African Leadership Excellence Academy (AFLEX) held a public lecture on “African Diaspora and Africa’s Development” in coordination with Addis Ababa University (AAU), at Ras Mekonnen Hall on the 22^nd of February 2023.

Professor Hakim Adi, Professor of the History of Africa and the African Diaspora at the University of Chichester, UK, delivered the public lecture focused on Pan-Africanism and the Diasporas’ contribution on the perspectives of the African Development.

He said that peoples of the African origin, the Diaspora living outside the continent respective of their citizenship, nationality and who are willing to contribute to the development of the continent as well as building of the African Union should open their eyes towards helping their continent.

Professor Hamkim further discussed about war on want “the new colonialism of 2016” operations to take the resource and wealth of Africans in company and market forms.  Many western companies are participating in market stock exchange with operation in 37 African countries in order to control African’s most lucrative resources such as oil, gas, gold, diamond, cooper cobalt, silver and coal, he added.

“The Manchester congress drew up the general outline of a practical program for the political liberation of Africa,” he stressed.

He pointed out the most important pan-Africanism ideologies to safeguard the African rights regarding to social, political and economic affairs. Unite to oppose to artificial divisions and territorial boundaries created by imperialism powers,” is the first one among the ideologies.

The condemnation of the monopoly of capital and the rule of private wealth and industry for private profit alone and the condemnation of imperialism itself is the other core point for pan-Africanism movement according to Prof. .

Professor Hakim, affirming the central importance of the interest and demands of the vast majority, said the workers and farmers and their central role in the struggle for improvement all should be taken in consideration.

Finally Professor explained about the need of African political institutions to generate African solutions for African problems by recognizing African people rights in unity.

Reporter: Tsion Aysheshim

Photo: Fikremariam Beyene

Editor: Abraham Girmay