AHG/Decl. 1 (XX) DECLARATION ON SOUTHERN AFRICA MADE BY THE ASSEMBLY OF HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AFRICAN UNITY AT THE TWENTIETH ORDINARY SESSION HELD IN ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA FROM 12 TO 15 NOVEMBER 1984 1. A century has passed since the European powers met in Berlin to partition, and apportion to themselves, the Continent of Africa. At that meeting they decided which peoples of this Continent would be the subjects of which colonial power. For more than a hundred years our peoples have, therefore had a common task of removing the yoke of colonial domination and winning for themselves an independent place, and independent voice, in the world community 2. It is through struggle, sometimes bitter struggle, that progress has been made. There are now fifty-one (51) members of the Organization of African Unity, four hundred and eight million people of this Continent have now freed themselves from external rule. But the task is not yet complete. Political independence has been won these peoples, but all the independent nations are still engaged in the struggle to give new meaning to Africa’s freedom, and to establish Africa’s place in world politics and culture, and in the international economy. 3. Yet Africa’s political struggle is not over. Some thirty million people are still subjected to racist minority and colonial rule in South Africa and Namibia. The racist rulers of South Africa see that country as a regional power, and their rule as dominant over the whole Southern African region. To maintain that power, and that minority rule, the racists rely upon the ever-increasing use of violence against the peoples of Southern Africa. 4. While this situation continues, no African can be really free. No independent African State can claim that its sovereignty and independence is assured. As a Continent, Africa is, therefore, still not in a position to assert Africa’s rightful place in the world system of international relations.