On Thursday, August 7, 2025, the Institute of Artisans of Justice and Peace (IAJP) held its final conference-debate of the year in a packed room, on the topic: “Sovereignty of political power in Africa: between African unity and the powerlessness of African leaders”.
Three speakers were invited: Professor Hygin Kakai, the honorable Joël Godonou, and the honorable Lazare Maurice Sèhouéto. It was the latter, a former minister and deputy, who garnered the most attention with his strong advocacy for African unity.
African Unity, “Willingly or by Force”
According to Mr. Sèhouéto, continental integration has now become a strategic necessity in the face of geopolitical upheavals. “I believe in African unity, willingly or by force, because we have no other choice,” he stated.
In his opinion, the continent, rich in natural resources and blessed with considerable human potential, remains immobilized by the lack of collective awareness and by political and economic fragmentation.
An alert in the face of global changes
The former minister pointed out the rise of nationalism in Europe and the United States, citing the “Make America Great Again” slogan as an example of a clear discourse in favor of prioritizing national interests.
“What Donald Trump tells us brutally, is what others tell us more politely: defend their interests first,” he noted, regretting that Africa does not have a similar strategy to defend its own interests.
Education as a Strategic Leverage
For Mr. Sèhouéto, the most important resource for the future of the continent is not oil or minerals, but education. He calls for massive investment, both in the school system and in family education, to prepare a generation capable of transforming Africa.
He also criticized the orientation of foreign scholarships, particularly French ones, which he believes focus too much on modern letters at the expense of scientific, technical, and agricultural disciplines. “France defends its interests. But nothing prevents us from refusing certain offers that do not serve us,” he concluded.