards ensuring Africa does not continue to be treated as a burden to be managed by others, a predicament that has significantly cost the continent.
