African Union at 50 was celebrated in the streets of Yaounde on Saturday, May 23.

Scores of friends of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), now the African Union (AU), in Yaounde on May 25, 2013 - the day the organisation was born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 50 years ago - danced and stretched to the rhythm of music to celebrate the achievements of the pan-African body.

The event was an athletic walk through the streets of Yaounde involving staff of the Ministry of External Relations, MINREX, led by its Minister Delegate in charge of Relations with the Islamic World, Adoum Gargoum, some African ambassadors accredited to Cameroon like those of Algeria, Nigeria, South Africa and Senegal, as well as Resident Representatives of international organisations and the Director of the International Relations Institute, IRIC with some of his students.

The athletic walk began at IRIC, Obili from where matchers passed through Melen, EMIA Junction, Education Ministry, May 20 Avenue, Mahima Supermarket to the premises of the Ministry of External Relations.

It was an interesting coincidence that the OAU which was transformed into AU in 2002 was created on Saturday May 25 and celebrations happened on Saturday 25, marking 50 years of its existence.  The AU Commission Chairperson, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma noted in her message that it was time for serious reflections, big dreams and ambitious planning. “It was time the AU started deciding where it wants to be in the next 50 years,” Dlamini Zuma. Meanwhile, the AU in the year-long commemorations is celebrating Africa’s cultural and artistic heritage with the Africa aesthetic exhibition of traditional and contemporary arts from across the continent and the Diaspora.

“At the end of the celebrations, we plan to complete our Agenda 2063. This is the vision to deliver an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa. So far, Africa is heading in the right direction, optimism stems from our people and our natural resources - its unused arable land and water, its potential for energy generation, its long coastlines rich in marine resources, to name but a few of Africa’s greatest resources,” Dlamini Zuma promised.

The Secretary General in the Ministry of External Relations, Minister Plenipotentiary, Felix Mbayu, told reporters that Cameroon, as one of the founding members of the OAU/AU, was planning other activities to celebrate the Golden Jubilee in grand style.