Ghana yesterday joined the rest of the continent to commemorate the 63rd African Union (AU) Day with a colourful flag-raising ceremony at the Forecourt of the State House in Accra.
The ceremony, marked by military honours and patriotic renditions by the combined security services band, witnessed the raising of the flags of the 55 member states of the African Union alongside that of the continental body.
The event brought together government officials, Members of Parliament, diplomats, traditional rulers, religious leaders, and heads of state institutions and senior officers of the security services.
The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, James Gyakye Quayson, who was the guest of honour, inspected a guard of honour mounted by the Ghana Armed Forces before the commencement of the ceremony.
Also present were the Second Vice President of the Pan-African Parliament, Zinah Azumah, members of the diplomatic corps and invited guests.
Delivering the keynote address on behalf of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Mr Quayson said the occasion served not only as a celebration of Africa’s shared heritage but also as a reminder of the unfinished task of African unity, dignity and self-determination.
He paid tribute to the founding fathers of the former Organisation of African Unity (OAU), especially Ghana’s first President, Kwame Nkrumah, whose vision of Pan-Africanism, he noted, continued to inspire the continent.
Quoting Dr Nkrumah’s famous statement that “the independence of Ghana is meaningless unless it is linked up with the total liberation of Africa,” Mr Quayson stressed that Africa’s progress could only be achieved through solidarity and collective action.
“As we raise the flags of the African states alongside that of the African Union in unity and pride, we are reminded that Pan-Africanism remains as relevant today as it was in Nkrumah’s era,” he stated.
According to him, the principles of the AU, including unity, peaceful coexistence, democratic governance, respect for sovereignty and sustainable development, remained central to Africa’s advancement.
Mr Quayson said challenges confronting the continent, including youth unemployment, economic inequality, climate vulnerability and conflicts, required deeper continental cooperation and stronger partnerships among African states.
He reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to the African integration agenda through support for free movement, economic cooperation and people-centred diplomacy within the framework of the AU and the African Continental Free Trade Area.
The Dean of the African Diplomatic Corps and Ambassador of Zimbabwe to Ghana, Mr Kufa Chinozeon, his part called on African leaders to prioritise sustainable water availability and safe sanitation systems as critical pillars for the continent’s development and transformation.
He said this year’s theme: “Assuring sustainable water availability and safe sanitation systems to achieve the goals of Agenda 2063,” underscored the importance of water and sanitation in promoting economic growth, public health, food security and regional stability.
He noted that the theme aligned with Africa’s broader climate and development agenda.
Chinozeon also commended Ghana for supporting the recent United Nations resolution declaring the transatlantic slave trade and slavery as crimes against humanity.
He urged Africans to remain optimistic about the continent’s future and celebrate the positive developments taking place across Africa.
BY CLIFF EKUFUL
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