The celebration of Africa’s Day in Bujumbura

On the evening of may 25, 2022, the African Union Commission for the Great Lakes Region and Burundi organized warm dinner for the celebration of Africa’s Day. The Ambassadors of the Member States of the African Union accredited to Burundi were present at this event as well as other Diplomats accredited in Burundi, representatives of civil society as well as the Permanent Secretary at in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation in Development Mr. Ferdinand BASHIKAKO who represented the Government of Burundi.

In his speech, the representative of the President of the African Commission for the Great Lakes Region and Burundi Mr. Gonzague-Patrick H.Balagizi who related the message of the President of the African Union Commission Mr. Moussa FAKI MAHAMAT said that the date of may 25 carries with it a double power of evocation. In terms of memory, it plunges back into the youthful freshness of the first moments of the Organization of African Unity. At the geopolitical and institutional level, it constantly questions the individual and collective capacity to build the Africa then dreamed of by our founding fathers. In the trajectory of its evolution, the Organization of African Unity has changed into the African Union, thus demonstrating a break in paradigm due to strategic adjustment and operational efficiency with the sole objective of giving substance and consistency to “the Africa we want”. More than in the past, the challenges are always more numerous and sometimes more complex, making it more difficult to face them successfully.

For the past ten years, Africa has been confronted with the challenges of terrorism, violent extremism and transnational crime (trafficking in human beings, drugs, arms). Added to all these constraints is the economic crisis, which is watering down the burden of debt, the climate and energy crisis, which itself has repercussions on the prices of foodstuffs through the exorbitant cost of transport, while the crisis health following the appearance of covid-19, weakens the production capacities of the various economic agents.

Faced with all these challenges, the African Union reacted rationally through a series of actions and an abundant normative production broken down into decisions, conventions and strategies defining the mechanisms of action with a view to achieving the desired objectives: the courageous reform institution of the African Union engaged since 2016 and whose goal is to improve the governance of the institution and make a key player in multilateralism, the African Continental Free Trade Area (ZLECAF) coming into force in 2021, which makes Africa’s largest common market in the world and constitutes an accelerator of continental integration, voluntarism and solidarity have shown themselves in a striking manner in the face of the onset of the covid-19 pandemic, the African Union has taken a series of initiatives, the most important of which is the Comprehensive Program for the Development of African Agriculture (CAADP) and it has endeavored to respond, as far as its means permit it, concerning health, education, infrastructure, energy, science and research, sectors whose promotion and achievement are necessary conditions for Africa’s development.

The reasoned pooling of all energies and geographically dispersed resources will bring out a new Africa “The Africa we want” as well as the identification and uncompromising recovery of the evils that plague actions and hinder the effective implementation of decisions, strategies and instruments indicated in order to provide them with the appropriate treatment.

  According to Mrs. Kgomotso Jolobe, the Ambassador of South Africa to Burundi who spoke on behalf of the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, General Major Matayo Kyaligonza, Ambassador of Uganda to Burundi, in remission at home and on behalf of the Group of African Ambassadors accredited to Burundi, the meeting to celebrate the creation of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) on May 25, 1963, is a historic moment recalling the period when Africa claimed its own history in order to lead collectively his people towards freedom, peace and prosperity. Africans continue to realize the value of their common goal to achieve the Africa they want under the banner of the African Union which is spearheading crucial initiatives on the African continent.

According to Mr. Ferdinand BASHIKAKO, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation who represented the Government, the date of May 25, considered World Africa’s Day, is a moment of joy, pride and recognition of the efforts made by the African leaders of the time, on the one hand, and on the other hand, it is an opportunity for meditation and awareness in order to take charge of the destiny of the African continent. In fifty-nine years of birth, Africa has been able to achieve so many things, in particular to await its wish to build an African Economic Community allowing the free movement of people, goods and capital thanks in particular to the implementation of flagship projects of the African Union-Africa Agenda 2063 we want.

The Unity and solidarity sought at the time of the creation of the OAU should be a reality for all Africans. Africa must have a voice in international fora for issues of common interest and it must initiate its political unity and cultural social progress.

Mr. Ferdinand BASHIKAKO took this opportunity to ask everyone to combine their efforts to participate in the inclusion of young Africans so that they contribute effectively to the recovery of their respective countries in particular and of Africa in general. On behalf of the Government of the Republic of Burundi, the Permanent Secretary reiterated his thanks to the African Union for its unwavering support that it has shown to him in difficult times until the culmination of the lifting of sanctions by international partners, namely: the European Union, the International Organization of La Francophonie, the USA and the United Nations.

This evening was enhanced by the sharing of meals from each member country of the African Union accredited to Burundi, that of the host country as well as music from across the continent.