Togo: Robert Dussey unveils the dates of the 9th Pan-African Congress

The 9th Pan-African Congress, previously announced several months ago, is scheduled to take place in Lomé from October 22nd to 25th of the upcoming year. These dates were disclosed on Tuesday, December 5th, in Pretoria by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Robert Dussey.

The Pan-African Congress is an expression of the Pan-African ideal, aiming to strengthen solidarity among African nations and promote their collective development. It encompasses both historical events and contemporary initiatives that share this vision.

This event will bring together Africans from the continent, the diaspora, and Afro-descendants around the theme “Revival of Pan-Africanism and Africa’s role in reforming multilateral institutions: mobilizing resources and reinventing oneself to take action.”

The Pan-African Congress is an initiative aimed at promoting cooperation, integration, and socio-economic development across the entire African continent.

The objectives of the Congress generally include the promotion of Africa’s political, economic, and cultural unity. This can involve advocating for the rights of Africans, combating colonialism and imperialism, and seeking solutions to common challenges such as poverty, underdevelopment, and conflicts.

According to the statements of Robert Dussey, the Pan-African Congress in Lomé is part of the 2021-2031 Agenda for the “Decade of African Roots and the African Diaspora,” which remains an institutional and Pan-African tool to valorize and mobilize the contributions and talents of diasporas and Afro-descendants in the service of continental development.

It’s worth noting that since 2006, the African Union has designated the African diaspora as the continent’s sixth region.

Leading up to the grand assembly in Lomé, several preparatory conferences will take place in each region of the continent.

Justine Ako.