 Good evening Your Excellencies ladies and gentlemen First a great. Thank you to all of you Because it was a very active day with a lot of interaction now we are at the end of the first day of this World Economic Forum on Africa and It's a privilege to welcome here presidents prime ministers of Africa countries and To solicit sir opinions to ask for to a certain extent also for sir impressions and sir Take up During the discussions of today. I Have the great pleasure and I will do it in I was thinking for a long time How I should do it in a good photocollery way and at the end I Decided I do it in the sequence in the alphabetic sequence of the country. So I Start with Botswana president Basisi then the prime minister of Estwatini prime minister lamini see president of Ethiopia president the president of Namibia President Ganga the president of Seychelles president for the president of our house countries, South Africa Cecil Ramaphosa the president of Simba we're president one gang war and The deputy secretary general of the United Nations Amina Muhammad so I Will have I will start see the discussion with one question to each of you So what's a lot of discussion about the African? Now as a rising content as a much more integrated content in a fractured world Now my question to you is What is the next important necessary step to strengthen African unity President Ramaphosa, would you like to start? Oh, okay. Yeah, you were doing it. I bet now now now. I'm doing it according Well, there are quite a number of steps that we should take and we have as a continent Taken a number of really good steps We've strengthened and refashioned the African Union Which is our? integration governing body It has become more cohesive much stronger Functions much more effectively and Has taken really forward-looking and visionary decisions It's adopted agenda 2063 which sets out the policy vision for the continent and sets out a clear roadmap of where the continent should be by 2063 and every country on the continent is working towards fulfilling and achieving the goals that have been set out in that Roadmap document The second part is has taken important decisions to take To address some of the challenges that we have had peace being one of them Taken a clear decision to silence the guns on the continent by 2020 We've got a year to go. There's still guns blazing But not as many as we had we used to have in the past. So we're working feverishly to silence those guns But another important part of 2063 is to foster economic development But the most important decision, I guess which shows the economic forward-looking path is the adoption of the Africa free trade area agreement Which has been embraced and adopted by most of the countries on the continent and each one is retifying and the launch of that free trade area agreement is going to be the greatest opportunity for economies on the continent to generate growth through trade generate industrialization of the economies the Manufacturing base and to provide employment for the burgeoning youth Dividend that we have the young people of our continent are now going to be able to thrive and benefit as growth is propelled forward and They will be able to Capture a greater future as we implement the free trade area and I guess as I conclude the integration becomes much closer Cohesion is fostered in all the regional blocks on the continent the five regional blocks and As they lead up to the full region of the African continent through the free trade area agreement It just becomes a wonderful virtuous cycle that is going to engulf the whole continent to growth So that is what we should capture and as we also confront Embrace the fourth industrial revolution that is going to catapult us to higher levels of growth That's where I believe the continent belongs and it belongs in the minds And the hearts of the young people who the continent has in great number. That's where we are going Thank you, Mr. President Deputy Secretary General I will come back to you at sea at sea very Thank you very much. I think in addition to what President Mauposa has said it's important that the very next steps that we take to concretize our commitment to Africa following our Signing of the FcTA is to ensure that we build sufficient capacity within the five wrecks to at the various beginnings Apply and implement the requirements necessary to free trade So start from the center wherever the center is for those countries that are in the wrecks and particularly those wrecks such as ours Sadek which has among some of our members Customs Union like the South African Customs Union we'd need to Remove all the barriers put in the enablers to facilitate free trade beginning in our neighborhood and then going out second is We need to recommit to the financing of critical infrastructure To enable such trade our airports air systems and regulations or Spaces our harbors ports and railway lines and lastly We need to commit as leaders to rapidly and with urgency train reorient put in an agile position Those of our public servants and those in the private sector whose work would include Facilitation of trade to be so postured Thank you Thank you Mr. President I got my turn to the prime minister From a sweatini Prime Minister Lamini Thank you very much chairperson Over and above what the two presidents have shared I think what we need to do as Africa very quickly Is focusing on the implementation Execution of the key frameworks That have been approved by the heads of states at the African Union level But underlying that is embracing technology To make sure that all the solutions and the innovation That we are driving across the continent is informed by technology because technology has has helped the continent to leapfrog if you look at the mobile telecommunications for instance in my country We now have close to 90 percent financial inclusion because we launched the mobile money in 2011 and that's I think it's what we need to focus on very quickly and the other issue which is key is that Africa has a population That makes up 14 percent at the moment in 2050 it's projected to be 20 percent of the world population And what it's unique about it is it's youthful Therefore the important thing for us as a continent is to invest in our young people Make sure that the education systems are aligned and preparing them for the future as well as empowerment of women You know I learned That if you include women in leadership in your team The level of intelligence increases so As a continent we are as inclusive as possible Make sure that our women young people A part of the solution and I think we should be on the right track. Thank you Thank you very much. Madam president Thank you very much He agreed with that what has been said you know when we Created the up the organization of African unity Back in 1963 there is something which has been on the road map since that time and this is integration I think it's high time for us to really move forward in a more forceful way In this integration process We have decided to dedicate one summit for integration and it has started this year I think this is the place where we can reinforce our regional economic commissions We discuss, you know in details how the CFTA which is a huge achievement at the African Union can be cascaded and Be really tangible. We will have actions on the ground. We have to domesticate and so on so it cannot remain just at the AU level or all heads of state level it has to be cascaded in all the countries Domesticated and so on so this Integration process that we have started will have to be really reinforced. This is the one thing I see which is Very important to me moving forward, but at the same time, you know There are other things that will impact this the global trend the the international trend and that Impact on Africa in the 90s. There was a discussion. I don't know exactly which year The af or au where we discussed during you know the fall of the Berlin Wall and so on to see the impact on the continent I think this is also a conversation that we should have especially now Where it is very critical to see how we have to take this continent forward. Thank you Thank you, ma'am. Madam president Now the president of Namibia Well, thank you Others have already covered enough ground And I would like to go by first saying that we must strengthen our government governance architecture by being inclusive in governance Because exclusivity spells conflict Inclusivity spells harmony so at home before we go to other parts of Africa We must have that governance architecture in case then we have that Transparency accountability with great trust Trust in us politicians sometimes is going low So it will be trusted by people again. We must be transparent and accountable Then there are after that Maybe a question of big guys. It will be now the processes systems and institutions So even even if I'm gone the country doesn't fall so that way you leave the processes systems and institutions Then you go to Africa. We have a basis of a way you Which are there to free Africa which I did it has based on the state to state basis now after a you More transformational I'll say but a US or you as transactional the free Africa But a you transform national we have the parliament Trying to come to people I came away from the state to state actions only and then when you involve people Echo so also comes in there where even diaspora is being mentioned so Africa to unite with my strength in our front and then we go out and Implement what we decide on we had all these decisions took about static Economic what is it? Monetary Union dates were set that we went to try to try it. They were in the convent are are we implementing all of them So implementation is the key everything we do Thank you. It's a president president for From session Thank you. Thank you No, I believe we need to deepen The reform that we are we are doing to better Reflect the need For Africa to to how what is Necessary in terms of good governance Transparency Accountability and the rule of law. Thank you Thank you very much To conclude president Thank you my view I mean agreement with my colleagues But I think we as Africa leadership. We must know where we want to go and what we want to achieve Then They must be political will across the board to achieve that objective The AU which is there today is there because The founding fathers said political will to achieve the unification of Africa into one body Going forward It is my view that We need to have Give more attention to inter trade inter development within Africa before we look outside Once we've done that I believe we will have done our best to Average our economies in terms of development But to do so It is necessary in my view that Our institutions of islanding We should have innovation hubs in those institutions so that the young people like those who have been speaking in the morning Can exhibit their talent At those Innovation hubs across the board and then we adapt technologies developed in that manner. I thank you Thank you very much miss mr. President Now deputy secretary general You have see Outside inside view if I may say so what what do you make out of all those statements? Is is Africa really on the track for fast? Stronger pan-African corporation Thank you. Yes, I do. I mean what I'm hearing now from our heads of state and government is that we have the tools So we don't have to reinvent them from the the frameworks of 2063 and the others that are really important to give an enabling environment and that includes bringing that Better coordination and cohesion of the African Union to try to do this together So I think that that has been said clearly also the vehicles have been underscored the wrecks the public and the private sector Public institutions and private Institutions as well. It seems that we are stuck on the implementation There's a commitment to do that But it will not be Africa alone that will be able to deliver on Implementation if we really are saying that multilateralism and international corporation Have a future then Africa also has a right to that international corporation and I see that whether we talk about capacity building Connecting for critical infrastructure the resources for that have to come from within but also the scale at which we have to do That to make the CFTA work will need far more investments the digital Opportunity for leapfrogging also requires investments and so so does the education systems that we have which also have to be Repositioned I mean we need a rebirthing of the the education for the 21st century Implementing youth policies. I think here everyone has said how central young people are especially women To the opportunity for Africa's 2063 agenda, but we have to act on those policies that requires quite a bit of Quite a bit of investment I think here speaking to an international community Governance is always the flag that is raised for Africa and today I think we know that we have a universal governance issue And so this applies both to Africa, but to the rest of the partners that we have throughout the world So it is a universal agenda and a universal obligation and responsibility accountability transparency the inclusive nature of what we want to do and the rule of law I Would end by saying that to have what is missing from here is a Honest and robust conversation with the international financial system and How we are going to address those resources that are needed In a way in which we can do the leapfrogging the investments the realizing The the the opportunities for Africa FDI is required. There is no two ways about that But how do we unlock the resources that we do have and I think that this is this is a conversation that needs to be had Maybe it's not in a forum like this because I think we've had enough conferences about how we're going to finance development Moving from billions to trillions the financial system Some things got a click that unlocks those resources to work for what all intents and purposes We've seen in the UN Africa has ticked all the boxes. You've asked them to tick And I think now we have to find that that opening opening it up on the other side It has been said that we have resources Through a lack of taxation illicit flows For one flow to go out of the continent. It's got a land somewhere And I know that we've had lots of opportunities to say we can see where those resources are Can we begin to return them to invest them in? African development on the continent So the tools are there the vehicles are the will to implement is there But I think the international partnership and cooperation now has to come together to make this work Deputy Secretary General you you mentioned leapfrogging the need to Attract investments and praising the force industry revolution Those are all elements of a successful. I would say economic policy today Necessary for each country in a more and more competitive role So my question my next question to the presidents would be What do you consider? The most the single most important action Which in your opinion still should be taken in order to Generate true sustained Strong growth in your country and you are dressing here. I I would say you are dressing here People who really also is a capital to invest in your country So what do you promise them what you will do as a next step to make sir life's a little bit easier and So I don't have sleepless nights President Ramaphosa what well there are a couple of things that we need to do To make ourselves attractive to potential investors when clearly We need to strengthen governance the institutions in our own countries Need to be strengthened We need to address the problem that has always beset the continent, which is corruption We need to rid our countries of corruption Mal administration and to reposition our countries as countries that can be Attractive to investors having done that we then need to facilitate the ease of doing business Companies must know that they can come to any of our countries on the continent and Find that they are not Bogged down by bureaucratic Processes and they can come and conduct business correct easily and there's a rule of law institutions function But the other important thing is infrastructure Africa is lacking hugely in infrastructure development. So we've got to Improve our infrastructure and this is an area that is going to require Enormous resources But at the same time with smart partnerships that we can strike with various partners We can actually address the infrastructure gap that exists And the other one is to diversify our economies and move away from if you like resource Complex type of base economies just the minerals Complex type of economies and unleash further areas of growth through industrialization Through manufacturing. I think of you know country like ours, South Africa South Africa to a large extent is still based on mineral complex But we've utilized that mineral endowment that we had to develop The in industry in a number of industries and to build a manufacturing base Which we are seeking to revamp now and I guess the rest of the continent also Needs to do that and with that we'll be able to attract foreign direct investment and That's what is needed most as we try to skill young people on our continent as we try to Empower the women on our continent and unleash The power and the energy that resides in that part of our population young people and women to become economically active and lastly I would think small media enterprises need also to be properly Empowered to have access to markets and to have the way of being able to operate And if we can do all of these things Economic development on our continent can really ramp up to a much higher level and I believe that we have the capability to do it the early signs that we have seen now with our continent Being the fastest growing region in the world Means that we have the the way with all to be able to reach for higher levels of growth And what we need finally is partnerships Working partnerships smart partnerships with the rest of the investing world and also Developmental agencies that can come and buttress what we are doing on the continent the future is great It looks very bright for the African continent and if there ever was a time when Africa can definitely be said to be on the rise This is the time so this is Africa century and we want to utilize it to good effect Thank you Mr. President I I'm a foes. I would I would like to Follow up with one question you mentioned at the very beginning of your statement a corruption What is the most important or How what is the best step? to stamp out corruption, but I guess We need to strengthen institutions in our own country. We've been facing a challenge a huge challenge of what we call state capture where certain Business interests working together with a number of other people politicians civil servants captured the state weakened Certain institutions in the country particularly state-owned enterprises and also weakened important institutions such as the tax collection office Such as the prosecutorial office and also in a weekend You know the police service and those were targeted including state-owned enterprises And they were weakened an important thing is to strengthen those But also to ensure that there is accountability That there is consequence management Where those who are found to be guilty of having Participated in corrupt activities There should be consequences and let me immediately say we found that Corrupt activities are not only embarked upon by people in say the state sector. We found that Businesses including including underlying internationally based businesses Who have the the best names in the world the best pedigrees? They also saw a gap and participated in the corruption That we have experience in our country which we are trying to entangle but in our case Importantly we establish commissions of inquiry which are still underway which are just unraveling a lot of Bad things that happened in the past so importantly Governments must be brave enough to countenance the issue of corruption Read their countries of corruption because corruption in the end is Stealing from the poor It is stealing the resources that should ordinarily go to the people of the country and there should be Consequence management. They should be jail time for those who are found to have Participated in corrupt activities and that's it once we can do that The other parts are much easier. We then deal with policy matters and Implement policies that will lead to the benefit of the economy and the ordinary people in a country That to me is the bottom line Thank you You see the support you are getting from the audience President Massisi What is for you the most important element now in strengthening the economy, thank you very much Very briefly, I think it's important in the case of Botswana to Accelerate the reforms that we have begun just over a year ago and Those reforms really revolve around Opening up the economy Ensuring that there's confidence built into it through transparent systems a strengthening of the rule of law and Ensuring that they're quick settlements to disputes quick efficient fair settlement to disputes It's also involves as your reform Opening up opportunity and space for the private sector to participate But because we're a development developing country We need to roll out connectivity. So we have the backbone We want to connect every household every business sooner than yesterday and for that We're training young people and they're going to get themselves jobs to do that So we want to accelerate this We just delayed a little bit because we're campaigning right now, but it'll be over soon And we'll get on with it So after we connect as many people as we can we also want to finance the most promising startups Strategically identified consistent with our priorities that are informed by our comparative advantages knowing what our neighbors do knowing what our partners do and knowing what we do and what we can do best and Finally, we want to Take as many of these young people to market us quickly as efficiently as possible Thank you and We had today a discussion and To have connectivity in your country. We should also look at the distances for Which and I enormous so you have a special a special challenge here in this respect Prime Minister Lamini Thank you, chair My view is that We need to Strengthen leadership. We do need strong Visionary visionary and ethical leadership It makes all the difference You know, Chinua Chebe once said, you know Africa doesn't have a problem with resources It is endowed with all sorts of resources. The problem in this continent is leadership lack of proper leadership, so I think that to me is critical the second thing is a Education That is preparing our young people for the future We are talking about the fourth industrial revolution It is important that the education system should be structured such that it prepares Young people gives them the right skills to compete with the rest of the world In the future. So the review of the education system is very important The other issue is Improving the environment is of doing business Which I think is extremely important and governance has been Highlighted by the presidents and the entrepreneurial culture to be cultivated especially amongst the youth and women and making sure that you know the innovation and the spirit of entrepreneurship is Cultivated in in in our young people and lastly in in the case of the kingdom of Eswatini Our strategy is that we want the economy to be private sector led And government's role should remain that of providing the right environment Right policies and then let the private sector drive and grow the economy. Thank you. Thank you Madame president Sio Pia Thank you very much Well, you know what I agree with what has been said by others it apply to many of our countries Ethiopia is in Huge transformative process. I mean in the last year we have seen many happening So what we need to do is to keep the momentum maybe accelerate in fact and Really sanitize investment environment Enhance the the the role of the private sector which has been really Minimal in the past. This is very important and our institutions have to be strengthened more resilient But I would like to focus on the capacity. I think that's a very important issue when we talk about you know moving this continent forward on education and skill building I think we need to reexamine reinvent Reimagine education on our continent to really Keter for the needs of our population. I think that's very important. We produce graduates which might not be useful for the immediate need of what At least my country needs While doing so it has to be inclusive women and girls Of course and also open up areas which has been really restricted at least in Ethiopia like science for Women, I think with that we can have the capacity that can absorb any You know need of what the country needs. Thank you Thank you very much President can go home Since we are since we are building up on what they have said Value addition to our raw materials industrialization What's one nine? Maybe I have both diamonds and beef. How do we treat? So unless we can add value to our raw materials and then secondly Investors are welcomed. We have given very good conditions just last time but problem of investors or foreigners Who come to Africa is that they come on their own? From now on Africa must tell investors when they come they come on our terms That's what we do If I may follow up with a question, Mr. President, what would you define as your terms? First I will tell you the ad value Let's set up companies to industrialize our country. Why should my diamonds go out in raw form? Why should these things go out? I will tell them. Let's have joint ventures and so on Let's add value here to transfer technology your great jobs otherwise Resources You get a GDP growth, but doesn't great jobs Transfer technology going up to value chain. Yes Now you see you get support very half-hearted You have my support president President for Thank you. Thank you Now when I when I look at our continent today We have 24 countries That are classified as low income 21 are low middle income eight Upper middle income and only one is a high income country This shows that there is an uneven Economic development across our continent what is important, however is for us to pursue the path of macroeconomic and fiscal consolidation We have real challenges But as governments, we need to pursue the path of macroeconomic and fiscal consolidation Where my country is concerned We are now looking at the next frontier of development and this is the blue economy So we have we have investors here attending the world economic Forum I invite you To look at the new ways new areas for us to have partnership So that we can together unlock this huge Economic potential that we have. Thank you Thank you President Thank you very much My country is in a different situation Very unique It is a collapsed economy None of my friends have collapsed economies We have a collapsed currency none of my colleagues have experienced the collapsed currents so We are building a reconstructing that collapsed economy to do so we have to interrogate What we need to do what resources are at our disposal to reconstruct our economy under sanctions We realize that government is not in the business of being in business So it is critically important that we have conversation With the gentlemen ladies this side we have capital But we must create conditions In our jurisdiction where they can thrive where they can feel their capital is surf We must have conditions Which my colleagues have read mentioned the easy and the cost of doing business must be attended to The issue of corruption Should be fought not only by government but by other institutions that the judiciary You may have commitment to fight or eradicate Corruption, but if the institution of judiciary does not support you you not succeed And the definition of corruption have discovered is also difficult in Africa Some activities are classified as corruption when elsewhere they are classified as facilitation So we need also to understand that difference However with regard to Zimbabwe We have committed ourselves to say in the various sub sectors of economy What the programs should we do to modernize? mechanize or Develop that sub sector of the economy if we look at agriculture, which is primary in Zimbabwe We must make sure that each Hector Produces the yields must continue to grow because we cannot grow the land So we must acquire technology to achieve that In the same manner as my colleagues have said say if we look at mining we're endured with many minerals in Zimbabwe We don't need just to export all the minerals those which land themselves to Beneficiation we should look for technology and skills to beneficiate and That cannot come from government, but from the people sitting at this side, but to attract them We must continue to have Conversation with the private sector to find out what they want us to be for them to be comfortable Yes, as government we must look into the issues of women rights But it's the question of creating a Conjusive environment for capital to be attracted into our jurisdiction. It is necessary to know Criteria they would want to see happening or prevalent in the economy and those are the tasks. I think are necessary in my own situation To make available for us again to put it back the economy on the rail and the grow in the modernized. Thank you Thank you Madame or I met well, how would you summarize what you heard? Very very investors friendly. Yeah, this is really that's a tough one I think all our presidents have talked to some of the barriers To foreign direct investment and partnerships happening and what I'm hearing here is that there is a need for While we have leadership That leadership has to happen at all levels and that we have to have the checks and balances in there to address Some of the issues that keep our partners out around governance Hearing over and over again about corruption, which essentially is the symptom of a lack of strong institutions checks and balances. I don't know if Obi is a quaceles in the audience But in my country when we try to address Corruption her setting up of the Bureau of Public Procurement went a long way to sanitizing our system Because that state capture then became something we challenged and while we didn't get it perfectly Certainly it proved we could do it and we could work With with resources in a better way the huge amount of Resources that was freed up to do some of the work we're doing. So I think hearing here is that we still have some more Flexibility to become more efficient and and use existing resources that we have Also hearing that we're the value add that value chain that we speak about is important I think the whole of Development and the value chains have often been spoken link by link rather than the full chain itself That requires quite a bit of investment over time and we're hearing here that perhaps that's something that we also need to strengthen What I what I didn't hear but I will Add to this is that the the context in which we're having to work is is hard Where countries either coming out of a crisis and into a new dawn they need support in the transition And so often the economies are in in a in a in diastrates and and that kind of support as we heard from Zimbabwe What what what is it that Zimbabwe needs to do for us to support that transition the longer you leave the lack Of support for that the more discontent there is in that country and and the risk of Failing and going back the same was so down as we have today. We've crossed into a new dawn where We hope that we will have sustainable development and recover from that era But are we there at the time at which we're needed to support that? So I think there's a lot of frustration about the transitions for that In many governments today across the continent silencing the guns by 2020 Is an aspiration and that aspiration can only happen if the resources that are taken from domestic economies to fund security to fund those conflicts Continue to increase the way they do it's reducing from that domestic Resource space to do development and so there is a as they say a chicken and egg you're making Some very you're making as they say choice those choices. Are you funding your security? Are you funding the health service or education on more water and sanitation? There are some very tough decisions to make and then of course I think here we're all hearing about how we need to invest in what is a huge Dividend for us in terms of the demographics our young people and especially women And that's Thank you we have we have some time left and I'm president I'm a foci you for very Well understood reasons you couldn't join us this morning And I know you addressed the parliament you addressed also young people if I now Just assume all those people here in the room are 20 year old See 20 years old What what would you tell them today about your future? Well, I'll tell them that Many of us sitting here Embarking on the policies Seeking to implement those policies That are made meant to make the world much brighter and the future much brighter for young people We've got the most wonderful dividend which is called a youth dividend on the continent and We need to do everything we can To ensure that what we bequeath to the young people is a future is the continent our countries That they can take forward We will bequeathed the freedom and By by those who came before us and now we now need to bequeath a better future for the young people Therefore we need to Open up opportunities give them good skills training and ensure that we empower Women in our society, especially young women and I was not able to join you this morning because we are dealing with a Special problem in our country of gender-based violence where we've got to address the degradation of the Humanity of women in our country by men and so I had to address that and The two days ago. I saw that in France They are dealing with precisely the exactly the same problem Where they've had up to 125 women killed by men and we are also dealing with it and the young people who had come to Parliament today Wanted us to give them answers to Give them assurance that they are safe that they will be safe in They are in their rooms in their classrooms in the street and all that and that is part of the processes that we've got to get involved in to empower the women in our country to empower the young people and Give them assurance that they have a Future that they can be proud of and a future that they can act out the skills that they are gathering Along the way we are fortunate as a country as I conclude that The educational level we see more and more young women and rolling at our colleges of education Universities tertiary education We've got a greater number of young women coming to the fold like that we did in the past So this is a great dividend that we want to exploit and we now need to deal with all these things that Seek to draw us back like gender-based violence, which we are addressing. So we want to empower young people We want to empower The women of our country especially young women to give them a much better chance for the future Which is what I had to address this morning Mr. President I Think you're your final statement was a good ending of our Session which was characterized by I would say by great realism Recognizing the challenges which you have we all have in the world. I mean Africa is not alone. We we have many challenges and Madame Mohammed could be the best witness for it. We have so many challenges in the world And I think It was not only the realist realism which struck me, but it was also the underlying Optimism so I Think we are all in the same boat. We want to help See I'm speaking now on behalf of three see our members and participants We are in the same boat, and I think what you have told us was very reassuring so please join me in Sanking this extraordinary panel for Sir Frank You