Special Page Front Page

Seminar on the theme "Pan-Africanism and African Renaissance”

Statement by Carlos Lopes, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ECA

25 May 2013, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Excellencies

The twenty-fifth of May 1963 was a truly momentous day in Africa. It certainly marked the establishment of the Organization of African Unity but there is much more than symbolism to this date.

It was the culmination of over a century of pan-Africanist struggle to assert the dignity of the African peoples. It showcased the desire of unity by the African people and their desire to overcome the balkanization of the continent. It was a repudiation of negative stereotypes and racialist interpretations of African history. Indeed, it underscored the common commitment of Africans to achieve freedom and end decolonization and apartheid on the African continent. The establishment of the OAU was about Africans taking pride in the continent.

It is accordingly quite in order to mark 25 May as a special day on the continent. A golden jubilee is nevertheless a very special milestone. This is attested to by the high turnout of African Heads of Sate and Government at this occasion. It is also attested to by the presence of Heads of State and Government from all parts of the world. Indeed, the Secretary-General of the United Nations who came for the January Summit is also here with us today.

The special nature of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the OAU is also borne out by the extensive number of activities and events to mark the occasion. African intellectuals have deliberated on the true importance of the theme of the celebrations. Yesterday, we had an intergenerational dialogue with children and youth. Our women have marked the occasion just as our workers, business community, artists and faith based groups have mobilized themselves in celebration.

Today, is however only the beginning of a year-long celebration of the African Renaissance. The purpose of this celebration goes beyond the sheer joy of achieving a major milestone. We are acknowledging the contribution of the African Diaspora to the framing of pan-Africanist ideals. We are commemorating the achievement of the key objectives of our founding fathers, including freedom, decolonization and the end of racial domination. We are celebrating Africa’s heroes and heroines who articulated pan-Africanist ideals, led the struggle for independence and where the need arose became focused and unwavering liberation fighters. We are, of course, also marking the economic and social progress that Africa has made since 1963, in spite of all the odds. We are indeed underscoring the transformation of the OAU to the African Union at the turn of the century.

Yet, we must be the first to admit that there is still a lot more to be done. African integration remains incomplete. Development challenges still abound. Peace and security are still very much scarce commodities in parts of the continent. The narrative about Africa is still very much generated from outside. There is need to frame a common vision and roadmap. This is the meaning of an African Renaissance. This, of course, is also what the African Vision 2063 project is about.

However, my role this morning is to use this occasion to elicit reflections from our Panelists and Leaders alike on the achievements and challenges of the past fifty years. It is also an opportunity for us all to assess where Africa stands today especially in the context of mega-trends such as the emergence of new economic powers; recession in the developed world; urbanization, changing demographics; climate change; digitalization and changing security threats. I also hope that taking all these factors into consideration, we shall benefit from some insights into the contents of a vision for Africa’s peace and prosperity over the next fifty years.

Mesdames et Messieurs les Chefs d’État et de Gouvernement,

Voici une chance unique de faire aussi la différence en termes de format de notre dialogue. Je vous invite comme a bien dit feu le sage Amadou Hampaté Ba a atteindre un bout commun en empruntent des voies différentes. Je vous propose que les interventions soient reparties en quatre domaines principaux: 1) la meilleur utilisation des opportunités économiques, 2) le besoin d’avoir des stratégies pour l’avenir du continent, 3) les défis de la gouvernance et le besoin de changer le discours sur l’Afrique, et 4) les questions d’inclusion. On est pas loin des thèmes habituelles du Mécanisme Africain de Révision par les Pairs ou de la Proclamation en train d’être discuté au sein de l’Union Africaine. Le moment venu on ouvrira les inscriptions et je compte sur votre choix sur un de les quatre grands piliers.

Excellences j’ai vu une fois le Président Obasanjo couper la parole a un collègue. Il l’a fait avec sa joie habituelle et l’intervenant a sourit. Je ne suis pas sûre que j’aurais la même chance si j’osais le même défi, car je n’ai pas son âge ni sa sagesse et j’ai envie de m’approcher de l’horizon 2063 autant que possible. C’est la raison pour laquelle je me sens conforté par l’aide de la technologie qui limite le temps de parole à trois minutes, après quoi je vous assure que ce n’est pas moi mais une autorité suprême électronique qui coupera le son. Je dis bien le son, car on ne peut pas vous couper la parole, Excellences. Vous symbolisez la parole africaine, avec ou sans technologie. Ceci dit avec cette aide nous aurons le temps d’écouter toutes les voix.

Excellencies, Ladies and gentleman,

As the famous Ghanaian writer Ai Kwey Armah said «The time has come for us to pause for breath. It is not that our remembrance fatigues us, no.
This is no halt brought on by the tiredness of flesh or any weakening of our minds.

In our remembrance this is no stagnant stop but a necessary part of our memory’s flow in the telling of the way.

For this time that has come, it is a time to be filled not with hallow sounds loud with emptiness.

We have reached the time when we must speak of consciousness”

Let me now introduce members of the Panel, who are:

Dr. Donald Kaberuka, President of the African Development Bank
(Mega Trends)
Mr. P.J. Patterson, former Prime Minister of Jamaica
(Diaspora)
Dr. Amina Mama, a Nigerian writer, gender expert and academic
(Diversity/Govern ourselves/Conflict)
Tendai Wenyika, Secretary General of the Pan African Youth Union
(Future is Youth)

Opening Speech Mrs. Habiba Mejri Cheikh, Director Information and Communication during African Journalists and Editors Training, 18 May 2013

Speech delivered by H.E Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ethiopia at the 23rd Ordinary Session of the Executive Council, 22 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

Intergenerational Youth Forum

Keynote Address

by Carlos Lopes, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ECA

24 May 2013, Addis Ababa

Your Excellencies,
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen
Young men and women of Africa

I feel particularly honoured to have this opportunity to address this meeting.

The spirit of Pan Africanism is a spirit of inclusiveness, togetherness, and unity. As we celebrate 50 years of Pan Africanist history, there is every reason why we should include the young people of the continent. I am indeed happy to realize that some of the youth with us today will be there in fifty years time to tell the story of May 2013.

Your Excellencies

Kwame Nkrumah at the age of 37 was deeply involved in the planning and organization of the 1945 Pan African Congress in Manchester. Abdul Gamel Nasser, was a colonel in the Egyptian army at the age of 35 and became President at the age of 38. Modibo Keita at the age of 28, founded the L'oeil de Kénédougou, a magazine critical of colonial rule that led to his imprisonment for three weeks in 1946 at the Prison de la Santé in Paris. Frantz Fanon at age 27, wrote his first book, Black Skin, White Masks, an analysis of the negative psychological effects of colonial subjugation upon Black people. Nelson Mandela was founding member of the Africa National Congress Youth League at age 26 and elected National President of the league 5 years later. At age 26, Amilcar Cabral had founded several student movements dedicated to opposing the rule of Portugal and promoting the cause of liberation of Portuguese colonies in Africa. When he died at the age of 46, he had achieved more than many people do in three lifetimes. Indeed, when Patrice Lumumba was assassinated at the age of only 37, he was already Prime Minister of the Congo having previously led a long struggle to liberate his beloved nation.

At their time, these actors were a source of inspiration, not only for Africans. Their ideas and contributions continue to be a source of inspiration for us today. They were great mobilizers, builders, purveyors and believers in the ideals of pan-Africanism. By comparison, our youth of today are still struggling to make their mark and to have their voices heard in all spheres of governance and influence. Indeed the current median age of African leaders is 3 times the median age of the African population.

We can nevertheless also safely assert that Africa’s youth have made an impact on the democratic evolution of the continent. I am not talking only about their role in the so-called Arab Spring, which by the way is a misnomer. Spring is not applicable to Africa and it was not only in North Africa that the youth played a role in stopping undemocratic practices at national level. Youth were also central to resisting a sit-tight President in Niger and to the general mobilization that resulted in the changes in Senegal. Despite these seemingly great achievements, it is sad to note that even though young Africans are more literate than their parents, they are more unemployed with current education levels lagging behind that of China and India.

The key message however is that the energy of Africa’s youth, and their frustration with current conditions, has to be channeled through right policies. This goes without saying-Africa’s youth are its future and the most important contributors to its structural transformation. Going forward, Africa, already the youngest continent will also have the largest labor force in the world. Indeed, by 2050, over a quarter of the world’s labor force will be African.

Let me further stress this point. 2012 marked the tercentenary anniversary of the birth of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, considered one of the most original philosophers of the Enlightenment. His seminal work on the Social Contract gives us a starting place as he considered the possibility of balancing the relationship between man and nature. Rousseau also looked at creating a society based on the principles of equality, freedom and participatory governance. Indeed the idea of a social contract, which he originally postulated from the theory of family solidarity and togetherness, is thought of by some as the core constituents of sustainable development. This concept of sustainable development has now become the last incarnation of the continuous struggle to balance the relationship between humans and nature.

The world has reached a point where we need an intergenerational social contract that not only seeks to continue the sustainable development agenda but also looks at it in the new dimension of a demographic imbalance; a young Africa versus an aging world. This is why a debate on the youth in Africa is so relevant. This issue is not only critical to Africa but to the world’s continuous development as a whole.

Given this background, our collective challenge is how to use Africa’s youth potential to build a prosperous and peaceful continent. It would require that we create mechanisms to give more space to our youth. Needless to say, of course, that the older generation did not wait for space to be created for them but rather took it.

Don’t tell them there are no jobs. The example of Asia’s growth tells us otherwise.
Don’t tell them they cannot do science. India’s growth shows that a developing country can train its youth to build a strong science and engineering base.
Don’t tell them not to dream. The growth of IT innovations in Africa shows our capabilities in the face of hardship.

Don’t tell them not to grow. The businesses acumen of young entrepreneurs like Ashish Thakkar, Africa’s youngest billionaire, shows that it is possible.
Don’t tell them not to ask questions. Indeed that is the only way they can provide the answers we need for the next fifty years.

We want a youth that are ambitious, innovative and courageous, righting wrong, and speaks truth to power. We want a youth that continues the struggle for the total liberation of Africa started by our forefathers by fighting for equality, freedom and justice.

Ladies and gentlemen, in the past Africa’s 52 million Facebook users, most of whom are youth, show clearly that they are up to date and well equipped to function effectively as part of the information and communications revolution. I have also very recently developed a social media presence and am getting used to the lingo such as ‘posting’, ‘liking’ and ‘friending’ on my Facebook page. I especially like the word ‘LOL’ which means ‘laugh out loud’. Indeed, while I listen to and enjoy the work of Angelique Kidjo, Salif Keita and Hugh Masekela, I do appreciate that P-Square and Sauti Sol have more resonance with our youth. I assure you however that those of us of the older generation can also gyrate to the music generated by young Africans. After all, we all have rhythm!!

I thank you for your attention.