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| Home News | | Danish leader hails Africa economic record | MUHIDIN ISSA MICHUZI in Addis Ababa
Daily News; Thursday,November 20, 2008 @21:15
| Africa has to rethink its extensive dependence on export commodities in order to sustain its economic growth which stood at about six per cent last year, Danish Premier Anders Rasmussen has said. Opening the second meeting of the African Commission, Mr Rasmussen hailed last year’s economic record as a positive turn, but he warned that the continent needs to move away from its heavy reliance on commodities to ‘higher value’ products.
President Jakaya Kikwete is attending the meeting in his capacity as chairman of the Africa Union (AU). "This could make the economies more resilient to the challenges in an ever changing international environment … challenges related to climate change, rising and fluctuating food and oil prices, and the global financial crisis," he said.
Mr Rasmussen said Africa also needs to take action to push for the accelerated implementation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) adopted some eight years ago – arguing that only full participation in the process of globalization would add new momentum to Africa's efforts to attain the MDG goals.
"It should become a key development objective to address the areas which hinder Africa from reaping the full benefits of globalization," Mr Rasmussen said. He also underscored what he called enterprise-led growth in Africa – a direct reference to less donor dependence – as a means to better job creation through the private sector. UN Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro and AU Commission Chairman Jean Ping are also attending the meeting.
Other key stakeholders at the meeting include the President of the African Development Bank, Dr Donald Kaberuka, the President of ECOWAS, Dr Mohamed Ibn Chambas, the Danish Minister for Development Cooperation, Mrs Ulla Tornaes, Dr Mo Ibrahim, founder of Celtel and the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, Dr Greg Mills, Director of the Brenthurst Foundation, and Ms Betty Maina, Executive Director of the Kenya Association of Manufacturers.
The day also saw members of African Youth panel address the powerful meeting on youth employment, women, education, climate change and economic growth as well as the effect of aid and global partnerships. Earlier, the Director of the Tanzania Youth Coalition (TYC), Mr Humphrey Polepole, said African countries must demonstrate genuine interest in observing human rights, accountability and management of public resources.
Meanwhile, the Sixth African Development Forum (ADF) entered into its second day yesterday at the UN-Economic Commission for Africa headquarters here, with participants pleading for countries to “walk the talk” and give gender equality top priority in its budgets. Ethiopian President Ato Girma Woldegiorgis set the tone yesterday when he reminded the opening session of the need to produce achievable plans. | | | | |
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