The Central Africa regional preparatory conference, a prelude to the 9th Pan-African Congress, organized by the Republic of Congo and the Togolese Republic under the theme « Economic Pan-Africanism and African Emergence », was held online on May 24, 2024.
Co-chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Francophonie and Congolese Abroad, H.E. M. Jean-Marie GAKOSSO, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and Togolese Abroad, H.E. Prof. Robert DUSSEY, whose country, Togo, chairs the High Committee in charge of the Agenda for the Decade of African Roots and Diasporas, the conference, in virtual format, was held as part of the preparations for the 9th Pan-African Congress which will take place from October 29 to November 2, 2024 in Lomé, under the theme « Renewal of Pan-Africanism and Africa’s role in the Reform of Multilateral institutions: Mobilizing Resources and Reinventing Itself to Act ».
The conference, in which several ministers and senior African officials took part, is the fourth of six (6) preparatory conferences decided by the High Committee responsible for the agenda of the 2021-2031 Decade of African Roots and African Diasporas.
It is being held after those of December 4 and 5, 2023 in South Africa, March 14 and 15, 2024 in Bamako, Mali, and 18 April 2024 online by the Kingdom of Morocco respectively on the themes « Pan-Africanism, Science, Knowledge and Technologies », « Diasporas, Afro-descendants and Development » and «Pan-Africanism and Migration».
The online meeting was marked, at its beginning, by the opening speeches of the two co-presidents, H.E. Jean-Claude GAKOSSO, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Francophonie and Congolese Abroad and Prof. Robert DUSSEY, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and Togolese Abroad.
Minister GAKOSSO, after having highlighted the objectives of the pre-congress and made the history of Pan-Africanism, recalled the important role played by African tenors, notably former President Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, resolved craftsman of Pan-Africanism whose actions had been materialized by audacity, solidarity and reconciliation of Africa with its values.
Prof. DUSSEY, following his counterpart of Congo expressed, on behalf H.E. M. Faure Essozimna GNASSINGBE, President of the Republic of Togo, his thanks to H.E. M. Denis SASSOU NGUESSO, President of the Republic of Congo, the Congolese Government and People for the organization of the Central Africa regional preparatory meeting. He was delighted with the relevance of the theme because of its challenges and prospects regarding the continent’s difficulties in integrating into the world economy, stressing that pre-congress is held on the eve of Africa Day commemorated by African Union on May 25 of each year. For the head of Togolese diplomacy, the expectations of the continent are great and the reflections around the theme make it possible to understand and analyze the opportunities and experiences of the sons and daughters of the continent with a view to the strengthening of the economic recovery of Africa.
The minister’s statements were followed by the interventions of representatives of Central Africa States (Angola, Burundi, Equatorial Guinea, Democratic Republic of Congo, Chad) who noted the importance of economic Pan-Africanism in African emergence and shared their national experiences on the theme.
The plenary session was marked by the presentation of the representative of the President of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS). He noted the various elements that make economic Pan-Africanism and African emergence a reality with a view to achieving the objectives of the Agenda 2063 of the African Union (UA) in particular the transfers of funds from the diaspora to Africa (95.6 billion dollars), Sub-Saharan investments amounting to more than 88 billion dollars per year and which exceed public development assistance (PDA), the creation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), an instrument that must help propel inter-African exchanges and strengthen the continent economy.
The other plenary sessions planned theme were « African Emergence: currency and innovative financing » and « AfCFTA, economic Pan-Africanism and consolidation of the African emergence ».
The debates and the sharing of national experiences made it possible to enrich the work of the pre-congress.
At the end of the debates, the Brazzaville declaration was adopted by the participating States.
The closing session was marked by the intervention of the two co-presidents who both thank the participants for their presence and their significant contributions. Minister DUSSEY informed the participants that the last two remaining pre-congresses will be held respectively after a month by East Africa on the theme « Africanophony, Cultures, Education and Pan-African identity », and in Bahia in Brazil from August 29 to 31, 2024 on behalf of the Diaspora region on the theme « Memories, restitutions, reparations and reconstructions ».
He finally recalled that Lomé was actively preparing to welcome all Africans, the diaspora and the Afrodescendants from October 29 to November 02, 2024, for the 9th Pan-African Congress.
