Africans Rising, a Pan — African movement with membership across the continent and diaspora has launched the ‘2023 African Liberation Week.’ at the International Press Centre in Accra.
The launch is meant to outline the activities and vision for this year’s mobilisation, which is organised under the broad theme ” Borderlesss Africa”.
Speaking at the launch, Movement Coordinator for African Rising, Hardi Yakubu said as 25th of May which is recognised as African Liberation Day which is in commemoration of the formation of the Organization of African Unity on 25th May, 1963.
Africans Rising marks this day by coordinating hundreds of solidarity actions and activities across the continent and
diaspora.
The first African Liberation Day was held in 2017 and since then there have not been less than 2,500 actions cumulatively across the African continent and the diaspora, spanning more than 65 countries across the world since 2016.
The mammoth mobilisation story has its roots deeply ingrained in the principle of Pan – African solidarity and unity.
This year’s African Liberation Week mobilisation will take place from the 22nd to 28th May.
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the formation of the Organization of African Unity, which was formed in May 1963, which marks exactly 60 years this year.
Second significance is to embark on a campaign that coincides with the 60th anniversary milestone is the ‘Borderlesss Africa.’ campaign.
The campaign is geared towards pushing for free movement of African people across Africa and it coincides with the milestone of the 60th anniversary. So the broader theme for this year’s African Liberation Week mobilization is Borderlesss Africa.
Members are organising activities across the continent and the diaspora to commemorate the 60th anniversary by calling for a Borderlesss Africa, the initial vision of the Organization of African Unity right from the start.
The formation of the Organization of African Unity was inspired by the “The Conference of Independent African States that was held here in Accra, Ghana in December 1958.
Ghana’s first president Osagyefoe Dr. Kwame Nkrumah was an avid promoter of Pan — Africanism and African unity, even though his model of African unity was not adopted at the Addis Ababa conference in 1963.
The protocol on free movement of goods which brought the African Continental Free Trade Area( AfCFTA) into being and appreciate the momentum that has been garnered in pursuance of movement of goods.
It is important however to note that it is people who move goods, and therefore the full benefits of the AfCFTA can only be achieved if it is accompanied by free movement of persons.
Studies have shown free movement of Africans has the potential to boost trade and employment, and catapult the African economy to higher heights.
The African Union adopted the Free Movement of Persons Protocol, which requires 15 countries to ratify before it can come into force, However since 2018, only four countries have ratified it namely, Rwanda,Niger, Mail and Sao Tome and Principe.
There are sub — themes that accompany the Borderlesss Africa, the broad theme for this year’s mobilization includes fight against economic inequality, pushing for economic justice, pushing gender justice, climate justice, pushing against energy, poverty, good insecurity and the whole food crisis that is engulfing our countries.
To everyone in the Africa continent the message is that a Borderlesss Africa is a united prosperous way to secure Africa which is the only gateway in maintaining the peace of the world……. Story by Bugbila Moadow.
