Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission, Moussa Faki, has noted youth unemployment and gender imbalance in Africa as some of the challenges that need urgent responses.

Faki, in a message to commemorate the 2022 Africa Day, said the challenges need to be tackled in order to create the necessary atmosphere for the emergence of a new Africa.

The AU chief also noted that a new Africa would emerge once there was a focused pooling of the continent’s energies and the abundant resources found across the continent.

‘Africa is also faced with the disasters generated by bad governance, which can no longer be concealed by the demand for transparency imposed by a population that is increasingly open to the world through the new information and communication technologies’, he noted.

‘Phenomena such as corruption, inter-communal conflicts, recent waves of unconstitutional changes, among others, are the most visible avatars of this governance’.

He also said, ‘In addition to all these constraints, there is the economic crisis which is burdened by the debt, the climate and energy crisis which, in turn, affects food prices through the exorbitant cost of transport, while the health crisis following the outbreak of Covid-19, weakens the production capacities of the various economic agents.

Development Diaries reports that Africa Day, 25 May, is observed to commemorate the founding of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was created on 25 May, 1963.

The focus of this year’s Africa Day is on the continent’s indigenous foods, their diversity and nutritional value.

In response to the food and nutrition crisis in Africa, Faki said the AU had taken a number of initiatives, including the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP).

‘In addition, it has symbolically decided to dedicate the Year 2022 “to building resilience in food and nutrition security on the African Continent: Strengthening Agri-food systems and health and social production systems to accelerate socio-economic and human capital development” ‘.

For his part, the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, António Guterres, said Africa is a home for hope.

In his message to the continent, Guterres said the UN will continue to work to deliver on the promise of a prosperous and peaceful Africa for all.

‘Africa is a home for hope. On Africa Day, we celebrate the enormous promise and potential of this diverse and dynamic continent’, he said.

‘The prospects on the horizon are bright, from Africa’s growing and vibrant youth population, to initiatives like the African Continental Free Trade Area, the Decade of Women’s Financial and Economic Inclusion, and the African Union’s bold vision for the future, Agenda 2063.

‘But, today, we are also reminded of the multiple challenges preventing Africa from reaching its full potential, including the Covid-19 pandemic and its devastating impact on African economies, climate change, unresolved conflicts and a severe food crisis’.

With regard to food crisis, the African Development Bank (AfDB) President, Akinwumi Adesina, had said he was confident that the bank’s $1.5 billion strategy will lead to the production of 11 million tonnes of wheat; 18 million tonnes of maize; six million tonnes of rice; and 2.5 million tonnes of soybeans.

Meanwhile, the Office of the African Union Youth Envoy has encouraged young people in Africa to support and promote positive social change, intergenerational dialogue and concrete action for the continent’s development.

Photo source: United Nations