The African Union has commemorated the anniversary of its founding with a call for justice, unity, and progress

A conference marking Africa Day was held at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Saturday.

The event was devoted to the 62nd anniversary of the establishment of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), now the African Union (AU).

Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, the chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), commenting in his address on this year's theme "Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations," spoke about "crimes committed during the period of slavery and colonization against tens of millions of Africans."

"While justice and reparations remain long overdue," Youssouf said, "Africa will not be held hostage by the pain of its past."

"Africa continues to sacrifice and strive towards freedom from conflict, underdevelopment, and war. The continent is steadily building a future of peace, prosperity, and integration," he continued.

Africa's strategic advantages are its young and growing population, arable lands, mineral wealth, and renewable energy potential. With a population expected to exceed 2.5 billion by 2050, Africa is not only the continent of the future, but also the engine of global transformation, Youssouf affirmed.

"It is our duty as Africans, to safeguard our resources and prioritize value addition through transformative initiatives like the African Continental Free Trade Area. Africa must no longer be an afterthought in global geopolitics," he concluded.

Africa Day is celebrated around the world annually on May 25. Originally known as African Freedom Day or African Liberation Day, it marks the foundation by 31 independent countries of the Organization of African Unity, now the African Union, on May 25, 1963. Today, the AU consists of 55 sovereign member states that act in accordance with the concept of "an Integrated, Prosperous and Peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena."

The organization's objectives include strengthening unity and solidarity, developing cooperation between African nations, protecting the independence and members' territorial integrity, eliminating all forms of colonialism, preventing interference in internal affairs, and settling conflicts in a peaceful way.

Every year ahead of Africa Day, the AU sets a theme which it considers particularly important. While 2024 was devoted to the development of education and skills in Africa, this year, the theme "Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations" honors the memory of those who suffered under slavery and colonialism.