"A global strategy to optimize the use of Africa's resources for the benefit of all Africans"

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A WORD FROM THE AUC CHAIRPERSON: AFRICA IN 2063, AN EMAIL FROM THE FUTURE

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EDITORIAL BY MANDLA MADONSELA PAGE 8

SUMMARY OF THE 50TH OAU/AU ANNIVERSARY SOLEMN DECLARATION PAGE 9

AGENDA 2063: KEY FEATURES, RATIONALE AND VALUE ADDED PAGE 10

MEMBER STATES INITIATIVES : Example of Namibia PAGE 16

INTERVIEW WITH MARIA EUGÉNIA NETO, WIDOW OF DR. ANTÓNIO AGOSTINHO NETO, FOUNDER OF THE POPULAR REPUBLIC OF ANGOLA PAGE 17

PHOTO ALBUM PAGE 22

UPCOMING EVENTS PAGE 25

ARTICLES PAGE 34

THE 50TH OAU/AU ANNIVERSARY SOLEMN DECLARATION

DECLARATION DU CINQUANTENAIRE DE L’OUA/UA PAGE 40

AGENDA 2063 NEWSLETTERISSUE No 1: MAY 2013 TO JAN 2014

OUTLINE

Pg. 8

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Email from the Future, By Nkosazana Clarisse Dlamini Zuma

Date: 24 January 2063To: Kwame@iamafrican.comFrom: Nkosazana@cas.govSubject: African Unity

My dear friend Kwame,

Greetings to the family and friends, and good health and best wishes for 2063.

I write to you from the beautiful Ethiopian city of Bahir Dar, located on Lake Tana, as we finalize preparations for the Centenary celebrations of the Organisation of African Unity, which became the African Union in 2002 and laid the foundation for what is now our Confederation of African States (CAS).

Yes, who would have thought that the dream of Kwame Nkrumah and his generations, when they called in 1963 on Africans to unite or perish, would one day become a reality. And what a grand reality.

At the beginning of the twenty first century, we used to get irritated with foreigners when they treated Africa as one country: as if we were not a continent of over a billion people and 55 sovereign states! But, the advancing global trend towards regional blocks, reminded us that integration and unity was the only way for Africa to leverage its competitive advantage.

Date : Le 24 janvier 2063À : Kwame@iamafrican.comDe : Nkosazana@cas.govObjet : Unité africaine

Mon cher ami Kwame,

Mes salutations aux parents et amis, et mes meilleurs voeux de bonne santé pour 2063.

Je vous écris de la belle ville éthiopienne de Bahir Dar, aux environs du lac Tana, alors que nous finalisons les préparatifs des célébrations du Centenaire de l’Organisation de l’unité africaine devenue l’Union africaine en 2002, qui a jeté les bases de ce qui est maintenant notre Confédération des États de l’Afrique (CAS).

Oui, qui aurait pensé que le rêve de Kwame Nkrumah et de sa génération, lorsqu’en 1963 ils ont appelé les Africains à s’unir ou périr, deviendrait un jour une réalité ? Et quelle réalité grandiose!

Au début du XXIe siècle, nous nous irritions de ce que les étrangers considéraient l’Afrique comme un pays : comme si nous n’étions pas un continent de plus d’un milliard d’habitants et constitué de 55 États souverains ! Mais, l’évolution de la tendance mondiale en faveur des blocs régionaux nous a rappelé que l’intégration et l’unité sont le seul moyen pour l’Afrique de tirer parti de son avantage concurrentiel.

A WORD FROM THE AU CHAIRPERSON

During the Ministerial retreat of the Executive Council of the African Union held in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia, from 24th to 26th January 2014, the Chairperson of the AU Commission, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma outlined her vision for Africa in 50 years’ time, through “an email from the future”. Written to a hypothetical Kwame in the year 2063:

Au cours de la Retraite ministérielle du Conseil exécutif de l’Union africaine qui s’est déroulée à Bahir Dar, Éthiopie, du 24 au 26 janvier 2014, la Président de la Commission de l’UA, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma a exposé sa vision pour l’Afrique dans 50 ans, à travers “L’email du Futur”.Adressé en l’an 2063, à un ami fictif nommé Kwamé.

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In fact, if Africa was one country in 2006, we would have been the 10th largest economy in the world! However, instead of acting as one, with virtually every resource in the world (land, oceans, minerals, energy) and over a billion people, we acted as fifty-five small and fragmented individual countries. The bigger countries that should have been the locomotives of African integration, failed to play their role at that time, and that is part of the reasons it took us so long. We did not realize our power, but instead relied on donors, that we euphemistically called partners.

That was the case in 2013, but reality finally dawned and we had long debates about the form that our unity should take: confederation, a united states, a federation or a union.

As you can see, my friend, those debates are over and the Confederation of African States is now twelve years old, launched in 2051.What was interesting was the role played by successive generations of African youth. Already in 2013 during the Golden Jubilee celebrations, it was the youth that loudly questioned the slow progress towards integration. They formed African Union Clubs in schools and universities across the continent, and linked with each other on social media. We thus saw the grand push for integration, for the free movement of people, for harmonization of education and professional qualifications, with the Pan African University and indeed the university sector and intelligentsia playing an instrumental role.

We were a youthful continent at the start of the 21st century, but as our youth bulge grew, young men and women became even more active, creative, impatient and assertive, often telling us oldies that they are the future, and that they (together with women) form the largest part of the electorates in all our countries!

Of course this was but one of the drivers towards unity. The accelerated implementation of the Abuja Treaty and the creation of the African Economic Community by 2034 saw economic integration moved to unexpected levels.

Economic integration, coupled with infrastructure development, saw intra-Africa trade mushrooming, from less than 12% in 2013 to almost 50% by 2045. This integration was further consolidated with the growth of commodity exchanges and continental commercial giants. Starting with the African pharmaceutical company, Pan African companies now not only dominate our domestic market of over two billion people, but they have overtaken multi-nationals from the rest of the world in their own markets.

Even more significant than this, was the growth of regional manufacturing hubs, around the beneficiation of our minerals and natural resources, such as in the Eastern Congo, North-Eastern Angola and Zambia’s copper belt and at major Silicon valleys in Kigali, Alexandria, Brazzaville, Maseru, Lagos and Mombasa, to

En fait, si l’Afrique était un pays en 2006, nous aurions été la 10e puissance économique du monde ! Cependant, au lieu de nous unir dans l’action, alors que nous possédions pratiquement toutes les ressources du monde (les terres, les océans, les minéraux, l’énergie) et avions une population de plus d’un milliard d’habitants, nous avons agi comme cinquante-cinq petits pays individuels fragmentés. Les plus grands pays qui auraient dû être les locomotives de l’intégration africaine n’ont pas joué leur rôle à ce moment-là, et c’est une des raisons qui explique tout le temps pris pour arriver où nous sommes aujourd’hui. Nous n’avons pas usé de notre puissance, mais nous nous sommes plutôt appuyés sur les bailleurs de fonds qui nous appellent par euphémisme partenaires.

C’était le cas en 2013. Maintenant, nous avons enfin pris conscience de la réalité et avons eu de longs débats sur la forme que nous voulions donner à notre unité : une Confédération, des États unis, une fédération ou un syndicat.

Comme vous pouvez le voir, mon ami, ces débats ont pris fin et la Confédération des États d’Afrique a été lancée en 2051, il y a douze ans.

Le plus intéressant était le rôle joué par des générations successives de jeunes africains. Déjà en 2013, lors des célébrations du Jubilé d’or, ce sont les jeunes qui ont exprimé leur impatience face à la lenteur des progrès sur la voie de l’intégration. Ils ont formé des Clubs de l’union africaine dans les écoles et les universités à travers le continent et ont créé des liens les uns avec les autres par le biais des médias sociaux. Nous avons donc assisté à un important mouvement en faveur de l’intégration, de la libre circulation des personnes, de l’harmonisation de l’éducation et des qualifications professionnelles. L’Université panafricaine et le secteur universitaire et l’intelligentsia jouent un rôle déterminant dans ce processus.

Nous étions un continent jeune au début du 21e siècle, mais avec l’explosion démographique de jeunes, les jeunes hommes et les jeunes femmes sont devenus encore plus actifs, créatifs, impatients et sûrs d’eux-mêmes, nous disant souvent à nous, plus âgés, qu’ils représentent l’avenir, et qu’ils (conjointement avec les femmes) forment la plus grande partie de l’électorat de tous nos pays !

Bien sûr, ce n’était là qu’un des moteurs de l’unité. La mise en oeuvre accélérée du Traité d’Abuja et la création de la Communauté économique africaine en 2034 ont entrainé une progression spectaculaire de l’intégration économique.

L’intégration économique, associée au développement des infrastructures, a vu la multiplication des échanges intra-africains qui sont passés de moins de 12 % en 2013 à près de 50 % en 2045. Cette intégration a été davantage renforcée par la croissance des échanges de produits de base et la présence de géants commerciaux africains. Commençant par l’entreprise pharmaceutique africaine, les entreprises panafricaines dominent non seulement notre marché intérieur de plus de deux milliards de personnes à présent, mais elles ont dépassé les multinationales du reste du monde sur leurs propres marchés.

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mention but a few such hubs.

My friend, Africa has indeed transformed herself from an exporter of raw materials with a declining manufacturing sector in 2013, to become a major food exporter, a global manufacturing hub, a knowledge centre, beneficiating our natural resources and agricultural products as drivers to industrialization.

Pan African companies, from mining to finance, food and beverages, hospitality and tourism, pharmaceuticals, fashion, fisheries and ICT are driving integration, and are amongst the global leaders in their sectors.

We are now the third largest economy in the world. As the Foreign Minister’s retreat in Bahir Dar in January 2014 emphasised, we did this by finding the balance between market forces and strong and accountable developmental states and Regional Economic Communities (RECS) to drive infrastructure, the provision of social services, industrialization and economic integration. Let me recall what our mutual friend recently wrote: “The (African) agrarian revolution had small beginnings. Successful business persons (and local governments) with roots in the rural areas started massive irrigation schemes to harness the waters of the continent’s huge river systems. The pan-African river projects - on the Congo, the Nile, Niger, Gambia, Zambezi, Kunene, Limpopo and many others – financed by Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) that involved African and BRIC investors, as well as the African Diaspora, released the continent’s untapped agricultural potential.

By the intelligent application of centuries-old indigenous knowledge, acquired and conserved by African women who have tended crops in all seasons, within the first few years bumper harvests were being reported. Agronomists consulted women about the qualities of various grains – which ones survived low rainfalls and which thrived in wet weather; what pests threatened crops and how could they be combated without undermining delicate ecological systems.

The social impact of the agrarian revolution was perhaps the most enduring change it brought about. The status of women, the tillers of the soil by tradition, rose exponentially. The girl child, condemned to a future in the kitchen or the fields in our not too distant past, now has an equal chance of acquiring a modern education (and owning a farm or an agribusiness). African mothers today have access to tractors and irrigation systems that can be easily assembled.

The producers’ cooperatives, (agribusinesses) and marketing boards these women established help move their produce and became the giant food companies we see today.’

We refused to bear the brunt of climate change and aggressively moved to promote the Green economy and to claim the Blue

Le plus important de tous ces progrès, c’est la croissance des centres de fabrication régionaux pour la valorisation de nos ressources minérales et naturelles, comme dans l’est du Congo, au nord-est de l’Angola et dans la ceinture de cuivre de Zambie et les grandes vallées de silicium de Kigali, d’Alexandrie, de Brazzaville, de Maseru, de Lagos et de Mombasa, pour n’en citer que quelques-uns.

Mon ami, l’Afrique s’est en effet transformée, passant d’un exportateur de matières premières avec un secteur manufacturier en déclin en 2013, à un exportateur de produits alimentaires, une plateforme mondiale de production industrielle, un centre de connaissances, en valorisant nos ressources naturelles et nos produits agricoles comme moteurs de l’industrialisation.

Les Entreprises panafricaines, allant de l’extraction, des finances, des produits alimentaires et des boissons, de l’hôtellerie et du tourisme, des produits pharmaceutiques, de la mode, de la pêche et des TIC, stimulent l’intégration et font partie des leaders mondiaux dans leurs secteurs.

Nous sommes à présent la troisième puissance économique mondiale. Comme le soulignait la retraite des ministres des Affaires étrangères à Bahir Dar en janvier 2014, nous y sommes parvenus en trouvant l’équilibre entre les forces du marché, des États développementistes forts et responsables et des CER, pour donner une impulsion aux infrastructures, à la prestation de services sociaux, à l’industrialisation et à l’intégration économique.

Permettez-moi de rappeler ce que notre ami commun a récemment écrit : « la révolution agraire (africaine) a eu des débuts modestes. Des entrepreneurs connaissant la réussite (et les gouvernements locaux) ayant des racines dans les zones rurales ont lancé de vastes programmes d’irrigation afin d’exploiter les eaux des vastes systèmes hydrographiques du continent. Les projets panafricains de bassins fluviaux - sur le Congo, le Nil, le Niger, la Gambie, le Zambèze, le Kunene, le Limpopo et bien d’autres - financés par les PPP avec la participation de l’Afrique et des investisseurs BRIC, ainsi que de la diaspora africaine, ont libéré le potentiel agricole inexploité du continent. Grâce à l’application intelligente des connaissances indigènes séculaires acquises et conservées par les femmes africaines qui se sont, de tout temps, occupées des cultures, des récoltes exceptionnelles ont été signalées dès les premières années. Les agronomes ont consulté les femmes sur la qualité des différentes graines – celles qui ont survécu aux faibles chutes de pluie et celles qui ont bien poussé par temps pluvieux ; les types de maladies qui ravagent les cultures et comment les combattre sans nuire à l’équilibre des systèmes écologiques.L’impact social de la révolution agraire a sans doute été le changement le plus durable qu’elle a suscité. Le statut des femmes, des travailleurs de la terre par tradition s’est amélioré de façon exponentielle. La fillette condamnée à passer sa vie dans la cuisine ou dans les champs dans un passé pas trop lointain, a maintenant, comme le garçon, la possibilité d’acquérir une éducation moderne (et de posséder une ferme ou une entreprise agroalimentaire). Aujourd’hui, les mères africaines ont accès aux tracteurs et aux systèmes d’irrigation pouvant être facilement assemblés.

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economy as ours. We lit up Africa, the formerly dark continent, using hydro, solar, wind, geo-thermal energy, in addition to fossil fuels.

And, whilst I’m on the Blue economy, the decision to form Africa-wide shipping companies, and encourage mining houses to ship their goods in vessels flying under African flags, meant a major growth spurt. Of course the decision taken in Dakar to form an African Naval Command to provide for the collective security of our long coastlines, certainly also helped.

Let me quote from our mutual friend again:‘Africa’s river system, lakes and coast lines abound with tons of fish. With funding from the different states and the Diaspora, young entrepreneurs discovered… that the mouths of virtually all the rivers along the east coast are rich in a species of eel considered a delicacy across the continent and the world.

Clever marketing also created a growing market for Nile perch, a species whose uncontrolled proliferation had at one time threatened the survival of others in Lake Victoria and the Nile.

Today Namibia and Angola exploit the Benguela current, teaming with marine life, through the joint ventures funded by sovereign funds and the African Development Bank.”

On the east coast, former island states of Seychelles, Comoros, Madagascar and Mauritius are leading lights of the Blue economy and their universities and research institutes attract marine scientists and students from all over the world.Dear friend, you reminded me in your last e-mail how some magazine once called us ‘The hopeless continent’, citing conflicts, hunger and malnutrition, disease and poverty as if it was a permanent African condition. Few believed that our pledge in the 50th Anniversary Declaration to silence the guns by 2020 was possible. Because of our firsthand experience of the devastation of conflicts, we tackled the root causes, including diversity, inclusion and the management of our resources.

If I have to single out one issue that made peace happen, it was our commitment to invest in our people, especially the empowerment of young people and women. By 2013 we said Africa needed a skills revolution and that we must change our education systems to produce young people that are innovative and entrepreneurial and with strong Pan African values.

From early childhood education, to primary, secondary, technical, vocational and higher education – we experienced a true renaissance, through the investments we made, as governments and the private sector in education and in technology, science, research and innovation.

Coupled with our concerted campaigns to eradicate the major

Les coopératives de producteurs (agro-industries) et les offices de commercialisation créés par ces femmes ont permis d’accroitre leur production et sont devenus les géants alimentaires que nous voyons aujourd’hui.Nous avons refusé de faire les frais des changements climatiques et avons activement fait la promotion de l’économie verte, faisant de l’économie bleue notre cheval de bataille. Nous avons éclairé l’Afrique, continent autrefois sombre, au moyen de l’énergie hydraulique, solaire, éolienne, géothermique, en plus des combustibles fossiles.

Parlant de l’économie bleue, la décision de former des compagnies maritimes à l’échelle continentale et d’encourager les sociétés minières à expédier leurs marchandises par des navires battant pavillon africain signifiait une importante poussée de croissance. Bien sûr, la décision prise à Dakar de créer un Commandement des forces navales africaines afin d’assurer la sécurité collective de nos longues côtes y a certainement également contribué.

Permettez-moi une fois de plus de citer notre ami commun : « Le système des bassins fluviaux africain, les lacs et les côtes abondent de poissons. Grâce au financement des différents États et de la diaspora, les jeunes entrepreneurs ont découvert que les embouchures de pratiquement toutes les rivières de la côte Est sont riches en espèces d’anguilles considérées comme une délicatesse à travers le continent et dans le monde.

Un marketing adroit a également créé un marché en croissance pour la perche du Nil, une espèce dont la prolifération incontrôlée eu, à un moment, menacé la survie d’autres espèces dans le lac Victoria et dans le Nil.

La Namibie et l’Angola exploitent aujourd’hui le courant de Benguela regorgeant d’espèces marines, à travers des projets communs financés par des fonds souverains et la Banque africaine de développement ».

Sur la côte Est, les anciens États insulaires des Seychelles, des Comores, de Madagascar et de Maurice sont chefs de file en matière d’économie bleue et leurs universités et instituts de recherche attirent les spécialistes des sciences de la mer et les étudiants du monde entier.

Cher ami, vous m’avez rappelé dans votre dernier e-mail qu’un magazine nous a une fois appelé « Le continent sans espoir », citant les conflits, la faim et la malnutrition, la maladie et la pauvreté comme si c’était un état permanent de l’Afrique. Peu de personnes croyaient en notre engagement pris dans la Déclaration du cinquantième anniversaire de faire taire les armes en 2020. En raison de notre expérience directe de la dévastation résultant des conflits, nous nous sommes attaqués aux causes profondes, notamment la diversité, l’inclusion et la gestion de nos ressources.

Si je ne devais relever qu’une seule question qui a fait de la paix une réalité, ce serait notre engagement à investir dans nos peuples, en particulier l’autonomisation des jeunes et des femmes. Nous avons dit en 2013 que l’Afrique avait besoin d’une révolution en matière de compétences et que nous devions changer nos systèmes éducatifs pour former des jeunes qui ont le sens de l’innovation et l’entreprise et possèdent de fortes valeurs panafricaines.

De l’éducation de la petite enfance, à l’enseignement secondaire, technique, professionnel et supérieur - nous avons connu une véritable renaissance,

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diseases, to provide access to health services, good nutrition, energy and shelter, our people indeed became and are our most important resource. Can you believe it my friend, even the dreaded malaria is a thing of the past.

Of course this shift could not happen without Africa taking charge of its transformation, including the financing of our development. As one esteemed Foreign minister said in 2014: Africa is rich, but Africans are poor.

With concerted political determination and solidarity, and sometimes one step back and two steps forward, we made financing our development and taking charge of our resources a priority, starting with financing the African Union, our democratic elections and our peacekeeping missions.

The Golden Jubilee celebrations were the start of a major paradigm shift, about taking charge of our narrative.

Agenda 2063, its implementation and the milestones it set, was part of what brought about this shift. We developed Agenda 2063 to galvanize and unite in action all Africans and the Diaspora around the common vision of a peaceful, integrated and prosperous Africa. As an overarching framework, Agenda 2063 provided internal coherence to our various sectoral frameworks and plans adopted under the OAU and AU. It linked and coordinated our many national and regional frameworks into a common continental transformation drive.

Planning fifty years ahead, allowed us to dream, think creatively, and sometimes crazy as one of the Ministers who hosted the 2014 Ministerial retreat said, to see us leapfrog beyond the immediate challenges.

Anchored in Pan Africanism and the African renaissance, Agenda 2063 promoted the values of solidarity, self-belief, non-sexism, self-reliance and celebration of our diversity.

As our societies developed, as our working and middle classes grew, as women took their rightful place in our societies, our recreational, heritage and leisure industries grew: arts and culture, literature, media, languages, music and film. WEB du Bois grand project of Encyclopedia Africana finally saw the light and Kinshasha is now the fashion capital of the world.

From the onset, the Diaspora in the traditions of Pan Africanism, played its part, through investments, returning to the continent with their skills and contributing not only to their place of origin, but where the opportunities and needs were found.Let me conclude this e-mail, with some family news. The twins, after completing their space studies at Bahir Dar University, decided to take the month before they start work at the African Space Agency to travel the continent. My old friend, in our days,

grâce aux investissements que nous avons faits, en tant que gouvernements et secteur privé, dans l’éducation et dans la technologie, la science, la recherche et l’innovation.

Associés à nos campagnes concertées pour éradiquer les principales maladies, fournir un accès aux services de santé, à une bonne alimentation, à l’énergie et au logement, nos peuples sont en effet devenus et restent notre ressource la plus importante. Pouvez-vous le croire mon ami, même le paludisme redoutable est de l’histoire ancienne.

Bien sûr, ce changement ne pouvait se faire sans l’appropriation par l’Afrique de sa transformation, notamment le financement de son développement. Comme l’ont déclaré les ministres des Affaires étrangères en 2014 : l’Afrique est riche, mais les Africains sont pauvres.Avec une détermination politique et une solidarité communes, et faisant parfois un pas en arrière et deux pas en avant, nous avons fait du financement de notre développement et de l’appropriation de nos ressources une priorité, en commençant par le financement de l’Union africaine, de nos élections démocratiques et de nos missions de maintien de la paix.

Les festivités du Jubilé ont marqué le début d’un changement radical de paradigme concernant l’appropriation de notre histoire.

L’Agenda 2063, sa mise en oeuvre et les étapes qu’il a fixées ont permis ce changement. L’Agenda 2063 a pour objectif de mobiliser et d’unir tous les Africains et la diaspora dans l’action autour de la vision commune d’une Afrique pacifique, intégrée et prospère. Comme cadre global, l’Agenda 2063 a permis la cohésion interne de nos différents cadres et plans adoptés sous l’égide de l’OUA et de l’UA. Il a relié et coordonné nos nombreux cadres nationaux et régionaux dans une dynamique de transformation continentale commune.

La planification à l’horizon des 50 ans nous a permis de rêver, de penser de façon créative, et de devenir parfois fous comme l’a déclaré l’un des ministres qui a accueilli la retraite ministérielle 2014, en nous voyant franchir les obstacles immédiats.

Ancré dans le panafricanisme et la Renaissance africaine, l’Agenda 2063 a promu les valeurs de solidarité, de confiance en soi, de non-sexisme, d’autonomie et de célébration de notre diversité.

Au fur et à mesure que nos sociétés se développaient, que nos classes ouvrières et moyennes augmentaient, que les femmes prenaient leur place dans nos sociétés, notre héritage et nos industries de loisirs ont augmenté, de même que nos arts et notre culture, notre littérature, nos médias, nos langues, notre musique et notre cinéma. Le grand projet d’Encyclopédia Africana de WEB du Bois devint enfin réalité et Kinshasa est aujourd’hui la capitale mondiale de la mode.

D’entrée de jeu, la diaspora, dans les traditions du panafricanisme, a joué son rôle grâce aux investissements, en revenant sur le continent, dotée de ses compétences et apportant sa contribution non seulement au lieu d’origine, mais là où il y avait des besoins et des opportunités.

Permettez-moi de conclure cet e-mail, avec quelques nouvelles de la famille. Les jumeaux, après avoir achevé leurs études spatiales à

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trying to do that in one month would have been impossible! But, the African Express Rail now connects all the capitals of our former states, and indeed they will be able to crisscross and see the beauty, culture and diversity of this cradle of humankind. The marvel of the African Express Rail is that it is not only a high speed-train, with adjacent highways, but also contains pipelines for gas, oil and water, as well as ICT broadband cables: African ownership, integrated planning and execution at its best!

The continental rail and road network that now crisscross Africa, along with our vibrant airlines, our spectacular landscapes and seductive sunsets, the cultural vibes of our cities, make tourism one of our largest economic sectors.

Our eldest daughter, the linguist, still lectures in KiSwahili in Cabo Verde, at the headquarters of the Pan African Virtual University. KiSwahili is now a major African working language, and a global language taught at most faculties across the world. Our grand children still find it very funny how we used to struggle at AU meetings with English, French and Portuguese interpretations, how we used to fight the English version not in line with the French or Arabic. Now we have a lingua franca, and multi-lingualism is the order of the day.

Remember how we used to complain about our voice not being heard in trade negotiations and the Security Council, how disorganized, sometimes divided and nationalistic we used to be in those forums, how we used to be summoned by various countries to their capitals to discuss their policies on Africa?

How things have changed. The Confederation last year celebrated twenty years since we took our seat as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, and we are a major force for global stability, peace, human rights, progress, tolerance and justice.My dear friend, I hope to see you next month in Haiti, for the second round of unity talks between the Confederation of African States and the Caribbean states. This is a logical step, since Pan Africanism had its roots amongst those early generations, as a movement of Africans from the mother continent and the Diaspora for liberation, self-determination and our common progress.

I end this e-mail, and look forward to seeing you in February. I will bring along some of the chocolates from Accra that you so love, which our children can now afford.

Till we meet again, Nkosazana.

l’Université de Bahir Dar, ont décidé de prendre un mois de vacances pour parcourir le continent avant de commencer leur travail à l’Agence spatiale africaine. Mon vieil ami, il aurait été impossible de le faire en un mois à notre époque !

Mais, l’African Express Rail relie maintenant toutes les capitales de nos anciens États, et ils pourront en effet sillonner et voir la beauté, la culture et la diversité de ce berceau de l’humanité. La merveille de l’African Express Rail, c’est que c’est non seulement un train à grande vitesse avec des autoroutes adjacentes, mais il contient également des pipelines pour le gaz, le pétrole et l’eau, ainsi que des câbles TIC à large bande : la propriété, la planification et l’exécution intégrées africaines à leur meilleur niveau !

Les réseaux routiers et ferroviaires continentaux qui sillonnent maintenant l’Afrique, nos compagnies aériennes dynamiques, nos paysages spectaculaires et nos magnifiques couchers de soleil, les initiatives culturelles de nos villes, font du tourisme l’un des secteurs les plus importants de notre économie.

Notre fille aînée, la linguiste, donne des conférences en kiswahili au Cap-Vert, siège de l’Université virtuelle panafricaine. Le Kiswahili est maintenant l’une des principales langues de travail de l’Afrique, et mondialement enseignée dans la plupart des facultés à travers le monde. Nos petits-enfants rient encore des difficultés que nous rencontrions avec les interprétations en anglais, en français et en portugais lors des réunions de l’UA, comment nous dénoncions le manque d’harmonisation entre la version anglaise et la version française ou arabe. Maintenant, nous avons une lingua franca, et le multilinguisme est à l’ordre du jour.

Rappelez-vous comment nous nous plaignions que notre voix ne soit pas entendue dans les négociations commerciales et au Conseil de sécurité, comment nous étions désorganisés, parfois divisés et nationalistes dans ces forums, comment nous étions convoqués par les différents pays dans leurs capitales pour discuter de leurs politiques sur l’Afrique ?

Comme les choses ont changé ! L’an dernier, la Confédération a fêté vingt ans depuis que nous avons un siège de membre permanent du Conseil de sécurité des Nations unies, et nous sommes un pôle majeur pour la stabilité, la paix, les droits humains, le progrès, la tolérance et la justice dans le monde.

Mon cher ami, j’espère vous voir le mois prochain en Haïti pour le second cycle des pourparlers d’unité entre la Confédération des États de l’Afrique et les États des Caraïbes. Il s’agit d’une étape logique, car le panafricanisme tire son origine des premières générations en tant que mouvement de libération, d’autodétermination et de progrès communs des Africains du continent mère et de la diaspora.

Je conclus cet e-mail et me réjouis de vous voir en février. J’apporterai quelques-uns des chocolats d’Accra que vous aimez tant et que nos enfants peuvent maintenant s’offrir.

Au revoir et à la prochaine !Nkosazana.

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BY MANDLA MADONSELADear Reader,Happy New Year 2014, and welcome to this first issue of the African Agenda 2063 Newsletter!This issue, which coincides with the beginning of the second 50 years since the establishment of the Organization of African Unity and subsequent launching of the African Union in 2002, casts an eye on the future of Africa in 50 years. It comes at the back of a successful 2013 that resonated throughout the continent with Golden Jubilee celebrations that paved the way for Africans to interrogate their Africa in the next 50 years. Highlights in this issue include a report on the Agenda 2063 consultative process, especially on people’s view about the Africa they want in 2063, how they will build this Africa and the role they will play ‎towards the realization of this dream. We may not be tempted to condense all the outcomes of consultations in this issue. We, however, will concentrate on the main findings coming through these consultations. This newsletter, which will be issued every six months, will provide readers with progress made on the preparation, implementation and evaluation of the Agenda 2063.

As Africa reflected on its successes, challenges and lessons of the past 50 years, it brought about an impetus in them to focus on their Africa in 2063, and begin to reclaim, take charge of the African narrative and Africa’s rightful place in the global arena. The Agenda 2063 provides that chance. It also provides a great opportunity to galvanize and unite in action all Africans on the continent and in the Diaspora around a common vision of a peaceful, integrated and prosperous Africa. In her imaginary e-mail to a hypothetical Kwame delivered at a Ministerial retreat of the Executive Council of the African Union in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia on January 24, 2014, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Her Excellency, Dr Nkosazana Dhlamini Zuma, reminded the participant of how important the Agenda 2063 helped consolidate AU Vision. She justified that planning 50

years ahead allowed Africa to dream, think creatively, sometimes crazy. Indeed Africa needs to think big, begin to do things differently however crazy it may seem. The Agenda 2063 is the African renaissance, which is people centered and will continue to promote ideals of Pan Africanism. Voices of the people will be heard loud and far and their aspirations integrated in the Agenda 2063. As an overarching framework, the Agenda 2063 will, for the first time, provide an internal coherence of Member States, regional and continental plans and frameworks, both current and those developed during the OAU days into a common continental transformative drive. It comes at a time when Africa is registering unprecedented growth rates, coupled with improving governance, bulging working and middle class, young population and stronger regional institutions. These and others provide a solid foundation for the Agenda 2063 to take shape.

Recognizing this importance, the Heads of State and Government in their 50th Anniversary Solemn Declaration signed during the crescendo of celebrations in May 2013, reiterated their commitment to make progress in eight areas of:

• African Identity and Renaissance. ‎• Continue the struggle against colonialism and the right to self-determination of people ‎still under colonial rule. ‎• The Integration Agenda‎• Agenda for Social and Economic Development‎• Peace and Security Agenda • Democratic Governance • Determining Africa’s Destiny• Africa’s Place in the World

They further pledged that while these ideals form part of the Agenda 2063 development process, they will also be integrated in their national development plans. It is therefore up to us readers to be inspired into taking part in the development of the Agenda and take charge and own our aspirations. It is time Africans change their mentality about themselves in the world and people around them. Destiny is ours.This issue also provides interviews with African citizens, selected press releases and papers in addition to a road map of what lays ahead in the development of the Agenda 2063.In this connection, and finally, I would like to seize this opportunity to thank all those who made various contributions to this maiden edition; and invite all our esteemed readers to continue making such invaluable gestures in order to make the Agenda 2063 a successful story!

Get connected, Have your say, Discuss Africa, Vote, Share a multimedia and Become a Partner by logging on www.agenda2063.au.int

EDITORIAL AN EYE ON THE FUTURE OF AFRICA IN 50 YEARS

9

In the context of celebrating 50 years of the founding of the OAU, the AU Heads of State and Government through their 50th Anniversary Solemn Declaration adopted in May 2013, while acknowledging past successes and challenges, rededicated themselves to the continent’s development and pledged their commitment to make progress in eight key areas:

African Identity and Renaissance. o

Continue the Struggle against Colonialism and the Right to Self-determination of People o still under colonial rule.

The Integration Agenda: Implement the Continental Free Trade Area to ultimately establish o a united and integrated Africa;

Agenda for Social and Economic Development: o

Peace and Security Agendao

Democratic Governanceo

Determining Africa’s Destiny o

Africa’s Place in the Worldo

The AU Heads of State and Government pledged to integrate these ideals and goals in regional and national development plans as well as in the development of the Continental Agenda 2063, through a people-driven process for the realization of the vision of the AU for an integrated, people-centered, prosperous Africa, at peace with itself. The African Union Commission, working closely with the NEPAD Coordinating Agency (NPCA) and supported by the African Development Bank (AfDB), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), is developing this continental agenda as requested by the 21st Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union, at Addis Ababa, 26 May 2013.

Full text of the Declaration on page 42

CELEBRATION OF THE 50TH OAU/AU ANNIVERSARY, ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA

SUMMARY OF THE 50TH OAU/AU SOLEMN ANNIVERSARY DECLARATION

10

In their 50th Anniversary Summit of 26 May 2013, the AU Heads of

State and Government while acknowledging past successes and challenges, rededicated themselves to the continent’s development and envisioned “an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena.” The Summit instructed the African Union Commission, working closely with the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) Coordinating Agency (NPCA) and supported by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) to develop Agenda 2063. What? Agenda 2063 represents the aspirations of Africans for a better future, anchored in achievements, objective assessments of obstacles and lessons learned over the past half century, and premised on a desire to achieve inclusive growth, socioeconomic trans-formation and sustainable development.

Aims to develop an Action Plan for the realization of the AU Vision of a prosperous, integrated and peaceful Africa. It is a call to action to all segments of African society to work together to build a common future and destiny based on the AU Vision. It also takes account of the Solemn Declaration made during the

Golden Jubilee anniversary of the founding of the OAU/AU in May 2013.

Builds on Africa’s strategic frameworks, e.g., the Abu-ja Treaty, New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), Comprehensive Af-rica Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), Accel-erated Industrial Development of Africa (AIDA), Minimum In-tegration Programme (MIP), Program Infrastructure Devel-opment for Africa (PIDA), AU/NEPAD Science and Technol-ogy Consolidated Plan of Ac-tion, and Agribusiness And Agro-Industries Development Initiative (3ADI), Agenda 2063.

Takes full cognizance of Africa’s diversities and endowments and promotes efficient management of diversities and respects each AU member’s sovereignty and offers the necessary political and policy space.

The choice of a 50 year time must be understood for its significance in the context of the Golden Jubilee of the establishment of the OAU; and the need for Africa to take stock of past achievements and challenges and set its 50 year goals to be realized when the AU will be marking centenary celebrations.

Why?

The preparation of Agenda 2063 is both important and timely for a number of reasons:

Changing global context. Globalization and the

information technology revolution have provided unprecedented opportunities for countries and regions with the right policies to make significant advances and lift huge sections of populations out of poverty, improve incomes and catalyze economic and social transformation.

Building on the NEPAD experience. National, regional and global efforts made to implement NEPAD, unseen during the Lagos Plan of Action (LPA) and the Abuja Treaty, have enabled AU to build institutions (e.g., African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), etc.), demonstrate unprecedented commitment to implementing agreed agenda, and generate valuable lessons that present strong foundation for Agenda 2063. Indeed, Agenda 2063 is a logical and natural continuation of NEPAD and other initiatives.

A more united and strong Africa. Africa today is more united, a global power to reckon with, capable of rallying support around a common agenda and speaking with one voice with demonstrated strong capacity to negotiate and withstand the influence of forces that would like to see it divided.

Strong and well-functioning regional institutions. Africa’s regional institutions have been rationalized and the eight officially AU recognized Regional Economic Communities Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD, Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa

AGENDA 2063: KEY FEATURES, RATIONALE AND VALUE ADDED

11

(COMESA), East African Community (EAC), Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS), Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Southern African Development Community (SADC) and Arab Maghreb Union (UMA) are today strong development and political institutions that citizens’ can count on and Agenda 2063 can stand on.

New development and investment opportunities. Africa today is faced with a confluence of factors that present great opportunity for consolidation and rapid progress. These include:

Unprecedented positive • and sustained growth trajectory of many African countries;

Significant reduction in • violent conflict, increased peace and stability, coupled with advances in democratic governance;

A rising middle class, • coupled with the youth bulge, which can act as catalyst for further growth, particularly in the consumer sectors and services;

Changes in international • finance architecture, with the rise of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) and improved flows of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).

The need to align continental frameworks, improve coherence and synergy. At the continental level, the AU has endorsed several frameworks to advance the integration

agenda, promote social and economic development, peace and security and democracy. In many cases, these remain isolated from each other and sectoral in approach. Agenda 2063 is an important opportunity to harmonize these continental frameworks, improve coherence and synergy and lay strong foundation for their full implementation.

A long-term strategy

The need for Africa to develop its own long-term strategy to regain own destiny. Several regions and countries reflecting on their long-term strategies see Africa as an important continent for their future prosperity and security. Africa must therefore develop its own long-term strategy based on African aspirations as well as its people’s ingenuity, creativity and hard work to regain its own destiny.

The factors outlined above constitute a unique opportunity for Africa to capitalize upon. However, success depends upon acting in unity, transparency, willingness and capability to assess performance and correct mistakes and build on successes, placing citizens’ first, and sound governance and values.

The desire to chart a new chapter in Africa’s development and the realization of the aspirations for a better future must be matched by renewed and sustained political commitment as exemplified by the 50th Anniversary Solemn Declaration. This can be further strengthened through:

Participation and inclusion

of all key stakeholders in the conception, design, implementation and monitoring and evaluation of Agenda 2063 as a critical success factor, which will enhance awareness, ownership of Agenda 2063 and strengthen collective commitments;

A results-based approach with concrete targets that are measurable and can be tracked and monitored;

Tailoring actions to suit the circumstances of different countries; while providing a general framework and a common set of goals and targets, Agenda 2063 also takes cognizance of Africa’s diversity, and addresses issues related to this diversity; and

Ensuring that Agenda 2063 is an integral part of the African Renaissance which calls for changes in attitudes, values and mindsets to inculcate the right set of African values of pan Africanism, self-esteem, hard work, entrepreneurship and collective prosperity.

Agenda 2063 Preparation Process and Methodology:

It involves a two pronged approach:

A people driven process anchored in an extensive consultation process with key stakeholders at the continental, REC and national levels, the general public online based, and AU organs; and

A technical process: evidence based anchored in rigorous situational analysis, review of planning and policy making experiences and undertaking trend analysis and scenario planning.

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Agenda 2063: Progress to date

A draft Agenda 2063 Framework Document has been prepared in close collaboration with the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency, the African Development Bank and the UN Economic Commission for Africa. This Framework Document has been considered by the PRC and Ministerial Council; and decisions of Council are presented below.

In preparing the Framework Document, the Commission undertook the following: setting up of technical support; stakeholder consultations; review of national medium term plans and visions; preliminary indicators and base line information; national and regional level consultations; and development of a Communication Strategy for Agenda 2063

Technical Support:

A small Technical Team was established from early September 2013 drawing upon existing Commission staff and other support. Additional support is envisaged from collaborating institutions in specialized areas – financing, trends analysis & scenario planning, among other tasks.

Stakeholder Consultations:

Agenda 2063 consultations commenced in September 2013 with the primary objectives of providing participants the forum to share their vision of the Africa they want in 2063 and propose goals, milestones, key drivers and enablers as well as priority actions to be taken. The meetings were organized in the following parts:

Part I involved learning from the •past through a review the African development experience at the national, sub-regional and continental levels Part II dealt with looking into the •future through a discussion of the type of Africa participants want, key goals, milestones, priorities and actions they propose. Part III involved a discussion of how •to make it happen through exploring and proposing a broad Agenda 2063 implementation, monitoring and evaluation framework, as well as strategies for financing Agenda 2063.

To date the following consultations have been held: Private sector (12-14 September 2013); African Academics / Think Tanks (16-18 September 2013; Planning Experts & Development Specialists (27-28 September 2013); Civil Society Organizations (30 September – 2 October 2013); Diaspora (8-10 October 2013); RECs and AU Organs (21-23 October 2013); Youth (1-3 November 2013); Media (9-10 December 2013); Women (12-13 December 2013); and Web based consultations (continuous and interactive)

Outputs of these consultations include: African aspirations for 2063’ drivers and enablers; proposals on “how to make it happen” as well as risks, threats and mitigation strategies.

Technical analysis and review, which included:

Review of National Plans, Regional •and Continental Frameworks: So far, plans from 20 member states have been reviewed with a plan to cover all 54 member states in the coming few months. Lessons from the review of national medium and long term plans, as well as those of RECs and AU Organs including continental frameworks, for example, PIDA, CAADP, IADA, Africa Mining Vision (AMV), African Media Initiative (AMI), constitutes a major building block of Agenda 2063.

Preliminary indicators and base line •information: This aims to establish a baseline for Agenda 2063 to facilitate comprehensive situational analysis, trends analysis, target setting and monitoring. It involves unpacking the eight ideals stated by the AU Heads of States and Governments Solemn Declaration as well as the Vision; identification of a set of themes, sub-themes and indicators that capture the spirit and substance of the Solemn Declaration and the Vision; description and analysis of each indicator in a manner that would enable the setting of ambitious but achievable milestones and targets.

Development of Guidelines for National •and Regional Level Consultations: The guidelines adopted during consultations with RECs and AU Organs will facilitate the preparation conduct and reporting of the National and Regional level consultations.

13

African Aspirations for 2063 - an outcome of stakeholder consultations on Agenda 2063, these are:

A Prosperous Africa based on inclusive �growth and sustainable development, where Africa, among other things, moves from current low to middle and high income status; economic growth is translated into equitable wealth and employment creation; and is capable of mobilizing its own financial resources, reliant on trade not aid.

An integrated continent, politically united, �and based on the ideals of Pan Africanism – where Africa is fully independent, self-reliant and integrated that trades with itself; the African Union Anthem is taught and sung in all schools and universities, and the African Union Flag is used by all member states at all official platforms; speaks with one voice in international engagements; the values of the AU and Pan-Africanism are integrated into the curriculum of our schools; and the Founders dream or vision of OAU of a united states of Africa, a union of African states with: one central bank system and currency; one central government, president; one African passport; one continental nationality including the diaspora is fulfilled.

An Africa of good governance, respect �for human rights, justice and the rule of law - a continent that is corruption-free and governed by democratic rules; where public institutions are at the service of its people at all levels; with effective grassroots participation in national development; and the culture of accountability by all stakeholders is encouraged.

A Peaceful and Secure Africa - free of �conflict and at peace with itself and secure; harmony prevails among communities regardless of ethnicity/tribe, religion, class, etc.; peaceful but militarily strong to defend

its interests and ensures security; the African Peace & Security Architecture (APSA) is fully implemented; exercises full ownership of a united army and navy commanded by the Assembly of AU Heads of States and Government.

An Africa with a strong cultural identity, values �and ethics - African people imbued with a sense of their fundamental cultural unity, a sense of a common destiny and African identity and Pan-African consciousness; and work is vital ethic and value.

An Africa whose development is people- �driven, especially relying on the potential offered by its youth and women - effectively addresses the acute needs for education, health, jobs and opportunities for self-advancement as well as for democracy and self-realization; and gender equality and women empowerment and youth concerns are effectively promoted.

Africa as a strong and influential global �player and partner - plays a prominent role in world affairs with a permanent seat in the UN Security Council); ascends to a second biggest economic block that addresses its own needs and manages its own resources with substantial rise in its share of world output and trade; effectively owns and manages its blue economy; and implements multilateral agreements it is party too.

The above aspirations in conjunction with the AU Vision, the OAU/AU 50th Year Golden Jubilee Anniversary Solemn Declaration, member states’ medium and long-term plans as well as technical studies and analytical works constitute the foundations of Agenda 2063 milestones, goals and targets as the diagram below illustrates:

AFRICAN ASPIRATIONS, FOUNDATIONS OF AGENDA 2063, MILESTONES AND TARGETS, KEY DRIVERS, ENABLERS

AND RISKS; AND THREATS

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To realize African Aspirations presented above, Stakeholder Consultations identified also drivers and enablers as well as risks and threats, which included:

Drivers (factors considered critical for Africa’s transformation) include:

Strong political leadership fully • committed to development, democratic rule, equity, justice and rule of lawPopulation dynamics – large • population and urbanization Industrialization- value addition and • the shift from export of raw materials to export of processed goodsClimate change – adverse impacts • and coping capacities Technological change in agriculture, • energy and communications, and Markets (domestic and foreign) – • expanding of existing markets and

creation of new onesInfrastructure development•

Enablers – factors that constitute essential conditions accompanying the drivers

• Good governance• Policy and legal environment,• Human and institutional capacity, • Responsible and efficient private

sector and media

Key risks and threats - likely disruptive elements

• Social and economic inequalities; • Management of diversities; • Terrorism and organized crime; • Religious extremism, ethnicism, • Corruption and nepotism; • Natural disasters (sudden and

slow onset) and environmental degradation

The Foundation for Agenda 2063 Goals, Milestones and Targets

15

Agenda 2063 Preparation: Way Forward

In order to consolidate the progress made so far leading to the finalization of Agenda 2063 Document, further work will include the following:

Incorporation of the comments and guidance of the Policy Organs •of the AU into a revised draft framework document which will form the basis for the preparation of the comprehensive Agenda 2063 document;

Completion of the review of national and regional plans and •continental frameworks;

In-depth technical analysis of the base line situation pertaining •to the key goals of Agenda 2063 approved by the PRC and the Executive Council;

Trends analysis, prospective studies and Scenario planning of •key strategic thrusts / factors – technology, climate change, demographics, etc and how they impact on Agenda 2063;

Further consultations with AU Organs, AUC Departments, Agencies •and RECs to facilitate integration of continental frameworks into Agenda 2063 and defining the milestones

Sector specific consultations and analytical work on the feasibility •of targets / milestones and strategies to be incorporated into Agenda 2063

Consultations with African Statisticians General to harmonize •indicators for Agenda 2063 with ongoing efforts

Development / preparation of the Comprehensive Agenda •2063 Document;

Regional Validation workshops / meetings on Draft Agenda •2063 Document; and

Final draft Agenda 2063 Document for submission to AU Summit •in June 2014.

THE WAY FORWARD

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Simataa urges proactivity in defining African agenda - The Namibian

NEWS - NAMIBIA | 2013-10-18 Simataa urges proactivity in defining African agenda

By Luqman Cloete The Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Technology, Stanley Simataa, has encouraged Namibians to play an active role in defining African Agenda 2063.

African Agenda 2063 – 50 years from now - aims at enabling Africa to take full charge of its own destiny and propel itself into a prosperous and peaceful future. Simataa said the ministerial lecture on African Agenda 2063 held at Keetmanshoop on Tuesday for //Karas Region inhabitants was the first of a series government plans to hold in six other regions which include Erongo, Omusati, Kavango East, and the Zambezi to commence the consultation process on the future of the African continent which is also aimed at gathering inputs from citizenry country wide in defining African Agenda 2063.

“These consultations are all the more important because Africa’s development trajectory has often relied on narratives and paradigms developed by others and it is long overdue for Africans to reclaim their own narrative,” said Simataa, acknowledging that the African Agenda 2063 was drafted without input of fellow Africans. Furthermore, Simataa highlighted failure to implement and retain human capital as the biggest challenges facing Africa.

“Our biggest challenge is that we resolve and resource to plan but fail to resolve and resource implementation. We must create a conducive environment to retain human capital, otherwise Agenda 2063 will remain an unfulfilled dream,” Simataa remarked. Simataa described Pan-Africanism - an ideology and movement that encourages the solidarity of Africans worldwide - as an eternal journey spanning over generations, urging future generations to travel this road with

“resilience and unwavering commitment”.

Also speaking at the event, Democratic Republic of Congo Ambassador, Anastas Kaboba Kasongo Wa Kimba, who doubles up as Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, shared the experiences of his country on issues of Pan-Africanism, accusing the imperialists of funding wars in Africa to destabilise these countries.

“They are the masterminds of wars in Africa, but let the African people fight to destabilise African countries. They do not want socio-economic development of Africans,” said Kimba.

Kimba has advocated for intra-Africa trade and pushed for the speedy abolishment of visa systems which would enable all Africans to move freely within their continent.

The Namibian -

AGENDA 2063, MEMBER STATE INITIATIVES:The example of Namibia

H.E. Hifikepunye Pohamba, President of the Republic of Namibia

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presente-se pessoalmente – Quem é a Senhora?

Chamo-me Maria Eugénia Neto, viúva do Dr. António Agostinho Neto, Fundador da República Popular de Angola e seu primeiro Presidente.

Nasci em Portugal, Trás-os-Montes, e tenho duas nacionalidades: Portuguesa e Angolana.Sou escritora Infanto-Juvenil e Poetisa.

Tenho diversos livros publicados Infanto-Juvenis. Tenho publicados também: dois livros de Poesia e três Testemunhos sobre Agostinho Neto: um deles, passando-se em Cabo Verde quando era deportado politico, mas nomeado como Delegado de Saúde da Ilha de Santo Antão.O meu livro “E nas Florestas os Bichos Falaram...” recebeu um Prémio pela Comissão da UNESCO na FEIRA DOS MAIS BELOS LIVROS DO MUNDO, em 1978, em Leipzig. Foi traduzido em diversas línguas. Este meu livro é uma elegia de amor ao povo angolano em que os animais, com medo da guerra, discutem em Assembleia se devem ficar ou abandonar o território, mas resolvem ficar e pôr-se ao lado dos guerrilheiros.Em 2012 fui Galardoada com o Prémio Nacional de Cultura e Artes na Disciplina de Literatura.Como guardiã do espólio de Agostinho Neto, fiz diversas reedições das suas Obras, dentre elas , o seu célebre livro, “Sagrada Esperança”, o qual teve, em tamanho de álbum, uma Edição de luxo em três línguas: português, francês, inglês, ilustradas por Pimentel Domingues.Publiquei, postumamente, o seu livro “Renúncia Impossível”, na altura do seu sexagésimo aniversário.Neste momento sou a Presidente da Fundação Dr. António Agostinho Neto.Durante a Luta de Libertação de Angola, na Tanzânia, dei a minha contribuição na retaguarda com outras mulheres de combatentes nas tarefas do MPLA a nós acessíveis, tais como: programas de rádio para a “Angola Combatente”, a rádio que era ouvida no país e funcionava como mobilizadora do povo. Tarefas da Organização da Mulher Angolana (fui responsável do correio da Organização para o exterior). Nessas tarefas inseriam-se contactos com individualidades progressistas, residentes em Dar-es-Salam.É assim que conhecemos Marga Holness que traduziria para inglês e prefaciaria a Obra poética,”Sagrada Esperança”, a obra mais conhecida então de Agostinho Neto, a qual foi publicada pela Tanzania Publishing House e lançada à estampa, por Julius Nyerere, na State House.Foi nessa altura também que escrevi diversas pequenas

Present yourself - Who are you?

My name is Maria Eugénia Neto, widow of Dr. António Agostinho Neto, Founder of the Popular Republic of Angola and its first president. I was born in Trás-os-

Montes, Portugal and I have a dual citizenship: Portuguese and Angolan. I am a writer specializing on children and youth, and also a poet.I have published several books on children and youth. I also published two poetry books and three testimonies on Agostinho Neto. One of them relates to events that took place in Cape Verde when Agostinho Neto was a political deportee, and at the same time appointed as health delegate to the island of Santo Antão. My book “E nas Florestas os Bichos Falaram...” (And in the

forests the Bugs spoke) was prized by the UNESCO Commission at the FAIR OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BOOKS IN THE WORLD, in 1978, in Leipzig. It was translated into several languages. This book of mine is an elegy of love to the Angolan people in which animals, for fear of

INTERVIEWAgenda 2063, lessons from the past, adjustments of the present and

planning a successful future!Maria Eugénia Neto, widow of Dr. António Agostinho Neto, Founder of the Popular Republic of Angola

We cannot say

that the vision of

Dr. Agostinho Neto is

being accomplished

and Africa is being

restored within the

splendor envisaged by

the poet but...

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histórias sobre heróis do MPLA que circulavam como materiais de denúncias da guerra colonial, as quais, depois da Independência, juntei em livros.Fale um pouco mais do seu esposo, a sua vida, a sua

visão, bem como as suas acções no seu país, na sua

região e no continente?

António Agostinho Neto nasceu em Caxicane, terras de Icolo e Bengo, ou seja, a 60kms de Luanda. Seu pai foi um Pastor Protestante que, além das práticas religiosas, ensinou alunos que levou a exame da 4ª classe, o ensino obrigatório de então.Como nós sabemos a maior parte dos naturais de Angola vivia com bastantes dificuldades. É assim que depois de feita a escola secundária, antes de embarcar para Portugal, Agostinho Neto trabalhou nos serviços administrativos do Estado.Os seus pais foram educados pelos missionários americanos os quais lhes deram uma educação primorosa.Uma vez em Portugal, inscreve-se na Faculdade de Medicina de Coimbra, e aí completa os três primeiros anos de medicina tendo, todavia, terminado o Curso em Lisboa. No entanto, uma vez em Coimbra, começou a participar em actividades político-culturais, colaborando em revistas e jornais, começando a aparecer os seus primeiros poemas em diversas revistas, entre as quais a Revista Vértice, tornando-se notável esta Figura.Regressado a Lisboa, é preso diversas vezes pela polícia secreta portuguesa “PIDE”, acusado de actividades subversivas contra a Segurança do Estado. De 1955 a 1957,esteve encarcerado na cadeia

war, debated in an assembly whether they should stay or leave the country, but decided to stay and teamed up with the freedom fighters. In 2012, I was bestowed with the National Culture and Art Prize in the specialty of literature. As a keeper of Agostinho Neto’s heritage, I ordered several re-editions of his writings, among which, his most famous book “ Sagrada Esperança” (Sacred Hope) which had a size of a photo album, a luxury edition in three languages: Portuguese, French and English, with illustrations from Mr. Pimental Domingos. I posthumously published his book “renúncia impossível” (impossible abandonment) during his 60th birthday.I am currently the Chairperson of the Agostinho Neto Foundation.During the struggle for the liberation of Angola, I gave my contribution in the rear base, in Tanzania, with other freedom fighters’ wives in carrying out Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) tasks given to us such as the radio programs “Angola Combatente” (Angola Combatant), a radio program that people inside the country listened to and served as a conduit to mobilize the Angolan general public. As for the duties within the Organization of Angolan Women, I was in charge of the Organization’s mails to foreign countries. These tasks included contacts with progressist individuals living in Dar-es-salaam. That is how we met Mrs. Marga Holness who translated our documents into English and wrote the forewords of the poetic book “Sagrada Esperança” Agostinho Neto’s most renowned work printed by Tanzania Publishing House and launched by President Julius Nyerere in the State House.It was during this time that I wrote several small histories on MPLA heroes which circulated as materials to denounce the colonial war which I compiled into books after our independence.Can we know more about your husband, his life, his vision,

and his actions in his country, his region and the continent?

Do you think his vision is being realized?

António Agostinho Neto was born in Caxicane, territory of Icolo e Bengo, which is around 60 kms from Luanda. His father was a Protestant priest and a primary school grade 4 teacher, the then compulsory education. As we know, the majority of Angolan natives lived under immense difficulties. That is why, after concluding his secondary education and before moving to Portugal, Agostinho neto had to work as a state administration clerk. His parents were educated by American missionaries who gave them an exquisite education. Once in Portugal, he enrolled at the Coimbra Faculty of medicine, where he completed the first three years of medicine which he went on to conclude in Lisbon. Meantime, while still in Coimbra, he started to participate in some political and cultural activities and collaborating in magazines and journals. That is when his first poems started to emerge in several magazines among which the Vértice Magazine, which made his name and figure known.Back to Lisbon, he was several times arrested by “PIDE”, the

Não poderemos

dizer que a sua visão

esteja a ser realizada

e que a África ressurja

no esplendor almejado

do Poeta mas...

19

do Porto com mais 55 jovens progressistas portugueses que lutavam contra o fascismo e o fim da guerra colonial. Valeu-lhe ter uma grande campanha internacional a seu favor dos maiores escritores e artistas mundiais para que fosse posto em liberdade. Por um pouco não terminaria o seu curso de medicina, o objectivo que o levou a Portugal. Saído da prisão em Junho de 1957, terminaria o seu curso em 27 de Outubro de 1958 e casaria com Maria Eugénia da Silva, a jovem que o apoio na cadeia durante todo o percurso de 1955 a 1957. Em Fins de 1959, regressa a Luanda com a sua esposa Maria Eugénia e o seu filho Mário Jorge, de apenas algumas semanas. Uma vez em Angola, começa o seu trabalho de unidade e consciencialização junto do povo para as futuras lutas que teriam de iniciar para Independência. Isso levá-lo-ia de novo à cadeia, e a 8 de Junho de 1960 é preso e deportado para Cabo Verde, para a Ilha de Santo Antão como Delegado de Saúde, sendo o único médico para uma população de trinta mil pessoas. Mas a 17 de Setembro de 1962 é feito de novo prisioneiro e enviado para a cadeia do Aljube, em Portugal, onde após seis meses é posto em liberdade condicional, permitindo ao Partido Comunista Português organizar a sua fuga para o Marrocos.Uma vez em Marrocos, parte para o Congo Kinshasa aonde se encontrava o Bureau do MPLA e numa Conferência de militantes, é eleito seu Presidente. Começa a sua liderança no seio do Movimento tendo assumido a direcção da luta político-militar, e Comandante em Chefe da guerrilha.O contexto da luta de libertação de Angola foi muito difícil. O MPLA como força progressista e Agostinho Neto como seu Líder tiveram muitas vitórias, mas sofreram muitas pressões e reveses manipulados pelos neocolonialistas. Agostinho Neto era “demasiado” nacionalista, disposto a que a luta de libertação não fosse apenas beneficiar um grupo de pessoas e, como ele disse,” que este processo não seja apenas para uma elite, mas antes um processo em que todo o povo participe”.Agostinho Neto pretendeu que o seu país fosse Não Alinhado. Isso não agradou a muitos, trouxe mesmo fissuras no seio do MPLA, houve muitas intrigas no seio dos combatentes, eles confundiam muitas vezes a cor da pele com o inimigo.Foi preciso esclarecê-los em reuniões políticas para lhes indicar quem era o inimigo. Nesse momento crucial para o MPLA, Agostinho Neto escreve o seu célebre discurso”Quem É O Inimigo?” que foi proferido na Universidade de Dar-es-Salam perante jovens estudantes e professores.É um discurso histórico que pontualiza as dificuldades da África em se reencontrar, e não se deixar confundir, antes discernir quem é o inimigo.Agostinho Neto na África Austral, deu o seu contributo à libertação da Namíbia e do Zimbabwe e ajudou a pôr fim ao apartheid na África do Sul.Não poderemos dizer que a sua visão esteja a ser realizada e que a África ressurja no esplendor almejado do Poeta.

Portuguese Secret Police which accused him of subversive activities against the state security. From 1955 to 1957 he was incarcerated in Porto alongside 55 Portuguese young progressists who were fighting against fascism and the colonial war. He was lucky that a robust global campaign for his freedom was launched by some influential writers and artists. He was on the verge of not concluding his course of medicine, the objective that brought him to Portugal. Freed from prison in June 1957, he concluded his course in October 1958 and got married with Maria Eugenia da Silva, the young girl who helped him while he was in prison from 1955 to 1957.He went back to Luanda at the end of 1959 with his wife Maria Eugenia and son Mario Jorge who was only few weeks old. Once in Angola he began his work of uniting Angolan nationalists and creating awareness of the future battles that needed to be fought for the independence of Angola. This took him back to prison and the point of being deported on 8 June 1960 to the Island of Santo Antão, Cape Verde, as health delegate, being the only medical doctor for a population of 30.000 inhabitants. On 17 September 1962, he was again arrested and transferred to the prison of Aljube, Portugal. His provisional release after 6 months provided the opportunity for the Portuguese Communist Party to organize his escape to Morocco. From Morocco he went to Congo Kinshasa where the MPLA Office was located and was subsequently elected MPLA’s President during a Conference of its militants. That was the beginning of his leadership of MPLA and its political and military struggle as Commander in Chief of the guerrilla forces. The context of the Angolan war of liberation was very difficult. The MPLA as a progressist force and Agostinho Neto as its leader registered several victories but also suffered a lot of pressure and setbacks committed by neocolonialists. Agostinho Neto was “too much” of a nationalist. Wary that the struggle for liberation could end up benefiting a handful of people, he proclaimed that “this process should not be only for the elite, but a process in which all our people can participate”Agostinho Neto wanted Angola to be a nonaligned country. This option did not please many people including within the MPLA itself which was plagued by intrigue by a group of militants who, often, confused the skin color of certain people with the enemy. There was therefore a need to make clear, during political meetings, who was the enemy. It was in that crucial moment for the MPLA that Agostinho Neto wrote his famous speech “Who is the Enemy?” which he delivered to the students and professors at the University of Dar-es-salaam. It is a historic speech which pinpoints the difficulties of Africa to rediscover itself by not allowing any confusion to set in, but clearly identify who the enemy is.

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Mas a África, nas suas vitórias e derrotas, está descobrindo o caminho para a sua afirmação no contexto global da humanidade.

Como Primeira-dama, quais são as acções dignas de

memória que levaram a cabo em conjunto com o seu

esposo?

A principal acção que partilhei com o meu marido foi a Independência de Angola em 11 de Novembro de 1975, proclamada pela sua voz, perante a África e o mundo.

Ainda mantem um contacto permanente com outras

Primeiras-damas? Lembra-se de quaisquer outras

acções levadas a cabo em colaboração com outras

mulheres influentes em África ou com quaisquer outras

Primeiras-damas?

Não tive muitas actividades com as Primeiras Damas Africanas porque estávamos num contexto muito difícil de guerra e todas as nossas atenções estavam viradas para a mobilização do povo e para a substância espiritual a dar-lhes. É assim que nasce a “União dos Escritores Angolanos”. Agostinho Neto foi o Primeiro Presidente da Mesa da Assembleia Geral e o grande mentor na proclamação da nossa União dos Escritores, sendo eu também, um dos membros Fundadores. Os poetas, os escritores e os artistas, estavam todos em sintonia e eram a alma espiritual do povo. O povo aderia às ideias do MPLA. O MPLA era como um deus gigante que se alastrava por Angola inteira e dava certeza na vitória. Todos os séculos de dominação se apagavam, e Agostinho Neto era o Símbolo dessa Vitória. Era aquele que dizia ao povo, vamos caminhar com toda a humanidade, pela harmonia e pela paz.

Neste momento em que celebramos, hoje, o 50º

Aniversário da nossa Organização Continental, que

análise pode fazer da África?

Hoje, ao celebrarmos o quinquagésimo aniversário da Organização Continental Africana este deve ser motivo de regozijo, mas também de reflexão. O processo de descolonização terminou, o apartheid viu o seu fim, isto representa grandes vitórias. Contudo, o continente está a ferro e fogo, em muitos países! Temos de estar bem alerta para que o neocolonialismo não destrua as conquistas alcançadas pelas independências e os povos não deixem de acreditar nos seus líderes.Porque tantas guerras? Porque tantas vidas humanas destruídas? Porque tanto ódio? Porque é que uma elite terá de ser tão rica e as populações ficarem numa grande miséria? Porque é que o conhecimento não chega a todos? Nós pensamos que só o conhecimento pode levar-nos ao progresso e á conquista da paz.Como mulher, o que lhe apraz dizer sobre o papel da

In Southern Africa, Agostinho Neto contributed to the liberation of Namibia and Zimbabwe as well as passionately supporting the fight against the South African apartheid regime. We cannot say that his vision is being accomplished and Africa is being restored within the splendor envisaged by the poet. But Africa, through its victories and drawbacks is discovering the path for its affirmation in the global context of humanity.

As a First Lady, what are the memorable actions that

you had together with your husband?

The main act I shared with my husband was the independence of Angola on 11 November 1975, which he proclaimed with his voice before Africa and the entire world.

Do you still have relationship with other First

Ladies? Do you remember any actions you made in

collaboration with other influential ladies in Africa or

any other first ladies?

I did not have many activities with other African First Ladies because we were in a context of war and all our attentions were to be directed to the mobilization of the people and to the spiritual substance we needed to impart on them. That is how the “Union of Angolan Writers” was created. Agostinho Neto was the first Chairman of its General Assembly and the great mentor of its formation. I am also one of its founding members. Poets, writers and artists were all in agreement and constituted the people’s spiritual soul. The people adhered to MPLA’s ideas. The MPLA was like a giant God that spread throughout the entire country and provided the certainty for victory. All the centuries of foreign dominion vanished and Agostinho Neto was the symbol of that victory. He was the one who told the people let us walk full of humanity, for harmony and peace.Today, as we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of our

Continental Organization, what analysis can you make

about Africa?

Today, while celebrating the Golden Jubilee of our continental organization, should be a motivation for rejoicing but also for reflection. The decolonization process is over, the apartheid is over, which represent great victories. The continent remains, however, under fire and sword in many countries. We have to remain highly vigilant to prevent neocolonialism from destroying the conquests we achieved through our independences and force our populations to stop believing in their leaders.What is the reason for so many wars? Why so many lost lives? Why so much hatred? Why should elite be so rich while entire populations remain in abject poverty? Why are we not aware of this? We believe that only knowledge

21

mulher no Continente?

Eu penso que as mulheres podem ter e, algumas já têm, um papel muito importante no Continente, algumas desempenhando cargos na vida política e económica dos seus países.Como nós sabemos, algumas individualmente, outras através das suas organizações de massas, deram um grande contributo na luta de libertação do continente, fosse como activistas, guerrilheiras, enfermeiras, professoras ou camionistas, que levavam materiais até ás frentes de combate.Hoje, cada vez mais, as mulheres participam na condução dos seus povos e nas decisões internacionais para melhorar as relações do nosso continente e do mundo.

Como passa o seu tempo aqui e agora? Qual é a sua

paixão?

Ocupo-me dos assuntos da Fundação Dr. António Agostinho Neto e de assuntos relativos à Obra Poética e Política de Agostinho Neto, bem assim do seu espólio, do qual sou a guardiã. Ocupo-me também da nossa família. A minha paixão é o conhecimento, pois só ele nos levará á compreensão uns dos outros e a agir em conformidade.

Qual é a sua visão quanto ao futuro da África nos próximos

10, 20 e 50 anos?

Eu penso que a África precisa de líderes que entendam os seus deveres para com os seus povos e sintam que o destino os fez arautos da justiça. Isto querendo dizer, que eles terão de refrear os seus ímpetos de grandeza e sentir as responsabilidades que a nossa época lhes atribuiu na eliminação da miséria e da pobreza, guiando os seus povos para a paz e o progresso. Se tivermos homens deste calibre, a África poderá progredir, não só economicamente como espiritualmente e reencontrar-se ela própria. Poderá vir a ocupar o seu lugar no nosso mundo, pois que, se não o fizerem agora, daqui a cinquenta anos a tecnologia poderá levar-nos para outros mundos…

O que pensa da “Agenda-2063”?

Acho que já respondi a este ponto na última pergunta.

Estará disponível e trabalhar de mãos dadas com a UA na

implementação deste projecto?

Através da Fundação Dr. António Agostinho Neto daremos o nosso melhor para que a África elimine todos os males de que é vitima – as doenças, a ignorância, o analfabetismo e a fome. Assim sendo, estaremos a colaborar com a União Africana para a realização dos sonhos de muitos dos seus melhores filhos, para que o continente caminhe em paz e concordância.

Luanda, 25 de Setembro de 2013

Maria Eugénia Neto

of these phenomena can lead us to progress and peace.As a woman, what can you say about the role of women on the Continent?I think women can play, as some are already doing, a very important role on the continent, by holding important political and economic responsibilities in their countries.As we know, some women individually and others through political organizations, made a critical contribution in the struggle for the liberation of our continent, either as activists, freedom fighters, nurses, teachers or truck drivers who transported vital logistics to the war fronts. Today, more and more women are taking part in leading their peoples and in the international decision making process aiming at improving relationships within our continent and in the world at large. How do you spend your time right now? What is your

passion?

I am busy taking care of matters related to the Agostinho Neto Foundation and other issues related to his poetic legacy and heritage which I am the custodian. I also take care of our family. My passion is knowledge, since only knowledge allows us to understand one another and act harmoniously.What is your vision for the future of Africa in the next

10, 20 and 50years?

I think Africa is in need of Leaders who understand their duties towards their populations and feel that destiny made them the heralds of justice. This means that, these leaders should refrain from their individualistic impetus for opulence and comprehend the responsibilities given to them for the elimination of misery and poverty, and leading their respective peoples towards peace and progress. If we have Leaders of this caliber, Africa would progress not only economically but also spiritually and will quickly rediscover itself. This is the only way Africa can occupy its rightful place in the concert of nations, because if we don’t do it now, technology could take us, fifty years down the line, to unexpected places…What do you think about Agenda 2063?I think I have already responded to this in the last questionWould you be available to be in partnership with the

AU on this project?

We will do our level best, through Agostinho Neto Foundation, to help Africa eliminate all evils befalling it such as diseases, ignorance, illiteracy and hunger. By doing so, we would be collaborating with the African Union in the fulfillment of this common dream of thousands of Africans so that our continent can move forward in peace and harmony.Luanda, 25 de September 2013.

Maria Eugénia Neto

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AGENDA 2063, A CONTINENTAL CONSULTATION

Sep.12.2013 - Sep.14.2013: Consultation with the Private Sector on the African Union Agenda 2063 - Nairobi, Kenya

Sep.26.2013 - Sep.28.2013 Consultation with Ministries in charge of Economy, Finance and Planning Experts on the African Union Agenda 2063 - Dakar, Senegal

23

Sep.30.2013 - Oct.02.2013 Consultation with the Civil Society Stakeholders on the African Union Agenda 2063. Dakar, Senegal

Oct.08.2013 - Oct.10.2013: Consultation with the Diaspora on the African Union Agenda 2063 - New York, United States of America

Oct.21.2013 - Oct.23.2013 Consultation with the RECS and AU Organs on the African Union Agenda 2063, Gaborone, Botswana

24

Nov.01.2013 - Nov.03.2013 Consultation with the Youth on Agenda 2063, Hammamet, Tunisia

Dec.12.2013 - Dec.13.2013 Consultation with Women on Agenda 2063 - Yaounde, Cameroon

Dec.09.2013 - Dec.10.2013 Consultation with Media on Agenda 2063 - Yaoundé, Cameroon

25

Bahir Dar, Ethiopia, 24th January 2014: With the aim of brainstorming and exchanging ideas on critical issues relating to Africa’s Agenda 2063, and

the state of the African Union, members of the AU Executive Council converged at a ministerial retreat, which kicked off on 24th January 2014, in the Ethiopian city of Bahir Dar, under the theme of “Defining Agenda 2063 for Africa”.

Hosted by the Ethiopian Government in collaboration with the African Union Commission (AUC), the three-day retreat was to discuss the framework for the Agenda 2063, the implementation of the Strategic Plan of the Commission (2014-2017), and revisit AU structures, decision making processes, and

its implementation mechanisms for effective delivery on set objectives.

Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, AUC Chairperson, noted in her opening remarks that as Africa just emerged from the collective reflections on Pan Africanism and African Renaissance that grounded its golden jubilee celebrations, and as it looks ahead towards the next fifty years, the retreat presents an opportunity to revisit some of the debates, in a more convivial atmosphere.

Dr. Dlamini Zuma said that the decision of the Chairperson of the Executive Council to have this retreat on the Africa Agenda 2063 was well-timed, with a view “to enable this august body to add its collective contribution towards

EVENT

First AU Ministerial Retreat Reflects on Africa’s Agenda 2063

Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, AUC Chairperson and Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

26

the Africa we want and the milestones we must set towards this end”, specially that the Agenda 2063 is coming after a year of robust consultations with civil society on the future they want.

Addressing the retreat, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and Chairperson of the AU Executive Council, highlighted that the continent needs to address issues such as the economic emancipation, peace and stability, accelerating rapid economic growth, governance and democratization, leadership and the need for a critical mass of people with a developmental mindset, in order to realize its long term agendas. He emphasized on the significance of the Agenda 2063 for the future of the African continent and achievement of the African Renaissance.

Representing the host country, Mr. Gedu Andargachew, President of the Amhara National Regional State, welcomed the hosting of the ministerial retreat in Bahir Dar, noting that the event “will offer a good opportunity for our people to enhance their understanding of our continental organization and its activities”.

The overall objective of the First Ministerial Retreat of the African Union is to give clear direction and guidelines on the key areas of Agenda 2063 for subsequent elaboration and devising on best ways and means of improving the functioning of the AU structures, institutions and processes with a view to attaining its objectives as well as to galvanize synergy among all major stakeholders, actors and development partners. Agenda 2063 will be considered by the 22nd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of AU Heads of State and Government on 30th January, and the final adoption is expected to be done at the 23rd Ordinary Session of the Assembly in June/July 2014.

The retreat was attended by the AU Foreign Ministers and Members of the Executive Council; Dr. Carlos Lopez, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa; Mr. Erastus Mwencha Deputy Chairperson of the AU Commission; AU Commissioners, and members of the PRC and other officials.

The ministerial retreat ended its debates on Sunday 26th January 2014.

From right to left Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, and Tumusiime Rhoda Peace, Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture leading the participants of the retreat in Bahir Dar

27

A. INTRODUCTIONThe Bahir Dar Ministerial Retreat of the A1. Executive Council, hosted by and under the Chairpersonship of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, deliberated on the evolving Agenda 2063 Framework and contributed to the collective reflections of Africans on their past, present and the future they want. The retreat took place during the last phase of the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the OAU/AU, with its theme “Pan Africanism and African Renaissance.’

The continent-wide agenda is being elaborated A2. at a moment of great opportunities for Africa, with positive movements on the political, social and economic fronts. At the same time, Africa continues to face the challenge of overcoming the legacy of colonialism, exploitation, underdevelopment and marginalization.

Agenda 2063 seeks to elaborate the agenda A3. for the next fifty years, to galvanize and unite in action all Africans and the Diaspora around the common vision of a peaceful, integrated and prosperous Africa, driven by its citizens and taking its rightful place in the world. As an overarching framework, it provides internal coherence and coordination to continental, regional and national frameworks and plans adopted by the OAU and AU, Members states and RECs.

The Retreat noted the two pronged-approach A4. towards the development of Agenda 2063, widespread consultations with all formations of African society and the Diaspora backed by rigorous technical analysis, including baseline studies and benchmarking, review of all national development plans, scenarios and trend analysis through the joint AUC, ADB, ECA and NEPAD team, as outlined in the Progress report on Agenda 2063.

B. VISION

The Bahir Dar retreat agreed on the continental B1. consensus on the African vision, and notes the emerging central tenets and aspirations contained in the Agenda 2063 Framework document, the AU Commission Chairperson’s ‘Agenda 2063: an e-mail from the future’ and other presentations and inputs made during consultations and at the Retreat;

The Retreat further agreed that the dream B2. of an Africa that is integrated, peaceful and prosperous is achievable, provided that we construct this future, based on

actions taken now. We must furthermore unite in action as Member states, Regional Economic Communities, the African Union and all its organs, all continental formations and stakeholders, the African citizenry and peoples of African descent, for the realization of the goals, milestones and targets we set in Agenda 2063.

That Agenda 2063 is an endogenous plan B3. of transformation, that seeks to harness the continent’s comparative advantages such as its people, history and cultures; its natural resources; its position and repositioning in the world to effect equitable and people-centred growth and development and eradicate poverty; develop Africa’s human capital; build social assets, infrastructure and public goods; empower women and youth; promote lasting peace and security; and strengthen and develop effective, strong developmental states and participatory and accountable institutions and governance. However, there is a need for more precise definition of the type of transformation that Africa desires that will place us on this trajectory and lead to the development architecture to attain our goals.

The acceleration and consolidation of African B4. integration and unity; the participation, solidarity and determination of its leadership and peoples and the structural transformation of African economies and societies are preconditions for success.

The Retreat stressed the importance of Africa B5. funding for its institutions and programmes, as a critical enabler for the implementation of Agenda 2063.

Agenda 2063 is a continuation of the B6. Pan African drive over centuries for self-determination, progress and freedom, and central to the realization of the African renaissance and century.

C. AFRICA’S PLACE IN THE WORLD

The Retreat noted that Africa’s transformation C1. takes place in the context of an unfolding global situation and trends, including the ongoing realignments of the global economic, geopolitical, security and social landscapes; changes and advances in technology, production, trade, knowledge and labour markets; the opportunities presented by global demographic trends and the growing global middle classes in emerging and developing countries and regions;

OUTCOMES OF THE BAHIR DAR MINISTERIAL RETREAT OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL ON AGENDA 2063

24-26 JANUARY 2014As adopted by the 24th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council,

27-28 January 2014, Addis Ababa (Rev.1)

28

That by 2063 Africa’s population is projected C2. to reach 30% of the world’s population, Asia 50%, however our share of the world’s GDP is projected to be only 10%. Our transformation agenda must change this GDP trajectory, with industrialization as the key driver, linked with agriculture and food security.

That we are also conscious of the uncertainty C3. in the global environment, and the potential of shocks and developments that may impact on Africa’s trajectory, and that we need to build resilience to mitigate and take advantage of such changes.

That African engagement with the rest of the C4. world continues to be defined by the ebbs and falls of demand for its natural resources and primary products; the migration of its peoples (forced or otherwise), but also by its contributions to global culture, geo-politics and to progressive human ideals of progress, tolerance, freedom and justice, as captured by the Pan African movement.

That Africa needs to take charge of its global C5. narrative and brand, to ensure that it reflects continental realities, aspirations and priorities and Africa’s position in the world.

The Retreat reaffirms African unity and C6. solidarity in the face of continued external interference including by multi-national corporations, attempts to divide the continent and undue pressures and illegal sanctions on some countries.

To position Africa in the world, by strengthening C7. our common perspectives on partnerships that reflects the unity of the continent and its priorities and perspectives on matters of global importance, ensuring co-chairing of all Summits and forums on Africa. Such common perspectives would increase bargaining power, bring about balance in the kind of partnerships that Africa enters into and promoting Africa’s common interests and agenda.

D. THREATS AND RISKS

The Retreat analyzed the old and new threats E1. faced by the continent, including scrambles for its resources in the face of changing global demands and demographics; undue external influence in the affairs of the continent; its disproportionate burden of the impact of climate change; and the huge scale of illicit outflows of African resources and capital.

The potential internal threats posed by rapid E2. population growth, youth unemployment, conflicts and internal strife and growing inequality and subjective threats such as weak institutions, state fragility, exclusion and poor management of diversity; terrorism and trans-national crime; rent-seeking, corruption and lack of accountability.

The Retreat acknowledged that these threats E3. and challenges can be mitigated and turned into opportunities through collective strategies and effective public policies and actions.

E. ENABLERS AND CONDITIONS FOR

SUCCESS

The retreat noted that Africa’s drive for transformation will be facilitated by key enablers, among these are:

Building and promotion ofE1. Peace and Security as a critical condition for development, growth and human security, through African solutions and responses, promotion of tolerance, reconciliation and forgiveness, domestic resource mobilization for African peace-keeping and peace-building and the inclusive management of diversity and resources. The Retreat noted the financial and human cost of conflicts, in particular the costs of expenditure on arms, mainly from manufacturers outside of the continent. The Retreat agreed that we must learn from past and present success stories of peaceful resolution to disputes, such as the peaceful settlement of Bakassi Peninsula case between Nigeria and Cameroon, which was settled after a twenty-year process through mutually agreed international arbitration.Effective management and the beneficiation E2. of African resources to effect transformation, inclusive growth and industrialization.Structural transformationE3. of African economies and societies, through high and sustained rates of economic growth, diversification and industrialization, human capital development, agriculture and food security, infrastructure development, the provision of basic services and public goods, the promotion of intra-African trade and investment, effective and accountable governance and institutions and faster economic and political integration.Investment in human capital development, in E4. order to reap the demographic dividend, with special focus on the empowerment of women and youth and investments in skills, science, technology, research and innovation. Effective and visionary leadership with political E5. commitment and accountability, coupled with the mobilization and participation of African citizens and strata.Effective, accountable and participatory E6. institutions and governance based on transparent laws and rules, effective public policy and services, strengthening the role of the state in development, enhancing the legitimacy of institutions and building public trust. We must develop general principals around the evolution of African developmental states. Domestic mobilization of Finances and E7.

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Resources to speed up African development, leverage national, regional and continental resources from and to fund African institutions, democratic governance and peace-building.AE8. ccelerated Regional integration at the centre of the continental transformation agenda.A E9. Paradigm shift through the promotion of Pan African values and attitudes and build confidence in the continent, how we take forward implementation of our plans, a change of gears in how we do business, with progress in regional integration as the major indicator of this paradigm shift. Taking charge of E10. the African narrative and the development of Brand Africa, confidence in Africa’s potential and abilities, and communication to inform the citizenry and the world about African developments.

F. MAKING IMPLEMENTATION HAPPEN

The Retreat noted that Africa must make vigorous efforts to boost implementation focusing, among others, on the following:

Strengthen continental and regional F1. coordination mechanisms, especially ensuring clarity of roles and responsibilities between the AUC and RECs on the one hand, and AUC and Member states on the other in the implementation of major frameworks such as PIDA, NEPAD.

Greater emphasis in action on the role of F2. Regional Communities as integration building blocks and in the implementation of Agenda 2063.

Foster greater unity of the continent and F3. working together, speaking with one voice, mobilization of the citizenry, building strong institutions, financing and resources.Establish clear and measurable milestones, F4. benchmarks, targets (5 or 10 year time frames) and domestication of continental frameworks into national processes, backed by a rigorous Metrics for monitoring, reporting and evaluation of the implementation and impact of our plans at national, regional, sectoral and continental levels. Promote Peer review mechanisms, mutual F5. learning processes, the building of the African knowledge base and the collection of data and statistics, to underpin planning and monitoring of our plans.

G. KEY STRATEGIC INITIATIVES FOR 2014

Agenda 2063 is a broad strategic framework for collective action to fast-track Africa’s socio-economic and political development. The Retreat identified a number of strategic initiatives that are critical in the short-term to give added impetus to this process:

Consolidate African initiatives and strategies G1. on accelerated human capital development, science and technology and innovation: Africa should lead the new industrial revolution by building a skilled workforce, capitalizing on the digital revolution and global knowledge. This will contribute to rapid diversification of sources of growth, sustain current economic performance and lift large sections out of poverty and create a powerful middle class. The African skills revolution must be conceptualized adequately, including the role of the Pan African University, building our universities as centers of excellence, build continental complementarities in education and learning from best practices in Africa and the world at large.

Decisive actions to strengthen management G2. of African resources, the push for industrialization and agricultural development: the development of a commodity strategy that will result in Africa regaining control of the pricing of key commodities of it is the dominant producer, building examples such as the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange. Furthermore, Africa should also push for a commodity adjustment factor to take account of fluctuations in currency.

In the Year of Agriculture and Food Security, a concerted push on increased agricultural productivity and agro-processing, strengthening resilience in the face of climate change, effective management of water resources, strengthen African initiatives such as the African Green Wall to combat desertification.

Accelerated Regional Integration initiativesG3. : Urgently identify and implement measures that require limited financial resources but have substantial impacts such as eliminating bureaucratic bottle necks that hinder intra African trade (e.g. cross border transit, movement of people and goods, checkpoints and other rent seeking behaviors); harmonizing legal and regulatory frameworks that aid intra-Africa trade. Fast track measures to foster continental integration based on solidarity, the need for lead countries or clusters to act as locomotives and poles of growth and shared benefits for all. We must develop milestones and benchmarks for regional integration and a deliberate strategy to go beyond harmonization standards towards actively building poles of growth.

Pooled sovereignty, integration and common G4. African positions: this is an evolving concept, and we can foster greater unity in action through the concept of pooled sovereignty to address common interest, key areas where Africa benefits from block negotiations, the indivisibility of Africa in negotiating partnerships, such as: (i) trade; (ii) climate

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change, the Green economy and collective food security; (iii) fisheries, marine resources and the Blue economy; and (iv) the global Post-2015 and Sustainable development agendas. Empower the AU Commission to lead and coordinate such negotiations. A good example from developing world is Mercosur. Strengthened efforts to end conflicts,G5. maintaining peace and a sustained strategy to silence the guns by 2020 and reform of the UN Security Council. African solutions and inclusive management of diversity and resources. Promote African solutions, tolerance, forgiveness and reconciliation, social, economic and political inclusion and the management of diversity and resources. Full operationalization of the African Peace and Security Architecture, including the African Standby Force and consideration of an African Security Pact with entrenched rules.Strength financial independence and G6. sustainability of key continental bodies such as the AU Commission by adopting strategies for self-financing of both operational and programme activities, including in elections and peace and security issues. Regional models (e.g. ECOWAS) may provide alternative options to consider. Ensure that the upcoming meeting of Finance and Trade Ministers in March 2014 in Abuja (which will consider the two High level reports on Alternative sources of funding and on Illicit capital flows, including capital flights) takes in consideration the perspectives of this retreat. In addition to the proposals already adopted by the May Summit, the basket of measures should include consideration of the proposal from the Retreat for a 0.5% levy on national budgets, towards financing the AU institutions and programmes.Renewed push on the G7. hard integration issues, including infrastructure and agricultural development and industrialization; and the movement towards regional and continental free trade areas, including timelines. Strengthening the G8. key integration institutions: including the AUC, PAP (model laws), RECs, financial institutions, Court and Commission for Peoples and Human rights, etc.Create an annual Economic Platform for G9. regular engagement between the political leadership, business leaders, intellectuals, civil society and the private sector on the continent. We should furthermore revive and strengthen the key Pan Africanist movements, including the women and youth movements. CommunicationG10. with the African citizenry and the Diaspora, building an African peoples movement for transformation and implementation of the African Governance

Architecture and the APRM recommendations in order to deepen democracy and improve the quality of governance.Continual redefinition of Africa’s place in G11. the world, by strengthening our common perspectives on partnerships (including upcoming partnership summits and meetings, and multilateral negotiations and forums), that reflects the unity of the continent and its priorities and perspectives on matters of global importance.

H. FOLLOW-UP ACTION & RESPONSIBILITIES OF DIFFERENT INSTITUTIONS

Executive CouncilH1. : a Committee of Ministers to follow-up on implementation of Retreat outcomes; and provide guidance on the development and implementation of Agenda 2063. The Retreat agreed that the Committee of Ministers on Agenda 2063, shall consists of Algeria, Angola, Cameroon, Ghana, and Rwanda, joined by the Chairpersons of the RECs, the outgoing and incoming Chairperson of the Executive Council, joined by the existing committee of the AUC Chairperson, the CEO of Nepad, the President of the ADB and the Executive Secretary of the UNECA. The Committee will operate for a period of two years, and will be reviewed to allow for rotation and regional balance.

The Retreat agreed on the institutionalization H2. of the Foreign Ministers Retreat before the Summit, around a specific theme or themes, to enable joint strategizing and monitoring of continental priorities. Promote the involvement of Ministers, in addition to HOSG, in continental tasks and panels, with to further effective and broad-based analysis, implementation and review, recalling the role played by the OAU Liberation Committee in driving and mobilizing solidarity around the decolonization project.

Member StatesH3. : commit to provide feedback and inputs on the Agenda 2063 Framework and the links to national and regional plans; popularization and consultations with citizenry on Agenda 2063, and the possibility of national multi-stakeholder forums for Agenda 2063.

AU Commission:H4. develop action plan to give effect to the retreat outcomes, drive and coordinate implementation; engage retreat outcomes with other AU organs, the RECs and all other relevant stakeholders. Effective preparations in consultation with Member states and Organs for upcoming partnership summits (Europe, US, etc) and multilateral negotiations on issues mentioned above.

To present the Agenda 2063 framework for H5. adoption at June/July 2014 Summit, and the first ten year plan to the January 2015 Summit.

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‘Agenda 2063 will be a peoples’ document’ says the Commissioner for Economic Affairs

Addis Ababa, 31 January 2014.

H.E.Dr. Anthony Mothae Maruping, the African Union Commissioner for Economic Affairs briefed the media about the consultative process that is shaping Agenda 2063 framework document towards finalization. He was speaking during a press conference at the AU Head quarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on January 31.

The Commissioner while emphasizing the ‘bottom-up’ approach of Agenda 2063 as the feature that distinguishes it from previous developmental frameworks, highlighted the important role member states, stake holders, and more importantly the African People have to play in determining the direction of Agenda 2063 so as to truly take ownership of the developmental framework of the continents next 50 years. The already identified stakeholders are the private sector, African academics, think tanks, planning experts and development specialists, civil society organizations, the diaspora, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), AU organs and sections of society such as women, youth and the media.

Reporting the outcome of the consultative process in developing Agenda 2063, Commissioner Maruping presented the wish for a prosperous Africa based on inclusive growth and sustainable development, the wish for an integrated continent that is politically united and based on the ideals of Pan Africanism, the wish for an Africa of good governance, respect for human rights, justice and the rule of law, the wish for a peaceful and secure Africa, the wish for an Africa with a strong cultural identity, values and ethics, the wish for an Africa whose development is people-driven, relying on Women and its youthful composition, and the

wish for a strong Africa that is an influential global player and partner as the consolidated aspiration of the continent.

The consultative process involved establishing a technical support team for the continental level discussion on Agenda 2063, providing the forum for participants to share the vision, propose goals, milestones, key drivers, and priority actions, undertaking technical analysis and review of national plans, regional and continental frameworks and the identification of the preliminary indicators and base line information as well as the development of guidelines for national and regional level consultations. Commissioner Maruping announced the plan to submit the final draft Agenda 2063 document to the AU Summit in July 2014 and urged the media to encourage citizens to participate fully in the development of the agenda.

For further information contactDirectorate of Information and Communication | African Union Commission I E-mail: dinfo@african-union.org I Web Site: www.au.int I Addis Ababa | Ethiopia

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Addis Ababa, 3rd September 2013- Within the framework of Agenda 2063, (a 50 year development framework for Africa), the Agenda 2063 Website was officially launched at a press conference today, 3rd of September 2013 by Ambassador Jean-Baptiste Natama, Chief of Staff of the African Union Commission (AUC).

The Chief of Staff, in his opening remarks stated that the website, http://agenda2063.au.int/ is part of the participatory and inclusive approach by the Commission to allow each and every African to contribute towards the definition of Agenda.

Ambassador Natama highlighted that the website was created because of the need to define a common vision for the continent. He recalled that many previous initiatives to address challenges faced by the continent did not have ownership from the stakeholders. This is why the AUC adopted the participatory approach using new technology to reach the maximum number of Africans and to get their views and inputs. “The expectation is that Africans will feel that they own the process through their participation and will be more committed to implementing the agenda”, the Chief of Staff added. In this respect, he encouraged all Africans to make proposals through the website to ensure agenda 2063 is successfully implemented.

He also revealed that, in preparing for the launch of Agenda 2063, that several consultations had been

held with different stakeholders such as civil society, gender, private sector, and media. This statement was echoed by the AUC Director of Strategic Policy Planning, Monitoring Evaluation and Resource Mobilization, Mr Mandla M. Madonsela, who also announced that further consultations are scheduled to take place with technical experts, academics and the private sector. The final Agenda 2063 document will be considered by the AU policy organs in January 2014 and a final presentation is slated for June of the same year. It is expected, he added, that, once Agenda 2063 is finalized, that all other actors such as Regional Economic Communities and member states will integrate elements of the agenda into their development plans.

The website was unveiled and explained to the media by Mrs. Christiane Y. Matondo, Principal Communication Officer, assisted by Mr Michael Fikre, the website designer. Later, the media personnel were treated to a more in depth tutorial on the different aspects of the website. They also made proposals towards its improvement. The press conference, which was moderated by Mrs Wynne Musabayana- Deputy Head of Communication and Information, was also attended by Professor Emmanuel Nnadozie of the Economic Commission for Africa and Amb Febe Potgieter- Advisor to the Chairperson of the African Union Commission.

AUC LAUNCHES THE AU AGENDA 2063 WEBSITE

Pre-launching by Mr Mandla Madonsela Director of Strategic Planning on August 26 2013

The Launching by Amb Jean-Baptiste Natama,chief of staff of the AUC on Sept 3rd 2013

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AGENDA 2063 UPCOMING EVENTSThe Assembly of Heads of State and Government of January 2014 requested to have the final document of the Agenda 2063 by its next session in June 2014. In order to comply with the request, the following activities are planned to be undertaken between now and June 2014:

Consultations with former heads of states, AU Organs and Agencies, Regional • Economic Communities (RECs), public consultations at national level, sectoral that include ministerial consultations e.g. on gender, tourism, finance etc.

Technical work covering review of national, regional and continental plans • and frameworks; situational and scenario analysis; resource mobilization and communication strategies etc., including the drafting of the final Agenda 2063.

Review and validation of the work done by the Technical Committee on Agenda • 2063; AU Commission, Ministerial Sub-committee on Agenda 2063 and AU policy organs.

The Chairperson of the AUC with some members of the Agenda 2063 Technical Team

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Title: What Does the 50th Anniversary of the African Union Mean to Me?*

Sub-Title: Definition of the African Diaspora: Leveraging the Historic Inter-connectedness between Africa and its Diaspora

By Dorothy Davis First date written: May 17, 2013

Submission Date to African Union: 20 January 2014 (Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday)

When former President of South Africa Thabo Mbeki articulated in his famous “African Renaissance” speech on 8 May 1996: “I Am an African”, he acknowledged that we had freed ourselves from political bondage while encouraging us to release our economic bondage and naturally move toward our

prosperity as a people, as a Continent and as a diaspora.

(At the time, he was speaking as South Africa’s Vice President under the presidency of the late Nelson Mandela and on the occasion of the passing of the new Constitution of South Africa. This speech defined the political mood of the moment in post-Apartheid South Africa and has been likened to Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech on the occasion of the historic civil rights March on Washington on 28 August 1963 in Washington, DC.)

Several years after President Mbeki made his speech, the Organization of African Unity (OAU) was transformed into the African Union (AU) at its Summit in South Africa in July 2002. Since the OAU had accomplished its mission of liberating all African countries of colonialism and apartheid since its inception on25 May 1963, the focus of the AU became regional integration on multi-levels. In addition, the AU decided to add the diaspora as its Sixth Region.

While the AU’s conceptual definition of the diaspora is broad and all encompassing, the operational definition is very limited. When Africans talk about the diaspora, they really only mean what is now called “the Afropolitans”: the most recent generation of African immigrants who have lived or grew up outside of Africa and have a more recent connection to Africa. They usually are not including the descendants of slaves.

This is very disturbing to me because it dismisses the tremendous historical collaboration that has existed between the larger African diaspora and Africa for decades and centuries. Were it not for the larger African diaspora, Africa’s timetable toward freedom may have been prolonged. Were it not for Africa, the timetable for freedom within the context of the African diaspora would also have been prolonged. In my mind, it is paramount that Africa operationally recognize its symbiotic relationship with the full multi-dimensional diaspora so that strategic

What Does the 50th Anniversary of the African Union Mean to Me?* BY DOROTHY DAVIS

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partnerships can be formed in order for all to enjoy and be a part of Africa’s renaissance through individual and collective prosperity and peace.

Here is how it has worked in the past.

Having grown up in a colonized Gold Coast and graduated from Lincoln University in the State of Pennsylvania in 1942, Kwame Nkrumah was able to learn from both experiences, analyze them, strategize and execute. This was evidenced by how he used the Independence Day celebration of Ghana on 6 March 1957 as a platform to encourage unique global meetings and dialogue of key individuals and stakeholders. My Dad, Griff Davis, was one of the official photographers that day in Accra representing the U.S. Information Service in Monrovia, Liberia.

Then U.S. Vice-President Richard Nixon headed the U.S. delegation to the celebration as part of his first tour of Africa. The first African American Congressman from Michigan Charles Diggs, Jr. was a member of his delegation. It was his first trip to Africa as well. At the time, Diggs had only been a Congressman for two years and was an outspoken advocate of the Civil Rights Act of 1957. He later joined the Foreign Affairs Committee (now the International Relations Committee) until he left office in 1980. In 1969, he became Chair of its Subcommittee on Africa and the Founder and First Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus (1969-1971). He, also, led the early charge by African American Members of Congress to denounce the apartheid regime in South Africa.

Ghana’s Independence Day also provided the platform for Vice President Nixon and Martin Luther King, Jr. to meet one week after Martin Luther King, Jr. had successfully completed the yearlong Montgomery Bus Boycott in Alabama that ignited the U.S. Civil Rights Movement. After they met, King told my Dad later that it was then that Nixon invited him to Washington, D.C. Being a photographer, Morehouse College mate, and Atlanta hometown friend of Martin Luther King, Jr. and his family, my Dad took the photo of their first meeting as historical

documentation because their meeting would have never happened on American soil at that time. Kwame Nkrumah knew that having had the experience of being treated as an African American while studying at Lincoln University and University of Pennsylvania from 1935 to 1943 and witnessed the existing Jim Crow segregationist system of the time. (The Jim Crow system was America’s equivalent to apartheid.)

Nkrumah also invited Nobel Peace Prize Winner Ralph Bunche, the highest ranking African American at the United Nations to attend the festivities in his capacity as Undersecretary for Special Political Affairs. My father took photos of all of them including the moment on March 6, 1957 when Kwame Nkrumah declared Ghana’s independence.

It was Nkrumah’s sophisticated understanding of this ongoing interconnectedness between Africa and its diaspora to their respective survival and ultimate prosperity that prompted him to use that big day as a global platform to reflect and advance the dialogue around common diasporan issues. Yet, Nkrumah was not the first to recognize this interconnectedness.

President William V.S. Tubman of Liberia and His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia already understood this interconnectedness based on their respective and collective experiences and involvement as a Founding Member (Liberia) of the League of Nations in 1919 and as a Member State (Ethiopia) in 1923, and, subsequently, as Charter Members of the United Nations in 1945. One personal example of the impact of Africa on American society was the fact that my Liberian Uncle, Emmett Harmon, and African American Aunt, Dovey Davis Harmon, frequently stayed in an apartment at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City when he would represent President Tubman at key meetings at the UN. This was at a time in the 1950s when African Americans were still not allowed to frequent the establishment as customers; only as staff. In fact, after a New York ticker-tape parade in his honor for winning four Olympic medals in track and field in the 1936 Summer Olympics, Jesse Owens had to ride

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the freight elevator to attend a reception for him at the Waldorf-Astoria due to his being African American because only white people could ride in the main elevators.

His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie I welcomed the support his country received from African Americans during Ethiopia’s war with Italy. To show his appreciation, he traveled to Harlem (New York) to thank them during his speech at Abyssinian Baptist Church in 1954 and presented its pastor, the late US Congressman Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. with an Ethiopian Coptic cross. This cross has since become the official symbol of the church and still stands on the pulpit.

Emperor Selassie, also, welcomed the support of the Rastafarians in Jamaica and made a State visit there in April 1966 to show solidarity.

Concurrently, Liberia’s purchase of the land on 16th Street in the northwest section of then segregated Washington, D.C. for its Embassy to the United States and Ambassador’s Residence was historic. At that time, Black Americans were not allowed to purchase real estate in that section of the city. By doing so, Liberia opened an idea of access that did not exist before simply because the U.S. government and other U.S. government bodies were forced to adhere to the rules of international diplomatic protocol for this sovereign country.

To provide a reverse perspective, my Dad first met Prime Minister Kwame Nkrumah in December 1952 when he sailed with him from Accra, Gold Coast to Liberia on Nkrumah’s way to his State Visit to Liberia at the invitation of President Tubman in January 1953. My parents hosted a reception for Nkrumah in our home on Mamba Point in Monrovia in one of the twin bungalows leased to us by President Tubman. My Dad was the U.S. Embassy’s Information Officer and one of the pioneers that worked on President Harry Truman’s Point 4 program, the precursor to present day USAID. (Prior to joining the U.S. Foreign Service, he had been the First Roving Editor for Ebony Magazine in 1947 before becoming an international photojournalist for the Black

Star Agency in 1949.) In this capacity, he invited the media accompanying Nkrumah from the Gold Coast, the Liberian press and foreign press based in Monrovia to the reception.

My Dad’s supervisor and the first African-American U.S. Ambassador to Liberia (and simultaneously Africa), Edward R. Dudley, attended along with other key officials from the U.S. Embassy. My father gave welcoming remarks that acknowledged the presence of all attending media and encouraged them to tell the story of the Gold Coast. His remarks were well received at the time but subsequently caused a major problem in my Dad’s career as an African American U.S. Foreign Service Officer.

When the U.S. State Department found out about my Dad’s remarks, he was accused of meddling in the internal affairs of a country even though he had previously cleared his intended actions and remarks with his supervisors who were also African American Foreign Service Officers. He, ultimately, resigned from his position as Information Officer of the U.S. Embassy even though he and my Mom were expecting their first child. When President Tubman found out, he stepped in and encouraged the U.S. Ambassador and my Dad to come to some agreement. It resulted in my Dad retracting his letter of resignation and remaining at post in Liberia for the balance of his tour.

As already depicted, each step forward led to the next step forward irrespective of geographic boundaries whether the desired results happened in the desired timeframe or a future timeframe. One generation passed the baton of its accomplishments to the next.

* An excerpt from The Diasporan Corner, a periodic column on a variety of issues affecting, connecting and providing multiple perspectives on Africa and its Diaspora by Dorothy Davis of The Diasporan Touch. (First column was published during UNECA’s African Development Forum IV (ADFIV) on Governance in 2004.)

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Par Elisabeth Benkam *

Après la commémoration du jubilé d’or de la création de l’Organisation de l’unité africaine (OUA) en 1963, les dirigeants du continent au plus haut niveau devraient s’engager à s’approprier l’Agenda 2063 s’ils veulent garantir un avenir certain à l’Afrique pour les 50 prochaines années.

L’année 2013 marque le jubilé d’or et la commémoration, par les Africains, des cinquante ans de succès de l’OUA et de l’UA. La décision de 2002 de créer l’Union africaine était principalement fondée sur le fait que le mandat initial de l’OUA de décoloniser le continent était atteint et réalisé et que l’Afrique avait désormais besoin de nouveaux cadres institutionnels pour faire avancer son programme de développement et d’intégration. Le ton a été donné dans la Déclaration solennelle faite par les Chefs d’État et de Gouvernement de l’Union africaine, réunis pour célébrer le leadership politique de l’Afrique, tout en reconnaissant les réussites et les défis

passés, à l’occasion du cinquantième anniversaire marquant le jubilé d’or de l’OUA/UA. Ceux-ci avaient réaffirmé leur engagement pour le développement du continent et se sont engagés à accomplir des progrès dans les huit domaines clés. Il s’agit notamment de l’identité africaine et la Renaissance de l’Afrique ; la lutte contre le colonialisme et le droit à l’autodétermination des peuples encore sous domination coloniale ; un Agenda d’intégration; un Agenda pour le développement social et économique; un Agenda pour la paix et la sécurité; la Gouvernance démocratique; la Détermination du destin de l’Afrique; et la place de l’Afrique dans le monde.

Ils se sont également engagés à intégrer ces idéaux et objectifs dans leurs plans nationaux de développement et dans l’élaboration de l’Agenda continental 2063 à travers un processus axé sur les peuples pour la réalisation de la vision de l’UA pour une Afrique centrée sur les personnes, prospère, intégrée, en paix avec elle-même. Pour parvenir à exécuter leur programme les chefs d’État et de Gouvernement de l’Union africaine devront s’appuyer sur la Commission de l’Union africaine avec la collaboration de l’Agence de Coordination du NEPAD (Agence du NEPAD), le soutien de la Banque africaine de développement (BAD), les Communautés Economiques régionales (CER) et la Commission économique pour l’Afrique (CEA). Il va s’agir de définir et d’adopter un agenda continental pour les 50 prochaines années avec pour objectif de tracer une trajectoire de croissance pour l’Afrique tenant compte des leçons tirées des 50 dernières années avec un accent sur les aspirations des populations, et la poursuite des idéaux du panafricanisme.

Qu’est-ce que l’Agenda 63 ?

Décliné en un programme à court, moyen et long terme, l’Agenda 2063 représente un effort collectif et une opportunité pour l’Afrique de retrouver son pouvoir en vue de

L’Afrique va-t-elle enfin prendre l’envol pour son développement intégral pour les 50 années à venir ?

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déterminer son propre destin soutenu par la vision de l’UA qui vise à «bâtir une Afrique intégrée, prospère et en paix, soutenue et dirigée par ses propres citoyens et constituant une force dynamique sur la scène mondiale ». Il est à la fois une vision et un plan d’action. Dans un monde en pleine mutation et dans lequel le contient doit retrouver ses marques, c’est un appel à l’action lancé à tous les fils et filles du continent quelles que soient leurs domaines d’activités ou d’intervention. Plus précisément, il s’agit des CER et les organes de l’UA, les experts techniques des ministères de la Planification et du Développement économique des États membres, les experts techniques issus des milieux universitaires et des groupes de réflexion, la société civile, les femmes et les jeunes, le secteur privé, les organisations confessionnelles et culturelles, la diaspora africaine, les médias, les personnalités éminentes de l’Afrique, les anciens Chefs d’État et de Gouvernement, et les autres acteurs par le truchement de l’Internet.

Que peuvent attendre les africains de l’Agenda 63

Invités à surpasser leurs égoïsmes parfois surdimensionnés, les chefs d’Etats et de Gouvernement devraient entreprendre ce nouvel effort pour mettre sur pied des programmes de développement à court, moyen et long terme pour le continent qui devront viser le développement tout azimut de leurs concitoyens. Les africains à travers l’Agenda 2063 devront s’attendre à la réduction significative des conflits, au renforcement de la paix et de la stabilité, la gestion saine des ressources naturelles ainsi que les progrès en matière de gouvernance démocratique. Il faudra en sus mettre en œuvre la zone continentale de libre-échange pour rapprocher et unir davantage les africains, établir et développer le capital humain de l’Afrique qui est une ressource très importante du continent, éradiquer les maladies comme le VIH/SIDA, le paludisme et la tuberculose, s’approprier et développer les ressources naturelles, éradiquer l’extrême pauvreté et assurer un développement qui réponde aux besoins des populations

Les atouts du continent.

Avec le changement de l’architecture financière internationale, avec la montée des BRICS et l’amélioration des flux d’IDE, la participation et l’inclusion de toutes les parties prenantes dans la conception, l’élaboration, l’exécution et le suivi et l’évaluation de l’Agenda 2063 permettront d’améliorer la sensibilisation, la propriété et la connaissance des objectifs et du but de l’Agenda 2063, et de renforcer l’engagement collectif. Nous ne saurons oublier que l’Afrique est un marché économique nouveau où les débouchés sont nombreux et diversifiés, une main d’œuvre qui se qualifie au fur et à mesure. En outre il ne faut pas perdre de vue que l’Afrique dispose d’une jeunesse dynamique et volontaire, potentiel humain diversifié, des ressources naturelles et du sous-sol riches et très importants et qui ne nécessitent qu’une gouvernance appropriée.

Ainsi, l’Agenda 2063 doit être considéré comme l’occasion unique de reconstruire le rêve africain en le mettant en perspective en vue d’enthousiasmer et de dynamiser la population africaine, et d’utiliser son énergie constructive pour définir et mettre en œuvre un programme réalisable pour l’unité, la paix et le développement au 21ièmesiècle. L’Agenda 2063 se veut un programme de rajeunissement social, économique et politique qui lie le passé au présent et à l’avenir afin de créer une nouvelle génération de panafricanistes qui miseront sur les leçons apprises et les utiliseront comme piliers pour consolider l’espoir et les promesses des pères fondateurs d’une véritable renaissance de l’Afrique.

* Mrs. Elisabeth BENKAM, Correspondante PANAPRESS Yaoundé Cameroun, est Camerounaise, Présidente du Conseil Syndical (Conseil d’Administration) du Syndicat National des Journaliste du Cameroun (SNJC), elle est Diplômée de l’Ecole Supérieure des sciences et techniques de l’Information et de la Communication et detient un Master de traduction (Anglais-Français). Depuis 2001, elle a rejoint l’équipe des correspondants étrangers de l’Agence Panafricaine de Presse (PANAPRESS) et exerce au Cameroun . Elle est egalement Alumna Voices of Africa (agence de presse vidéo basée en Hollande)

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I am referring to 2063, that is, in 50 years’ time.

Not many of us, this current generation of Africans will be alive then, and that is why we must peek into the telescope of time and see just what good or damage we will be bequeathing those who would be inheriting us in 2063.

I was out of town recently, visiting Yaoundé, Cameroon, to participate in an African Union consultative workshop on AU Agenda 2063, a bold initiative by the AU to develop “A shared strategic framework for inclusive growth and sustainable development”. The Agenda, among many other laudable expectations speaks of “African identity and Renaissance”. Identity and renaissance, do underpin this dream for grow and sustainable development in the next 50 years. How to achieve that is very much an issue of debate and negotiation, but some points I have been pondering, include the fact that for the African people to buy into the Agenda, the AU must turn the mirror on itself first:

The AU must be a union of the people 1. of Africa and not a private club for

African heads of state

To give back the Union to the African 2. people, the AU must be “people-friendly”

It must take a leading role in unleashing 3. innovation, creativity and productivity on the continent to engender development

The AU must ensure a more engaging 4. parliament, along the lines of the EU parliament to involve the people through their representatives in the decision-making process and set standards of relationships across the continent

Sub-regional groupings must integrate 5. and harmonize policies, for example, the free movement of people across the continent and the means to do that, like reliable air links, highways and railways

The “democracy dividend” must 6. manifest in more freedoms – e.g., of expression, all-inclusiveness, human rights and citizens’ self-actualization

Practical Pan Africanism where 7. history and lament are superseded by achievable and sustainable African goals like the APRM, which currently seems to be in limbo

I am sure there are as many other points as there are Africans, to ponder, so let’s keep pondering as we leave 2013 and enter 2014. Happy Prosperous Year to us all…

Bio ABDUL-RAHMAN HARRUNA ATTAH

Managing editor of The Accra Mail, a weekly newspaper. Also serves on the Board of New Times Corporation, publishers of The Ghanaian Times, a state-owned Daily.

Africa @ 100 by Abdul-Rahman Harruna Attah

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We, Heads of State and Government of the African Union assembled to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of the OAU/AU established in the city of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 25 May 1963,

Evoking the uniqueness of the history of Africa as the cradle of humanity and a centre of civilization, and dehumanized by slavery, deportation, dispossession, apartheid and colonialism as well as our struggles against these evils, which shaped our common destiny and enhanced our solidarity with peoples of African descent;

Recalling with pride, the historical role and efforts of the Founders of the Pan-African Movement and the nationalist movements, whose visions, wisdom, solidarity and commitment continue to inspire us;

Reaffirming our commitment to the ideals of Pan-Africanism and Africa’s aspiration for greater unity, and paying tribute to the Founders of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) as well as the African peoples on the continent and in the Diaspora for their glorious and successful struggles against all forms of oppression, colonialism and apartheid;

Mindful that the OAU/AU have been relentlessly championing for the complete decolonization of the African continent and that one of the fundamental objectives is unconditional respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of each of its Member States; Stressing our commitment to build a united and integrated Africa;

Guided by the vision of our Union and affirming our determination to “build an integrated, prosperous

and peaceful Africa, driven and managed by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the international arena”;

Determined to take full responsibility for the realisation of this vision;

Guided by the principles enshrined in the Constitutive Act of our Union and our Shared Values, in particular our commitment to ensure gender equality and a people centred approach in all our endeavours as well as respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of our countries.

ACKNOWLEDGE THAT:

I. The Organisation of African Unity (OAU) overcame internal and external challenges, persevered in the quest for continental unity and solidarity; contributed actively to the liberation of Africa from colonialism and apartheid; provided a political and diplomatic platform to generations of leaders on continental and international matters; and elaborated frameworks for Africa’s development and integration agenda through programmes such as NEPAD and APRM.

II. The African Union (AU) carried forward our struggle for self-determination and drive for development and integration; formulated a clear vision for our Union; agreed that the ultimate goal of the Union is the construction of a united and integrated Africa; instituted the principle of non-indifference by authorizing the right of the Union to intervene in Member States in conformity with the Constitutive Act; and laid the groundwork for the entrenchment of the rule of law, democracy, respect for human rights, solidarity, promotion of gender equality and

the empowerment of Women and Youth in Africa.

III. The implementation of the integration agenda; the involvement of people, including our Diaspora in the affairs of the Union; the quest for peace and security and preventing wars and genocide such as the 1994 Rwandan genocide; the alignment between our institutional framework and the vision of the Union; the fight against poverty; inequality and underdevelopment; and, assuring Africa’s rightful place in the world, remain challenges.

WE HEREBY DECLARE:

A. On the African Identity and Renaissance

i) Our strong commitment to accelerate the African Renaissance by ensuring the integration of the principles of Pan Africanism in all our policies and initiatives;

ii) Our unflinching belief in our common destiny, our Shared Values and the affirmation of the African identity; the celebration of unity in diversity and the institution of the African citizenship;

iii) Our commitment to strengthen AU programmes and Member States institutions aimed at reviving our cultural identity, heritage, history and Shared values, as well as undertake, henceforth, to fly the AU flag and sing the AU anthem along with our national flags and anthems;

iv) Promote and harmonize the teaching of African history, values and Pan Africanism in all our schools and educational institutions as part of advancing our African identity and Renaissance;

v) Promote people to people engagements including Youth and

THE 50TH OAU/AU ANNIVERSARY DECLARATION

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civil society exchanges in order to strengthen Pan Africanism.

B. The struggle against colonialism and the right to self-determination of people still under colonial rule

i) The completion of the decolonization process in Africa; to protect the right to self-determination of African peoples still under colonial rule; solidarity with people of African descend and in the Diaspora in their struggles against racial discrimination; and resist all forms of influences contrary to the interests of the continent;

ii) The reaffirmation of our call to end expeditiously the unlawful occupation of the Chagos Archipelago, the Comorian Island of Mayotte and also reaffirm the right to self-determination of the people of Western Sahara, with a view to enable these countries and peoples, to effectively exercise sovereignty over their respective territories.

C. On the integration agenda

Our commitment to Africa’s political, social and economic integration agenda, and in this regard, speed up the process of attaining the objectives of the African Economic Community and take steps towards the construction of a united and integrated Africa. Consolidating existing commitments and instruments, we undertake, in particular, to:

i) Speedily implement the Continental Free Trade Area; ensure free movement of goods, with focus on integrating local and regional markets as well as facilitate African citizenship to allow free movement of people through the gradual removal of visa requirements;

ii) Accelerate action on the ultimate establishment of a united and integrated Africa,

through the implementation of our common continental governance, democracy and human rights frameworks. Move with speed towards the integration and merger of the Regional Economic Communities as the building blocks of the Union.

D. On the agenda for social and economic development

Our commitment to place the African people, in particular women, children and the youth, as well as persons with disabilities, at the centre of our endeavours and to eradicate poverty. In this regard, we undertake to:

i) Develop our human capital as our most important resource, through education and training, especially in science, technology and innovation, and ensure that Africa takes its place and contributes to humanity, including in the field of space sciences and explorations;

ii) Eradicate disease, especially HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis and ensure universal health care services to our citizens;

iii) Accelerate Africa’s infrastructural development, to link African peoples, countries and economies; and help to drive social, cultural and economic development. In this regard, we commit to meet our strategic targets in transport, ICT, energy and other social infrastructure by committing national, regional and continental resources to this end;

iv) Take ownership of, use and develop, our natural endowments and resources, through value addition, as the basis for industrialization; promote intra-Africa trade and tourism, in order to foster economic integration, development, employment and inclusive growth to the benefit of the African people;

v) Also take ownership, preserve, protect and use our oceanic spaces and resources, improve our maritime and transport industries to the benefit of the continent and its peoples, including by contributing to food security

vi) Preserve our arable land for current and future generations, develop our rural economies, our agricultural production and agro-processing to eradicate hunger and malnutrition, as well as achieve food security and self-sufficiency;

vii) Expand and develop urban infrastructure and develop planned approaches to rapid urbanization and the emergence of new cities;

viii) Make our development agenda responsive to the needs of our peoples, anchored on the preservation of our environment for current and future generations, including in the fight against desertification and mitigation of the effects of climate change, especially with regards to island states and land-locked countries.

E. On peace and security

Our determination to achieve the goal of a conflict-free Africa, to make peace a reality for all our people and to rid the continent of wars, civil conflicts, human rights violations, humanitarian disasters and violent conflicts, and to prevent genocide. We pledge not to bequeath the burden of conflicts to the next generation of Africans and undertake to end all wars in Africa by 2020. In this regard, we undertake to:

i) Address the root causes of conflicts including economic and social disparities; put an end to impunity by strengthening national and continental judicial institutions, and ensure accountability in line with our collective responsibility to the

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principle of non-indifference;

ii) Eradicate recurrent and address emerging sources of conflict including piracy, trafficking in narcotics and humans, all forms of extremism, armed rebellions, terrorism, transnational organized crime and new crimes such as cybercrime.

iii) Push forward the agenda of conflict prevention, peacemaking, peace support, national reconciliation and post-conflict reconstruction and development through the African Peace and Security Architecture; as well as, ensure enforcement of and compliance with peace agreements and build Africa’s peace-keeping and enforcement capacities through the African Standby Force;

iv) Maintain a nuclear-free Africa and call for global nuclear disarmament, non-proliferation and peaceful uses of nuclear energy;

v) Ensure the effective implementation of agreements on landmines and the non-proliferation of small arms and light weapons;

vi) Address the plight of internally displaced persons and refugees and eliminate the root causes of this phenomenon by fully implementing continental and universal frameworks.

F. On democratic governance

Our determination to anchor our societies, governments and institutions on respect for the rule of law, human rights and dignity, popular participation, the management of diversity, as well as inclusion and democracy. In this regard, we undertake to:

i) Strengthen democratic governance including through decentralized systems, the rule of law and the capacities of our institutions to meet the

aspirations of our people;

ii) Reiterate our rejection of unconstitutional change of government, including through any attempts to seize power by force but recognize the right of our people to peacefully express their will against oppressive systems;

iii) Promote integrity, fight corruption in the management of public affairs and promote leadership that is committed to the interests of the people;

iv) Foster the participation of our people through democratic elections and ensure accountability and transparency.

G. On Determining Africa’s Destiny

Our determination to take responsibility for our destiny. We pledge to foster self-reliance and self-sufficiency. In this regard, we undertake to:

i) Take ownership of African issues and provide African solutions to African problems;

ii) Mobilize our domestic resources, on a predictable and sustainable basis to strengthen institutions and advance our continental agenda;

iii) Take all necessary measures, using our rich natural endowments and human resources, to transform Africa and make it a leading continent in the area of innovation and creativity;

H. Africa’s place in the world

Our endeavour for Africa to take its rightful place in the political, security, economic, and social systems of global governance towards the realization of its Renaissance and establishing Africa as a leading continent. We undertake to:

i) Continue the global struggle against all forms of racism and

discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerances;

ii) Act in solidarity with oppressed countries and peoples;

iii) Advance international cooperation that promotes and defends Africa’s interests, is mutually beneficial and aligned to our Pan Africanist vision;

iv) Continue to speak with one voice and act collectively to promote our common interests and positions in the international arena;

v) Reiterate our commitment to Africa’s active role in the globalization process and international forums including in Financial and Economic Institutions;

vi) Advocate for our common position for reform of the United Nations (UN) and other global institutions with particular reference to the UN Security Council, in order to correct the historical injustice with Africa as the only region without a permanent seat.

We pledge to articulate the above ideals and goals in our national development plans and in the development of the Continental Agenda 2063, through a people-driven process for the realization of our vision for an integrated, people-centred, prosperous Africa at peace with itself.

As Heads of State and Government, mindful of our responsibility and commitment, we pledge to act together with our Peoples and the African Diaspora to realize our vision of Pan Africanism and African Renaissance.

Adopted by the 21st Ordinary session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union, at Addis Ababa, on 27 May 2013.

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DECLARATION DU CINQUANTENAIRE DE L’OUA/UANous, chefs d’État et de gouvernement de l’Union africaine (UA), réunis pour célébrer le Jubilé d’Or de l’Organisation de l’Unité africaine/Union africaine (OUA/UA), qui a été créée le 25 mai 1963 dans la ville d’Addis-Abeba en Éthiopie ;

Évoquant le caractère unique de l’histoire de l’Afrique en tant que berceau de l’humanité, centre de la civilisation, et déshumanisé par l’esclavage, la déportation, la dépossession, l’apartheid et le colonialisme, ainsi que nos luttes contre ces maux, qui ont façonné notre destin commun et renforcé notre solidarité avec les peuples d’ascendance africaine ;

Rappelant avec fierté le rôle et les efforts historiques des fondateurs du mouvement panafricain et des mouvements nationalistes, dont la vision, la sagesse, la solidarité et l’engagement continuent de nous inspirer;

Réaffirmant notre engagement aux idéaux du panafricanisme et l’aspiration de l’Afrique à une plus grande unité et, rendant hommage aux Pères fondateurs de l’Organisation de l’unité africaine (OUA), ainsi qu’aux peuples africains du continent et de la diaspora pour leur lutte glorieuse et victorieuse contre toutes les formes d’oppression, le colonialisme et l’apartheid ;

Conscients du fait que l’OUA/UA a lutté sans relâche pour la décolonisation complète du continent africain et que l’un des objectifs fondamentaux de l’OUA/UA est le respect inconditionnel de la souveraineté et de l’intégrité territoriale de chacun de ses États membres ;

Soulignant notre engagement de bâtir une Afrique unie et intégrée ;

Guidés par la vision de notre Union et affirmant notre détermination à « bâtir une Afrique intégrée, prospère et en paix, tirée par ses citoyens et constituant une force dynamique sur la scène mondiale » ;

Résolus à prendre l’entière responsabilité de la réalisation de cette vision ;

Guidés par les principes énoncés dans l’Acte constitutif de notre Union et par nos valeurs partagées, notamment notre engagement à assurer l’égalité entre les hommes et les femmes, et à adopter une approche centrée sur les populations dans toutes nos entreprises, ainsi que le respect de la souveraineté et de l’intégrité territoriale de nos États.

RECONNAISSONS QUE :I. L’Organisation de l’Unité africaine (OUA) a relevé des défis tant internes qu’externes, persévéré dans sa quête d’unité et de solidarité continentales, contribué activement à la libération de l’Afrique du colonialisme et de l’apartheid, fourni une plate-forme politique et diplomatique aux générations de dirigeants qui se sont succédées pour les questions continentales et internationales et a élaboré des cadres pour les agendas de développement et d’intégration de l’Afrique à travers des programmes tels que le NEPAD et le MAEP.

II. L’Union africaine (UA) a poursuivi notre lutte pour l’autodétermination, le développement et l’intégration, formulé une vision claire pour notre Union, convenu que l’ultime objectif de l’Union est de bâtir une Afrique unie et intégrée, institué le principe de non-indifférence en conférant à l’Union le droit d’intervenir dans les États membres conformément à l’Acte constitutif, et jeté les bases pour la consolidation de l’état de droit, la démocratie, le respect des droits de l’homme, la solidarité, la promotion de l’égalité entre les hommes et les femmes et l’autonomisation des femmes et des jeunes en Afrique.

III. La mise en oeuvre du programme d’intégration, la participation des populations, y compris de la diaspora aux activités de l’Union, la quête de paix et de sécurité, la prévention des conflits et des génocides comme le génocide

rwandais de 1994, l’alignement de notre cadre institutionnel sur la vision de l’Union, la lutte contre la pauvreté, les inégalités et le sous-développement et donner à l’Afrique la place qui lui revient sur la scène internationale restent encore des défis à relever.

DÉCLARONS, PAR CONSÉQUENT :A. de l’identité africaine et de la Renaissance africainei) Notre ferme détermination à accélérer la Renaissance africaine en intégrant, dans toutes nos politiques et initiatives, les principes du panafricanisme ;

ii) Notre foi inébranlable en notre destin commun et en nos valeurs partagées, l’affirmation de l’identité africaine, la célébration de l’unité dans la diversité et l’institution de la citoyenneté africaine ;

iii) Notre engagement à renforcer les programmes de l’UA et les institutions des États membres visant à revivifier notre identité culturelle, notre patrimoine, notre histoire et nos valeurs partagées, à faire flotter désormais le drapeau de l’UA à côté de nos drapeaux et à exécuter l’hymne de l’UA après nos hymnes nationaux ;

iv) Notre engagement à encourager et à harmoniser l’enseignement de l’histoire africaine, des valeurs et du panafricanisme dans toutes nos écoles et établissements d’enseignement en vue de promouvoir notre identité africaine et la Renaissance africaine ;

v) Notre engagement à promouvoir l’organisation d’activités entre les peuples, notamment les échanges entre les jeunes et la société civile afin de renforcer le panafricanisme.

B. de la lutte contre le colonialisme et du droit à l’autodétermination des peuples encore sous domination colonialei) Notre engagement à achever le processus de décolonisation en Afrique, à protéger le droit à

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l’autodétermination des peuples africains encore sous domination coloniale, à promouvoir la solidarité avec les peuples d’origine africaine et la diaspora dans leur lutte contre la discrimination raciale, et à résister à toutes les formes d’influences contraires aux intérêts du continent;

ii) Notre appel pour mettre fin rapidement à l’occupation illégale de l’archipel des Chagos, de l’île comorienne de Mayotte, pour réaffirmer également le droit du peuple du Sahara occidental à l’autodétermination afin de permettre à ces pays et à leurs peuples d’exercer effectivement la souveraineté sur leurs territoires respectifs.

C. de l’Agenda de l’intégrationNotre engagement vis-à-vis de l’Agenda de l’intégration politique, sociale et économique de l’Afrique, et, à cet égard, notre détermination à accélérer le processus de réalisation des objectifs de la Communauté économique africaine et à prendre des mesures visant à bâtir une Afrique unie et intégrée. Tout en consolidant les engagements et instruments existants, nous nous engageons en particulier à :

i) accélérer la mise en oeuvre de la zone de libre-échange continentale, assurer la libre circulation des biens, en mettant l’accent sur l’intégration des marchés locaux et régionaux, et faciliter la citoyenneté africaine en vue de la libre circulation des personnes par la suppression graduelle des obligations de visa ;

ii) accélérer les mesures visant à bâtir une Afrique unie et intégrée par la mise en oeuvre de nos cadres communs de gouvernance, de démocratie et des droits de l’homme ; avancer rapidement vers l’intégration et la fusion des Communautés économiques régionales en tant que piliers de l’Union.

D. de l’Agenda pour le développement social et économiqueNotre engagement à placer les peuples africains, en particulier les

femmes, les enfants, les jeunes et les personnes vivant avec un handicap, au centre de nos efforts et à éradiquer la pauvreté. À cet égard, nous nous engageons à :

i) développer notre capital humain, qui est notre ressource la plus importante à travers l’éducation et la formation, en accordant la priorité à la science, à la technologie et à l’innovation ; et veiller à ce que l’Afrique occupe la place qui lui revient et apporte sa contribution à l’humanité, y compris dans le domaine de la science et de l’exploration spatiales ;

ii) éradiquer la maladie, en particulier le VIH/SIDA, le paludisme et la tuberculose, veiller à ce qu’aucune femme africaine ne meurt en donnant la vie, lutter contre la mortalité maternelle, néonatale et infantile et assurer les services universels de soins de santé à nos citoyens;

iii) accélérer le développement des infrastructures en Afrique en vue de relier les peuples, les pays et les économies africains, en tant que moteur du développement social, culturel et économique. À cet égard, nous nous engageons à atteindre nos objectifs stratégiques dans les domaines du transport, des TIC, de l’énergie et des autres infrastructures sociales en consacrant à cette fin les ressources nationales, régionales et continentales;

iv) Créer un environnement favorable pour le développement efficace du secteur privé africain à travers un dialogue constructif entre le secteur public et le secteur privé à tous les niveaux, afin de promouvoir des entreprises socialement responsables, la bonne gouvernance d’entreprise et la croissance économique inclusive ;

v) nous approprier, utiliser et mettre en valeur nos richesses et nos ressources naturelles en tant que base de l’industrialisation, promouvoir le commerce et le tourisme intra-africains, en vue de favoriser l’intégration économique, le développement, l’emploi et la croissance inclusive au profit des peuples d’Afrique ;

vi) nous approprier également, préserver, protéger et utiliser nos espaces marins et nos ressources marines, promouvoir nos industries des transports maritimes au profit du continent et de ses populations et partant, à la réalisation de la sécurité alimentaire ;

vii) préserver nos terres arables pour les générations actuelle et future, développer notre économie rurale, notre production agricole et notre industrie agroalimentaire afin d’éradiquer la faim et la malnutrition et de réaliser la sécurité et l’autosuffisance alimentaires ;

viii) assurer l’expansion et le développement des infrastructures urbaines et développer des approches planifiées à l’urbanisation rapide et à l’apparition de nouvelles villes ;

ix) faire en sorte que notre programme de développement réponde aux besoins de nos populations et qu’il soit ancré dans la préservation de notre environnement pour les générations actuelle et future, y compris la lutte contre la désertification et l’atténuation des effets du changement climatique, notamment dans les États insulaires et les États sans littoral.

E. de la paix et sécuritéNotre détermination à atteindre l’objectif d’une Afrique sans conflits, à faire de la paix une réalité pour toutes nos populations et à débarrasser le continent des guerres, des troubles civils, des violations des droits de l’homme, des catastrophes humanitaires et des violents conflits, et à prévenir le génocide. Nous nous engageons également à ne pas léguer à la prochaine génération d’Africains les lourds fardeaux que sont les conflits et à venir à bout de toutes les guerres en Afrique d’ici à 2020. À cet égard, nous nous engageons à :

i) nous attaquer aux causes profondes des conflits, y compris les inégalités économiques et sociales, mettre fin à l’impunité en renforçant les institutions judiciaires nationales et continentales, et assurer la

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responsabilisation conformément à notre responsabilité collective quant au principe de non-indifférence ;

ii) nous attaquer aux sources des conflits récurrentes et émergentes, pour les éliminer, notamment la piraterie, le trafic de drogue et des êtres humains, toutes les formes d’extrémisme, les rébellions armées le terrorisme, le crime transnational organisé et les nouveaux crimes tels que la cybercriminalité ;

iii) faire avancer le programme de prévention des conflits, d’instauration de la paix, de soutien à la paix, de réconciliation nationale, de reconstruction et de développement post-conflit grâce à l’Architecture africaine de paix et de sécurité, veiller à l’application et au respect des accords de paix et renforcer les capacités de l’Afrique dans les domaines de maintien et de consolidation de la paix grâce à la Force africaine en attente ;

iv) maintenir l’Afrique comme zone exempte d’armes nucléaires et lancer un appel en faveur du désarmement nucléaire mondial, de la non-prolifération et de l’utilisation de l’énergie nucléaire à des fins pacifiques ;

v) assurer la mise en oeuvre effective des accords sur les mines antipersonnel et la non-prolifération des armes légères et de petit calibre;

vi) trouver des solutions aux problèmes des personnes déplacées et des réfugiés, et éliminer les causes profondes de ce phénomène en appliquant entièrement les cadres continentaux et universels.

F. de la gouvernance démocratique

Notre détermination à ancrer nos sociétés, nos gouvernements et nos institutions dans le respect de l’état de droit, de la dignité et des droits de l’homme, la participation populaire, la gestion de la diversité, ainsi que l’inclusion et la démocratie. À cet égard nous nous engageons à :

i) renforcer la gouvernance démocratique, y compris par les

systèmes de décentralisation, l’état de droit et les capacités de nos institutions, pour répondre aux aspirations de nos peuples ;

ii) réitérer notre rejet de tout changement anticonstitutionnel de gouvernement, y compris à travers toute tentative de prise de pouvoir par la force, mais reconnaître le droit de nos peuples de s’exprimer paisiblement contre les systèmes d’oppression ;

iii) promouvoir l’intégrité, lutter contre la corruption dans la gestion des affaires publiques et promouvoir le leadership engagé dans la défense des intérêts du peuple ;

iv) favoriser la participation populaire à travers les élections démocratiques, et assurer la responsabilisation et la transparence.

G. de la détermination de l’Afrique à prendre en main sa propre destinéeNotre détermination à prendre en main notre propre destinée et notre engagement à favoriser l’autonomie et l’autosuffisance. À cet égard, nous nous engageons à :

i) nous approprier les questions africaines et à trouver des solutions africaines aux problèmes africains ;

ii) mobiliser nos ressources intérieures sur une base prévisible et durable en vue de renforcer les institutions et de faire avancer notre agenda continental ;

iii) prendre toutes les mesures nécessaires, utiliser nos richesses naturelles et nos ressources humaines pour transformer l’Afrique en un continent-chef de file dans les domaines de l’innovation et de la créativité.

H. de la place de l’Afrique sur la scène mondialeNotre engagement à amener l’Afrique à prendre la place qui lui revient dans les systèmes politique, sécuritaire, économique, et social de gouvernance mondiale pour lui permettre de réaliser sa Renaissance en la portant au rang de continent-chef de file. À cet

égard, nous nous engageons à :

i) poursuivre la lutte mondiale contre toutes formes de racisme et de discrimination, la xénophobie et les intolérances connexes ;

ii) agir en solidarité avec les pays et les peuples opprimés ;

iii) renforcer la coopération internationale en vue de promouvoir et de défendre les intérêts de l’Afrique, coopération mutuellement avantageuse et conforme à notre vision du panafricanisme ;

iv) continuer à parler d’une seule voix et agir collectivement pour promouvoir nos intérêts communs et nos positions communes dans l’arène internationale ;

v) réitérer notre engagement à donner à l’Afrique un rôle actif dans le processus de mondialisation et dans les forums internationaux, notamment dans les institutions financières et économiques ;

vi) défendre notre position commune concernant la réforme des Nations Unies et d’autres institutions mondiales, en particulier le Conseil de sécurité des Nations Unies afin de corriger l’injustice historique dont est victime l’Afrique, la seule région n’ayant pas un siège permanent au Conseil de sécurité des Nations unies.

Notre engagement à consigner les idéaux et les objectifs ci-dessus dans nos plans de développement nationaux et à les prendre en compte dans l’élaboration de notre Agenda à l’horizon 2063 grâce à un processus axé sur les peuples, pour la réalisation de notre vision d’une Afrique intégrée, prospère et en paix avec elle-même.

En notre qualité de chefs d’État et de gouvernement conscients de notre responsabilité et de notre engagement, sommes résolus à agir de concert avec nos peuples et la diaspora africaine pour réaliser notre vision du Panafricanisme et de la Renaissance africaine.Adoptée par la vingt et unième session ordinaire de la Conférence des chefs d’État et de gouvernement de l’Union africaine

Addis-Abeba, le 26 mai 2013.

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AGENDA 2063

“A global strategy to optimize use of Africa’s resources for the benefits of all Africans”Aiming to encourage discussion among all stakeholders, “Agenda 2063” is an approach to how the continent should effectively learn from the lessons of the past, build on the progress now underway and strategically exploit all possible opportunities available in the short, medium and long term, so as to ensure positive socioeconomic transformation within the next 50 years.

The Bureau of the Chairperson,P.O. Box 3243 Roosevelt Street (Old Airport Area)

Addis Ababa, EthiopiaTel: +251-115-517700 ext 2918

Fax: (251) 11 551 78 44EMAIL: agenda2063@africa-union.org

Website : http://agenda2063.au.int