H.E. Mr. Obiang Nguema Mbasogo's Remarks at Africa Day

By H.E. Mr. Anatolio Ndong Mba May 31, 2011

Delivered by H.E. Mr. Anatolio Ndong Mba.

Integrating youth empowerment and sustainable development coincides with the declaration of 2011 as the International Year of Youth and the adoption in 2006 of the African Youth Charter that takes into account that youth under age 35 constitute 62% of the population of Africa and that by the year 2020, 70% of the African population will be less than 20 years of age.

These are important statistics for African countries and a source of new and strong dynamism. The African Union Youth Volunteer Corps will hold its second session on 13 June in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, the venue for the African Union summit in June.

For H.E. Mr. Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, current chairman of the African Union, it is a condition sine qua non that that institutional scenario for guaranteeing the political, economic, and cultural rights of people and the coming generations of youth is a pluralistic democratic system which allows the majority of the population to participate in the management of public affairs.

The exercise of democracy should be based on respect for the idiosyncrasies and cultural values that characterize each nation. We therefore look to the coming African Union summit to adopt strategies to facilitate the integration of youth in Africa’s sustainable development, limiting, if not putting an end to, the exodus of our youth to the developed countries in search of prosperity as well as recuperating our intellectuals from the Diaspora.

A February 3, 2003 protocol on an Amendment of the Constitutive Act of the African Union encourages the full participation of the Diaspora as important components in building the African Union: "the inclusion of the Diaspora brought in a symbolic sixth region of African descendants that are scattered and dispersed all over the globe." It also defined Africa as a spiritual rather than geographic entity. That spiritual dimension had always been present but it was always coterminous with the geographical expression. The sixth symbolic region redefined and expanded that reality in a concrete and material sense.

The role played by the Diaspora cannot be underestimated. They play prominent roles in the development of their countries of origin, particularly through their remittances.

Consequently, the African Union set out to build bridges across the Atlantic and to consult with the African Diaspora in the United States. The first meeting, in October 2010, brought together several Diaspora organizations and allowed for an interactive and informative format with the wider Diaspora. The second New York Forum consultation, on 27 April 2011, reviewed the Mandate Report of the African Union Diaspora Task Team elected in October 2010. It brought together a cross-section of Diaspora organizations and discussed ways forward in light of recent developments of the African Union Diaspora process.

Here we have distinguished guests for the African Diaspora and we wish to acknowledge their presence. These are individuals of tremendous will and resolve, working tirelessly to change the societies they live in for the better.

H.E. Ambassador Raymond Wolfe will talk about the Permanent Memorial to honor victims of slavery and the Trans-Atlantic slave trade; this is an occasion to say "Never again" to this horrendous deed and recognize the triumph of the human spirit over all hardship. As we celebrate together the Year of People of African Descent, it is important to honor and recognize all the achievements of our brothers and sisters from the Diaspora and celebrate this Africa Day together as one people.

May 25 remembers this struggle in which Pan African political leaders, scientists, and thinkers awakened the conscience of the international community to the rights of African peoples to independence, dignity, and their own culture and to dispose their own resources.

We remember those leaders, founding fathers, heroes, and martyrs of the struggle of Africa against colonialism, Apartheid, and all tendencies to perpetuate foreign domination on our continent. Today we remember all our brave soldiers who have fallen in the struggle to stifle conflicts in Africa and elsewhere. In their memory, we ask everyone to please stand up and observe a minute of silence.

The transition of the Organization of African Unity to the African Union was never a rejection of the philosophy and principles of Pan-Africanism but rather a vision of an Africa that is more united and determined to play its role as a leading exponent in international relations.

The principles of the African Union do not mean giving up cooperation with our traditional partners in America, Asia, Europe, and other regions of the world. Africa needs a Union of political values, cultures, and economic structures capable of competing in international currents. Therefore, we must fight the current appearance of a divided Africa and work for common goals and leverage international transactions.

Following political independence, African States have the responsibility to chart their own destiny and vindicate their solidarity with the international community. Moreover, Africa must be allowed to assume the main role in solving the problems that affect its States and advocate for the peaceful solution of the conflicts as the only way to avoid suffering and unnecessary loss of lives. With this perspective, Africa must fight to become a place of peace in the world.

In this regard, we deplore the persistence of armed conflict and outbreaks of instability that cause loss of human life in some African countries. We call on the parties to such conflicts to cease hostilities immediately. Africa must look to the future with optimism and confidence and lay the institutional foundations to guarantee the basic rights of its citizens and to ensure a positive legacy for future generations.

On this Africa Day, it is the greatest wish of the Chairman of the African Union H.E. Mr. Obiang Nguema Mbasogo that Africa utilizes rationally the enormous natural resources which it has been endowed by God Almighty for the benefit of all the people and that this wealth be shared among all the African countries to accelerate development.

We express our profound gratitude to the Group of the African Ambassadors Spouses for organizing this event, as in previous years. To our colleagues of the African Union Permanent Observer Mission, to all those here this evening to celebrate this important and historic occasion, to all the artists who will perform here tonight, to the media which cover this event, and all who directly or indirectly contributed to this celebration, long live the African Union! Long live African youth! Long live the African Diaspora!