--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A number of African countries came to us…" description: "\"A number of African countries came to us and said, we request that South Africa should not field a candidate, because so many other African countries w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/48d/thabo-mbeki-2259_african-union_a-number-of-african-countries-came-to-us_1026013.jpg" --- # A number of African countries came to us and said, we… ![“A number of African countries came to us and said, we request that South Africa should not field a candidate, because so many other African countries wanted to, and, in any case, South Africa would continue to play a role in terms of building the African Union, and so on. And they actually said…” quote by Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/48d/thabo-mbeki-2259_african-union_a-number-of-african-countries-came-to-us_1026013.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/48d/thabo-mbeki-2259_african-union_a-number-of-african-countries-came-to-us_1026013.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/48d/thabo-mbeki-2259_african-union_a-number-of-african-countries-came-to-us_1026013.jpg) > “A number of African countries came to us and said, we request that South Africa should not field a candidate, because so many other African countries wanted to, and, in any case, South Africa would continue to play a role in terms of building the African Union, and so on. And they actually said, please don't field a candidate, and we didn't. As I have said, it is not because we didn't have people who are competent to serve in these positions.” [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He explains that political pressure from other African nations discouraged South Africa from nominating a candidate, despite having qualified individuals. **In simple terms:** Political pressure stopped a nomination despite competence. Key Takeaway Consider broader regional consensus. Themes politics regional cooperation leadership decision‑making Mood reflective serious Type political analytical When to use this quote - UN elections - regional conferences - government appointments Key Concepts diplomacy power dynamics collective responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How should competence be weighed against regional unity? - What mechanisms can balance influence and merit? A Different Perspective Pressure may suppress meritocratic choices. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [African union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/african-union/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [South africa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/south-africa/) [Unions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unions/) ## Related quotes > [In Iran, as in all developing countries, they wanted to copy the outside world, without knowing what was good for our own country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farah-diba/in-iran-as-in-all-developing-countries-they-wanted-to-copy-the/) [Farah Diba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farah-diba/) > [I wanted to travel the world - I don't how that idea got in my head, but I really wanted to see the world...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-cliff/i-wanted-to-travel-the-world-i-don-t-how-that-idea-got-in-my-head-but/) [Jimmy Cliff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-cliff/) > [The problem is not unique; the challenge is not unique to South Africa. Other African countries have faced it. But in our case, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/the-problem-is-not-unique-the-challenge-is-not-unique-to-south-africa/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [When Donald Trump became the candidate we didn't have any money other than Mr. Trump's money and I don't think he wanted to write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-parscale/when-donald-trump-became-the-candidate-we-didn-t-have-any-money-other/) [Brad Parscale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-parscale/) > [I really felt Mitt Romney was a - not my candidate. 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They do not know my story. They say I am just an African. They judge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idowu-koyenikan/most-people-write-me-off-when-they-see-me-they-do-not-know-my-story/) [idowu koyenikan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idowu-koyenikan/) > [The photos were taken by African Union soldiers. People in Congress saw them. I thought if people could see them, there would be public…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-kristof/the-photos-were-taken-by-african-union-soldiers-people-in-congress/) [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) > [That as much as we're afraid of New World Order coming and of Canada and America joining together, that if we don't learn the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immortal-technique/that-as-much-as-we-re-afraid-of-new-world-order-coming-and-of-canada/) [Immortal Technique](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immortal-technique/) > [“You can no longer see or identify yourself solely as a member of a tribe, but as a citizen of a nation of one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idowu-koyenikan/you-can-no-longer-see-or-identify-yourself-solely-as-a-member-of-a/) [idowu koyenikan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idowu-koyenikan/) > [I want you to know that I don't have any right, Malawi has no right to stop any president from coming to an African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-banda/i-want-you-to-know-that-i-don-t-have-any-right-malawi-has-no-right-to/) [Joyce Banda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-banda/) > [I am totally committed to the cooperation between the African Union and the United Nations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-guterres/i-am-totally-committed-to-the-cooperation-between-the-african-union/) [Antonio Guterres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-guterres/) > [The birth of the African Union should encourage us to reexamine relations between African States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-bongo/the-birth-of-the-african-union-should-encourage-us-to-reexamine/) [Omar Bongo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-bongo/) ## More by Thabo Mbeki > [We should never become despondent because the weather is bad, nor should we turn triumphalist because the sun shines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/we-should-never-become-despondent-because-the-weather-is-bad-nor/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [That surely must be a concern to anyone who decides this drug must be given to stop transmissions, again from mother to child, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/that-surely-must-be-a-concern-to-anyone-who-decides-this-drug-must-be/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [We are not being arrogant or complacent when we are said that our country, as a united nation, has never in its entire history,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/we-are-not-being-arrogant-or-complacent-when-we-are-said-that-our/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [I think that probably the most important thing about our education was that it taught us to question even those things we thought we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/i-think-that-probably-the-most-important-thing-about-our-education/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [What we are saying is that we need to consolidate the capacity to lend support. Because, one of the problems that's mentioned with regard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/what-we-are-saying-is-that-we-need-to-consolidate-the-capacity-to/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [I say that why don't we bring all points of view. Sit around a table and discuss this evidence, and produce evidence as it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/i-say-that-why-don-t-we-bring-all-points-of-view-sit-around-a-table/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [As Africans, we need to share common recognition that all of us stand to lose if we fail to transform our continent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/as-africans-we-need-to-share-common-recognition-that-all-of-us-stand/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [I think you're a much happier person if you say 'Even if I get involved in politics, I'm only doing so in order to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/i-think-you-re-a-much-happier-person-if-you-say-even-if-i-get/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [I must say, with regard to Equatorial Guinea, the Government of Equatorial Guinea, as soon as they had arrested these people, sent a delegation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/i-must-say-with-regard-to-equatorial-guinea-the-government-of/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [We are in the process of negotiating an agreement with the United States. We will be negotiating agreements with India and China. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/we-are-in-the-process-of-negotiating-an-agreement-with-the-united/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [“Her work sought to challenge all of us critically to reflect on the things we find comfort in believing without question.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/her-work-sought-to-challenge-all-of-us-critically-to-reflect-on-the/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [Of course we run a very open economy, and therefore what happens in the rest of the world, in economic terms, obviously has an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/of-course-we-run-a-very-open-economy-and-therefore-what-happens-in/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [Part of the issue around communal land, which became a matter of controversy, is that we are saying that this land must go back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/part-of-the-issue-around-communal-land-which-became-a-matter-of/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [Historically during the years of the White minority regimes, the State, the national Government held this land in trust for these communities. We said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/historically-during-the-years-of-the-white-minority-regimes-the-state/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [We want the National Intelligence, we want the Police, we want the Scorpions, any other institutions, the tax people, and so on, the totality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/we-want-the-national-intelligence-we-want-the-police-we-want-the/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) [Explore all 176 Thabo Mbeki quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) ## More African union quotes > [The birth of the African Union should encourage us to reexamine relations between African States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-bongo/the-birth-of-the-african-union-should-encourage-us-to-reexamine/) [Omar Bongo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-bongo/) > [Africans sensed in their hearts that Jesus did not mock their respect for the sacred or their clamor for an invincible Savior, so they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamin-sanneh/africans-sensed-in-their-hearts-that-jesus-did-not-mock-their-respect/) Lamin Sanneh > [“Most people write me off when they see me. They do not know my story. They say I am just an African. They judge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idowu-koyenikan/most-people-write-me-off-when-they-see-me-they-do-not-know-my-story/) [idowu koyenikan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idowu-koyenikan/) > [I want you to know that I don't have any right, Malawi has no right to stop any president from coming to an African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-banda/i-want-you-to-know-that-i-don-t-have-any-right-malawi-has-no-right-to/) [Joyce Banda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-banda/) > [The African Union has to act in order to put an end to armed conflicts that undermine the continent, to fight against the devastation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-bongo/the-african-union-has-to-act-in-order-to-put-an-end-to-armed/) [Omar Bongo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-bongo/) > [I am totally committed to the cooperation between the African Union and the United Nations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-guterres/i-am-totally-committed-to-the-cooperation-between-the-african-union/) [Antonio Guterres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-guterres/) > [“You can no longer see or identify yourself solely as a member of a tribe, but as a citizen of a nation of one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idowu-koyenikan/you-can-no-longer-see-or-identify-yourself-solely-as-a-member-of-a/) [idowu koyenikan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idowu-koyenikan/) > [That as much as we're afraid of New World Order coming and of Canada and America joining together, that if we don't learn the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immortal-technique/that-as-much-as-we-re-afraid-of-new-world-order-coming-and-of-canada/) [Immortal Technique](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immortal-technique/) > [The photos were taken by African Union soldiers. 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We urgently advised the Europeans not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoweri-museveni/when-the-problems-in-libya-started-the-african-union-set-up-a/) [Yoweri Museveni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoweri-museveni/) > [“This morning there s first a predictable story about Darfur; an expert on African affairs notes that seven thousand African Union troops patrolling a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-eggers/this-morning-there-s-first-a-predictable-story-about-darfur-an-expert/) [Dave Eggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-eggers/) > [As a matter of fact, the African Union itself estimated that every year corruption alone costs Africa $148 billion. If African leaders could cut…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/as-a-matter-of-fact-the-african-union-itself-estimated-that-every/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I'm doing more of my U.N. work and doing the African Union Summit and things like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-jolie/i-m-doing-more-of-my-u-n-work-and-doing-the-african-union-summit-and/) [Angelina Jolie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-jolie/) > [The Janjaweed is a truly unfettered bully. No one has stood up to them. If they were met by a mobile quick reaction force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-prince/the-janjaweed-is-a-truly-unfettered-bully-no-one-has-stood-up-to-them/) [Erik Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-prince/) > [I think my track record speaks for myself... I have been endorsed by the African Union, but I am a prosecutor for 121 states…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fatou-bensouda/i-think-my-track-record-speaks-for-myself-i-have-been-endorsed-by-the/) [Fatou Bensouda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fatou-bensouda/) [Browse all 18 African union quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/african-union/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A number of African countries came to us and said, we request that South Africa should not field a candidate, because so many other African countries wanted to, and, in any case, South Africa would continue to play a role in terms of building the African Union, and so on. And they actually said, please don't field a candidate, and we didn't. 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