South Africa's Zuma marks Africa Day, calling for unity

South African President Jacob Zuma on Sunday marked Africa Day, pledging to continue working in unity and to make Africa a continent of hope for the youth and future generations.

"Africa Day is a celebration of African progress. We have a lot to celebrate and we have a lot to look forward to. It is also a day to reflect on challenges that still remain," Zuma said on the occasion of the Africa Day celebrations in Mamelodi, Pretoria.

Africa Day is celebrated annually within the African continent to mark the formation of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) on May 25, 1963 and the African Union (AU) in 2002 and the progress made by the continent since then to advance democracy, peace, stability and socioeconomic development.

South Africa rejoined the continent and the international community in 1994 following the dawn of freedom and democracy. Africa Day 2015 is thus a celebration of 21 years since South Africa's reintegration into the international community and into the African continent in particular.

"Africa Day is a celebration of African unity and a reminder that we should never lose sight of that noble goal of the founding leaders of the OAU," Zuma said.

Africa Day, Zuma said, is about recalling selfless solidarity and friendship that South Africa received from the African continent during its struggle for liberation.

"We also at the same time celebrate the solidarity and friendship provided by South Africans in many townships and villages to African nationals who came to settle in our country in search of opportunities even at the height of apartheid colonialism."

South Africa has for decades been home to many nationals of Mozambique, Rwanda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Burundi, Somalia, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Swaziland, Botswana, Algeria, Uganda, Kenya and others, Zuma said. "We are happy to be joined by nationals from these countries at this celebration. "We became one people, and shall remain one people, living together in peace and friendship at all times."

Zuma apparently was trying to assure foreigners from other African countries that they would not be attacked again.

Xenophobia attacks took place in parts of South Africa in April, leaving seven killed and thousands of foreigners displaced, most of them from other African countries.

Africa Day, Zuma said, is also a celebration of the strides that Africa has made since the establishment of the OAU in advancing peace and stability, democracy and sustainable development.

"We are proud of our modest contribution to the success of the continent through involvement in peacemaking, peacekeeping as well as reconstruction and development, working within the ambit of the African Union with other sister countries."

African countries continue to work together as Africans to find solutions in the DR Congo, Somalia, Mali, Sudan, the Central African Republic and other parts of the continent facing challenges such as Burundi in recent weeks, Zuma said.

"Today we also celebrate the advancement of the continent economically, although there is still a long way to go," he said.

Africa is one of the fastest growing regions in the world, with a sound socioeconomic development plan in the form of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), Zuma said.

"We have clear programs to advance infrastructure development, industrialization and advancement in agriculture, health and other social programs."

The challenge is to make the growth inclusive and for it to translate into an improved quality of life for the 1 billion Africans who inhabit the continent, Zuma added.