In May, 1963, the heads of state and government of thirty-two countries in Africa met in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and agreed that unity and integration were vital for bringing prosperity and progress to the continent. On the basis of this common understanding, they announced the establishment of the Organization of African Unity (former name of the African Union).

The Organization made substantial contributions to the promotion of cooperation and unity among countries in the region as they strived to oppose imperialism, colonialism and racism and achieve complete freedom and liberation of Africa. Today African people celebrate May 25, the founding day of the Organization, as Africa Day.

In the proud annals of the African countries’ prolonged endeavours spanning sixty years are recorded the immortal feats performed by President Kim Il Sung , who lent unreserved material and moral support to them striving for independent development and prosperity, national independence and building of a new society.

When the Chairman of the Popular Liberation Movement of Angola, Agostinho Neto came a long way to visit Pyongyang in October 1968, President Kim Il Sung clarified guiding strategies for the anti-colonial struggle of the Angolan people for national liberation. Again in August 1971, he expounded on detailed approaches to the anti-colonialist struggle for Agostinho Neto who paid another visit to our country, seeking for solutions to the difficulties that he was facing in his own country.

In December 1975, President Kim Il Sung took measures to render unstinted material and technical aid to the President of Madagascar Didier Ratsiraka when he asked for our help to counter vicious attempts of the racist cliques to check the advance of his people for new development after the foundation of the Democratic Republic.

Whenever summit meetings of the Organization of African Unity took place, he showed firm solidarity to the just cause of the African people to oppose all kinds of domination and subordination and to achieve peace and prosperity of the region, thus further strengthening the ties of friendship and unity with the regional countries.

In 1983, he saw to it that a Korean technical team was sent to Conakry, the capital of Guinea and venue for the 20th Summit of the Heads of the State and Government of the Organization of African Unity, to build a magnificent conference hall as befits a symbol of friendship between the DPRK and Africa.

In April 1992 alone, President Kim Il Sung met with the Presidents of Equatorial Guinea, Uganda, Guinea and Sierra Leone respectively on their official goodwill visits to our country, expressed our support and encouragement to their struggle for a new society and offered perfect solutions to the issues arising in the independent development of the country and national economic construction. Likewise, he paid deep attention to the development of friendly relations with African countries till the last moment of his life.

Hence, the heads of state and government and personages from different circles of Africa awarded him many decorations and medals along with numerous gifts as a token of their respect and reverence for President Kim Il Sung who was a benevolent teacher and true friend of the African people, having rendered wholehearted support to their struggle for national independence and building of a new society.

The exploits performed by President Kim Il Sung will shine forever through generations to come, as he illuminated the road ahead for the African people in their struggle for independence and justice and laid firm foundation for the traditional relations of friendship and cooperation between the DPRK and the countries in the region.

We are committed to fully supporting the African countries in their endeavors to achieve peace, stability and politico-economic integrity of the continent and build prosperous Africa by their own efforts and to boosting our relations of friendship and cooperation with countries in the region.

Song Se Il

President of Korea-Africa Association