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Silencing The Guns

Silencing The Guns by 2020 is the first part of the theme of Africa Day, May 25, 2020. Africa made history on May 25 1963 as she founds the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) now African Union (AU). Africa Day is a commemoration of this historical event. This is a celebration of Africa unity, a day to celebrate and acknowledge the successes of the Organisation of African Unity, in the fight against colonialism and apartheid. It is as well to recognize the progress that Africa has made while reflecting upon the common challenges that the continent faces in a global environment.

The theme of this year’s Africa Day is Silencing the Guns by 2020: Creating Conducive Conditions for Africa’s Development and intensifying the Fight against Covid-19 Pandemic.

According to Ms. Aïssatou Hayatou, the Silencing the Guns in Africa Operations Manager at the African Union, “The Au’s campaign on Silencing the Guns in Africa by 2020” aims to achieve a conflict-free Africa, prevent Genocide, make peace a reality for all and rid the continent of wars, violent conflicts, human rights violations, and humanitarian disasters.”

This is the year 2020, unfortunately, we still hear the sounds of guns in parts of Africa, fighting either insurgences or for socio-economic inclusions and political independence. For Hayatou, to resolve this situation, “we need to address the root cause of the problem. To build peace, we need to create inclusive multi-sectoral programs that will address the economic, social, and environmental causes of the challenge. About 600 million young people in Africa are unemployed, uneducated, or in insecure employment. We need to invest in economic development to stop our youth from taking up arms.”

As we celebrate and commemorate this historical day, we also celebrate and commemorate our African heroes and heroines. Sons and daughters that fought and were slain for this purpose. Therefore, let us honour their memory by collectively promoting the One Africa project they started. The forces against Africa’s growth are both internal as well as external. We are our own solution.

For more information on the event, visit this link.

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