The African School of Diplomacy and International Relations (ASDIR) says there is a need for effective implementation of the African Union (AU) integration frameworks to advance regional growth.

The Vice-Chairman of ASDIR, Prof. Tunji Asaolu, communicated this on Tuesday in Abuja during a global news conference organised to commemorate the 2026 Africa Day.

Africa Day, celebrated annually on May 25, marks the 63rd anniversary of the AU’s establishment in 1963.

The event had the theme: “One Africa, One Voice, One Future: Renewing the Call for the United States of Africa.”

According to Asaolu, who is also the Board Chair of the African Civil Society Forum (AFRICSOF), the structural deficits hindering Africa can no longer be justified in an era where continental blocs dictate global affairs.

“The challenges ahead are great, but so is our collective will and capacity; as we commemorate Africa Day 2026, let us renew our commitment to the founding vision of African unity.

“Let us heed the call of our forebears and seize this historic moment to forge a truly united continent. The time for hesitation has passed.

“We call upon all African Heads of State, policymakers, civil societies, vibrant African diaspora, and every citizen to champion this cause.

“We must accelerate the implementation of existing AU integration frameworks,” he said.

He described African youths as the engine of making Africa first, while urging them not to let old colonial borders limit their imagination.

He said that as the A marked its 63rd anniversary, it had become important for African leaders to move beyond symbolic rhetoric and take bold steps towards continental statehood.

Asaolu said it was time to establish a continental framework that guaranteed collective security, economic prosperity, and cultural pride.

“Our immense natural resources, combined with the unyielding intellect and resilience of our people, mean we have everything we need to succeed.

“We cannot achieve the Africa we want with 54-fragmented foreign policies.

“We need one voice, whether at the UN Security Council or global climate summits, Africa must speak as an unbreakable superpower,” he said.

The vice-chairman said that ASDIR would continue to stand at frontlines of intellectual and grassroots struggle through training young people to negotiate not for fragmented nation-states, but for the collective glory of the African continent.

He declared the organisation’s readiness to partner with governments, civil society, private sector actors, and international friends to realise the dream of the United States of Africa.

Asaolu added that there was a need for an Africa where everyone could move freely, prosper equally, and speak with a single, powerful voice on the world stage.