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We are delighted to share this 2016 celebration of Africa Day with all of you.
Today marks 53 years since the establishment of the Organisation of African Unity
(OAU).
The OAU was transformed into our present day African Union (AU) in 2002 in
Durban.
We are celebrating the day under the theme Building a Better Africa and a Better
World, which is the goal of our government and our nation, to contribute in whatever
small way we can, to improving our continent and to building a better world.
The leaders of our continent came together in 1963 because they saw the need for
Africans to unite and fight for their freedom, independence, dignity, development and
prosperity together.
The African leaders realised that without unity, Africa would not move far in
achieving her goals.
On Africa Day we celebrate the triumph of the African peoples against slavery,
colonialism, apartheid and other political ills and forms of subjugation. We are also
celebrating the progress we are making in building a better Africa working together
within the ambit of the African Union.
On Africa Day, we pay homage to the great African men and women who fought
tirelessly to ensure that Africa is freed from bondage, and to ensure the return of
African dignity.
These were selfless leaders who wanted to see only the best for the African
continent, and wanted to see freedom reign in every corner of Africa.
Africa has partners in all the regions of the world Asia, North America, South
America, the middle East, New Zealand and Australia and indeed all over. Together
with our partners in these regions, we seek to build a better, and more just world,
and to build a prosperous Africa, free of poverty, unemployment, disease and
underdevelopment.
We want an Africa with modern infrastructure, where one can fly from one country to
another within the continent, without having to go via Europe.
We want an Africa where people are able to drive or ride by rail from one country to
another with greater ease.
It is for this reason that we are working, under the auspices of the African Union, to
build infrastructure that will boost economic development in our continent.
We are also working to achieve regional integration and to promote trade amongst
ourselves as Africans, as intra-trade remains very low, standing at a mere eleven
percent.
In this regard, we envisage concluding the negotiations for a Continental Free Trade
Area next year.
In doing so, we are fulfilling the wishes of our forebears. Kwame Nkrumah outlined
the vision of a prosperous Africa.
Kwame Nkrumah said at the founding of the OAU in 1963;
We shall accumulate machinery and establish steel works, iron foundries and
factories; we shall link the various states of our continent with communications by
land, sea, and air.
We shall cable from one place to another, phone from one place to the other and
astound the world with our hydro-electric power; we shall drain marshes and
swamps, clear infested areas, feed the undernourished, and rid our people of
parasites and disease.
It is up to us now to work harder than ever, to achieve this vision that was outlined by
the founding fathers of our continent.
The African Union socio-economic blueprint, Agenda 2063 perfectly captures the
vision of where we want to take Africa and to build the Africa we want.
There is synergy between Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals
that we adopted as member states of the United Nations in September last year.
Most importantly, their sterling work has put continental self-reliance at the centre of
our collective endeavours.
Your Excellencies
Kwame Nkrumah pointed out in 1963 and this remains relevant today;
Africa cannot be left behind in the age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The
sustainable development we seek will come about through the use of modern
technology, and also through improving education in the continent.
We are a very youthful continent and investment in education and skills development
will take Africa closer to the goals of sustainable development and an end to hunger,
disease and deprivation.
Furthermore, our energy needs in the continent have increased. According to the
International Energy Agency, sub-Sahara Africa witnessed a 45 percent rise in
energy needs since the year 2000.
The electrification of the continent thus remains a key priority, and one of the most
important infrastructure goals.
Remarkable advances have already been made in solar and wind energy, among
others. These efforts will not only enable us to satisfy our energy needs in the
foreseeable future but will also assist us to reduce carbon emissions.
We can achieve all these goals. We need to draw inspiration from the word of our
iconic leader nelson Mandela who said:-
Your excellencies
We can confidently say that Africa led the way with practical actions towards the
realisation of the December 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, long before the said
agreement was signed in April 2016.
Agenda 2063 is very clear about the importance of our ocean economies and states
that
Africas Blue economy, which is three times the size of its landmass, shall be a major
contributor to continental transformation and growth.
Excellencies
Ladies and gentlemen
Pockets of conflicts in the continent have potential to limit the realisation of our socioeconomic development goals. It is for this reason that the AU has prioritised peace
and security.
We have taken a resolution that the guns must be silenced in the continent by 2020.
We want an Africa that is at peace with itself. An Africa where women and children
live without fear of attacks.
An Africa where there are no displaced people and refugees. The continent is doing
something to end the conflicts. What has been of concern is the ability of the
continent to respond with speed when conflict breaks out in order to protect lives.
The African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crises which was established in
November 2013 to fulfill this goal will remain in place.
Your Excellencies
While we work hard to address challenges faced by the continent, we cannot turn a
blind eye to challenges faced by humanity in other parts of the world.
We are thus troubled by the tragic migration crisis in Europe which is being exploited
by criminal elements to commit various crimes.
The European Union (EU) Commission has recently released a report which links
increased human trafficking to the current migration challenges in the region.
I am certain that we all have realised that there is a need to resolve the challenges in
countries where migrants come from. We will be shortsighted to believe that
migration crisis can only be managed, whereas it can actually be prevented.
Excellencies
Ladies and gentlemen
As Africans we have the responsibility to move Africa closer to the goal of prosperity.
We are making steady progress towards that goal, with the support of development
partners from all over the world.
Let me wish you an enjoyable evening and a most wonderful Africa Day celebration.
I thank you!!