Angela Martins is Head, Culture Division, Social Affairs Department of the African Union Commission. The Division of culture harmonises and coordinates activities and policies across the continent, so as to strengthen structure and build opportunities for using culture as a tool for integration and African renaissance, cultural development, promotion of creative and cultural industries.

She holds a Masters degree in Education at the Exeter University, United Kingdom. She has enjoyed an illustrious career thus far having walked her way up from bottom of the ladder. She started out as a teacher and later she began training teachers.

She eventually moved to Southern African Development Committee (SADC) Parliamentary Forum as training officer where she helped develop capacity training programmes for members of the parliament.

As head of Culture Division of the Social Affairs Department of AUC, Madam Angela coordinates the development of cultural policies for African Union member states and ensure their implementation as a means to drive job creation and promote Africa’s abundant resources and skills.

The Culture division currently operate with four main documents: The Charter for African Cultural Renaissance of 2006 which addresses issues of cultural and artistic development in Africa; The Language Plan of Action for Africa (2006) which is a policy document for the development of African languages; The AU Plan of Action for Cultural and Creative Industries (2008) which is still undergoing review and the AU Model Law on the Protection of Cultural Property and Heritage (2018) which will be looking to guard against trafficking of cultural goods.

She has shown great commitment in advocating for the development of African culture, seizing every available opportunity to advance the cause of African culture, arts and creativity.

Speaking at the NEPAD Regional Conference on Arts Education held in Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa shortly after assuming office as Head of Culture division, AUC, Madam Angela said, “Efforts in our continent to place Arts Education in our schools and universities curricula are still very limited; hence initiatives such as this one should be emulated so that our cultural and creative industries are developed and provide the much needed revenue to the economies of the continent. It is important to promote culture and education by placing emphasis on creativity and innovative ideas. We are certain that through the teaching of the arts and culture, Africa’s children and youthful populations will recognise and develop a stronger African identity, learn to promote and preserve our rich heritage and shared values as well as drive the development of the continent.

“ We are certain that through the teaching of the arts and culture, African children and youthful populations will recognize and develop a stronger African identity, learn to promote and preserve our rich heritage and shared values as well as drive the development of the continent.  

Under her watch, the Culture division has recorded tremendous successes, chief among which are: the approval of the amendment of article 35 of the Charter for African Cultural Renaissance; establishment of six Vehicular Cross-border Language Commissions; approval of the appointment of H.E Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, President of Mali as the AU Champion on Arts, Culture and Heritage; approval of the Treaty on the Establishment of African Audio Visual and Cinema Commission (AACC), among others.