Africa has a huge potential to become one of the great continents if it realised the objectives of Agenda 2063, a long-term ambitious plan by the African Union (AU) to rescue the continent from poverty, underdevelopment, promote unity as well as ensure the end of all conflicts, said the Minister of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, during a debate on Africa Day in the National Assembly this week.
On the 25th of May, the continent celebrates Africa Day to mark the formation of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in 1963, which was later renamed the AU in 2002, and to commemorate this day, the National Assembly held a debate on the topic: “The Legacy of Nelson Mandela in Building a Better Africa and a Better World”.
Opening the debate, Dr Dlamini-Zuma said: “Africa is not poor, it has been impoverished by individuals and systems that were designed to loot the continent of its resources. It is upon us to revive the potency of Africa and advance its growth and development, we are left with exactly 45 years in order to attain the objectives of Agenda 2063. Agenda 2063 defines the Africa we want, and our common African position on the post-2015 development agenda.”
The former AU Commission Chairperson said Africa wants foreign direct investments to contribute towards this objective of industrialisation and job-creation in the continent.
She said the continent must develop manufacturing, beneficiation of its natural resources, grow agricultural production and agro-processing to eradicate hunger and malnutrition, and to become a net exporter of food, by modernising agriculture and indigenous knowledge.
“Nearly one third of African countries are oil and gas producers – and other minerals. As we look at what we do today and the next 50 years, we are determined to silence the guns in the continent, to eradicate poverty and hunger, fragility and disease; to transform our economies, create jobs, build shared prosperity; to preserve our environment and deal with the challenges of climate change and to foster tolerant, inclusive, just, non-sexist and democratic societies,” said the Minister.
She added that African countries must improve developmental and accountable governance and universal access to basic services such as health, sanitation and water, education, ICT (information and communications technology) and shelter. And to integrate the continent through infrastructure, including transport and regional energy pools as well as the Continental Free Trade Area.
Dr Dlamini-Zuma said a peaceful and prosperous Africa will mean greater prosperity for peace for all regions of the world. “A prosperous Africa means an increase in global prosperity, markets, innovation and trade.
The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on International Relations, Mr Siphosezwe Masango, said industrialisation, manufacturing and innovation have become urgent imperatives for the development of the continent and the realisation of Agenda 2063.
As we remedy the terrible colonial legacy, Africa needs to upscale the intra-African trade which is still hovering between 12% and less than 20% - which means that Africa is grossly under-trading with herself and yet the inter-European trade is 60%. Investment in the continent has been at the impressive average of 32% since 2007
“We must stem the tide of illicit financial flows, tax avoidance and collusion by multinational corporations in the continent, which leaves Africa in its current penurious state,” he said.
Africa is sitting on vast combined mineral resources and wealth, unsurpassed in the world, which is unfortunately exploited for the benefit of other nations because the leadership of the continent countenances it.
We congratulate our imaginative leadership in the continent for unveiling the Continental Industrial Master Plan, so that manufacturing, innovation and scientific research can be uplifted and fast-tracked.
He also welcomed the opening of the Regional Brach of the Brics Bank in Johannesburg in 2017, saying the bank will also provide non-Brics member states with infrastructure funds in our continent.
Mr Stevens Mokgalapa of the Democratic Alliance said for Africa to realise its full potential, the continent must unlock its intra-African trade which remains low. “The finalisation of the Continental Free Trade Area is long overdue, it requires a political will and decisive action on trade barriers and infrastructure backlog,” he said.
By Sakhile Mokoena
25 May 2018
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