Introduction

The Sustainable Development Agenda is centred on people & planet, underpinned by human
rights and supported by a global partnership determined to lift people out of poverty, hunger
and disease. It will, thus, be built on a foundation of global cooperation and solidarity.
International Human Solidarity Day is:
a day to celebrate our unity in diversity;
a day to remind governments to respect their commitments to international
agreements;
a day to raise public awareness of the importance of solidarity;
a day to encourage debate on the ways to promote solidarity for the achievement of
the Sustainable Development Goals including poverty eradication;
a day of action to encourage new initiatives for poverty eradication.

Background
Solidarity is identified in the Millennium Declaration as one of the fundamental values of
international relations in the 21st Century, wherein those, who either suffer or benefit least
deserve help from those who benefit most. Consequently, in the context of globalization and the
challenge of growing inequality, strengthening of international solidarity is indispensable.
Therefore, the UN General Assembly, convinced that the promotion of the culture of solidarity
and the spirit of sharing is important for combating poverty, proclaimed 20 of December as
International Human Solidarity Day.
Through initiatives such as the establishment of the World Solidarity Fund to eradicate poverty
and the proclamation of International Human Solidarity Day, the concept of solidarity was
promoted as crucial in the fight against poverty and in the involvement of all relevant
stakeholders.

The UN and the Concept of Solidarity
The concept of solidarity has defined the work of the United Nations since the birth of the
Organization. The creation of the United Nations drew the peoples and nations of the world
together to promote peace, human rights and social and economic development. The
Organization was founded on the basic premise of unity and harmony among its members,
expressed in the concept of collective security that relies on the solidarity of its members to
unite “to maintain international peace and security.”
It is in the spirit of solidarity that the Organization relies on “cooperation in solving international
problems of an economic, social, cultural or humanitarian character” as well.
The General Assembly, on 22 December 2005, by resolution 60/209 identified solidarity as one of
the fundamental and universal values that should underlie relations between peoples in the
twenty-first century, and in that regard decided to proclaim 20 December of each year
International Human Solidarity Day.
By resolution 57/265 the General Assembly, on 20 December 2002, established the World
Solidarity Fund, which was set up in February 2003 as a trust fund of the United Nations
Development Programme. Its objective is to eradicate poverty and promote human and social
development in developing countries, in particular among the poorest segments of their
populations.

How Far is Solidarity in Africa
The total investable wealth currently held on the African continent amounts to USD 2.4
trillion. Yet poverty in Africa has risen to more than a third of the population. About 431
million people lives below extreme poverty level.
Poverty level in Africa is predicated on the low level of development (immaturity) where few
citizens cornered the commonwealth of the entire continent, lacking in solidarity… this indeed
promotes internally slavery in this 21st century. To my mind, the slave masters of the past
centuries are now rebirth (reincarnated) in Africa and have their power centres across the
continent.
This yoke must be broken through effective SOLIDARITY, which must be made to free the
common patrimony of the people to strengthen every citizen to participate in the economic
activities within the scope of its inborn traits, without having any reason to envying those who
possess more capacity to do more.
African Citizens Development Foundation (ACDF) has promoted the establishment of the
International Organisation for Africa Development (IOAD) to collaborate with the rest of the
developed world to channel investment funds into Africa, to deliberately industrialise the entire
continent in HUMAN SOLIDARITY!!

HAPPY HUMAN SOLIDARITY DAY!
Lagos: 20th December 2023.