Africa should speak with one voice: Chiwenga

VICE-PRESIDENT Constantino Chiwenga yesterday called for a united African economic front and for the continent to speak with one voice in order to develop.

Giving his keynote address at the Connect Africa Symposium held in Bulawayo yesterday, Chiwenga said: “It goes without saying that if the African economy is managed well, it can sustain itself for the benefit of its present and future generations. There are numerous opportunities for continental development.

“The most recent one is implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area policy. We need to reimagine, rethink and refocus Africa’s future through economic development grounded in solidarity.”

He said the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted industry, business and the trajectory of economic growth for many African countries.

“But through hard work, the continent has managed to rise above the disruption and continued to forge the way forward inspired by the determination to achieve ambitious goals set for our continent. The first key lesson from the COVID-19 experience for Zimbabwe and the rest of Africa is that, not much can be achieved in isolation. Continents prioritise the safety and welfare of their people first,” Chiwenga said.

“There is, therefore, an inherent need for us as Africans to work hard towards common goals to accelerate development. This pertains to different facets of our lives such as policymaking, agriculture, mining, tourism, education, health, infrastructure development and other economic activities. Countries should reposition themselves for competitiveness and excellence,” he added.