The 60th Anniversary of Africa Day

On May 25th, the African continent celebrates the 60th anniversary of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and its successor, the African Union. It was on this date in 1963, that 32 Heads of independent African States met in Addis Ababa Ethiopia along with leaders from African liberation movements to craft a way forward for Africa’s complete independence from imperialism, colonialism and apartheid. The outcome of the meeting was the creation of Africa’s first post-independence continental institution, the Organisation of African Unity (OAU). The OAU was formed as a manifestation of the pan-African vision for an Africa that was united, free and in control of its own destiny and this was solemnized in the OAU Charter which was adopted on May 25 , 1963.

The celebration of the 60th anniversary is an opportunity to recognize the role and contribution of the founders of the continental organization and many other Africans on the continent and in the diaspora who have contributed greatly to the political liberation of the continent, and equally, to the socio-economic emancipation of Africa. It is an opportunity to share the information, knowledge and best practices of the past and to encourage each other to take on the vision of the AU, as well as to drive the realization of the “Africa We Want”, under Agenda 2063. It is also an opportune moment for the African Union to reflect on the spirit of pan-Africanism, which connects the past to the present and to the continent’s aspirations for the future.

Learn more about the structure of the African Union here

Read all the speeches and statements made at the first Organization of African Unity (O.A.U) Summit on 25th May 1963 here