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Africa’s Prosperity: Osinbajo, Obasanjo, Mbeki, Dangote, tasks AfroChampions on Job Creation

Oct 16, 2017   •   by   •   Source: Proshare   •   eye-icon 7666 views
Monday, October 16, 2017/ 3:40 PM /Dangote

ForAfrica to attain its desired goal in real growth and development, prominentAfrican leaders and top entrepreneurs across the continent have decided to workeffectively together towards integrating their economies to enable free tradeamong its members. 

Specifically,the Vice-President of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo,  FormerPresident of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of SouthAfrica, Thabo Mbeki, and the President of the Dangote Group, who areco-chair of the AfricanChampion Club urged top entrepreneurs in the continentto focus on job creation for their teeming unemployed youths as a way to ensureeconomic prosperity and poverty reduction in the continent.
 

Speakingat the launch of AfroChampions Initiative recently, Mbeki emphasized greaterintegration of African economies for real development and the Vice-President ofNigeria, Professor Yemi Osibajo urged the private sector in the continent totake the lead in reshaping Government policies and strategies in the continent.Osinbajo congratulated the initiators of the Africa champions initiative ontheir visionary action and pledged that the administration was behind them.

"Wethink that it is the private sector that would do what is required to bring theurgency and the sense of mission to all the plans in the AU. We will like tosee greater synergy and collaboration in the Africa champions while all theorgans of the AU get involved in economic integration issues". He furthersaid the continent: “still have one of the lowest trade integration levelsunder 20 per cent while Asia is at 40 per cent and European integration is verymuch further ahead at about 60 per cent. The fact remains that other regionsplay as a bloc but Africa is still largely splintered into several economiesand the ease of doing business across the region remains a significantchallenge".
 

Hesaid that in the past few years it had become obvious to many African countriesthat both the momentum and common sense were in favour of the private sectorleading the economies of the continent.
 

Dangoteon his part, said the Afrochampions initiative is for African businesses tocater to African needs to accelerate development in the continent and createmore jobs to tackle unemployment of youths in the continent. He acknowledgedthat it is the first time that leaders from Africa's multinational companieswill meet, not to discuss their sector and ad-hoc investment opportunities, butto exchange views on Africa's transformation and on what contributions they mayhave.
 

Notingthat
Africa’s young population and a growing labour force are valuableassets in an aging world, he said: “Africa's current population of 1.2 billion(16 percent of the world’s population) is expected to grow to 3.8 billion by2100 - accounting for 49 percent of the world population. By 2034, theworking-age population is expected to hit 1.1 billion, larger than that ofeither China or India.” 

Dangotepromised to work with his colleagues to make the club a unique platform onwhich "We as African business leaders, can overcome our differences andspeak with one voice, to foster reforms facilitating trade between our stateswith investments in strategic projects and synergies between ourcountries."
 

"Wedo have to change the dynamics in a way that is more favourable to Africa andAfricans because as Africa's biggest multinationals, we owe a duty towards ourcommunities, towards the next generation of young men and women who now want tobecome Pan-African entrepreneurs".
 

FormerPresident Olusegun Obasanjo expressed appreciation and commendation for theinitiative and added that while the initiative had put the private and publicsectors together it needed to integrate the financial institutions. He mentionedthe Lagos Plan of Action, the Abuja treaty, NEPAD as initiatives which had notachieved their purposes before going under. “We should not allow this one tosleep; we should continue to fan the flame of Afrochampions initiative and mayGod help Africa,” the former President said.
 
 

Proshare Nigeria Pvt. Ltd.

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