Africa is Steering Its Own Destiny, Jacob Zuma Says in Nairobi

BY STAFF WRITER
AUGUST 27 2016, 14:58

President Jacob Zuma, right, talks to Senegalse counterpart Macky Sall during a break at the sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development in Kenya's capital, Nairobi, on August 27, 2016. Picture: REUTERS

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

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 placing the continent firmly on a path to sustainable economic growth and development‚ and thus addressing the scourges of inequality‚ poverty and unemployment‚" Zuma said.

Bearing this in mind‚ collaboration and investments by both the public and private sectors in infrastructure‚ manufacturing and ICT were essential for regional and continental growth‚ he said.

"Furthermore‚ 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 have had across the globe‚ from climate change‚ to governance and industrialisation."

Zuma’s trip to Nairobi prevented him from delivering the eulogy at former Eastern Cape premier Makhenkesi Stofile’s funeral, where former foreign affairs director-general Sipho Pityana caused a stir with calls for Zuma to step down.

© BDlive 2016