(24 May 2016) Italy continues to bet on the African continent. Only a week ago the first Italian-Africa ministerial conference brought together the foreign ministry delegates of 52 African countries, including more than forty foreign ministers, and twenty representatives of international organisations. May 25 will be celebrated as Africa Day, an event which coincides with the anniversary of the founding of the Organisation for African Unity, which took place in 1963, then replaced in 2002 by the current Pan-African body. Under the 2016 framework which has seen the declaration of the African Year for Human Rights, with a specific focus on women’s rights, as stipulated by the African Union. An anticipated appointment today from the conference “Women and Human Rights” promoted by the cultural association ‘Le Réseau’ in collaboration with the group of African Ambassadors to Italy. The day’s agenda has aims to put the spotlight on the role of women in Africa and Italy and also saw the participation of Ambassadors of some of the most important African countries. Mamadou Kamara Dekamo, Ambassador of the Republic of Congo and dean of African ambassadors in Rome, unhinged the machist stereotype of African governments, saying that “in Congo there is a minimum of 30% female representation in institutions.” “We are seeing much progress,” he continued, stressing that the next step will be to “get to full equality.” (PO / SIP)
