Celebrating Africa Day 2021 inspite of new rising challenges

Last updated on September 11th, 2021 at 07:58 am

The African Tourism Board’s Patron Dr. Taleb Rifai, its President Alain St.Ange, and the Chairperson Cuthbert Ncubewish the Tourism Community from all the 54 States that make Africa the great Continent, a Happy Africa Day 2021.This day remains significant as it given an opportunity for Africans to remember that on May 25, 1963, 32 African countries signed the Charter of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), which later evolved into the African Union (AU). Only 30 of them were independent from colonial rule at the time.

The charter called for greater unity among African countries. It also supported the independence of African countries from colonialism and apartheid and promoted economic and political cooperation with a vision that all people on the continent would live freely and in prosperity from now onwards. Along with, it also extends a way to reflect on the progress made by the African Union in achieving its goals, with a special focus to protect the human rights and freedoms of African citizens.

READMORE: Nigeria military says news of Abubakar Shekau’s demise being probed

In an interview with, Birgit Schwarz who is a Communications Manager Africa at Human Rights Watch and is responsible for media advocacy and outreach in Southern, Central and West Africa says, the pandemic has exacerbated Africa’s socio-economic inequalities and exposed gaps in its health care and social protection systems. But it has also galvanized some leaders into action. South Africa’s president Cyril Ramaphosa, former chair of the AU, and President Tshisekedi, the current AU chairperson, have conveyed the need for urgency in tackling the pandemic and spearheaded the global call for solidarity around universal and equitable access to vaccines.

She believes that pandemic has been a wake-up call when it comes to investments in health and welfare infrastructure, too. But of course, the costs of the pandemic and the rising rate of countries’ indebtedness are a major concern for the continent’s future. Today the African Union (AU) has declares this year devoted to Year of the Arts, Culture and Heritage: Levers for Building the Africa We Want, and as the African Tourism Board salutes this call, the tourism board appeals to every African to embrace this call and remain the foundation of this continent.