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Africa speaks increasingly about sovereignty, self-determination and African solutions to African challenges. But can the continent truly determine its own priorities when it remains dependent on external financing to implement them?
In her contribution to Women in Geopolitics, governance expert Ms Mmbatho Makena confronts one of the fundamental challenges facing the African Union: the relationship between financial dependence and institutional independence.
Her argument begins with a basic principle of governance.
Africa must first determine its priorities according to the needs of its own people, establish clear outcomes and indicators, and then mobilise the resources required to implement those priorities.
The problem arises when Africa develops its plans but must subsequently depend on external partners to finance them.
For Ms Makena, this creates a structural vulnerability. When those providing the resources can influence which priorities are funded, amended or abandoned, Africa’s ability to implement its own agenda becomes constrained.
She therefore challenges African Union member states to take greater responsibility for financing the continental institutions they created.
“Until African state member states pay for their own participation in this Union… [and] finance peace processes in the continent,” Africa’s ability to act independently will remain constrained.
Her message extends beyond institutional budgets.
From peace and security to development programmes and social priorities, financial dependence can ultimately become strategic dependence.
If Africa wants institutions capable of responding decisively to conflict, implementing continental frameworks and advancing long-term development priorities, those institutions must have the resources and authority to act.
For Ms Makena, this is fundamentally a governance question.
Strong institutions cannot exist only through declarations, frameworks and ambitious plans. They require accountability from member states, credible implementation mechanisms and sustainable African financing.
Her contribution therefore leaves Africa with an important question:
Can we truly speak about African sovereignty if we are not prepared to finance the institutions, policies and priorities through which that sovereignty must be exercised?
Africa’s independence must ultimately be reflected not only in the plans it develops — but in its capacity to fund, implement and defend its own agenda.
Women in Geopolitics, Amplifying the Voices Shaping Africa’s Future.
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About Women in Geopolitics
The Women in Geopolitics Debate Series is a high-level thought-leadership platform dedicated to amplifying African voices, particularly women’s voices, in conversations on geopolitics, global affairs, governance, leadership and development.
Through dialogue with women leaders, diplomats, policymakers, business leaders, academics and experts from across Africa and beyond, the programme is building a growing archive of African women’s perspectives on the issues shaping our continent and our world.
We invite you to visit the Women in Geopolitics Knowledge Hub on YouTube, explore previous conversations and subscribe as we unveil a new voice every day throughout August:
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About the author
Madelein Mkunu is the President of Leading Women of Africa (LWA), a Pan-African social enterprise promoting women's leadership in economic development, and the founder of Beyond Boundaries, a global content and advocacy platform amplifying African women’s voices in policy, peacebuilding, and development. A bilingual English–French strategist and accomplished public speaker, she brings over 20 years of experience in gender mainstreaming, inclusive governance, and stakeholder engagement across Africa and globally. She holds an MBA and a Master’s in Management from IEDC-Bled School of Management (Slovenia), a Postgraduate Degree in Development Studies from the University of the Western Cape (South Africa), a Certificate in Leadership from the Dale Carnegie Institute, and is an alumna of Michigan State University’s Women Empowerment Programme. With a background in accounting and a passion for transformative change, Madelein is a trusted advisor to institutions seeking Africa-rooted development solutions.
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