Members of Africans Rising across the continent and diaspora have planned to hold over 500 actions as a part of the annual African Liberation Week mobilisation observed every year in the week of May 25th to mark the formation of the Organization of African Unity (OAU now AU). The African Liberation Week is one of the largest Pan-African mobilisation by the movement as part of its Pan-African mobilisation and solidarity program. This year, the activities will be held from 20 to 26 May in at least 46 countries.
The main theme for this year’s mobilisation is “#BorderlessAfrica for Africans” and as part of mobilisations, continent-wide marches will be organised across several countries in Africa and other territories across the world to urge more countries to ratify the African Union’s Protocol on Free Movement of People and bring visibility to the Borderless Africa campaign. Other corresponding sub-themes are Pan-African Solidarity with African Countries Affected by Conflicts and Climate and Environmental Justice, Gender Justice and Economic Justice”.
The Borderless Africa campaign is a decentralised, people-owned campaign. The overall goal of this campaign is to achieve an Africa where Africans can move around their continent without the current border restrictions in place, for better trade, job creation, solidarity and economic development”.
“Many Africans Rising members have shown interest in organising peaceful marches calling for a Borderless Africa especially in countries such as Burkina Faso, Cameroon, DRC, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo and Uganda”, pointed out Ancel Langwa, the Engagement and Collaboration Lead.
Using the #BorderlessAfrica as a main theme for the mobilisation is strategic since it puts the campaign for free movement in Africa under spotlight. The campaign is fast gaining momentum as more Africans identify with the dream of removing colonial borders as one of the steps towards complete decolonisation. More than 20,000 signatures have been collected through collaborative efforts by members of Africans Rising in 30 African countries and the diaspora.
The African Union adopted a Protocol on Free Movement of Persons in 2018. As of 2023, only four (4) countries had ratified the protocol while it requires 15 ratifications to come into force. The African Continental Free Trade Agreement, (AfCFTA) has been widely recognized as a significant step towards fostering economic integration and boosting intra-Africa trade.
Progress is however slow but Africans Rising and its members are determined to continue to push until the dream is realised.
