Happy 54th Africa Day
Today, the 25th of May, the Zimbabwe Institute of Diplomacy joins the rest of the African Continent in celebrating Africa Day and the birth of the African Union. African unity is a wonderful, eminently sensible concept with a distinguished history. It is embodied in the popular imagination by the continent’s most famous leaders and intellectuals; Thomas Sankara, Julius Nyerere, Kwame Nkrumah among other prominent figures.We therefore take this opportunity to convey the best wishes to all Africans everywhere. Today’s celebrations are meant to reinforce Pan Africanism, African solidarity and unity in diversity. It is also intended as a positive reflection and an affirmation of the progresses and challenges we have encountered as a continent.
As we are celebrating Africa Day we must be reminded of what the founding fathers of the OAU and later the AU, had envisaged when they formed this continental body and uphold the ideology of Pan-Africanism. As Zimbabweans we are challenged to renew our commitment to the kind of unity and solidarity that carried our forebears to victory over the subjugation of colonialism. We must continue to respect and tolerate different political affiliations, cultures, ideologies, races, genders, and languages. It is through appreciation of such differences that we are strong and can learn to love and care for each other.
In line with the 2017 Africa Day theme “Harnessing Demographic Dividend through Investment in Youth”, it is crystal clear that investments made today in the youth who represent Africa’s greatest asset will determine the development trajectory of Africa and lead us to the “Africa We Want;” a strong united and influential global player and partner as envisioned in the Agenda 2063. This roadmap has been developed bearing in mind the urgent necessity to transform the potential of Africa’s large youth population into a demographic dividend. It will also help usher African countries towards the ambitious yet critical aspirations and goals of the complementary Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
As Africans our hope is in unity, as Zimbabweans our hope is diversity and we have to replace those vicious circles of exclusion with the virtuous circles of inclusion, love, togetherness and peace.
LONG LIVE AFRICA!!