adminThe Herald, May 25, 1992
THE Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cde Nathan Shamuyarira, yesterday said Africa had a lot to be proud of as it had made great strides in liberating the continent from colonialism and apartheid.
In his Africa Day message broadcast on television, Cde Shamuyarira said the OAU had played a crucial role in helping countries in the Southern African region to attain their independence.
“In all, about 65 million people in our region have been liberated since the formation of OAU,” he said.
Efforts were underway to dismantle the apartheid system and democratise South Africa.
Africa, he said could confidently look forward to another victory in the next two to three years after which the OAU’s goal of removing colonialism and apartheid from the African soil would be totally fulfilled.
Cde Shamuyarira called for the strengthening of regional groupings, which he said would be the building blocks for the projected economic integration of the continent.
He said: “The economic integration of Africa is a possibility; a definite possibility and we should work towards it.”
On Africa’s economic performance, he said this has not been as dismal as some people had tried to portray although he admitted that countries have had problems with their balance of payments.
LESSONS FOR TODAY
The Organisation of African Unity, which was born in 1963 largely as a celebration of independence and freedom from colonial rule and slavery, also sought, among other things, to paint the correct image of Africa to the world. The OAU wanted the stereotypes on Africa such as impoverishment to be put in their proper context.
The objectives of the OAU were unity among independent African countries; helping to liberate the rest of the continent and lifting the continent from chronic underdevelopment.
The OAU did score some successes by ensuring that the rest of the continent was liberated from colonial rule.
The globalisation of the world economy raises a lot of questions for Africa. Western Europe and North America developed under tightly controlled and protected national economies, but Africa must develop under open national economies.
Online Reporter