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Closing Remarks by H.E. Mr. Hailemariam Dessalegn, Prime Minister of Ethiopia and the Chairperson of the AU at the 21st Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union, 27 May 2013

Welcome Remarks by HE Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Chairperson of the African Union Commission to the Opening session of the 26th Ordinary Session of the Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC), 19 May 2013

Statement by H. E. Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Chairperson of the African Union Commission
On the Occasion of the Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Organization of African Unity

Addis Ababa
25 May 2013, Millennium Hall

Your Excellency, the Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and Chairperson of the African Union;
Your Excellencies, Heads of State and Government;
Heads of Delegation;
The Secretary General of the United Nations;
Your Excellencies Former Presidents;
Honorable Ministers;
The Executive Secretary of the ECA;
Heads of AU and UN Organs;
Members of the Permanent Representatives Committee;
Distinguished Guests;
Fellow Citizens from the Motherland and in the Diaspora
Ladies and Gentlemen

It is a great honor to welcome Your Excellencies, fellow Africans, the African Diaspora and all present in the city of Addis Ababa to the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Organization of the African Unity (OAU) and now the African Union.

We pay tribute to the pioneers of Pan-Africanism, on the continent and in the Diaspora, and to the Founders of the OAU for their wisdom and foresight to lay the foundations for the unity and solidarity of Africa.

We congratulate all African and Diaspora women, youth, workers, business, professionals, farmers, artists, intellectuals and civil society, for their commitment to the African cause.

We salute the heroines who fought in the struggles against slavery, colonialism and apartheid, who founded the Pan African Women’s Organisation in 1962 and who demonstrated in words and action that human rights are indivisible and that the liberation of women is not an act of charity.
We lower our banners as we remember those who made the supreme sacrifice in the struggle for the liberation of Africa, and who restored our dignity.

These early generations embodied the Pan African values of selflessness, solidarity and service to the people, as in the part of the Oath taken by Amilcar Cabral in 1969 when he said:-
“I swear that I will give my life, all my energy and all my courage, all the capacity that I have… until the day that I die, to the service of my people, of Guinea and Cape Verde... and to the service of the cause of humanity… This is what my work is.”

Esteemed Guests and Fellow Africans
Africa’s struggle against colonialism, oppression and apartheid experienced solidarity and international support from all freedom-loving people of the world.

The OAU exhibited the spirit of internationalism as it championed the African cause and supported the struggles of oppressed people in other parts of the world.

We are therefore pleased to celebrate with all our friends from across the globe, and continue to reinforce our solidarity and cooperation.

Today, across the length and breadth of Africa and in capitals of the world, Africa Day is being celebrated. Our 50th anniversary is a beacon of the spirit of internationalism, solidarity and cooperation.

Fellow Africans
Today we re-dedicate ourselves to the total restoration of our dignity and independence.

We pledge to restore the dignity of the African child, man and woman. We pledge to free ourselves from malnutrition and hunger, war and conflict, ignorance and disease, unemployment and poverty.

We pledge to take our destiny in our own hands, because “power resides in hard work, scientific investigations, in intellectual curiosity, in creative greatness and freedom, in the fullest exploration of our human powers, and in the truest independence.”

We pledge to foster stronger bonds – educational, cultural, political and economic – with the Diaspora.

As we start the journey of the next fifty years, we are clear about the task before us: to educate our populace, and ensure healthy bodies and minds; to modernize and expand Africa’s infrastructure and connect our peoples and countries; to grow our agriculture and agro-businesses so that we can feed ourselves and the world; to use our natural resources to industrialise and grow our shared prosperity; to invest in science, technology, research and innovation as enablers of rapid progress; and finally to empower women and youth as the drivers of Africa’s renaissance.

As we therefore develop Agenda 2063, we call on all Africans and the Diaspora to contribute to this journey, so that Africa takes its destiny into its own hands, so that we become masters of our own fate.

We are proud to be African. In this great task, let us think like men and women of action. And act like men and women of thought.
My Brothers and sisters, this is your time.
This is Africa’s time.
Let us seize the moment.

Shukran
Asante sane
Merci beaucoup,
Obrigade
I thank you.

Statement by H. E. Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Chairperson of the African Union Commission
On the Occasion of the Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Organization of African Unity

Addis Ababa
25 May 2013, Millennium Hall

Your Excellency, the Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and Chairperson of the African Union;
Your Excellencies, Heads of State and Government;
Heads of Delegation;
The Secretary General of the United Nations;
Your Excellencies Former Presidents;
Honorable Ministers;
The Executive Secretary of the ECA;
Heads of AU and UN Organs;
Members of the Permanent Representatives Committee;
Distinguished Guests;
Fellow Citizens from the Motherland and in the Diaspora
Ladies and Gentlemen

It is a great honor to welcome Your Excellencies, fellow Africans, the African Diaspora and all present in the city of Addis Ababa to the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Organization of the African Unity (OAU) and now the African Union.

We pay tribute to the pioneers of Pan-Africanism, on the continent and in the Diaspora, and to the Founders of the OAU for their wisdom and foresight to lay the foundations for the unity and solidarity of Africa.

We congratulate all African and Diaspora women, youth, workers, business, professionals, farmers, artists, intellectuals and civil society, for their commitment to the African cause.

We salute the heroines who fought in the struggles against slavery, colonialism and apartheid, who founded the Pan African Women’s Organisation in 1962 and who demonstrated in words and action that human rights are indivisible and that the liberation of women is not an act of charity.
We lower our banners as we remember those who made the supreme sacrifice in the struggle for the liberation of Africa, and who restored our dignity.

These early generations embodied the Pan African values of selflessness, solidarity and service to the people, as in the part of the Oath taken by Amilcar Cabral in 1969 when he said:-
“I swear that I will give my life, all my energy and all my courage, all the capacity that I have… until the day that I die, to the service of my people, of Guinea and Cape Verde... and to the service of the cause of humanity… This is what my work is.”

Esteemed Guests and Fellow Africans
Africa’s struggle against colonialism, oppression and apartheid experienced solidarity and international support from all freedom-loving people of the world.

The OAU exhibited the spirit of internationalism as it championed the African cause and supported the struggles of oppressed people in other parts of the world.

We are therefore pleased to celebrate with all our friends from across the globe, and continue to reinforce our solidarity and cooperation.

Today, across the length and breadth of Africa and in capitals of the world, Africa Day is being celebrated. Our 50th anniversary is a beacon of the spirit of internationalism, solidarity and cooperation.

Fellow Africans
Today we re-dedicate ourselves to the total restoration of our dignity and independence.

We pledge to restore the dignity of the African child, man and woman. We pledge to free ourselves from malnutrition and hunger, war and conflict, ignorance and disease, unemployment and poverty.

We pledge to take our destiny in our own hands, because “power resides in hard work, scientific investigations, in intellectual curiosity, in creative greatness and freedom, in the fullest exploration of our human powers, and in the truest independence.”

We pledge to foster stronger bonds – educational, cultural, political and economic – with the Diaspora.

As we start the journey of the next fifty years, we are clear about the task before us: to educate our populace, and ensure healthy bodies and minds; to modernize and expand Africa’s infrastructure and connect our peoples and countries; to grow our agriculture and agro-businesses so that we can feed ourselves and the world; to use our natural resources to industrialise and grow our shared prosperity; to invest in science, technology, research and innovation as enablers of rapid progress; and finally to empower women and youth as the drivers of Africa’s renaissance.

As we therefore develop Agenda 2063, we call on all Africans and the Diaspora to contribute to this journey, so that Africa takes its destiny into its own hands, so that we become masters of our own fate.

We are proud to be African. In this great task, let us think like men and women of action. And act like men and women of thought.
My Brothers and sisters, this is your time.
This is Africa’s time.
Let us seize the moment.

Shukran
Asante sane
Merci beaucoup,
Obrigade
I thank you.

Statement by H.E. Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Chairperson of the African Union Commission

On the Occasion of the Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Organization of African Unity and the Debate of the Assembly on Pan Africanism and the African Renaissance

Addis Ababa, 25 May 2013, AUC Main Hall

Your Excellency Hailemariam Dessalegn, Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and Chairperson of the African Union,

Your Excellencies Heads of State and Government of the Member States of the African Union,

Your Excellencies former African Heads of State and Government,

Your Excellencies Members of the Executive Council of the African Union,

Your Excellencies former Secretaries-General of the Organization of African Unity and Dear Brothers,

Your Excellency Vuk Jeremic, President of the General Assembly of the United Nations,

Your Excellency Ban-Ki moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations,

Your Excellencies Heads of African Regional Economic Communities

Your Excellencies Heads of AU Specialized Organs and International Agencies,

Members of the Permanent Representatives Committee of the African Union,

Members of the Diplomatic Corps,

Distinguished Guests,

Fellow Africans on the motherland and in the Diaspora,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am pleased to warmly welcome Your Excellencies and all present to the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), and African Union and to this very critical debate on Pan Africanism and African Renaissance.

We committed ourselves to honour this historic commemoration, by having celebrations that are memorable, global, people-centered and will leave a lasting legacy. Part of that legacy is to reclaim the African narrative - the narrative of our past, present and future - and to tell our own stories.

Your Excellencies, Esteemed Guests, Fellow Africans

The Founders of the OAU followed in the footsteps of sisters and brothers, stolen and sold from African shores and through struggles, broke the shackles of slavery. They followed in the footsteps of our people from across Africa - North to South, East, West and Central that resisted colonialism and subjugation. They followed the declaration of independence of the first Black Republic of Haiti, more than two hundred years ago. Pan Africanism united and inspired our people across the continent and globe, never to accept oppression.

There are few narratives that more evocatively captures Africa’s past, as the extract from Ben Okri’s Infinite Riches:
It was indeed a splendid road. It had been built by the natives, supervised by the Governor-General. He dreamt that on this beautiful road all Africa’s wealth, its gold and diamonds and diverse mineral resources, its food, its energies, its labours, its intelligence would be transported to his land, to enrich the lives of his people across the green ocean.

Deep in his happy sleep the Governor-General dreamt of taking the Golden Stool of the Ashante king, the thinking masks of Bamako, the storytelling rocks of Zimbabwe, the symphonic Victoria Falls, the shapely tusks of Luo elephants, the slumbering trees of immemorial forests, the languorous river Niger, the enduring pyramids of the Nile, all the deltas rich with oil, the mountains rifted with metals apocalyptic, the mines shimmering with gold, the ancestral hills of Kilimanjaro, the lexicon of African rituals, the uncharted hinterland of Africa’s unconquerable spirits.

He dreamt of taking Africa’s timber-like men, their pomegranate women, their fertile sculptures, their plaintive songs, their spirit-worlds, their forest animals, their sorceries, their myths and their strong dances.

He dreamt that the natives would transport all these resources tangible and intangible, on their heads, or on litters, walking on the great road, in an orderly single file, across the Atlantic Ocean, for three thousand miles.

He dreamt of having all these riches transported to his land.

Some of them would be locked up in air-conditioned basements, for the benefit of Africa, because Africans did not know how to make the best use of them, and because his people could protect them better. He dreamt of having them in the basement of a great museum, to be studied, and to aid, in some obscure way, the progress of the human race.

He dreamt of the great road on which all the fruits and riches of African lives would be directed towards sweetening the sleep of his good land.

He did not dream of the hunger he would leave behind.

Pan Africanism and the dream of Africa’s renaissance were in direct opposition to the dream represented by the Governor-General. It was these contending dreams of the Founders of Pan Africanism of freedom, liberation, solidarity, self-determination and independence that united and help to defeat slavery, colonialism and apartheid.

Your Excellencies,

Today, as we debate Pan Africanism, fifty years after the OAU was formed, we have to ask some tough questions about our dream for Africa for the next fifty years and the Pan Africanist values that continue to inspire us.
In the Jubilee book that we distributed today, we have the speeches of the OAU Founders of 1963, and statements from Your Excellencies, our Heads of Government and States in 2013 on how you see Africa’s past, present and future.

Many of the themes we are concerned with today also occupied the OAU Founders in 1963.

Firstly, the Founders swore their solidarity when they vowed that all of Africa shall be free, recognizing that they cannot be free when their brothers and sisters were still under the yoke of colonialism and apartheid. They therefore in word and deed, through support to the liberation movements and by advocating in international forums, fought for the total liberation of all Africans.

Today, there is an impression that solidarity is a thing of the past. And yet in Somalia, when not so long ago the world gave up as a hopeless cause, it was African sons and daughters who fought and laid down their lives to create peace and keep the peace, placing it onto the road to recover. This is but one example in our recent history.

There is no greater example of solidarity than in the sacrifices of African peacekeepers across the continent, and at some point in the near future we must build a memorial in honour of those who lost their lives from all over the continent. When we therefore talk about African solutions to African problems, it is because we know that we can only permanently silence the guns, if we act in solidarity and in unity.

Secondly, we have with some notable exceptions, largely achieved self-determination. However, the self-reliance and economic independence that our Founders spoke of remain elusive, and social inequalities are on the rise. The Pan African commitment to independence and self-reliance remains important today – as we seek to integrate, to expand and modernize our infrastructure, to industrialise, to develop our human capital and our agriculture.

Thirdly, we must accelerate our integration. “It appears obvious”, one of the Founders said, “that the irresistible pressure of technology must lead to the constitution of economically powerful geographical blocks…we have the choice of participation in the modern world as a solidly constructed group… or standing aside from the main economic stream.”
We must therefore act with greater speed and a sense of urgency to create Free Trade Areas and towards an African Common Market, create the five regions as building blocks of the Union, and facilitate the free movement of peoples and goods.

Fourthly, our greatest resource is our people, especially our young population, whose energy, creativity and courage must drive Africa’s renaissance. Investment in their education and training and more generally in science, technology, research and innovation therefor remain critical to drive Africa’s modernization and development in all spheres. In this regard, the role of African business, entrepreneurs and professionals must be strengthened, so that they too contribute to the Pan African vision. Our women must be empowered as a critical ingredient to the continental development.

Finally, to quote yet another of our Founders “…never before has unity of action been more desirable and urgent; never before have nations faced such a challenging and splendid opportunity for concerted action.”

We must therefore renew the vision of Pan Africanism and the ideal of Renaissance to extricate ourselves from cynicism and fatalism. Africa must build confidence in itself, in its ability and obligation to be drivers of its destiny.

The people of any civilization are its greatest resource, and if the collective mindset is attuned towards self-belief, solidarity and self-reliance, then that civilization will triumph against all odds.

These, Your Excellencies, are but some of our thoughts and we look forward to the debate and conversations.

Bonne fête à tout le monde.

I thank you