Paris, France 22 May 2018: The African Union Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy, H.E. Dr. Amani Abou-Zeid delivered a keynote speech to celebrate Africa Day ans Africa Week. The event was hosted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and attended by African ambassadors and high-level dignitaries in Paris under the theme "Intangible Heritage: Joy and Pride of Africa".

In her keynote address, Commissioner Abou-Zeid reminded that Africa Day is an opportunity to celebrate the significant progress made by the continent since the creation of the Organization of the African Union (OAU) and its transformation into the African Union today.
"Undoubtedly, on the governance, democracy and human rights front, regional and continental integration accelerated by the implementation of regional and continental projects and the digital leap are tangible progress that Africa can be proud of," the Commissioner stated.

She went on to elucidate that the African Union undertook the task of renewing and consolidating political and economic integration, the foundations of which, the Commissioner uttered "had been laid by our founding fathers".

"Thus, we launched the Continental Free Trade Area in March 2018 in Kigali, the Single African Air Transport Market in Addis Ababa in January 2018 and the process is under way to establish the African passport," the Commissioner stated.

In conclusion, the Commissioner stressed the role of infrastructure for Africa's physical and economic integration, and encouraged the use of digitisation and virtualisation to protect african languages, cultural heritage and communicate our unique value.

Africa Week is an annual event organized by the African Permanent Delegations to UNESCO, which aims to increase the visibility of Africa by highlighting the diversity of its cultural and artistic heritage. Exhibitions, conferences, film screenings, gastronomy and many other activities are included in the event.

Egypt's permanent delegation to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has organized "Africa Week 2018" which kicked off on Tuesday 22 May and lasted throughout the week at the organization's headquarters in Paris culminating in a huge artistic ans musical celebration.

For further information contact
Directorate of Information and Communication | African Union Commission I E-mail: dic@africa-union.org I Web Site: www.au.int I Addis Ababa | Ethiopia

Media inquiry Contacts:
Sophia Nesri | PIDA Information Analyst | Department of Infrastructure and Energy | African Union Commission I E-mail: sophian@africa-union.org I Web Site: www.au.int I Addis Ababa | Ethiopia
Esther Azaa Tankou / Head of Information Division / AUC / Tel: +251 911361185 /
E-mail: yamboue@africa-union.org