On June 2, 1953, Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie delivered a powerful speech at the United Nations General Assembly, criticizing colonial rule in Africa and supporting movements for independence. Representing the only African nation never colonized, Selassie’s leadership gave diplomatic cover to emerging liberation movements across the continent. His address reinforced the role of Ethiopia as a symbol of African pride and sovereignty. The speech helped establish the Non-Aligned Movement and laid the groundwork for pan-African cooperation, which would soon lead to the founding of the Organization of African Unity. Selassie’s stand on this date is remembered as a bold assertion of post-colonial diplomacy.
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