50th Anniversary of the Dar es Salaam Declaration of 1975
From 7 to 10 April 1975, the Extraordinary Session of the Council of Ministers of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) meeting in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, made an in-depth study of the developments in Southern Africa in general and the situation in South Africa in particular. This evaluation was made with the specific objective of devising ways and means of realising Africa’s long cherished objective in the region, namely, the total liquidation of the twin evils of colonialism and racism.
Though Africa’s position on these problems was repeatedly made clear, the fast-changing events in Southern Africa made it imperative for Africa to re-examine its strategy. Such a reassessment was particularly crucial in the light of deliberate and calculated attempts by Africa’s enemies to sow confusion among its ranks, and employing diversionary tactics with the view of undermining Africa’s stand. It was therefore to the re-examination of Africa’s strategy for the liberation of Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) and Namibia as well as the abolition of the inhuman system of apartheid in South Africa that the Ministers devoted their Extraordinary Session in Dar es Salaam. And they accordingly declared as follows:
The decisive defeat of Portuguese colonialism by the African liberation movements and the then imminent independence of Mozambique and Angola had radically altered the balance of forces in Southern Africa. The resultant
