Africa’s Journey to Prosperity Inevitable: Premier

November 2, 2022

Late pan-African leaders received special awards

BY ABDUREZAK MOHAMMED

ADDIS ABABA –Africa’s economic growth rate as ticked upward since the dawn of the new millennium, Africans are leapfrogging into the future at an accelerating rate, so remarked Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

Meanwhile, the Premier has given special awards to the late pan-African leaders for mobilizing Africans to fight for their independence against the European colonizers. Addressing the closing ceremony of the First African Youth Leaders’ Summit, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed stated that Africa’s journey to prosperity is inevitable. And many things are working in Africa’s favor.

Startups, creative individuals, and innovations are flourishing in Africa, he said adding, that technologies from Africa are spreading across the continent and beyond. Africa is tackling some of the continent's biggest challenges with homegrown technologies.

According to him, Africa is embracing the fourth industrial revolution. “We recently held the pan-African Artificial Intelligence Conference and developed strategies for achieving sustainable development through harnessing the power of emerging technologies.”

He further indicated that continuing the favorable economic trajectory requires a structural transformation of continent’s economies, diversifying production, increasing trade and competitiveness, and also shifting from the current role as producer of raw materials to higher value-added production by accelerating industrialization will create prosperous nations.

The Premier also said that Africa’s resources are abundant, and the continent holds a considerable proportion of the world’s natural resources, both renewable and non-renewable.

“However, our economic sovereignty has been caught in a vicious cycle of lack. And our state autonomy has been vulnerable to interference. We need to be innovative and skilled in meeting globalization challenges,” he added.

African governments are charting development pathways. For instance, Ethiopia reduced poverty, increased literacy, and now has started paving the way to ensure food sovereignty, according to him.

He further explained that, through Green Legacy Initiative, Ethiopia is pursuing self-reliance and green diplomacy. The initiative focuses on boosting afforestation, sequestering carbon from the atmosphere, improving the livelihoods of citizens and promoting green behavior.

He added that another self-reliance initiative Ethiopia is pursuing is wheat production program. As a result, the country is on track to begin exporting wheat to our neighbors.

The Premier also called up on African youths to reimagine Africa’s futureby shaping how the world perceives Africa. Worldviews are a driver for transformation and prosperity. “Let us no longer talk of deprivation and lack, but abundance, success and hope. Radiating a positive energy is very important for upcoming generation.”

Many young African entrepreneurs are emerging and creating transformative solutions and continuing to be innovative in crucial sectors relevant to the continent, PM Abiy said adding, that it is important to nurture innovation and support innovators.

He also noted that Ethiopia has just integrated the first talent school to train young people on how to create, run and manage businesses so that their creativity and efforts will bear fruit that will not only improve the lives but also benefit the entire region’s economic gains.

He added that skills development is essential for increased productivity, inclusive economic growth, and poverty reduction. “Innovation is a core tent in Ethiopia. We have recently inaugurated the first science museum where more than half a million visitors were awed and inspired by science.”

During the ceremony, the Premier has also given special awards to 17 late pan-African leaders for mobilizing Africans to fight against colonizers and contributing for the establishment of the Organization of African Unity (now replaced by the African Union).

Accordingly, Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia, Jomo Kenyata of Kenya, Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt, Nelson Mandela of South Africa, Samora Machel of Mozambique, Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia, Julius Nyerere of Tanzania, King Hassan II of Morocco, among others have been awarded.

The Ethiopian Herald November 2/2022