His Majesty King Mohammed VI has sent a congratulatory message to HM King Charles III, Sovereign of the United Kingdom, on his birthday.
In this message, the Sovereign expresses His warmest congratulations and His wishes of good health and happiness to HM King Charles III, Her Majesty Queen Camilla and all members of the Royal Family, and of further progress and prosperity to the British people.
“I should like to thank this opportunity to commend the special, long-standing relations enjoyed by our two countries. I am sure Your Majesty shares my strong desire to consolidate and expand our ties in all sectors, for the mutual benefit of our peoples,” HM the King writes.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Kingdom of Morocco – Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates.
His Majesty King Mohammed VI has sent a message of condolence and compassion to the President of the Republic of India, Droupadi Murmu, following the crash of an Air India plane which caused multiple casualties.
In this message, His Majesty the King says that He was deeply saddened by the news of the Air India passenger plane crash in Ahmedabad, in which many people unfortunately lost their lives.
On this sad occasion, the Sovereign expresses His heartfelt condolences and deepest sympathy to President Murmu, the grieving families and the people of India.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Kingdom of Morocco – Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates.
Le Président de la République, Monsieur Wavel Ramkalawan, a présidé ce vendredi après-midi la réunion hebdomadaire du Comité d’organisation national de la Commission de la Jeunesse et des Sports de l’Océan Indien (CJSOI) à State House, montrant par là l’engagement inébranlable du gouvernement à organiser cet événement sportif régional de haut niveau.
La supervision directe de ces sessions de coordination hebdomadaires par le Président de la République témoigne de la détermination de son administration à assurer une bonne exécution de ce tournoi prestigieux tout en maintenant les plus hauts standards d’excellence opérationnelle dans tous ses aspects.
Liant l’acte ȧ la parole, comme il l’avait promis lors de sa récente conférence de presse, le Président de la République a invité des représentants des médias pour suivre les délibérations et recevoir des mises à jour complètes sur les préparatifs extensifs et les progrès significatifs réalisés dans tous les secteurs opérationnels. Et lors de son intervention ȧ l’ouverture de la réunion, il leur a exprimé sa profonde appréciation et a sollicité leur concours pour faire le maximum de publicité pour les jeux afin d’assurer une grande sensibilisation des masses et une très grande mobilisation populaire. Il a également invité les participants à s’investir davantage afin d’assurer une préparation de haute qualité.
Mme Marie Celine Zialor, Ministre de la Jeunesse, des Sports et de la Famille, a fait part des commentaires encourageants lors de la récente conférence ministérielle régionale, soulignant l’appréciation générale des initiatives des Seychelles et l’engagement affiché du gouvernement à exécuter des jeux d’une qualité exceptionnelle.
La Ministre a fait un briefing détaillé sur les résultats des sessions techniques et ministérielles tenues au cours des deux jours précédents.
La réunion a examiné plusieurs domaines opérationnels critiques, notamment les stratégies de marketing, le développement des infrastructures, la coordination des services médicaux et les arrangements de sécurité complets.
Étape Marketing et Image de Marque : Le comité chargé du marketing a présenté son concept de marque complet, qui a reçu l’approbation unanime du comité d’organisation national. Cette réalisation significative permet à l’équipe de marketing d’avancer avec la production de matériels promotionnels, y compris des banderoles et des articles de merchandising.
Progrès Infrastructurel : Le Directeur Général de l’Agence des Infrastructures des Seychelles a livré un briefing extensif sur l’avancement des projets de rénovation des installations sportives et a fourni des mises à jour sur le développement des villages de jeunesse spécialement conçus pour héberger les athlètes.
Le comité d’organisation a programmé sa prochaine réunion stratégique pour le 26 juin.
A noter que ces Jeux CJSOI représentent une opportunité significative pour les Seychelles de mettre en valeur ses capacités en tant que destination de premier plan pour les événements sportifs internationaux tout en renforçant la coopération régionale et les initiatives de développement de la jeunesse à travers la région de l’Océan Indien.
Distribué par APO Group pour State House Seychelles.
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Seth Asare Okyere, Visiting lecturer, University of Pittsburg and Adjunct Associate Professor, Osaka University, University of Pittsburgh
Africa’s urban future will be shaped not only by large cities and capitals but also by its many small and medium-sized towns.
Large capital cities are no longer the hotspots of rapid urban growth. According to the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN Habitat), small and medium-sized towns are growing faster than large cities. These smaller towns often start as rural settlements.
Despite their rapid growth, many small towns lack infrastructure and planning capacity, leaving them vulnerable to environmental risks.
Ghana offers a telling example. While the spotlight is often on the rapid growth of the two major cities, Accra or Kumasi, dozens of smaller towns across the country are booming. At the same time, they are struggling with environmental problems such as decline in green spaces, flooding and pollution, usually associated with much larger cities.
Our research examined this issue, arguing that overlooking small towns has put them on an unsustainable path. In Ghana, small towns often “rest in the shadows” of bigger cities when it comes to resource distribution and development priorities. They receive less funding, fewer services, and scant regulatory oversight compared to major urban centres.
We conducted research in Somanya, Ghana. It lies in the eastern region, about 70km from Accra, the national capital. Our aim was to establish whether emerging sites of urbanisation like Somanya were developing in ways that made them sustainable, or replicating environmental problems seen in large cities.
To identify the drivers of environmental risks in the town, we used geographic information data and interviewed residents, institutional representatives and local assembly members.
We found that the urban growth of Somanya was linked with a decline in vegetation cover and loss of biodiversity. The main factors at play were: pollution from mining, political neglect, and lack of infrastructure facilities and services.
We concluded that current realities pointed towards unsustainable futures where environmental problems will become pronounced and the impacts on everyday life will be destructive. Based on our findings we recommend that Ghana’s national urban sustainable development policies and international development programmes must not fixate solely on big cities. Small towns require attention and investment commensurate with their growth.
Environmental risks in a rapidly growing small town
Somanya’s population grew from 88,000 people in 2010 to over 122,000 by 2021. The proportion of the municipality’s population living in urban areas jumped from 31% to 47% in that period.
Local leaders and officials we interviewed painted a worrying picture of a town rapidly growing without proactive environmental planning, grappling with multiple hazards at once.
Declining ecological resources: Rapid expansion has led to the loss of green spaces and forests around Somanya. Hillsides that used to be covered with vegetation have been cleared for large mango plantations or speculative estate development. This situation has made the area more prone to erosion and flash floods. One community elder observed:
The trees on the hills are almost all gone now. Without those natural buffers, flooding has become more frequent and severe, threatening homes built in low-lying areas.
Pollution and toxicity from industry: Somanya’s growth has attracted extractive industries, notably stone quarries and small-scale mining. These bring jobs, but also environmental hazards. Residents described clouds of dust hanging over communities near a quarry. There are also reports of chemical runoff polluting local streams and soil. Heavy dust and particulate pollution have become part of daily life, and people worry about the health effects. One resident said:
The dusty conditions are not only an infrastructure problem, but also an environmental risk for us, especially if you have underlying health conditions.
Strained and inadequate infrastructure: Basic environmental infrastructure in Somanya has not kept pace with its growth. The town’s drains and gutters are few and often clogged, so even moderate rainstorms result in street flooding. Proper sewage and waste treatment facilities are non-existent. Piles of uncollected refuse are commonly seen, sometimes burnt in the open, posing health risks. One community leader remarked that:
It is only when there’s a major flood or disaster outbreak that they pay us attention.
These infrastructure deficits mean that as the town grows, so do the environmental health risks – from water-borne diseases to flooding and pollution.
Governance lapses and political indifference: Underlying many of these problems is a sense of neglect and weak institutional capacity. Local authorities in Somanya operate with limited funding and fragmented responsibilities, and higher-level support from the central government is minimal. As an Assembly member put it:
We live in a constant state of perpetual waiting for the crumbs after big cities have taken their lion’s share of available funding. If you are not connected to the ruling party, it’s hard to get the support you need.
All these factors put small towns on a path to unsustainable futures.
Steering towards sustainable urban futures
Our research highlights the need to adopt a cross-sector, integrated approach to environmental planning at the local level. In practice, that means urban planners, environmental agencies, and community leaders all working together on development plans. For example, in Koa Hill settlement, Solomon Islands, a community-led development team with support from local groups and university experts led to the successful pilot of nature-inspired disaster risk reduction programmes.
Therefore, communities should be involved in co-designing solutions, from problem identification to experimenting strategies and evaluating outcomes. After all, residents know the local risks and resources best.
– Small towns are growing fast across Ghana – but environmental planning isn’t keeping up – https://theconversation.com/small-towns-are-growing-fast-across-ghana-but-environmental-planning-isnt-keeping-up-257766
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Kim Gurney, Senior Researcher, Centre for Humanities Research — Platform: SA-UK Bilateral Digital Humanities Chair in Culture & Technics, University of the Western Cape
Independent art spaces are collectives of artists (and others) who club together to set up a communal space – often in former industrial sites and more affordable parts of the city – to further their practice. These spaces are DIY art institutions, if you like, that operate largely under the radar. In art world lingo, “offspaces”.
Designed for purpose over profit, they encourage experimental work and creative risk-taking. They also favour art in public space, which provides an intriguing lens on the city.
My Africa-wideresearch took me to five such spaces, each at least 10 years old, so that I could learn their secret sauce of sustainability. I found it’s largely about shapeshifting, a capacity for constant reinvention. The key ingredient is artistic thinking, made up of five key principles highlighted in the examples below.
Offspaces are found everywhere but have notably grown across Africa over the past couple of decades, along with fast-changing cities and a resurgent art scene. One big picture point is crucial, and that’s about urbanisation. Globally, more and more people are moving to cities and most of them are young – by 2050, one in three young people in the world will be of African origin and the continent will be largely urban.
There can be a lack of imagination about what all this means and that’s where artists come in. They offer new ideas to help build the world we want to live in, rather than reinforce the one we already have.
Offspaces in Africa have to navigate prevailing uncertainty, which is a daily reality for most people living in cities. In response, artists band together to build their own pseudo institutions, bit by bit. These self-made pathways offer useful navigational tactics for others – or “panya routes”, as Kenyans call the trails that motorbike taxis invent.
The spaces I visited were all moving away from reliance on foreign donor funding (given little or no state support) towards a hybrid model that blends with local philanthropy, collaborative economies and self-generated income schemes. They also want to own their own land and hold assets so that they can think about the future.
1. The GoDown Arts Centre – Nairobi, Kenya
Murals at the former GoDown (2010), currently being rebuilt.Katy Fentress/Flickr, CC BY-NC-SA
The GoDown Arts Centre was established in 2003. Previously a large compound of repurposed warehouses (“godowns”) in Nairobi’s industrial area, right now it’s a construction site as it morphs into an iconic cultural hub. GoDown 2.0 is a multipurpose vision that works at different scales, like a fractal. There will be a large, welcoming facade leading into a semi-public section for music and dance, with artist studios at the heart. Plus galleries, library, museum, auditorium, offices, hotel, a restaurant, conference facilities and parking.
Its rebuild is a great example of how artists create public space: in phases. It follows a radical “design-with-people” approach, starting with years of input from all directions to reconsider the building and its relationship to the city.
This ground-up ethos of horizontality, the first key principle, also shapes its signature event, an annual public arts festival called Nai Ni Who? (Who is Nairobi?). Local residents are the curators, and the everyday city is the artwork. Participants are taken around neighbourhoods on foot to experience the good, the bad, and the possibilities. These grounded insights also inform ongoing engagements GoDown has with policymakers about the shape of a future Nairobi.
2. ANO Institute – Accra, Ghana
ANO Institute’s Mobile Museum in Accra.Kim Gurney
ANO, established in 2002, repurposed a former workshop for car repairs into a gallery, after starting life in a public park. On the other side of the road, opposite the gallery, stood its office, residency space and growing library.
Most intriguingly, a striking rectilinear structure was positioned alongside. This Mobile Museum mimics the trading kiosks that line every street. Many are also shapeshifters: kindergarten by day, church by night, for example.
ANO’s empty museum, collapsible and see-through, went on a countrywide adventure in 2018 and 2019, asking people to imagine its contents, and later revisited with the results. It signalled a larger and ongoing effort, Future Museum, to find a more relevant exhibition form that’s alive to the fluid way culture is threaded here into everyday life.
ANO demonstrates the second principle of performativity – that is, not only saying things with art but doing things too. More recently, it rebuilt on a new site in central Accra, designed by 87-year-old Ophelia Akiwumi, entirely from raffia palm in a focus on indigenous knowledge systems.
3. Townhouse Gallery – Cairo, Egypt
Townhouse Gallery in 2019, exhibiting paintings by Imane Ibrahim.Kim Gurney
I visited Townhouse just after it reclaimed its inner-city premises following a partial physical collapse. But this turned out to be a false restart. It closed for good not long after, citing a complex brew of factors that ended 21 years of various battles and resurrections. That it survived so long – from 1998 until 2019 – is remarkable for an offspace.
Part of the reason was its solidarity networks, including with neighbourhood communities – mostly mechanic shops and other artisanal trades who even helped Townhouse rebuild. In its heyday, Townhouse comprised an art gallery, library, theatre and performance venue, and notably hatched other spaces.
The latest rose like a phoenix from its ashes – Access Art Space, which reanimates the same physical space with visual art exhibitions. The legacy of Townhouse is the third principle of elasticity – responding nimbly to constant flux but also being able to refuse impossible conditions with “the right no” (a necessary response in certain situations).
4. ZOMA Museum – Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
One of Zoma Museum’s buildings crafted by local artisans using time-honoured building techniques.Kim Gurney
ZOMA Museum has also lived many lives. Starting small, its roots were in a three-day public arts festival called Giziawi #1 (Temporary). It comprised performances and exhibitions across the city but focused on Meskel Square, a key public space.
Zoma Contemporary Art Centre grew out of that in 2002, followed in 2019 by Zoma Museum when its co-founders bought a plot of polluted land. Its rehabilitation into an ecological haven has become a case study in sustainable architecture.
Zoma is built by local artisans from mud and straw using indigenous technologies going back centuries. Yet its elegant buildings look futuristic. Zoma is all about the fourth principle of convergence – the past, present and future all happening at once. It’s also about doing multiple things, like running Zoma School, an inherited kindergarten. The land is part of the curriculum.
Just a year after it opened, Zoma spawned yet another life, an offshoot in a newly opened park blending nature with culture and recreation.
5. Nafasi Art Space – Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
The classroom at Nafasi’s self-built art school in Dar es Salaam.Kim Gurney
Nafasi is Swahili for opportunity or chance, which fittingly describes the workings of Nafasi Art Space, established in 2008 – that is, second chance. This fifth and final principle of artistic thinking means giving materials, people and situations another go.
A good example of this is Nafasi’s new art school, built using repurposed shipping containers, like the rest of its premises – artist studios, a spacious gallery and performance arena. In the 2022 academy cohort, a general practice lawyer and an accountant were learning alongside artists, with a biologist at the helm.
Nafasi Art Academy cites the city’s biggest local market, Kariakoo, as design reference, particularly its distinctive elevated canopy and swirling stairwell. The curriculum also takes local context as a starting point, structured in themes to answer community-led questions. Its key function, like all the other offspaces, is storytelling. And the story it tells best is about institution-building as art.
– 5 indie art spaces in African cities worth knowing more about – https://theconversation.com/5-indie-art-spaces-in-african-cities-worth-knowing-more-about-258009
World Blood Donor Day, 14 June, was observed at the national level in Asmara under the theme “Give Blood, Give Hope – Together We Save Lives.”
Ms. Alem Berhe, Chairperson of the National Voluntary Blood Donors, stated that the day is a time to honor voluntary blood donors and health professionals who take pride in saving lives and preventing suffering caused by blood shortages. She also noted that voluntary blood donation continues to grow due to increased public awareness.
Dr. Yohannes Tekeste, Medical Director of the National Blood Transfusion Service, noted that the Government of Eritrea is working diligently to ensure a safe and adequate blood supply. He reported that the number of blood units donated has increased from over 10,000 in 2020 to more than 16,000, marking a 62% rise.
Dr. Nonso Ejiofor, WHO Representative in Eritrea, delivered a message emphasizing the significance of blood donation and its moral and health benefits.
Certificates of recognition were awarded to exemplary blood donors during the event.
In related news, World Blood Donor Day Week was marked at the Mai-Nefhi College of Science and the College of Engineering and Technology from 5 to 13 June.
Nurse Mehari Abraham, head of the Blood Donation Service at the National Blood Transfusion Service, reported that 485 units of blood were donated during the week and expressed appreciation to all who participated in the voluntary donation drive.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has urged the Ugandan diaspora to invest back home and also use their global exposure, networks and influence to attract more tourists to visit Uganda.
The President made the remarks on Saturday, 14th June, 2025 while meeting a delegation of 25 members of the NRM Diaspora Cadres Initiative, led by Mr. Boaz Byayesu Kabururu and Mr. Richard Kyabihende Nkuru from the United States of America.
The in-depth engagement at State House Entebbe focused on key issues, namely, savings and investing back home, identifying markets across North America for Ugandan products, promoting and increasing tourism to Uganda, countering misinformation and promoting Uganda’s image, attracting investors to Uganda, facilitating skills and technology transfer, and advocating for strategic unity of all Ugandans abroad.
The team presented a strategic framework aimed at strengthening the bond between Uganda and its global diaspora while enhancing national development efforts.
The President pointed out possible areas of investment, such as establishing low-cost housing in the areas near the industrial parks to save Ugandans the burden of trekking long distances to and from work.
According to President Museveni, the industrial parks such as Namanve, Mukono, Kapeeka, Mbale, and others employ thousands of workers who are struggling with accommodation.
“These industrial parks are capturing big populations, and low-cost houses would help us so that these people just walk to their workplaces,” President Museveni said.
About saving and investing back home, the diaspora team emphasized the need to encourage structured savings and collective investment.
Proposals included launching Diaspora-led cooperative investment schemes, real estate ventures, and SMEs to tap into Uganda’s fast-growing sectors.
President Museveni welcomed this initiative, noting that channelling foreign remittances into productive enterprises is vital for national wealth creation.
Mr. David Matanda informed President Museveni that they are orienting fellow colleagues in smart ways of saving, such as opening up fixed deposit accounts, which would generate 10 to 15% annual interest, and also investing in stock markets and real estate.
“All those are wonderful ideas, because treasury bills are secure money, where the government borrows from the public and then gives you interest, for sure. So, this is a smart move,” said President Museveni as he welcomed the move.
On the issue of identifying markets across North America and connecting consumers for Ugandan products, the team pledged to actively scout for niche markets for Ugandan goods such as coffee, vanilla, tea, crafts, and agricultural produce. By establishing diaspora-led trade channels, they aim to bridge supply chains and connect Ugandan producers directly to consumers and retailers abroad.
President Museveni encouraged this approach, describing it as a step towards export-led industrialization. He also urged the diaspora to invest in commercial agriculture back home, especially crops and fruits that are on high demand in Europe, such as passion fruits.
Mr. Brian Kwesiga, a former President of the Uganda North American Association (UNAA) based in Washington, DC, informed President Museveni that he had already secured an importer’s license to import alcoholic beverages, such as wine and spirits, into the United States.
About promoting and increasing tourism to Uganda, the delegation committed to boosting Uganda’s visibility as a prime tourism destination through digital marketing, diaspora-led tours, and partnerships with travel influencers.
President Museveni noted that tourism is a key pillar in the economy and welcomed all efforts to increase visitor numbers.
Ms. Brenda Nangasha requested President Museveni for land to establish state-of-the-art lodges in the national parks so as to attract more tourists, who will, in turn, counter the negative publicity about Uganda abroad.
“We have worked with the ruler of Sharjah in the UAE to build an international Airport and hotels at his cost. So, you’re right, these are the ones who will tell their colleagues to ignore the bad publicity,” President Museveni noted.
“But it’s better if you lure those indigenous African people there to come and visit Uganda. Our climate and the food are very good. Everyone who comes here does not want to return,” he added.
President Museveni also officially recognized the group as the principal NRM Diaspora Cadres Initiative, tasked with coordinating all diaspora engagement efforts moving forward.
“The endorsement marks a significant milestone in formalizing diaspora contributions toward Uganda’s development agenda,” Team leader Byayesu said.
The meeting marks a renewed commitment by the government to actively involve the Ugandan diaspora in national development and global advocacy. The endorsed team is expected to begin immediate implementation of their action points, working closely with key ministries and agencies.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of State House Uganda.
The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with its partners, organized a National Tobacco Control Conference on 13 June at the National Confederation of Eritrean Workers Hall under the theme “Unmasking the Appeal – Exposing Industry Tactics on Tobacco and Nicotine Products.”
Dr. Andebrhan Tesfatsion, Acting Director General of Public Health, emphasized that tobacco and other addictive products are major contributors to non-communicable diseases. He underlined the need for coordinated efforts to raise public awareness and implement practical preventive measures.
Dr. Nonso Ejiofor, WHO Representative in Eritrea, urged society, especially parents, to take responsibility in educating youth about the severe consequences of tobacco use.
During the panel discussion, four research papers were presented, focusing on the National Strategy for Implementing Effective Tobacco Control Measures and the Implementation Status of Proclamation 143/2004, along with awareness-raising activities.
Participants held extensive discussions on the presented issues and adopted several recommendations.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.
Public to comment on Integrated Social Facilitation Framework
Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson has encouraged South Africans to submit their comments on the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure’s Integrated Social Facilitation Framework before the 20 June 2025 deadline.
This follows the recent gazetting of the framework, which has received overwhelming public interest.
The framework seeks to formalise social facilitation in infrastructure projects in order to reduce construction site disruptions.
The framework is a direct outcome of the National Construction Summit on Site Disruptions held in Durban in November last year, where social facilitation was identified as a key mechanism to address the prevalence of the so-called “construction mafia”.
“I had the privilege yesterday of delivering a keynote address at an event hosted by one of the voluntary associations under a Professional Council, focused on integrating social facilitation into the construction project lifecycle.
“I am pleased to announce that my department is leading the way in this regard and has officially gazetted an Integrated Social Facilitation Framework for public and industry comment.
“This initiative, driven by the department’s Social Facilitation Unit, represents a significant step toward ensuring that infrastructure, construction, and built environment projects reflect the needs and priorities of communities and all legitimate interested and affected stakeholders.
“I strongly encourage the industry to engage with this process and submit comments by the closing date: 20 June 2025. Your input is vital in shaping a framework that will serve as the blueprint for a more inclusive and responsive construction sector in South Africa,” he said.
Macpherson said the initiative would go a long way in ensuring that social facilitation is embedded from the outset of infrastructure projects, preventing criminal elements from manipulating communities for personal gain.
He said all community roleplayers would be informed of the project prior to its implementation, allowing for a clear understanding of its context, expected impact and preventing the spread of misinformation.
“It is important that we standardise these practices as we work to reduce construction site disruptions nationwide.
“The police have an important role to play in apprehending those found guilty of site disruptions, but equally, the department must play its part in working hand-in-hand with communities during infrastructure delivery. By working together, we can build a better South Africa,” the Minister said.
Comments on the policy can be directed to molatelo.mohwasa@dpw.gov.za or andre.duplessi@dpw.gov.za. – SAnews.gov.za
The Executive Mayor of the City of Tshwane, Dr Nasiphi Moya Delegates and Members of the African Mayors’ Assembly Management of The Presidency Ladies and Gentlemen Good Afternoon.
“Heritage is what is preserved from the past as the living collective memory of a people not only to inform the present about the past but also to equip successive generations to fashion their future. It is what creates a sense of identity and assures rootedness and continuity, so that what is brought out by dynamism of culture is not changed for its own sake, but it is a result of people’s conscious choice to create a better life.”
This definition from the National Heritage Council provides an important conceptual tool to understanding the importance of heritage in general and world heritage sites in particular.
In July 2024, sitting in Delhi, India; the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s World Heritage Committee inscribed the Union Buildings as a world heritage site.
For the its part, The Presidency is still elaborating plans on the management of this site; properly to give practical meaning “not only to inform the present about the past but also to equip successive generations to fashion their future.”
These operational plans will be announced on our website, including the creation of the visitors centre to manage visitors flow.
As the Presidency and I indeed speak for the President, we are elated by your presence here to tour this beautiful site. We thank very much each of the Mayors and African city governments present here today.
A special extension of appreciation goes to the Executive Mayor of Tshwane; the host extraordinaire of the U20, African Mayors Assembly. As you very well may know, the City of Tshwane, is also the host of our national seat of Government, at whose preeminent and symbolic building, I have the singular honour to receive and welcome you all.
For very many years in the past, this very building was a symbol of oppression and division, yet paradoxically, union being its name. The union it then represented, was the union of whites against blacks in general and Africans in particular. It was a union of repression and oppression by one against the other. This is the collective memory whose preservation is entrusted on us the living, so that we give due respect to the past, present and future.
Indeed today, this building evokes memories of the consistent battles fought to win our peace and the true unity we have today. Today, the building is the symbol of the union of all our people, diverse in the culture yet sharing a common heritage.
The memories of the past and our management of the present should and must form the impulses that “equip successive generations to fashion their future.”
I hope as you prepare to go back home, you have experienced the hospitality of our nation and will soon as return with your families for leisure.
Esteem members of the African Mayors’ Assembly, I have made all these long winded remarks to simply say: welcome to the Union Buildings and enjoy your tour.
