Accra, Ghana – The 2024 All African Movement Assembly (AAMA) in Accra which officially opened on Friday 30th August witnessed a powerful resurgence of Pan-Africanism, as two of the continent’s most influential figures, Emma Nyerere and Samia Nkrumah, took center stage.
The descendants of Africa’s iconic leaders, Julius Nyerere of Tanzania and Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, delivered stirring speeches that reignited the call for Africa to unite and rise.
The opening event, held at the Hillview Guest Center in Accra Ghana’s capital, brought together leaders, activists, and thinkers from across the continent to discuss strategies for achieving greater unity and development in Africa.
Approximately 1,500 activists from across the African continent and the Diaspora, are in Accra, Ghana both in person and virtually, for the 2nd All-African Movements Assembly (AAMA) from the 30th to 31st August, 2024.
The assembly featured a series of dynamic discussions and workshops on critical topics including climate and ecological justice, ethical governance, economic justice, reparations, gender justice, and the expansion of civic space.
Emma Nyerere, an advocate for Pan-Africanism and social justice, emphasized the need for a united front in tackling the challenges that continue to hinder Africa’s progress.
“Today, we stand at a crossroads,” Nyerere stated. “The legacy of our forefathers demands that we push forward with their vision—a vision of a united Africa, free from the shackles of poverty, inequality, and neocolonialism.”
Samia Nkrumah, following in her father’s footsteps as a staunch Pan-Africanist, echoed Nyerere’s sentiments.
She called for renewed efforts to foster political and economic integration across the continent, stressing that unity is the key to realizing Africa’s full potential.
“We must work together to build the Africa we want,” Nkrumah urged. “Our diversity is our strength, and our unity is our power. Let us not be divided by borders or language, but united in our common goal of a prosperous and free Africa.”
Additionally, the event fueled the vision of African unity, including the concepts of a borderless Africa and a single African currency, and will address the ongoing struggles against racism and modern-day slavery.
The assembly also featured discussions on various issues facing the continent, including economic independence, cultural identity, and the role of the African diaspora in the continent’s development.
The presence of Nyerere and Nkrumah added significant weight to these conversations, as their speeches resonated deeply with the audience, many of whom were inspired by the legacy of their fathers.
The assembly has generated a palpable sense of renewed commitment among the attendees to the cause of African unity.
The calls for action made by Nyerere and Nkrumah were seen as a rallying cry for a new generation of African leaders to carry the torch of Pan-Africanism forward.
The 2024 AAMA in Accra will be remembered as a pivotal moment in the ongoing struggle for African unity, with Emma Nyerere and Samia Nkrumah at the forefront of this vital movement.
Their messages of hope, unity, and determination have set the stage for a new era in the Pan-African movement, one that seeks to turn the dream of a united Africa into a reality.
Convening under the theme “Towards Pan-African Solidarity: United We Stand, Divided We Fall”, the meeting comes amidst increasingly shrinking civic space in Africa, police and military crackdowns as well as harassment, abductions, and killing of activists, movement leaders, Pan-African organisers, Human Rights Defenders, feminist organisers etc.
The meeting is also a major gathering of Africans, mostly youths, in the wake of mass protests in Senegal, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana and Uganda led mainly by the youths.
Africans Rising Movement Coordinator, Hardi Yakubu on his part emphasized that, “At this pivotal moment, the All-African Movement Assembly stands as the platform where Africa’s movements envision and construct the just, borderless future; we seek Africa shall unite and in unity, we will regain our strength and push forward to taking destiny into our own hands”.
Building on the success of the first edition, AAMA 2024 will expand its scope to tackle emerging challenges while also capitalising on new opportunities for cross-border solidarity.
