As Africa commemorates Africa Day, former African Union Commission Chairperson Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has underscored the dual reality of continental progress and persistent challenges, urging member states and citizens alike to prioritize implementation of agreed-upon decisions to realize the vision of a unified, prosperous Africa.
Marking the annual observance on May 25—a date dedicated to reflecting on pan-African ideals of unity, self-reliance, and collective prosperity for a continent of over 1.4 billion people—Dlamini-Zuma recalled the founding purpose of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), established in 1963 and later transformed into the African Union (AU). “Africa Day is an important day because that’s when leaders of the African continent at the time who were already free came together to establish an organization… to make sure that those who are not free yet are free, to defend our freedom but also development of the continent,” she stated.
Dlamini-Zuma acknowledged significant milestones, noting that all African nations have achieved independence except Western Sahara, and that substantial progress has been made since 1963. Yet she emphasized that fulfilling the continent’s potential requires sustained commitment to African-led solutions. “We are Africans first and foremost and so we need to work together to develop our continent so that indeed it becomes an integrated, peaceful and prosperous continent—and that integration, the peace, the prosperity has to be driven by Africans themselves,” she said.
Highlighting the importance of inclusive participation, Dlamini-Zuma stressed that women, youth, and all citizens must play active roles in shaping Africa’s future. She pointed to the continent’s coordinated responses to health emergencies as proof of what collective action can achieve. “When we work together and put our minds, our resources together, we can achieve a lot and Africa can be a better place for Africans,” she noted, referencing Africa’s management of both the Ebola outbreak and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Addressing governance and accountability, Dlamini-Zuma clarified that the AU serves as a decision-making body, not an implementing agency. “The AU is not the implementer of decisions that are taken at the AU. The member states are the ones that take those decisions and they must go back to their countries and implement them,” she explained. She called on citizens to hold their governments accountable for translating continental commitments into national action and suggested the AU adopt a scorecard system to monitor implementation progress across member states.
Dlamini-Zuma also recognized parallel Africa Day observances in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where African professionals trained in Cuba gathered to celebrate the occasion. The event honored Cuba-Africa solidarity and coincided with the centenary of Commander Fidel Castro, acknowledging Cuba’s longstanding support in training Africans across multiple sectors.
On the spirit of the day, Dlamini-Zuma affirmed that Africa Day should resonate beyond diplomatic circles and be embraced by governments and citizens alike. “Our founders, our ancestors who founded this organization did that and a lot of them sacrificed a lot to make sure we are where we are,” she said. She urged that celebration be paired with renewed commitment: “In celebrating we should also be committing ourselves to ensuring that what has been agreed gets implemented.”
In her closing reflection, Dlamini-Zuma reinforced a message of shared identity. “We’re all Africans. That’s our first identity,” she stated, reminding audiences that contemporary national borders resulted from the Berlin Conference, which divided the continent among colonial powers. “Before then we were Africans and we must remember that and work together as Africans to create the Africa we want.” She cautioned against a disconnect in self-perception, noting that some individuals refer to traveling “in Africa” as if they themselves are not on the continent.
“The Africa we want we must build ourselves. The Africa we have is not the Africa we want,” Dlamini-Zuma concluded, extending the sentiment to South Africa and the broader continent. As Africa Day is observed, her message remains clear: unity, accountability, and citizen engagement are essential to transforming continental aspirations into reality.