Africa Day 2022 marked 59 years since the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) – now the African Union (AU) – was formed, and for many, was the first opportunity to truly celebrate African unity and diversity since 2019.
The COVID 19 pandemic has made all of us acutely aware of the need for connection and the need to be united in tackling global inequalities. The OAU’s formation was a key turning point in unifying the African continent and has made significant strides in supporting Africa to begin harnessing its full potential. Therefore, after celebrating Africa Day last week, it is helpful to go back in time over the last 140 years to realise how far African unity has come, the challenges the continent still faces, and the exciting future ahead.
Here, we present a brief timeline marking 36 moments and events with richly diverse stories of African struggle, unity and solidarity.
1884-1914
Scramble for Africa
European powers’ ‘Scramble for Africa’ led to arbitrary borders being drawn without African input or consideration for ethnic, religious or linguistic histories. 90% of Africa is controlled by colonial powers, with only Liberia and Ethiopia remaining independent by 1910. South Africa and Egypt would become independent in 1910 and 1922 respectively.
1960-Present
Sharpeville and the Black Consciousness Movement
The Black Consciousness Movement (BCM) emerges as an anti-Apartheid, student-led movement in South Africa following the killing of 69 people and seriously wounding 180 in the Sharpeville Massacre where police fired on a crowd of 5,000-7,000 unarmed Black South African demonstrators who were protesting against a new ‘pass law’ that forced people to carry passbooks – a means of further controlling people’s movements. A political vacuum was further created by the jailing and banning of the African National Congress and Pan Africanist Congress leadership after the Sharpeville.
Looking inward to inspire confidence and build capacity to realise their own liberation and resistance, Black Consciousness was defined as ‘an attitude of mind’ or ‘way of life’ which encouraged black people to be proud of being black, while also fighting against oppressive Apartheid policies. Led by students Steve Biko, Mamphela Ramphele, and Barney Pityana, the BCM introduced community programmes to set up health centres and classes to improve literacy amongst black South Africans.
While initially non-violent, sections of the movement began using violence as a means of fighting back against Apartheid. BCM was hugely successful, organising large-scale protests throughout the 1970s and 1980s, with many black Africans feeling a renewed sense of pride. Apartheid ultimately ended in South Africa in 1994, yet the BCM lives on through community projects and continues to encourage people to be proud of their black identity.
1976
Soweto Uprising
On June 16th, in Soweto township, Johannesburg, South Africa, thousands of students unite to protest against a government decision to make Afrikaans, a white minority language, the language of teaching in Soweto schools, a predominantly black area. South African police respond with brutal force, killing almost 700 people in the chain reaction of violence that followed over the year, many of which are children.
The police response causes huge domestic and international condemnation, which significantly increases pressure on the government to end apartheid. Now, June 16th is Youth Day in South Africa while across Africa, it is remembered as the Day of the African Child, which focuses on tackling issues African children face, while simultaneously celebrating their achievements.
2001
The African Union is born
The AU officially comes into existence with 53 members, and co-exists alongside the AOU for a two-year transition period. Morocco refuses to join, in continued protest of Western Sahara’s recognition.
2006
AU Mission to Somalia
AU troops are dispatched to Somalia, in an attempt to stem the violence which has been raging for decades, particularly in the southern area of the country, close to the capital Mogadishu. As of 2022, the AU mission remains, and Somalia continues to see large-scale conflict.
2012
A historic moment for African women
Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, South Africa’s interior minister, becomes the first woman to be elected as Head of the AU Commission, the highest rank in the organisation.
2018
African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)
The AfCFTA is signed by 44 of the 55 AU members in Kigali, Rwanda in March, 2018. This number has since risen to 54, with only Eritrea refusing to join. This area plans to eliminate tariffs across the continent, boosting intra-African trade by 52% within the first few years. Crucially, this economic policy has been discussed, agreed, and implemented by Africans, for Africans.
This is in contrast to years of neo-colonialism and the idea of the ‘white saviour’, with many nations being used as proxies during the Cold War, notwithstanding disastrous IMF policies throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Furthermore, aid programmes from the West have generally failed to significantly improve development outcomes and standards of living.
Kai Evans is a masters student in International Development at University College Dublin, and is an editorial intern with 80:20 Educating and Acting for a Better World.
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