Vibrant Africa ‘is taking ownership’

AFRICA is increasingly taking ownership and responsibility for its socioeconomic destiny‚ President Jacob Zuma said.

Addressing the sixth Tokyo International Conference of African Development (Ticad) in Nairobi‚ Kenya‚ Zuma said Africa was a substantially different place from when Ticad was launched in 1993.

“It is vibrant and rapidly changing‚ with some of the fastest-growing economies in the world.

“Most importantly‚ Africa is increasingly taking ownership and responsibility for its socioeconomic destiny.

“We are committed to … sustainable economic growth and development‚ and thus addressing the scourges of inequality‚ poverty and unemployment‚” Zuma said. Collaboration and investments by the public and private sectors in infrastructure‚ manufacturing and ICT were essential for regional and continental growth‚ he said.

“… continental integration‚ boosting intra-African trade and improving the continent’s capacity to resolve its own challenges‚ as identified by Agenda 2063‚ have been woven into every discussion I’ve had across the globe from climate change‚ to governance and industrialisation.”

His trip prevented him from delivering the eulogy at former Eastern Cape premier Makhenkesi Stofile’s funeral‚ where former foreign affairs director-general Sipho Pityana called for Zuma to step down. — TMG Digital