AFRICA UNITE Symposium, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: Honour Rebel Robert 2Bob3 Nesta Marley 60th Birthday Celebration

Abstract

Statement by Ms. Josephine Ouedrago, Deputy Executive Secretary, Economic Commission for Africa at the AFRICA UNITE Symposium. Ms. Ouedrago, on her remarks highlighted that, The theme “Africa Unite” popularizes a clarion call of the first nationalists in the eighteenth century through the historic Pan African Congresses, to the early 1960s political leaders, for Africa to ignore their political boundaries and unite for common interest and realities. The African people, including governments and citizens, must work in partnership and own the process of regional integration, as epitomized in the legendary Bob Marley’s song, “Africa Unite”. Bob Marley challenged us to ignite “the fire of African self-determination with a promise to our ancestral home”. Focusing on socio-economic development in Africa, we hope that this symposium will help us generate the kind of intellectual input for the formulation of innovative strategies for the consideration of African governments.