Africa Day 2021 Comes Amid New Challenges On The Continent

Tuesday 25 May is commemorated by African governments “Africa Day”.

The day, formerly known as African Freedom Day and African Liberation Day is the annual commemoration of the founding of the Organisation of African Unity on 5 May 1963.

The organisation was later transformed into the African Union on 9 July 2002 in Durban, South Africa, but the holiday continues to be celebrated on 25 May. It is celebrated in various countries on the African continent as well as around the world.

This year’s theme of Africa Day is Arts, Culture And Heritage: Levers for Building the Africa We Want.

The celebration however comes on a backheel of a number of issues; the Covid-19 pandemic having piled up pressure on the African economy.

Only last week, Democratic Republic of Congo’s president Felix Tshisekedi who is also the current head of the African Union alongside a dozen other African heads of state, concluded a summit in Paris where they argued among other issues for an increase in the Special Drawing Rights (SDR) from 33 billion dollars to 100 billion dollars.

Chad’s military government after the sudden death of president Idris Deby has raised concerns while Ethiopia’s Tigray conflict which has led to thousands of civilian deaths and displacements and allegations of war crimes.

There is Ethiopia, the second most populous country on the continent also has a dispute with Sudan and Egypt concerning its dam on the Nile River’s main tributary.