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Speaking on behalf of AU's current chair, Ethiopian Ambassador to China Seyoum Mesfin made a keynote speech at the seminar hosted to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of the OAU/AU in Beijing on May 24, 2013(SHI GANG) |
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Ambassador Ahmed Haggag, Secretary General of Africa Society and former Assistant Secretary General of the OAU reviewed the history and the development of OAU/AU in his speech entitled "From OAU to AU: Success, Challenges and Opportunities" at the seminar in Beijing on May 24, 2013 (SHI GANG) |
African unity and integration have long been a dream and goal of African governments and people since they won their independence. It was also one of the hot topics discussed at the seminar hosted by the diplomatic corps of African countries in China to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), the predecessor to the African Union (AU), on May 24, 2013.
Pan-Africanism and African Renaissance were the themes of this year's Golden Jubilee celebration. How can Africa realize Renaissance in the next five decades? Most Chinese and African diplomats and scholars attending the seminar believe that African unity and integration are key factors.
Speaking on behalf of AU's current chair, Ethiopian Ambassador to China Seyoum Mesfin said in a keynote speech that "Pan-Africanism" is associated with people-centered African unity and solidarity in the struggle against many historical adversities faced by African people. When coupled with "Renaissance," it encapsulates Africa's aspiration for unity in diversity, prosperity and peace. "There is no substitute for the AU in leading the continent toward unity and integration," he stressed.
African integration can help promote intra-regional trade and economic development within Africa, and can also help the continent secure a place and voice on the global stage to safeguard African interests, according to Yang Lihua, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of West Asian & African Studies.
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Li Anshan, Director of the Center for African Studies at Peking University made a presentation on "The Deep Historical Roots of Sino-African Relations" at the seminar in Beijing on May 24, 2013 (LIU JIAN) |
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Yang Lihua, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of West Asian & African Studies made a presentation on "China-Africa cooperation in the Past 50 Years: Lessons and Prospects for the Next 50 Years" at the seminar in Beijing on May 24, 2013 (LIU JIAN) |
Challenges
Yet, African integration also faces various development constraints, such as the imbalanced development of different regions and countries, and overcoming poor infrastructure, according to Ambassador Ahmed Haggag, Secretary General of Africa Society.
"We aim to establish something like the European Union, but we don't currently have sufficient infrastructure and most African economies are very weak," Haggag told ChinAfrica.
Echoing Haggag's view, Li Anshan, Director of the Center for African Studies at Peking University, said that a lack of infrastructure is a big challenge facing Africa. He stressed that China can play a bigger role in facilitating African integration.
"China can help facilitate African integration through the construction of infrastructure and the information super highway," he said. "Besides this, China can also deepen its cooperation with the AU and sub-regional organizations through assistance or investment, and thereby help advance the regional integration process in Africa."
"Under the FOCAC framework, China has already given more attention to transportation and infrastructure construction in Africa, which is much appreciated by African countries, because it's very expensive, but in the long run, it's beneficial," said Haggag.
"[Infrastructure] is not only for the transportation of goods; it will allow people to travel and see what's happening in Africa, and try to work in other African counties," he added.
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