The African agenda includes plans to see economic and political co-operation and integration and the promotion of African stories and African content.
South Africa’s Minister of Arts and Culture Nathi Mthethwa, who spoke at the launch of 2017’s Africa Month, said the occasion is cause for all who live in Africa to “…extend the definitions of who we are and what we can do to make our vantage point a richer and freer space”.
“It is our African narratives after all that tell us about our place in the world and the truths of our realities” the Minister said at a speech in Pretoria in May.
As leaders from across the continent joined to celebrate the occasion, the South African government renewed its pledge to be part of the plan to see a prosperous continent in the coming years.
Mr. Mthethwa said government is driven by the vision to achieve an African continent that is peaceful, democratic, non-racial, non-sexist, united and prosperous and that embraces the spirit of ubuntu.
“Our engagement on the continent continues to be anchored on strengthening bilateral and multilateral relations, promoting peace, security and stability, economic co-operation and integration.”
Mr. Mthethwa said work on several goals has already begun and will continue to receive effort until the objectives are met. Among these goals are promoting the African Agenda to strengthen the African Union institutions and policies; strengthening Africa’s creative industries within the socio-economic environment; increasing appreciation and demand for arts and culture goods and services to stimulate competitive markets for inter and intra-Africa Trade; promoting the African identity and entrenching African values and ethics and establishing new relations, while strengthening existing collaborations in the continent.
The Minister says the protection of Africa’s cultural heritage has gained strength through the African World Heritage Fund (AWHF).
