African Union Celebrates Golden Jubilee

Leaders met in Addis Ababa over the weekend to mark 50 years of the continental body.

Africa's leaders over the weekend in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, celebrated the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Organisation of African Unity that was replaced by the African Union, AU in 2002.

Opening the celebrations, African Union Chairperson, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and Ethiopian Prime Minister, Hailemariam Desalegn, advised leaders to seek to create a continent free of poverty and conflict, whose citizens enjoy middle income status, the AFP news agency said. PM Hailemariam said while leaders met for the formation of the OAU at the dawn of independence 50 years ago, it was fitting to meet again at a time Africa is rising. Leaders agreed that the celebrations would boost the movement to support pan-Africanism.

Mass dancing troupes performed musical dramas later on Saturday, May 25, 2013, to some 10,000 guests. The event was choreographed by the same team that organised the lavished opening and closing ceremonies of the 2010 World Cup and the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa. Musicians who performed included Congolese music legend, Papa Wemba, Mali's Salif Keita and British-based reggae band, Steel Pulse. Giant screens showing the celebrations were set up across Addis Ababa.

The AU's aim has been to push for peace and prosperity. Development indicators on the continent - including health, education, infant mortality, economic growth and democracy - have improved steadily in the past 50 years, BBC noted. According to the International Monetary Fund, IMF, Africa is home to some of the fastest growing economies in the world, attracting huge amounts of foreign investment in recent years. At the same time, 24 of the 25 nations at the bottom of UN Human Development Index, are in Africa.

The AP news agency reported that earlier on Friday, May 24, 2013, AU Foreign Ministers backed a request from Kenya to have crimes against humanity cases brought against President Uhuru Kenyatta and Vice President William Rutu by the International Criminal Court, ICC to be referred back to Nairobi.

The ceremony was also attended by Brazil's President, Dilma Rousseff, during which her country announced the cancellation or restructuring of almost 900 million US Dollars (about FCFA 457 billion) worth of debt to Africa. Brazil's trade with African countries has increased fivefold since 2002.