We need to celebrate to Africa Day

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The Botswana Centre for  Human Rights joined the  rest of the world in celebrating Africa Day on 25 May  2013. Africa Day commemorates  the founding of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in 1963.  The OAU is now known as the  African Union (AU) and was established  on 26 May 2001. Africa  Day is a day which aims to celebrate African Unity and gives  African governments, civil societies  and individuals, a chance  to acknowledge and celebrate the  achievements of the continent.  According to the 24th May  2013 statement made by Ban Ki-Moon, the United Nations Secretary-General, on the occasion of Africa Day, Africa is a dynamic continent undergoing  undamental  transformation. Even during the world economic crisis, Africa’s  economies have continued to  expand, and growth forecasts remain  positive. However, the benefits are not  reaching all Africans.

 

 

 

Poverty, hunger and disparities in health, education and participation  in society, are preventing  hundreds of millions of Africans  from fully realising their potential. Mr Ki-moon further stated  that greater effort is needed by all  to achieve the Millennium Development  Goals by 2015.  Although the continent has  been faced by a series of problems stemming from the world  economic crisis, there have been  success stories in a number of African  countries in terms of poverty  eradiation, education, good  governance, health issues and  human rights. These countries  include Botswana, Egypt and Tunisia.  We, DITSHWANELO, believe  that it is important to celebrate  this day, because it unites the continent.  The day reminds us, as Af-ricans, that although we all come  from different countries, walks of  life and even speak different languages,what unites us is the fact  that we have a shared heritage.  The value of botho is an essential  part of our identity as  Batswana. For us to successfully  enable effective participation of Batswana, politically, socially and economically, we need to retain  botho as the basis of our development paradigm.In working  towards the achievement of the  Millennium Development Goals  by 2015, we need to be committed  to a people-centered approach to development focused on the respect of the dignity of all.