What is Pan Africanism
Pan-Africanism is an ideology that advocates for solidarity of the African people, as the foundation for their socio-economic and political preservation and progress. It celebrates the pride of being African, reaffirms the sense of belonging, and cultivates brotherhood towards achieving the highest levels of socio-political and economic prosperity of Africa and Africans, whether inside or outside of Africa. The Pan African Movement is a global movement that champions for the actualization of Pan Africanism.
Why Pan Africanism
African prosperity relies on unity to counter historical exploitation. Ongoing systems perpetuate disadvantage through divide-and-rule tactics. Pan Africanism asserts that economic self-sufficiency and political independence are crucial for Africa’s integrity. Achieving economic independence requires solidarity and leveraging diversity. Understanding Pan Africanism and fostering partnerships are key to countering exploitation and achieving collective prosperity. The Pan African dream is to achieve unity, self-determination, freedom, progress and collective prosperity of the people of Africa.
History of Pan Africanism
Pan Africanism has its origin in the struggle of African people against slavery and injustice. In the last century, the Pan African Movement (PAM) has been at the vanguard of the struggle for the realization of the dignity of Africans, wherever they may be. The first wave of the PAM struggle began in the early 1900s with the ‘Back to Africa Movement’, as advocated by Marcus Garvey and others. The aim was that the slaves and former slaves had to return to Africa, which was successful to a certain extent. PAM started formally in 1900 when people living in London like Trinidadian barrister Henry Sylvester Williams called a conference of black people to Protest against Racial Discrimination and other issues of concern to Black People. This was followed by a series of Congresses, with the first one held in 1919 in Paris, France, organized by African – American scholar and political activist Dr. W.E.B Du Bois.
The second wave of the PAM struggle then shifted to the decolonization and liberation of Africa. It is at this point that Pan Africanism gave birth to OAU. At the forefront of this wave of struggle were young Pan Africanist who included Kwame Nkrumah, Sekou Toure, Julius Nyerere, Patrice Lumumba, Milton Obote, Kenneth Kaunda, Ben Bella, Jomo Kenyatta, Gamal Nasser, etc. most of these later emerged as the leaders of independent Africa.
The third wave of the PAM struggle was characterized by notions of neo – colonialism, the dismantling of the neo colonial state, and second liberation. This was after the failures of the second wave of the PAM struggle. Also included in this wave was a call for the total liberation of Africa, particularly, the dismantling of Apartheid in South Africa and the realization of self-determination of the Black Africans in Sudan. At the forefront of this struggle were personalities such as Samora Machel. Nelson Mandela, Julius Nyerere, Thomas Sankara, Meles Zenawi, John Garang, etc. It is during this wave that 7th Pan African Congress (PAC) was convened in Kampala and the Secretariat established.
Having largely achieved all the above mentioned, the PAM struggle is currently faced with issues of development and human rights of the African people, which beg for a probable paradigm shift. It is this state of affairs that the PAM secretariat is currently engaged with all over the world.
In a nutshell, Global PAM is a non–aligned international organization with a global mandate to promote and preserve African Unity, Solidarity, Dignity, Human Centered Development, Peace, Stability, and good Governance not only in African Continent but also abroad. We work very closely with the African Union (AU), regional African bodies, and other National chapters. There is an MOU with the AU deposited by the Global Secretariat
The PAM (K) collaborates and networks with other organizations including Governments, International bodies, African Organizations, Political Parties, NGOs, Research institutions, Education Facilities, Civil Societies, Human Rights groups, Students and Youth groups, Academicians, and Trade Unions, from Africa and outside Africa on a Pan African basis.