The African continent on Wednesday marked the annual Africa Day celebration with widespread call for the realization of Africa’s continental development aspirations.
Africa Day is observed annually on May 25 to celebrate the achievements of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), the predecessor of the African Union (AU), from its creation on May 25, 1963.
The Africa Day is commemorated to acknowledge the role of the continental bloc in the fight against colonialism, as well as the progress that Africa has made while reflecting upon the common challenges that the continent faces in a global environment, according to the AU.
The Chairperson of the AU Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat in his message on the Africa Day celebration said, during the past ten years, Africa has been confronted with the challenges of terrorism, violent extremism and transnational crimes of human trafficking, drug trafficking, and arms trafficking.
Mahamat said terrorism, in particular, is constantly gaining ground in Africa as many AU members devote a good part of their resources and energies to fighting or protecting themselves against this phenomenon, thus depriving vital sectors such as health and education of the resources they need.
Common continental challenges such as corruption, inter-community conflicts, recent waves of unconstitutional changes, youth unemployment and the persistent precariousness of African women, among others, are also said to be challenges affecting the African continent.
The AU statement said the economic crisis which is burdened by growing debt, the climate and energy crisis which, in turn, affects food prices through the exorbitant cost of transport, while the health crisis following the outbreak of COVID-19, weakens the production capacities of the various economic agents.
According to the AU, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement, which entered into force in 2021, making Africa the largest common market in the world and accelerating Continental integration is among the ongoing initiatives that have the potential to propel the continent and overcome the challenges.
The AU called on Africans from al walks of lives to join hands towards the success of AfCFTA and other continental aspirations.
“Fellow Africans, it is to this exercise of reflection that I would like to invite you on this memorable Day, where the festive activities, quite understandably should not relegate to the background our essential concerns,” an AU statement quoted Mahamat as saying.
Senegalese President Macky Sall, who is also the current chairperson of the AU, on his part called on Africa’s populace to expedite the continent’s integration ambition as a continuation of building a united Africa.
The Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed echoed Sall’s comments as he called for the realization of the major aspirations of the AU towards the betterment of Africa.
“On this Africa Day, we reaffirm the vision of continental unity and the commitment of our ancestors’ towards a peaceful, integrated and prosperous future,” Ahmed said.
This year’s edition of Africa Day is marked under the AU’s theme of the year “Building Resilience in Nutrition on the African Continent: Accelerate the Human Capital, Social and Economic Development.”
