African Diplomatic Corps celebrates Africa Day 2023 in Ottawa
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Members of the African Diplomatic Corps in Canada celebrated the 2023 edition of the annual Africa Day at the University of Ottawa in Canada. The celebration, which coincides with the 60th anniversary of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), now the African Union (AU), focused on issues that will deepen Africa's economic engagement with Canada, especially in the context of the untapped benefits and potential that are inherent in Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AFCTA)
"The theme for Africa Day 2023 is 'Opportunities in Challenging Times’.
The Deputy Dean of the African Group of Ambassadors and High Commissioner of Nigeria to Canada, Ambassador Adeyinka Asekun, called on Canada to deepen its engagement with Africa, as AfCFTA presents an excellent gateway to strengthening trade relations with African nations. "It opens avenues for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and investment in mining, agriculture, energy, and infrastructure sectors", he noted.
On this date in 1963, 32 Heads of independent African States met in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, along with leaders from African liberation movements to craft a way forward for Africa's complete independence from imperialism, colonialism, and apartheid.
The outcome of the meeting was the creation of Africa's first post-independence continental institution, the Organisation of African Unity (OAU). The OAU was formed as a manifestation of the pan-African vision for an Africa that was united, free, and in control of its own destiny, and this was solemnised in the OAU Charter, which was adopted on May 25 as Africa Day, 1963.
