As Africa marks this year’s Africa Day celebrations, Prince Estifanos Matewos has issued a passionate appeal for unity across the continent, strongly condemning xenophobia and rising anti-immigrant sentiments in several African countries.
The President of the United Africa Royal Assembly and Ambassador of the Pan-African Parliament to African Union member states used his Africa Day message to urge Africans to embrace solidarity, shared responsibility and continental cooperation in the face of growing political and economic challenges.
Prince Matewos warned that Africa’s future cannot be secured through division, exclusion or narrow nationalism, but rather through a renewed commitment to the ideals of Pan-Africanism and collective progress.
“At a time when many African nations are experiencing economic pressures, rising unemployment and migration-related tensions, we must remember that no African is foreign in Africa,” he stated.
His remarks come amid increasing concerns over attacks on documented and undocumented migrants in parts of Southern Africa, where frustrations over unemployment, crime and pressure on public services have often been directed at foreign nationals. He cautioned that such developments threaten decades of progress towards African integration and social cohesion.
The outspoken Pan-African advocate called on governments, institutions and citizens alike to reject all forms of Afrophobia, xenophobia and exclusion, insisting that Africa’s borders should serve as bridges for cooperation rather than barriers that divide its people.
Prince Matewos also highlighted the importance of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), describing it as a major opportunity to strengthen economic integration, industrialisation and intra-African trade. He argued that Africa must move beyond dependence on raw material exports and focus instead on value addition, regional supply chains and local economic empowerment.
According to him, Africa’s political independence remains incomplete without economic sovereignty. He stressed that industrialisation and stronger regional cooperation are essential if the continent is to compete effectively in the global economy.
Beyond economics, he emphasised the role of traditional institutions, kingdoms and local governance systems in preserving social harmony, indigenous knowledge and community values while supporting Africa’s modern transformation agenda.
Prince Matewos further noted that Africa is currently facing a complex mix of opportunities and challenges, including security concerns in parts of the Sahel and Horn of Africa, climate-related pressures on communities and increasing geopolitical competition over the continent’s strategic resources.
Despite these challenges, he expressed confidence in Africa’s future, arguing that unity remains the continent’s greatest strength.
“Divided, we diminish our potential. United, we shape our destiny,” he declared, in a message that resonated strongly with growing calls for renewed Pan-African cooperation across the continent.
His Africa Day statement has since sparked discussion among Pan-Africanists and policy observers, many of whom believe the continent must recommit itself to the founding ideals of African unity in an era marked by migration disputes, nationalism and economic uncertainty.
Source:Mybrytfmonline.com
