African Regroupment Party
Encyclopedia
The African Regroupment Party was a political party
in the French African colonies
.
on March 26, 1958, months before the French Community
would replace the French Union
. The main founding organizations were the African Convention
and the African Socialist Movement
. Other parties that assisted the Paris meeting included the African Bloc of Guinea, Social Party of the Masses (Gabon
), Republican Union of Côte des Somalis (Djibouti
), Dahomeyan Democratic Rally and the Voltaic Democratic Movement
.
Initially there was hope that the African Democratic Rally
(RDA) would join the project and Sékou Touré had signed the appeal on behalf of RDA calling for the formation of the party, but Félix Houphouët-Boigny
intervened to keep his party outside. The African Independence Party
(PAI) attended the Paris meeting, but declined to merge into PRA. PAI advocated full independence, a demand that PRA at that point was not willing to raise.
PRA held its constitutive congress in Cotonou
July 25–27 1958. PRA strove to create an independent federation out of the French colonies in Africa.
ese section, the Senegalese Progressive Union (UPS). The result was a split in UPS, and the formation of African Regroupment Party-Senegal
(PRA-Sénégal).
In Côte d'Ivoire
the party came into conflict with the Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire (PDCI), and the PRA leadership was exiled to Conakry
. There it became the nucleus of Ivorian opposition, such as the National Liberation Committee of Côte d'Ivoire
(CNLCI).
In Upper Volta
the Voltaic Solidarity
group (PSEMA
, MDV
and MPA
) joined PRA. The PRA section disappeared as the country became a single-party state in 1960, but the African Regroupment Party of Upper Volta
, a group claiming to be the inheritors of PRA, emerged following the coup in 1966.
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in the French African colonies
French colonial empire
The French colonial empire was the set of territories outside Europe that were under French rule primarily from the 17th century to the late 1960s. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the colonial empire of France was the second-largest in the world behind the British Empire. The French colonial empire...
.
Formation
The PRA came into being at a meeting in ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
on March 26, 1958, months before the French Community
French Community
The French Community was an association of states known in French simply as La Communauté. In 1958 it replaced the French Union, which had itself succeeded the French colonial empire in 1946....
would replace the French Union
French Union
The French Union was a political entity created by the French Fourth Republic to replace the old French colonial system, the "French Empire" and to abolish its "indigenous" status.-History:...
. The main founding organizations were the African Convention
African Convention
African Convention was a political party in French West Africa. The CA was formed at a meeting in Dakar on 11 January 1957. The CA constisted of the Senegalese Popular Bloc of Léopold Sédar Senghor, the African Popular Movement of Nazi Boni in Upper Volta and the Nigerien Democratic Front of...
and the African Socialist Movement
African Socialist Movement
African Socialist Movement was a political party in French West Africa. The MSA was formed following a meeting of the Section française de l'Internationale ouvrière federations of Cameroon, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, French Sudan , Gabon, Guinea, Niger, Oubangui-Chari , and Senegal; the...
. Other parties that assisted the Paris meeting included the African Bloc of Guinea, Social Party of the Masses (Gabon
Gabon
Gabon , officially the Gabonese Republic is a state in west central Africa sharing borders with Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, and with the Republic of the Congo curving around the east and south. The Gulf of Guinea, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean is to the west...
), Republican Union of Côte des Somalis (Djibouti
Djibouti
Djibouti , officially the Republic of Djibouti , is a country in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Eritrea in the north, Ethiopia in the west and south, and Somalia in the southeast. The remainder of the border is formed by the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden at the east...
), Dahomeyan Democratic Rally and the Voltaic Democratic Movement
Voltaic Democratic Movement
Voltaic Democratic Movement was a political party in Upper Volta, led by Gérard Kango Ouédraogo. MDV was founded in 1955....
.
Initially there was hope that the African Democratic Rally
African Democratic Rally
The African Democratic Rally was a political party in French West Africa, led by Félix Houphouët-Boigny. Founded in Bamako in 1946, the RDA quickly became one of the most important forces for independence in the region. Initially a Pan-Africanist movement, the RDA ceased to function as a...
(RDA) would join the project and Sékou Touré had signed the appeal on behalf of RDA calling for the formation of the party, but Félix Houphouët-Boigny
Félix Houphouët-Boigny
Félix Houphouët-Boigny , affectionately called Papa Houphouët or Le Vieux, was the first President of Côte d'Ivoire. Originally a village chief, he worked as a doctor, an administrator of a plantation, and a union leader, before being elected to the French Parliament and serving in a number of...
intervened to keep his party outside. The African Independence Party
African Independence Party
African Independence Party was a communist party in French West Africa . PAI was founded in Thiès, Senegal in 1957...
(PAI) attended the Paris meeting, but declined to merge into PRA. PAI advocated full independence, a demand that PRA at that point was not willing to raise.
PRA held its constitutive congress in Cotonou
Cotonou
-Demographics:*1979: 320,348 *1992: 536,827 *2002: 665,100 *2005: 690,584 The main languages spoken in Cotonou include the Fon language, Aja language, Yoruba language and French.-Transport:...
July 25–27 1958. PRA strove to create an independent federation out of the French colonies in Africa.
1958 Referendum and after
During the referendum of 1958 PRA advocated full independence. This led to a collision course between PRA and its SenegalSenegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
ese section, the Senegalese Progressive Union (UPS). The result was a split in UPS, and the formation of African Regroupment Party-Senegal
African Regroupment Party-Senegal
African Regroupment Party-Senegal was a political party in Senegal. Formed in September 1958, following a split in the Senegalese Progressive Union...
(PRA-Sénégal).
In Côte d'Ivoire
Côte d'Ivoire
The Republic of Côte d'Ivoire or Ivory Coast is a country in West Africa. It has an area of , and borders the countries Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana; its southern boundary is along the Gulf of Guinea. The country's population was 15,366,672 in 1998 and was estimated to be...
the party came into conflict with the Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire (PDCI), and the PRA leadership was exiled to Conakry
Conakry
Conakry is the capital and largest city of Guinea. Conakry is a port city on the Atlantic Ocean and serves as the economic, financial and cultural centre of Guinea with a 2009 population of 1,548,500...
. There it became the nucleus of Ivorian opposition, such as the National Liberation Committee of Côte d'Ivoire
National Liberation Committee of Côte d'Ivoire
National Liberation Committee of Côte d'Ivoire was an Ivorian opposition group, with its political origins in the Party of the African Rally . CNLCI was founded in Conakry on May 18, 1959 by a group of Ivorian exiles...
(CNLCI).
In Upper Volta
Republic of Upper Volta
The Republic of Upper Volta was established on December 11, 1958, as a self-governing colony within the French Community. Before attaining autonomy it had been French Upper Volta and part of the French Union. On August 5, 1960 it attained full independence from France.Thomas Sankara came to power...
the Voltaic Solidarity
Voltaic Solidarity
Voltaic Solidarity was a political alliance in Upper Volta formed after the territorial elections in 1957. SV was constituted by the Social Party for the Emancipation of the African Masses , African Popular Movement and the Voltaic Democratic Movement...
group (PSEMA
Social Party for the Emancipation of the African Masses
Social Party for the Emancipation of the African Masses was a political party in Upper Volta, led by Joseph Conombo and Henri Guissou...
, MDV
Voltaic Democratic Movement
Voltaic Democratic Movement was a political party in Upper Volta, led by Gérard Kango Ouédraogo. MDV was founded in 1955....
and MPA
African Popular Movement
African Popular Movement was a political party in Upper Volta, led by Nazi Boni. MPA was founded in 1955 following a split in the Voltaic Union.In the 1957 Territorial Assembly elections MPA won five seats...
) joined PRA. The PRA section disappeared as the country became a single-party state in 1960, but the African Regroupment Party of Upper Volta
African Regroupment Party (Upper Volta)
African Regroupment Party was a political party in Upper Volta. The interterritorial PRA had established a strong section in Upper Volta in 1958. This party disappeared as the country became a single-party state under the Voltaic Democratic Union .Following the coup of 1966 PRA was reconstituted...
, a group claiming to be the inheritors of PRA, emerged following the coup in 1966.