Media Statement
24 May 2020
The Continent celebrates 57th Africa Day
On 25 May 2020, the African continent will mark the 57th anniversary of the establishment of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU). The day is marked annually as Africa Day.
This year’s celebrations will include a special virtual broadcast featuring speeches by the President of the Republic of South Africa and Chair of the African Union (AU), President Cyril Ramaphosa; the AU Commission Chair His Excellency Moussa Faki Mahamat; the President of the Pan African Women Association, Ms Eunice Ipinge, and the AU Youth Envoy, Ms Aya Chebbi.
The broadcast also brings one of the champions of Africa's Liberation, the only remaining founding fathers of the OAU, H.E Dr Kenneth Kaunda of the Republic of Zambia. KK as he is known, walked and worked side by side with other gallant giants of Africa's liberation in establishing the organisation that strived to free the whole continent from the shackles of colonialism. He served as Zambia's first president and as the chairman of the OAU from 1970 to 1973.
This event will be broadcast at 13h00 (Central African Time) tomorrow, Monday, 25 May 2020, on all major broadcasters and digital media platforms.
The OAU was established on 25 May 1963 with the aim of promoting political, economic and social integration among the family of African States, and to eradicate colonialism, apartheid and neo-colonialism from the African continent.
The organisation was transformed into the African Union on 09 July 2002 in Durban, South Africa, to achieve greater unity, cohesion and solidarity between African countries and nations.
This year’s celebration coincides with South Africa’s one-year tenure as Chair of the African Union.
It also takes place amid the continent’s advancing efforts to combat the spread of the Coronavirus disease COVID-19.
South Africa is celebrating Africa Month under the theme: “Silencing the Guns, Creating Conducive Conditions for Africa’s Development and intensifying the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic”.
The celebration of Africa Month and Africa Day provides an opportunity to promote African unity, deeper regional integration and recommit Africa to a common destiny.
It is also an opportunity to educate the people of the continent on the African Union’s initiatives to fight the pandemic. The African Union has developed a comprehensive COVID-19 strategy, established an African Union COVID-19 Response Fund and strengthened the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.
Celebrations of Africa Day will continue throughout the day on a number of platforms anchored by various entities from the continent and across the world. President Ramaphosa will be featured delivering a message of support on the Africa Day Solidarity concert for the COVID-19 response fund. The concert which will stream on all Trace stations from 17h00 (CAT) will be raising funds which will be directed to the AU COVID-19 fund.
The President will also feature on the MTV base Africa Day benefit concert which is working with UNFPA and UNICEF Africa to ensure that proceedings of the concert go towards food security for vulnerable children and families which are hardest hit by COVID-19. This virtual concert starts at 18h00 (CAT) on yotube.com/mtvbaseafrica322 and again at 21h00 (CAT) on MTV base DSTV channel 322.
The special broadcast to mark Africa day will be aired as follows:
Date: Monday, 25 May 2020
Time: 13h00 (CAT)
Platforms: All major broadcasters and digital media platforms
Media enquiries: Khusela Diko, Spokesperson to the President on media@presidency.gov.za
ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION
OR Tambo Building
460 Soutpansberg Road
Rietondale
Pretoria
0084
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