... rededicated the collective leadership to the continent's development.

This declaration and rededication called for the development of a continental agenda that will guide the work towards a peaceful, integrated and prosperous Africa, driven by its citizens and taking its rightful place in the world, by 2063. Agenda 2063 is rooted in Pan-Africanism and African Renaissance, provides for a robust framework for addressing past injustice and the realisation of the 21st Century as the African Century.

For, "The Africa We Want," there are seven aspirations and I will only focus on two. Aspiration 3 talks about an Africa of good governance, democracy, respect for human rights, justice and the rule of law. A commitment was made that by 2063, Africa will aspire to: Be a continent where democratic values, culture, practices, universal principles of human rights, gender equality, justice and

the rule of law are entrenched; and have capable institutions and transformative leadership in place at all levels.

The continent's population will enjoy affordable and timely access to independent courts and judiciary that deliver justice without fear and favour. Corruption and impunity will be a thing of the past. Africa will be a continent where the institutions are at the service of its people.

Citizens will actively participate in the social, economic and political development and management. Competent, professional, rules and merit based public institutions will serve the continent and deliver effective and efficient services. Institutions at all levels of government will be developmental, democratic, and accountable.

Aspiration 4 is about a peaceful and secure Africa. We aspire that by 2063, Africa shall have: An entrenched and flourishing culture of human rights, democracy, gender equality, inclusion and peace; prosperity, security and

safety for all citizens; and mechanisms to promote and defend the continent's collective security and interests.

In the call for action, the agenda 2063 was adopted as a collective vision and roadmap for the next 50 years. A commitment was made to speed up actions to silence the guns by 2020 through enhanced dialogue-centred conflict prevention and resolution, to make peace a reality for all our people. We pledge not to bequeath the burden of conflicts to the next generation of Africans by ending all wars in Africa by 2020.

We shall establish an African Human Security Index, AHSI, to monitor progress. We will achieve gender parity in public and private institutions, and the removal of all forms of gender discrimination in the social, cultural, economic and political spheres. We will also mobilise a concerted drive towards immediately ending child marriages, female genital mutilation and other harmful cultural practises that discriminate against women and girls.

South Africa can be proud to have the Chapter Nine Institutions and state institutions supporting constitutional democracy, such as the SA Human Rights commission, the Public Service Commission, the Public Protector, the Commission on Gender Equality, the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic communities to talk to some of the requirements mentioned above, as well as judicial, human rights and legal organs of the AU established to support implementation of good governance and respect for human rights on the continent.

These include African Commission on Human Rights, African Court of Human and Peoples' Rights, AU Commission on International Law - AU Advisory Board on Corruption and the African Committee on Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.

I would like to end with this with a much needed prayer for Africa and for ourselves: God bless Africa. Guard her children. Guide her leaders and give her peace, in Jesus' name. Amen! [Applause.]