Former South African President Thabo Mbeki has strongly condemned Africa’s role in the 2011 UN Security Council resolution that authorized military intervention in Libya, leading to the overthrow and killing of leader Muammar Gaddafi. Speaking ahead of the Thabo Mbeki Africa Day Annual Lecture in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Mbeki recounted how South Africa, Nigeria, and Gabon—then African members of the Security Council—voted in favor of the resolution under heavy pressure.
“We Should Never Have Allowed It”
Mbeki revealed that South Africa’s UN ambassador at the time tried to avoid the vote after being instructed by Pretoria to support the resolution. “The U.S. ambassador physically dragged him into the chamber to ensure he voted yes,” Mbeki said, calling the decision a catastrophic mistake that destabilized Libya and undermined Africa’s collective sovereignty.
Link to Africa’s Economic Struggles
The former president connected Libya’s destruction to the collapse of the G8 Africa Action Plan, a development framework, saying both events exposed the continent’s political and economic vulnerability. “The two are related and reflect our weakness as Africans,” he stated, urging stronger continental unity to prevent foreign interference and drive economic growth.
ANC Legacy Visit in Tanzania
Before the lecture, Mbeki visited Morogoro’s Mazimbu district—a key training base for ANC guerrillas during apartheid—where he planted a tree at the Solomon Mahlangu Institute. The site honors fallen liberation fighters, many of whom remain buried in Tanzania. His train journey from Dar es Salaam retraced historic routes used by anti-apartheid exiles.
G20 Challenge: Can Africa Speak as One?
Addressing Tanzanian business leaders, Mbeki questioned whether African nations could collectively influence November’s G20 summit: “Do we have the capacity to shape global policies affecting us? I don’t know.” His remarks underscored concerns about fragmented continental representation on the world stage.
The annual lecture, co-hosted by the Thabo Mbeki and Julius Nyerere Foundations, coincides with Africa Day (May 25) observances. Mbeki’s interventions reignite debates about Pan-African agency as the continent grapples with geopolitical tensions and economic transformation.