1

Economic development may lag;

difficulties may be encountered in

working out unanimously

acceptable programmes and

policies; temporary dissentions

may interfere with harmonious

relations between individual

states.

2

… so long as the spirit of Africa prevails

and stirs within us, so long as we continue

to think and work and act within the

African context which we have created,

imbued by the African atmosphere which

surrounds and pervades us, We are

confident that the goals we seek shall be

attained.

3

Our Child We have created this spirit; it is our

child. To bring it to its full potential

We must, firstly define with

precision and clarity the

programmes which will advance us

along the path we have chosen,

whilst simultaneously avoiding those

dangers which could frustrate what

has been so laboriously won.

4

And in order that these programmes

be coherent and intelligible, they must

be founded upon painstakingly

articulated principles and policies

which we, as African nations, must

apply, not only in charting the future

of the Organization of African Unity,

but in directing our own activities as

independent African states.

~ Selected Speeches of H.I.M. Haile Selassie I July 21, 1964 – p. 264-265