Raila Odinga asks AU to Champion Reforms in Africa

{{Kenya’s former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has challenged Africa leaders to come up with strategies to help the continent achieve its economic dreams.}}

Speaking at a forum in America, the former Premier noted that the continent was endowed with abundant resources that needed proper leadership to make it competitive in the global market.

“In the next 50 years, I envisage Africa to have youthful and healthy population, to serve as a granary to the World, and rest poverty to history,” he said.

“My dreams are reasonable and achievable only if bodies such as the Africa Union (AU) stop chest thumping like we recently witnessed during the celebration of Africa’s 50th Anniversary and get back to serious reforms,” he said.

“We want to see AU come up with strategies on sustained reforms and develop productive forces for an inclusive economic growth,” he said.

To achieve these goals, the AU needs to guide Africa towards continental democratic revolution.

“There must be a deliberate strategy to develop the continent’s productive forces and build structures to manage Africa’s political, economic and technological relations within its members and International communities,” he said.

Odinga noted that the continent’s development trajectory will only depend on how Africa leaders manage political, economic and technological relations.

He called on leaders to respect human rights, enforce better management on mineral resources, revenues, and work on better prices for agricultural produce to help eradicate poverty in the continent.

The former premier noted that Africa’s liberation from present challenges would not be achieved if governments were not ready to allow civil society, media, and Private sector to operate freely in shaping development agenda.

He condemned recent action by the Africa Union to exclude members of the civil society actors from its events in Addis Ababa saying it was against development spirit the continent was looking for.

The former Prime Minister spoke at a forum in America discussing the past 50 years, highlighting both achievements and challenges on Africa as a continent.

At the forum he also shared his vision for Africa over the next 50 years, with a particular focus on Africa’s future engagements with China and the United States.

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