The
Chairperson of the African Union (AU) and President of South Africa, Cyril
Ramaphosa has called on developed countries, multilateral institutions and the
donor community to provide vulnerable countries across the world especially in
our continent with the necessary support in the form diagnostic and therapeutic
medical supplies as well as necessary financial support to sustain the
livelihoods of vulnerable people.
President
Ramaphosa made the call in his 2020 Africa Day Speech on Monday.
Ramaphosa
repeated the call for a comprehensive, robust economic stimulus package for
Africa that includes debt relief and other support measures for the continent’s
immediate humanitarian needs and necessary economic recovery.
“As
we deal with the impact of this pandemic repeat our call for the unconditional
lifting of sanctions that have been imposed on Zimbabwe and Sudan”.
On
the COVID-19, he stated that Africans have taken firm charge of managing this
pandemic.
“We
have a comprehensive strategy formulated by the African Union, and have
appointed Special Envoys to mobilise the financial and other resources
necessary for its implementation”.
President
Ramaphosa stressed the need to forge ahead with meeting the aspirations of
Agenda 2063.
“We
must move ahead with the most ambitious step towards pan-African integration to
date, the creation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, and ensure that
it is operationalised soon”.
“We
must not let up on our efforts to drive the African agenda of security, peace
and stability, of democracy and human rights, of women’s emancipation and the
protection of the environment”.
“We
must not under any circumstances allow this global health emergency to derail
our efforts to Silence the Guns on the continent”.
“The
tragic conflicts that are breeding instability in a number of countries on our
continent are exacting a heavy toll on human life and must end”.
“We
must continue to affirm the supremacy of dialogue over military intervention”.
According
to President Ramaphosa, Africa has known much turmoil and hardship throughout
history.
“We
have endured the worst excesses of humankind, from slavery to colonialism, to
apartheid, and to prolonged military conflict”.
“But
just as our ancestors were able to overcome the horrors of their time, so too
will our faith, courage and resilience as Africans see us through this time of
difficulty”.
“And
so, in the words of Africa’s first Nobel Peace Laureate Chief Albert Luthuli,
let us cast our eyes beyond the past”.
“Let
us fix our eyes them firmly to the future that burns bright on the horizon”.
“If
we remain united, we will overcome this pandemic”.
Read the Full Speech.
Fellow Africans,
On this day 57
years ago, the Organization of African Unity was born. From the beginning it
was dedicated to the idea that only through unity could Africa safeguard its
independence and unlock its potential.
Today we pay
tribute to our forebears the founders of the OAU whose dream of greater African
integration and unity has endured.
We also honour the
legions of revolutionary leaders of Africa who took up the mantle of
pan-Africanism and who fought for the economic and political integration of
Africa.
They have left a
formidable legacy for our continent and all its peoples. They continue to
inspire us and the generations that will come after us.
It was the mission
of the founders of the OAU to liberate the continent from the clutches of
colonial oppression, to restore Africa’s fortunes and to restore the dignity of
every African man, woman and child.
We are reminded of
the difficulties they had to overcome and the resistance they encountered from
foreign powers that had much to gain from exploiting divisions on the
continent.
Yet they taught us
the power of perseverance and sacrifice, of dedication to an ideal, and that an
Africa united can overcome even the greatest of challenges.
We mark this Africa
Day in the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic, which has swept across the world
and left no part of our continent untouched. Thus far almost 96 000 people have
been infected with almost 3 000 having lost their lives.
This COVID 19
pandemic will have a lasting impact on our ability to meet the aspiration of
the African Union’s Agenda 2063 of a peaceful, united and prosperous continent.
The virus has
exposed the deep inequalities that continue to exist on our continent and
across the world.
It has shown how
far we are from realising our developmental goals and our responsibilities to
the citizens of our continent.
But at the same
time, this global crisis should enable a new Africa to come to the fore.
It should be an
Africa of heroic acts of solidarity, an Africa of cross-border collaboration
and sharing of knowledge and resources, an Africa that is united by a common
goal.
The challenge of
this pandemic has shown how Africa is able to work together to solve its own
problems.
Day by day, across
our continent, we are seeing the unity that is our strength being put to the
service of saving lives and supporting the vulnerable.
We salute the
latter-day standard-bearers of pan-African unity: the health care workers and
medical personnel, the scientists and epidemiologists. We salute the Africa
Centres for Disease Control and Prevention for leading our continent’s response
to the pandemic. We also pay tribute to the community workers and NGOs, and the
leaders of government and business who have lent their full support to Africa’s
coronavirus response.
The African Union
and its various organs has shown leadership and acted with speed to address
this crisis.
We thank our
brother, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the World Health
Organization, for demonstrating strong and foresightful leadership to the world
during this crisis.
We thank all the
patriots on our continent and our friends in the international community for
showing solidarity this difficult time.
We know that no
country can overcome this challenge alone.
We call on
developed countries, multilateral institutions and the donor community to
provide vulnerable countries across the world especially in our continent with
the necessary support in the form diagnostic and therapeutic medical supplies
as well as necessary financial support to sustain the livelihoods of vulnerable
people.
We repeat our call
for a comprehensive, robust economic stimulus package for Africa that includes
debt relief and other support measures for the continent’s immediate
humanitarian needs and necessary economic recovery. As we deal with the impact
of this pandemic repeat our call for the unconditional lifting of sanctions
that have been imposed on Zimbabwe and Sudan.
As Africans we have
taken firm charge of managing this pandemic.
We have a
comprehensive strategy formulated by the African Union, and have appointed
Special Envoys to mobilise the financial and other resources necessary for its
implementation.
COVID-19 knows no
borders, nationality or skin colour.
To address the
escalating humanitarian crisis we need to deepen our solidarity.
We must ensure the
pandemic does not reverse our developmental gains.
We must forge ahead
with meeting the aspirations of Agenda 2063.
We must move ahead
with the most ambitious step towards pan-African integration to date, the
creation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, and ensure that it is
operationalised soon.
We must not let up
on our efforts to drive the African agenda of security, peace and stability, of
democracy and human rights, of women’s emancipation and the protection of the
environment.
We must not under
any circumstances allow this global health emergency to derail our efforts to
Silence the Guns on the continent.
The tragic
conflicts that are breeding instability in a number of countries on our
continent are exacting a heavy toll on human life and must end.
We must continue to
affirm the supremacy of dialogue over military intervention.
As Africans we will
continue to stand on the side of justice and support the people of the Western
Sahara in their enduring struggle for freedom and self-determination.
We also call for
the end of the oppression of the Palestinian people and the occupation of their
homeland.
Fellow Africans
Africa has known
much turmoil and hardship throughout history.
We have endured the
worst excesses of humankind, from slavery to colonialism, to apartheid, and to
prolonged military conflict.
But just as our
ancestors were able to overcome the horrors of their time, so too will our
faith, courage and resilience as Africans see us through this time of
difficulty.
And so, in the
words of Africa’s first Nobel Peace Laureate Chief Albert Luthuli, let us cast
our eyes beyond the past.
Let us fix our eyes
them firmly to the future that burns bright on the horizon.
If we remain
united, we will overcome this pandemic.
We will recover and
restore our economies.
We will uplift the
conditions of our people and we will be worthy inheritors of the legacy of the
great Africans who met in Addis Ababa in 1963 to form the OAU.
If we draw from the
deepest depths of African unity and solidarity we shall prevail. May God Bless
Africa and protect her people.
I thank you.
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