Pakistan lauded for supporting Africa during colonial days

May 27th, 2008 Sana · No Comments

* ‘Pakistan opposed colonialism throughout continent and supported African freedom movements at various forums including UN’

By Sajjad Malik

ISLAMABAD: The high commissioners and ambassadors from African countries hosted a reception here on Sunday to celebrate the creation of Organisation of African Unity (OAU) on May 25, 1963.

The day is observed every year as ‘Africa Day’ to pay tribute to African leaders who set up the OAU to seek a joint African solution to the problems faced by their people. The day marks African commitment to achieve economic independence as prelude to complete their political liberation.

Diplomats, politicians, bureaucrats, businessmen and journalists attended the reception, which provided them with an occasion to exchange views on various local and international issues. Minister for environment Hameedullah Jan Afridi represented the government and congratulated the African people on the ‘Africa Day’.

He said successive governments in Pakistan opposed colonialism in Africa and supported African freedom movements at various forums including the United Nations. He said Pakistan participated in peacekeeping operations under the aegis of UN in several African countries beginning with Ghana in 1965 to Somalia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Western Sahara and Southern Sudan.

“Pakistan is today one of the largest troop contributors to the UN peacekeeping operations which is providing support to achieve enduring peace, normalcy and development in Africa,” he said.

Afridi said that establishment of African Union was a great leap towards more integration, good governance and the rule of law in the African continent. He said Pakistan was convinced that sustainable peace could only be ensured by evolving a comprehensive conflict prevention strategy, addressing the root causes of conflict, strengthening long-term capacities for peaceful settlement of disputes, and mobilizing resources for post-conflict peace-building. He said Pakistan was confident that the African Union would be able to achieve its cherished goal of accelerating the process of building regional integration in Africa and would be able to play its rightful role in the global economy to the benefit of the African people.

Earlier, welcoming the minister and other guests, the Dean of African Diplomatic Corps and ambassador of Eritrea Adu Mohamed Heggi said Africa had moved forward with consolidation of political systems and through the African Unity, the continent had embarked on a path of socio-economic transformation.

He also congratulated the people of Pakistan on behalf of the heads of African mission in Islamabad for the successful and peaceful election. “We do not forget the unflinching support of the Pakistani people in the anti-colonial struggles in Africa,” he said.

The formal speeches were followed by the cake-cutting ceremony. Meanwhile, the guests took their time to know about the constitutional package that the government was planning to introduce in parliament before the budget. As usual, the western diplomats were more worried about the future of the embattled President Pervez Musharraf than any other issue in Pakistan.