In a moment of profound significance, linking the struggles of the liberation past with the future mandate for economic justice, a participant in the International Conference of Pan-African Progressive Forces in Accra and an Ambassador of Pan-Africanism presented the Conference Commemoration Medal to the former President of South Africa, His Excellency Mr. Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma, now the President of the uMkhonto weSizwe Party.
This honour recognises President Zuma’s enduring commitment to the Pan-African project, a commitment deeply rooted in his decades of work against the racist apartheid regime. As a resolute anti-apartheid activist, Mr Zuma embodied the spirit of fierce global solidarity that ultimately broke the back of institutionalised white minority rule. His contribution stands as a powerful testament to the necessity of African Unity—the very unity that allowed liberation movements to find safe haven and support across the continent, particularly in the frontline states.
Upon receiving the medal, President Zuma warmly commended the Pan-African Progressive Front (PPF) for convening the recent International Conference in Accra and the adoption of the pivotal outcome documents:
“The Accra Declaration”on Pan-African Development and “The Special Declaration on Reparations”.
This moment serves as a powerful reminder: the fight for justice is continuous and the ideals of the 5th Pan-African Congress (1945) are not merely commemorated, but actively pursued today. It is a baton passed from the generation of political liberation to the generation of economic freedom. The torch of Pan-Africanism burns brightly, now guided by the clarity of the Accra Declaration.
Amandla!