The Group of African Heads of Mission

Accredited to the Kingdom of Sweden

Press Communiqué on

the 2019 Africa Day Celebration

May 23rd, 2019

On May 25th of every year, Africans all over the world as well as friends of Africa celebrate the "Africa Day", commemorating the birth of "the African Union", previously called "the Organization of African Unity ", in Addis Ababa on May 25th, 1963.

This celebration of the "Africa Day" represents a yearly important event for all Africans to share the achievements and reflect on challenges of the continent in a climate of celebration of the cultures of peaceful and emerging Africa.

The Group of African Heads of Mission in Stockholm is thus honored to celebrate this year the 56th anniversary on Thursday, May 23rd, 2019.

The theme chosen for this celebration echoes the choice of the African Union: “2019 Year of Refugees, Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons in Africa: Towards Durable Solutions to Forced Displacement in Africa”.

On this issue, African countries and the AU are committed to promote innovative mechanisms and realistic solutions to the underlying causes so that the continent can better respond to the increasing migration movement and forced displacement which have been worsened by the increasing frequency of droughts, floods, and other extreme climate change effects.

Efforts are still needed to dispel the myths linked to migration and deconstruct the misconceptions associated with the issue. African migration is essentially intra-African. Worldwide, migration accounts for less than 14 per cent of the population. As far as Africa is concerned, 4 out of 5 African migrants remain in the Continent. Migration is a natural phenomenon, which is part of the solution, not of the problem. A positive stance on these issues of migration and displacement needed to be adopted by highlighting the humanistic rationale of shared responsibility and solidarity.

The Africa Day celebration is also an opportunity for all the African Diplomatic Corps in Stockholm to receive and share this special moment with Swedish officials, friends of Africa, and special guests among representatives of all fields of activities in the Swedish society.