Directorate of Information & Communication 2021 Annual Magazine THEME OF THE YEAR Arts, Culture and Heritage: Levers For Building The Africa We Want AFRICAN CHARTER ON CULTURAL RENAISSANCE AFRICA’S COVID-19 AU PLAN OF ACTION ON RESPONSE CULTURAL & CREATIVE FUND INDUSTRIES THE GREAT MUSEUM OF AFRICA UNITING THROUGH MUSIC ‘Stronger Together’ & ‘Stronger Than Covid’ PROFILE: RICHARD OBOH, ORANGE VFX CEO Youth at the Forefront of NO-NAME CAMPAIGN Africa’s Animation Industry For every child a Legal Identity, for every child Access to Justice www.au.int AU ECHO 2021 1 NOTE FROM THE EDITOR he culture and creative industries (CCIs) generate annual global revenues of up to US$2,250 billion dollars and Texports in excess of US$250 billion. This sector currently provides nearly 30 million jobs worldwide and employs more people aged 15 to 29 than any other sector and contributes LESLIE RICHER up to 10% of GDP in some countries. DIRECTOR Directorate of Information & In Africa, CCIs are driving the new economy as young Africans Communication tap into their unlimited natural resource and their creativity, to create employment and generate revenue in sectors traditionally perceived as “not stable” employment options. taking charge of their destiny and supporting the initiatives to From film, theatre, music, gaming, fashion, literature and art, find African solutions for African issues. On Africa Day (25th the creative economy is gradually gaining importance as a May), the African Union in partnership with Trace TV and All sector that must be taken seriously and which at a policy level, Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) organised a Virtual Solidarity decisions must be made to invest in, nurture, protect and grow Concert under the theme ‘Stronger Together’ and ‘Stronger the sectors. Even with the Covid-19 pandemic, CCIs in Africa than COVID’. The concert brought together well-known artistes have embraced digital media as lockdowns and restrictions on from across the continent to advocate for support for the Africa travel took hold; innovation has become a key for survival in CDC and Africa’s Covid-19 Response Fund. This was just one the sector due to increased digitisation, highlighting the nexus of the many concerts and other efforts by musicians on the continent and in the diaspora to support the response to the between technology and economic development. pandemic in their communities and across the region; and The potential of CCIs in Africa has garnered international we salute all of them. attention and investment with international music labels such as An emerging sector within CCIs is the Animation, gaming and Sony, Warner and Universal Music as well as music platforms VFX sector. Globally the sector generated revenues of US$ like Apple Music increasing their presence on the continent 264 billion in 2019. Whereas, the sector is still in its infant and Netflix the world’s largest subscription streaming service stages on the continent, led by African youth, animation is is actively supporting content creation on the continent. growing as a tool for fast and effective messaging used both in education and entertainment. African produced animation At a continental level, Multichoice Africa / DSTV continues movies that have had an impact in the scene include Khumba to invest in the production of local content and leads the and Adventures of Zambezia which generated US$26 million way in establishing regional production hubs to support the and US$35 million respectively (Forbes Africa) and became development of educational, news and entertainment content South African blockbusters and the third and fourth best- produced by African talent for African markets and the world. grossing films in the country’s history, respectively. In this In this edition of the AU Echo in line with the African Union issue we profile Orange VFX a company created and run by Theme of the Year 2021 on Arts, Culture and Heritage we young talent and with whom we had the chance to work with to focus on the cultural and creative industries. This vast sector create the first animations for the African Union’s Agenda 2063. has great potential and it is telling that African Governments We also profile Nyundo Music School in Rwanda whose will step up their efforts in the year 2021 to support the CCIs. students undertook the colossal task of recording the AU From continental treaties such as the Charter for African Anthem in Swahili, English, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Cultural Renaissance and The African Union (AU) Plan of Arabic. Balancing both their academics and other obligations, Action on Cultural and Creative Industries, as well as national these young people gave of their time and talents to ensure development plans on CCIs, 2021 will be a year for rallying that the AU Anthem would accessible to a wide African and support behind a sector which by virtue of its linkages to social, global audience playing their part in promoting the spirit of cultural, economic and political issues is at the bedrock of the pan-Africanism and Ubuntu. development of African society and the future envisaged in Africa’s Agenda 2063. Finally, we also look at the role language has to play in promoting integration and socio-economic development by breaking down As we begin a new year that comes about as we try to the linguistic barriers and the work being undertaken by the adjust to the new normal under Covid-19, we also celebrate African Union’s institutions such as the African Academy of African musicians who have always been on the forefront of Languages (ACALAN), in promoting African languages as factors championing causes that unite and elevate African pride and for integration and development including the institution’s own the spirit of pan-Africanism. Using the powerful tools of their going project to promote the use of Kiswahili as a language of voices, hands and words they have always been at the forefront wider communication in Africa urging Africans on the continent and in the diaspora to face up to our circumstances and overcome. African musicians have I personally look forward to seeing how we collectively put been at the centre of the clarion call to unite and fight the the culture and creative industries front and centre as a sector Covid-19 pandemic. Through virtual concerts, they continued which has as much if not more potential than any other to give to play their role as advocates for action and Africa and Africans youth the opportunity to achieve their dreams today. 2 The AU ECHO is produced by the Directorate of Information and Communication of the African Union. The views expressed by contributing external authors who are not officials of the African Union do not reflect the official position of the African Union. Articles from this publication, except those emanating from the AU, may not be freely printed. Articles from the AU must correctly state source as the African Union when used on any publication (print or digital) or extracted as source material for any digital, print, audio, video or any other broadcast medium. Copyrighted photographs may not be reprinted without written permission from the Directorate of Information and Communication of the African Union. Editor in Chief: Leslie Richer Editor: Wynne Musabayana Research & Media: Esther Yambou, Gamal Eldin Karrar, Angela Martins, Molalet Tsedeke, Doreen Apollos, Faith Adhiambo Ochieng Administration: Sehenemariam Hailu, Rahel Akalewold Layout & Design: Linda Ajima & Peter Kyambadde Photography: Yohannes Zirotti, Yohannes Negash. Cover Image: The Nomadic Wodaabe tribe of the Sahara desert near Lake Chad, taking INSIDE part in an annual courtship ritual competition called Gerewol. P.17 THE AFRICAN UNION PLAN OF ACTION ON CULTURAL AND CREATIVE INDUSTRIES Development and Promotion of The Creative Economy on The Continent P.23 INTERVIEW Year of The Arts, Culture and Heritage H.E. Amira Elfadil Mohammed Elfadil, AUC P.07 Commissioner for Social Affairs Global Media & African Artistes come together to support The African Union’s Covid-19 Awareness Campaigns P.11 CHILDREN’S RIGHTS No Name Campaign Ending the Indignity of Invisibility for All Children AFRICAN CONTINENTAL P.14 FREE TRADE AREA P.43 Headquarters of The AfCFTA Secretariat officially opened in Accra Ghana The Case for Kiswahili as a Language of Wider Communication in Africa AU ECHO 2021 3 P.45 P.79 In Search of Solutions: Can Creative The Great Museum Industries Assist in Curbing Unemployment Preserving and Celebrating Africa’s Culture in Africa and Deliver The Africa We Want in and Heritage the AfCFTA? P.86 Bringing The AU Anthem to Life: Profile of Nyundo Music School Muhanga Campus Rwanda Contemporary Photography in Africa: Culture: The Missing P.89 Achievements and Challenges P.50 Element in our Weaponry P.92 How Cultural Identity Culminates Into P.60 Power to Effect Social, Economic and Political & Change; A look at the life of The Role of Literary Katherine Dunham: Competitions in An African - American Cultural Icon The Regeneration of the African Literature Market P.64 The Economic aspects of Africa’s Creative Industry and the Promotion of Arts, Culture and Heritage;An African Fashion Industry Perspective P.72 P.76 The Role of Culture as Towards a New Paradigm a Driving Mechanism Of Culture and Democracy for Effective Regional Integration in Africa 4 AU ECHO 2021 AFRICAN UNION AND AFRICAN PRIVATE SECTOR LAUNCH COVID-19 RESPONSE FUND The initiative aims to raise US$ 400 million to implement a pan-African self-reliance strategy to halt COVID-19 pandemic While we continue to welcome expertise and feedback from regions already engaged in the fight against the coronavirus, we must also establish an autonomous strike force. African money and African expertise must be mobilised. H.E Cyril Ramaphosa, Chairperson of the African Union and President of the Republic of South Africa ith the emergence of the The Africa COVID-19 Response Fund is COVID-19 pandemic, the a financial instrument to mobilise and WAfrican Union through its manage funds from the private sector in continental public health institution, Africa, and other well-wishers with the the Africa Centres for Disease Control support of several African banks.