Africa needs to unite if it wants peace and progress

This week we celebrated across the continent our affiliation to one and the same broad African family. A family of over a billion people sharing, beyond geography, the same visions, hope and destinies.

For all us Africans, Africa Day holds a particular meaning, that reflects a longstanding and deep-rooted belief in African unity. A belief that the founding fathers of our continental organisation fought for courageously decades ago with an unmatched spirit of fraternity, liberty, and solidarity.

As we were celebrating Africa Day on Wednesday, we were indeed celebrating this very same legacy. Let’s raise to this heritage by being proud, responsible, strong and committed Africans.

From the Casablanca conference in 1961 to today a lot has changed, but not our core values. Morocco believed strongly, since the very beginning, in an ambitious pan-African project. His Majesty late King Mohammed V, and after His Majesty late king Hassan 2 spared no effort to initiate, strengthen and elevate this African unity from a dream to a reality. Since then, Morocco has never shifted from this priority staying headstrong in its belief in Africa and African unity thanks to the leadership of King Mohammed VI. 

Let us not forget that we still have a long way to go. Complex security and economic challenges are gaining territory and pose a serious threat to the stability of our continent. They are more and more interrelated, fast-evolving and are hampering our capacities for development, peace and security.

Africa needs to shift its global efforts towards achieving a fair and just socio-economic development. Our joint actions must focus continually on social justice, democracy, human development and the provisions of jobs and work opportunities for our youth. Only then, will we be able to reach a level of stability and put together the conditions for a more prosperous continent.

ALSO READ: Africa Day: Calls for Africa to free itself from donor dependency

Africa requires more than ever peace and growth to sustain the continent’s path towards progress. But peace and growth requires us Africans to willingly and unconditionally choose unity over division, and dialogue over political misconduct or manipulation. The time of failed ideologies has come to an end. The people of Africa need relevant leaders, that put human interests at the centre of any national or continental policies.

Today, the AU must provide this space that unites ambitions and pools strategies. Its role is crucial to express a continental vision which breaks with past approaches. The AU must be the locomotive of an Africa that moves forward, an Africa that trusts itself and an Africa that evolves. Our countries and our policy makers must endeavor to respond to the multifaceted challenges that we are currently facing. It is crucial to level up our responses to issues such has health, debt management, social policies, migration, and security threats.

Africa needs to change its software in order to promote successful policies based on good governance and innovation. We need to protect our most vulnerable and always provide our people with trustworthy, relevant and lasting solutions. It is this very same ambition that foreshadows AU flagship projects such as the African free trade agreement.

Morocco will continue to place this core ambition at the heart of its priorities. King Mohammed VI’s leadership has made the emergence of Africa not a mere perspective but a concrete objective part of a global strategy, inclusive vision, and responsible approach. Let’s gear up our common commitment, with the hope and ambitions we all share. Africa is our house and our future.

Youssef Amrani is the Ambassador of Morocco to South Africa