Is pan-Africanism still alive? Is it foolish to talk about African unity?

Last Updated: Thursday, 25 May 2006

Is pan-Africanism still alive?

Is it foolish to talk about African unity? Africa Day is celebrated on Thursday 25 May - the day that the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) was formed in 1963. Originating in the decolonisation struggles of the early 1960s, its goal was to propel a united continent towards peace and prosperity. However it was later criticised for becoming an ineffective talking shop and in 2002 was succeeded by the African Union (AU) which advocates to change the lives of ordinary Africans by boosting development, eradicating poverty and encouraging integration. What do you think of pan-Africanism? Is it foolish to talk about African unity? Is the dream of pan-Africanism relevant today? Or has it been killed by poverty and war? [Source BBC]

tags: african union, kwame nkrumah, marcus garvey, pan-African