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When he took to the podium, his powerful speech electrified the audience. Joshua Maponga from Farmers of Thought was keynote speaker in the just concluded Borderless Africa Convening which was held in Lusaka, Zambia from the 23rd to the 25th May 2024. “Most successful countries in the world are not democratic. Democracy is rubbish, it has made Africa poor. We don’t need 55 currencies if we were to develop Africa. Imagine traveling in all these different countries of Africa with different currencies, this is ridiculous.” he exclaimed.
He proceeded to say that Africans have been patient for over 60 years now and still do not have a Borderless Africa. “I think we need to shock them and burn our passports then we get ourselves to the airports and see what they will do. Why have passports when Africa is one country.” “Even our diets have been colonized. Africans have grown potbellies, high blood pressure at below 18 all because of the colonial foods we are stuck with’. Maponga asserted.
The Borderless Africa Convening in Lusaka, Zambia brought together several campaigners and stakeholders from the continent and beyond in the quest to push for abolishment of colonial-era borders that have long divided the African people. The push was a continuation of last year’s mobilization which saw Africans across the world join us in collective action and embraced the spirit of Pan-Africanism as we commemorated 61 years of African unity during this year’s African Liberation Week. Furthermore, since Africa opened its market to intra-trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), this year we continued to push the vision of an Africa where Africans can move around their own continent without the current restrictions in place, for better trade, job creation, solidarity and economic development.
In his opening speech, Africans Rising Movement Coordinator, Hardi Yakubu, spoke on the concept of Borderless Africa which was initiated by the African Union with an aim to unite Africa and emphasized on the role of young people to take on from the past generation of our forefathers.
Our second keynote speaker, a representative of the African Union from the African Governance Architecture, Ambassador Salah Hamma, reiterated on how the promotion of peace and stability in the continent can be enhanced by opening borders and how the ratification of protocols that support the opening of borders can help achieve a borderless Africa and have goods and people move freely. The ambassador reminded Africans that the Agenda 2063 will only be achieved by Africans themselves making a clarion call to member states including Zambia to speed up the ratification processes to enhance intra African travels and trade. He further emphasized that it’s not enough that the ACFTA has many ratifications since operationalisation in January 2018, but there is a need for Africans themselves to own the process and champion for the AU Protocol on Free Movement of People. He further pointed out that the process of ratification of protocols has been derailed since many policy makers are oblivious of the existence of the protocols thus calling for advocacy among AU member States. “Countries should not only ratify but also take a step further to implement at national level for Africa to be the future”, he posited.
Similar sentiments were shared by other speakers who cited that for borderless Africa to become a reality, we need to demonstrate seriousness calling upon countries to speak with one voice. The speakers included, Mutemi wa Kiama (Co-Chair, Coordinating Collective, Africans Rising); Emma Nyerere (the daughter of Tanzania’s former President Julius Nyerere); Adesola Adeyemi (AU-ECOSOCC); Hon. Fumba Chama (Ministry of Youth, Zambia); Stephen Kirimi, (Senior Advisor Borderlands at Life & Peace Institute); Dr Martha Njiiri (IGAD); Max Koffi (Equal Trade Alliance); Walter Kasempa (IOM youth ambassador and Governance expert – Zambia among others.
Collectively, the amazing panelists strategized on the road map to achieve one Africa free of movements and barriers .This included deliberate synergies amongst key players and we can’t wait to see how the collaborations pan out.
The Lusaka Communique on Borderless Africa
As a commitment to this cause, a declaration was adopted on the last day of the convening which called on other African countries to come on board and ratify the protocol; and put the spotlight on the government of Zambia to take the lead by ratifying the Protocol on Free Movement of Persons and removal of visa requirements for all Africans traveling from all parts of the continent to Zambia. – Africans Rising
