As we celebrate legacy achievements of our forefathers it is important to carry forward their vision and renew our commitment for stronger, more integrated and united Africa, Sate Minister of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Misganu Arga said.
Speaking at the African Day panel discussion organized by the African Leadership Excellence Academy (AFLEX), the ambassador said Africa needs to go a long way to achieve a truly united, prosperous and integrated Africa.
He added that our brave forefathers 60 years ago came together to realize the pan African vision with the establishment of the organization of African Unity-African Union (OAU-AU) with the aim of getting rid of colonialism, apartheid and defending the cardinal principle of sovereignty and self-determination.
He recalled that our visionary leaders including Emperor Hailesilasie, Julius Niyerere and many others recognized that Africa’s strength lies in its unity.
They committed themselves for the urgent need of a united Africa and worked with determination and courage to realize the continent they envisioned. We praise them for installing pan Africanism in our heart and giving us continental platform to defend our common interest.
However, as we celebrate their life and legacy achievements, it is important as well that we carry forward their vision and renew our commitment for stronger and more integrated and united Africa, he said.
“Our action needs to be guided by strong sense of urgency and strong desire to leave behind our dark history of violence, poverty, backwardness and deficit in democracy and human rights. We need to realize that we have to go a long way to achieve a truly united, prosperous and integrated Africa,” he said.
It is, therefore, important that we critically appraise the enormity and complexity of challenges our continent face, strengthen a more united fight against internal and external challenge. We also need to make sure that the values of pan Africanism are passed on to the next generation.
South Sudanese Ambassador to Ethiopia James Morgan said the formation of the OAU-AU organization is mainly to liberate the continent that was occupied and slaved and later on divided.
Today we are looking back to this day with a great pride of what our founding fathers have made. We look back with pride and confidence in ourselves because when we are occupied and in slave, that confidence was taken out of us.
But, our forefathers restored our dignity as people of this continent. The OAU did its task by liberating the continent, he added.
“We here in the Horn of Africa have a responsibility to bring the Horn of Africa together, one of it is to make sure that we have a freedom of movement of our people. We don’t want to be stuck in one place, our people in this continent must move freely,” he said.
The ambassador added that the next step is to integrate Africa which will be prosperous for all its citizens. Ethiopia has set an exemplary effort to the continent, he said adding that the country paid dearly to the struggle in most of this continent.
AFLEX Chief of Academy, Mehret Debebe on his part said in pursuit of Africa that we want, we are bound by a shared responsibility to push boundaries, dismantle barriers and pave the way for our future generation.
It is through unwavering determination; tenacity that we unleash Africa’s true potential.
“In this celebration of African day, I want to remind you, each one of you are as important to the other person next you, and African wants all of us. Let us use this occasion to lift Africa and connect our respective nations towards our role in the upcoming global change,” he said.
The African Union Commission (AUC) is celebrating the historical commemoration of the OAU-AU 60th anniversary under the slogan of “Our Africa Our Future”.
African ambassadors, academician, and other invited guests are attended the panel discussion.
Source: Ethiopian News Agency