Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has call upon all African leaders and all African people to heed to the call of great forefathers to foster unity as we commemorates the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the organization of African Unity-African Union (OAU-AU).
Speaking at the event of commemorating OAU-AU 60th Anniversary held at the Headquarters of AU today, the premier said our continent and our AU, with 55 member states is strong and becoming a critical voice in the global arena.
We come a long way in promoting and defending an African common position on issues of interests of our continent and our people, he said.
Yet much remains in the aspiration of our forefathers— in the founding chapter and that of our own Agenda 2063, he said.
Currently, Africa is a continent of 1.4 billion people, he said, adding by 2050 more than half of the global population growth will occur in our continent.
The premier also said: “Paying attention to Africa means paying attention to a continent that by 2050 will be home to one in four human kinds.” This is an opportunity we must harness, he noted.
In an increasingly complex dynamic and fast changing global order, unity is no more a catch phrase, but a means of survival, he said.
“The complex world that we found ourselves in today, the aspiration we carry as Africans, summon us to further accelerate our unified position,” Prime Minister Abiy stated.
In a bid to see the Africa we want, we must continue unearthing the potential of our people and enable them to transform our continent, he elaborated.
He also said that we must mobilize the productive capacity of investment in agriculture, industry and technology.
Fighting corruption, creating a conducive environment for local and international investments and improving the service delivery potential of our bureaucracies are all necessary steps, he noted.
Africa also needs to feed itself, he said, adding Ethiopia is a clear evidence of this commitment.
The self-sustenance that has been seen in our agricultural sector productivity, has expanded in farmlands and outputs, he said.
The natural and man-made disasters and challenges that we have been confronted with for the past couple of years has not been deterring us from progress, he said.
Prime Minister Abiy stressed: ‘Driven by the spirits of African resilience, we are committed to reshape the narrative about Ethiopia and through it that of Africa.’
The premier further indicated that for a long time, we as Africans accept the narrative about ourselves that has not been crafted by us.
Therefore, Africa should materialize AU’s continental media house, he said.
In a bid to change the narrative, adequate representation and permanent seat at the UN Security Council and proportionate representation at the G7 and G20 is necessary, the premier noted.
