‘Africa must define own destiny’

In his message to mark the 61st Africa Day commemorations being held today, President Mnangagwa said the youth dividend should be harnessed to realise sustainable development, modernisation and industrialisation of the continent.

“Gone are the days where we approach the world with begging bowls for aid, with its attendant conditionalities. Africa’s collective experience in politics and economic development is testimony that it is none but ourselves who have the burden to move Africa forward,” said President Mnangagwa.

“We must innovate and implement solutions that will see us becoming a nation and an African Continent able to feed itself. Let us endeavour to produce all the products and goods we use. Equally, today’s contemporary challenges and opportunities must be met with boldness, determination and the same resolve that saw our forebears victoriously fight for our liberation and independence.

Africa, said President Mnangagwa, has come of age and should celebrate numerous positive achievements that have been realised to date.

“The emerging continental and regional architecture under Agenda 2063 such as the Africa Free Trade Area, the Peace and Security Council, together with our African Financial Institutions, and trade bodies, among many others, are reflective of what can be achieved when we work with unity of purpose. These have also set a solid foundation for a peaceful and prosperous future,” he said.

President Mnangagwa paid tribute to Pan-African nationalists for their contribution to the continent.

President Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe remained grateful for the military, financial, material and humanitarian assistance as well as the political and diplomatic support Harare got from across the continent and beyond during its liberation struggle.

Education, he said, must steer Africa towards the achievement of Agenda 2063 and combine efforts for the accelerated implementation of the Continental Education Strategy for Africa as well as the United Nations Sustainable Goals.

“This is more critical as our continent is home to the youngest and most vibrant population in the world. The youth dividend should be harnessed to realise sustainable development, modernisation and industrialisation of the continent. To achieve this, the deliberate deployment of science, technology and innovation to empower the youth and our communities has become urgent and important,” the President said.

“It is in this respect that Zimbabwe, under the Second Republic, has transformed our education system anchored by the Heritage based Education 5.0 philosophy which is driven by a robust innovation ecosystem. As the African continent and a nation, we must never apologise for learning new ways and unlearning the old ways of doing things. Our education must be relevant and speak to the needs of our societies and economies. It is through a science, technology and innovation-biased education that we will realise our National Vision 2030 and the Africa we all want”.

President Mnangagwa said the history of struggles for independence across Africa needs to be fully recorded and preserved for posterity as a permanent reminder of the difficult journey that the continent has travelled.

“In this regard, Zimbabwe is proud to host the Museum of African Liberation, located in Harare. The Museum will serve to capture, document and memorialise the seamlessness of the African struggle for independence. We all have a duty to take ownership of our rich liberation history and the narrative of our past through the correct and Afro-centric lenses. I once again extend an invitation to all African countries and those who assisted in the liberation of Africa, to support and participate in this noble project on the Museum of African liberation,” he said.

President Mnangagwa commended the spirit of African solidarity and unity, which saw the continent throwing its weight behind Zimbabwe in calling for the removal of illegal sanctions imposed on Harare by Western capitals.

“As we work steadfastly for the attainment of the continent’s developmental goals set in our Agenda 2063, I call upon Africa to be guided by the philosophy that ‘Africa is built, governed and prayed for by its people’.”

Africa Day is an annual commemoration held on 25 May meant to mark the foundation of the Organisation of the African Unity (now African Union) in 1963 aimed at promoting the unity and solidarity of African states, intensifying co-operation to achieve a better life for African people.