Twenty-Third Ordinary Session of AU Executive Council Statement by Mr. Carlos Lopes: Statement by Mr. Carlos Lopes, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ECA

Abstract

The theme of the celebrations – Pan-Africanism and African Renaissance – is very apt. It acknowledges the key role that the pan-African ideal played in promoting continental unity. The establishment of the OAU was the political manifestation of this noble objective. Yet when we talk about pan-Africanism, we have to recognize the key role of the African Diaspora in promoting this ideal. Leaders and intellectuals such as Marcus Garvey, W.E.B. DuBois and George Pad more are perhaps the most well-known of the cadres in the Diaspora. They promoted pan-Africanism as a rallying point for asserting their racial identity and cultural heritage. This sent out a powerful message to the African continent. For this historical reason it is perhaps not surprising that there is not a similar discourse in Asia, Latin America and indeed the Arab world.