Johannesburg, Midrand, 9 September 2022: On behalf of the APRM Family, the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Continental Secretariat Chief Executive Officer, Prof Eddy Maloka, joins the continent in celebrating the African Union Day. The APRM salutes the founding fathers and mothers of our continental organization who on 9 September 1999 in Sirte, Libya took the historic decision to transform the Organization of African Unity (OAU) into the African Union (AU). The transformation of the OAU into the AU was inspired by the noble ideals of Pan Africanism and African Renaissance. It was the crystallisation of the hopes and aspirations of the Africa peoples.The transformation of the OAU into AU was guided by the continental vision of a united, strong, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in global arena. It was also guided by the need to strengthen solidarity and cohesion among our peoples and the determination to promote and protect human and peoples’ rights, consolidate democratic institutions and culture, and to ensure good governance and the rule of law.
Therefore, AU Day presents an opportunity for African people to make self-introspective reflections on the achievements and shortfalls of the Union, especially on pressing matters such democracy and good governance, peace and security, integration, women and youth empowerment, climate change, ending of all forms of discrimination.
As one of the AU institutions established to promote democracy and good governance on the continent, the APRM remains committed to upholding and promoting the objectives of the AU enshrined in its Constitutive Act. The APRM is unequivocal in its quest to realise an Africa of good governance, democracy, respect for human rights, justice and the rule of law and a peaceful and secure Africa.
The APRM calls upon African people to work hand in hand with their governments in implementing AU Shared Values, in particular the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG).
The multifaceted development bottlenecks affecting the continent can be addressed if we take all the necessary measures to strengthen our democratic and governance institutions and provide them with the necessary powers and resources to enable them to discharge their respective mandates effectively.
Long Live Africa! Aluta Continua!
