Morocco’s Open-Border System Redefined Pan-Africanism

There is no doubt that the sweet stories we hear from our leaders, business people, and even the peasantry about integration and collective progress can be described as the formidable cornerstone of our engagement as members of an enlightened and a more privileged generation. Again, it is worth noting that Africa’s quest “to remain one” has been there, talked about by everybody, endlessly publicized, and conceptualized in the form of government programs since the 1960s.

The question, I think, has always been how to materialize these lofty concepts and to ensure that even the majority underclass pockets something.

In short, this togetherness chorus has hardly valued the support of the majority out there in the field. Until Morocco came in, the chorus has been about that clique that conferences every day, and far from the fields.

My reflections on the aforementioned concepts have been prompted by my seven year stay in Morocco and the observations I have made in the course of my learning tour.

That the Kingdom of Morocco should be ranked as a champion in advancing Pan-Africanist ideals despite it being a non-member of the African Union could well explain why equating integration to formation of hollow continental or regional unions or organizations, as opposed to banking on tangible people-centered results equals accepting defeat from the onset.

Through its Moroccan Agency for International Cooperation, established in 1986, Morocco has trained millions of students and professionals from across Africa and the Arab world. Currently, the population of foreign students in the Kingdom stands at about 40,000. For the past three years, the Agency has sought to spread its reach beyond Africa by inviting students from as far as the Caribbean Islands. As I write this, Rabat, the Kingdom’s capital city, hosts as many as 70 nationalities – all holed in one corner and sharing experiences.

The socio-economic impact of these souls on the local population is visible and felt by all.

Why and where does Morocco get the resources to implement this unprecedented move? My observation is informed by the choice of Morocco’s engagement. Morocco’s action falls, in my opinion, within that largely ignored perspective vis-a-vis rural development and city-based bureaucrats.

While many development enthusiasts may be of the view that development is anchored on thinking and putting in place solid plans, the rural chaps on their side major not on thoughts but action. What preoccupies these development-thirsty people is purely based on questions like: “what have you done for us?” or “can we see what you have brought to our hamlet?”

Meaning development and integration walk together and that integration takes root when development is felt by the majority. That is, the guys on the field and streets and not the few thinkers in well-furnished office blocks.

Now back to Morocco versus Africa’s integration efforts. Morocco comes top for one reason. It avoided the allure of big political statements and shiny conference halls and focused on what the African people wanted most – education. Talk to any foreign student in Morocco and you will note that Pan-Africanism would have grown had its initiators pointed out the continent’s missing link and provided lasting solutions.

To this date we still pontificate about how Africa’s founding fathers had great ideas; how progressive they were; how united they were in defending and advancing Africa’s and African interests. However, we fail to ask ourselves why these ideals failed to trickle down to the peasantry. 

Could it be that we know the outcome of entertaining such questions and the socio-political obligations attached thereto or we suffer from self-inflicted ignorance?

It is clear, Pan-Africanism of the 1960s was built around national political leaders. Theirs was a club of big men. The population was just but a bunch of helpless singing spectators. Morocco rightly diagnosed this anti-peasantry thing and came up with an appropriate answer. Education. Scholarships. Training. Not political conferences. Not luncheons devoid of substance. That is Pan-Africanism redefined!

Which brings me to my last point: does it matter to our continental and national thinkers that the concept of integration is a responsibility of all, and that leaders are just but initiators of the process?

The answer rests with us – the collectives.

Twitter: @mlemukol