Like him or not, Mbeki has this unwavering commitment (or is it belief?) in this African renaissance. In 1989 we gathered in Durum North Carolina to witness the launch of a book titled ‘Uprooting Poverty in South Africa’, written by Professor Wilson and Dr. Ramphela, both South Africans. Peter Katjavivi and I went from Namibia and we rubbed shoulders with some of the finest minds the world had to offer on African issues. Former President Obasanjo of Nigeria also spoke on the challenges of the African experience and the rule of law; quite an eloquent presentation from a military ruler, turned democratic head of state, but it worked.

Southern Africa sent a young man from the African National Congress (ANC) leadership. Thabo Mbeki was at the time, ANC’s Secretary for Economic Affairs and his assignment was to speak on the challenges that an ANC government would face in transforming the apartheid economy in a democratic environment. We observed with guarded anxieties as Mbeki eloquently pulled a thread through several economic formations and rolled them into a theoretical puzzle, billed the new South African Economic Order. Academics and scholars wrapped in emotional solidarity resisted the temptation to unbundle this cocktail. But already then, the theme of African renewal occupied prominent space in Mbeki’s rhetoric, albeit cursorily.
Then came the Swakopmund conference at which Mbeki spoke, this time as President of South Africa. He implored African leadership to sit up and, stop the laughter at African misery caused by corruption, abuse of power and limited commitment to African renewal.
This week Mbeki arrived in Namibia on invitation of UNAM to speak on The Role of the African Business School within the context of Nurturing the African Renaissance. It was quite a delivery. He underscored the position that, African economic integration is fundamental to African renewal and advancement, as none of the African countries can achieve sustained economic growth and renewal on its own. He argued that globalization has made it necessary even for developed countries to come together with other countries and has created conditions beneficial to their economic success. If African countries are to make an impact on the global economic architecture within which Africa must necessarily continue to operate, Africa must conduct itself in unison, so as to enhance the continent’s bargaining power.
Notwithstanding that, sadly we still sing the song ‘We shall overcome’ at development conferences and scholarly meetings over the years. We must sustain the resolve to ‘overcome’ and that brings me to our own Vision 2030. We need to settle down to business and not stagnate at the thought of the mistakes we made in the steps we had to take. Vision 2030 has received fewer accolades than criticism and we must thus seek platforms where we can interrogate the ingredients that must be in place for Namibia to realize Vision 2030 in the year 2030 or even earlier, but not in the year 2090, if at all.
We need to re-inspect the premises upon which we have based our planning for African development to date. No African country will escape this challenge. There are no shortcuts to progress.