Nigeria’s Adesewa Olofinko was selected as an African Union Media Fellow in 2023. She was the only Nigerian and one of 20 African media and content creators selected to drive the 2063 Agenda through effective storytelling that shapes the African narrative.
Adesewa shares her experience participating in a study tour to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, attending the 37th Ordinary Assembly of the Heads of State, and the Forty-Fourth (44th) Ordinary Session of the Executive Council at the AU Summit in Addis-Ababa.
The annual AU Summit brings together heads of state and policymakers from across Africa and governments to discuss the continent’s key challenges – and the potential solutions. As an African Union Media Fellow, my study tour immersed me in the heart of these discussions, providing invaluable insight into the continent’s direction for the year 2024.
Africa is home to some of the world’s fastest-growing economies and youngest populations, and as a result of this, the future of Africa has so much to say about the future of the rest of the world.
For this year’s AU Summit, the 44th Ordinary Assembly of the Executive Council, convened from February 14th to 15th, 2024, followed by the 37th Assembly of the Heads of State on February 17th and 18th, 2024.
The summit featured keynote addresses from distinguished leaders, including H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the AU Commission, H.E. Dr. Abiy Ahmed, Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, H.E Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of the Federative Republic of Brazil, H.E Ahmed Abiy Ali, the Secretary General of the League of Arab States, the Prime Minister of Palestine H.E Mohammad Shyyyeh, and the outgoing Chairperson of the Union, the President of the Union of Comoros H.E Azali Assoumani.
Among the attendees were over 30 Heads of State, including the President of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, alongside many other notable leaders.
Let me point to a few things that were discussed at the AU Summit 2024:
Education: The AU has named 2024 the Year of Education, with the theme: “Educate and Skill Africa for the 21st Century – Building resilient education systems for increased access to inclusive, lifelong, quality, and relevant learning in Africa”. As H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Former Prime Minister of Chad and Chairperson of the African Union Commission stated, “Educational reforms will reverse the trend towards poverty and enhance the attractiveness of Africa, in terms of investment and therefore, the creation of prosperity.”
Integration and Economic Growth: So much was discussed at the summit regarding integration and trade such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). If successfully implemented, we would have the world’s largest free trade area worth more than $3.4 trillion. Africa is indeed the future!
Global Health: In light of the COVID-19 pandemic which underscored the need for Africa to spearhead her research, development, and implementation of public health solutions, Global health also emerged as a focal point during the summit. During the study tour, I had the privilege of visiting the Africa CDC alongside fellow media fellows where we interacted with the officials and learned more about the continent’s preparedness and response mechanisms to disease threats.
Peace and Security: Discussions at the summit included the AU’s efforts to address conflicts that threaten peace and stability across various regions of the continent, including Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Sahel.
Attending the AU Summit as a media fellow was exciting, overwhelming, and thought-provoking. It was truly an honor to contribute to the interesting conversations regarding the future of my beloved continent.
As part of the second cohort since the inception of the AU Media Fellowship, our journey was filled with enriching experiences. We had the privilege of attending a diverse array of events, including a lunch hosted by The GIZ Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit, a dinner hosted by the European Union, the Groundbreaking ceremony for the African Union Pan Veterinary Vaccine Centre (AU-PANVAC) new laboratory complex, the launch of the Second 10-Year Implementation Plan of Agenda 2063, among several press conferences.
Additionally, we took part in action sessions which allowed us to discuss topics in more depth within smaller groups, took part in Q&As with speakers on the interactive stage, and networked with mentors, journalists, and policymakers from around the continent.
I’m glad I’m a part of the change I desire to see in Africa, and it starts by telling our own stories. Over the next few months as an AU media fellow, I’ll journey across the motherland to uncover the untold stories of formidable women in pre-colonial Africa and explore the impacts of colonialism on African feminism. The main thing I’ve learned is that we are the stories we tell ourselves. And if we must change our circumstances, we need to change our story.
Adesewa Olofinko is a Freelance Journalist & Creative Content Producer in Ibadan, Nigeria.
