A former President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma, has urged countries on the continent to come together to chart a sustainable path to development and prosperity for their citizens.
“I do not think there is a continent that has suffered more than Africa; the time has come for Africa to stand on its own,” he said.
The former President was delivering a lecture at the 2025 University of Professional Studies (UPSA) Accra annual leadership lecture series in Accra yesterday, on the theme: “The geopolitics and geo-economics of de-dollarisation: BRICS currency strategy, lessons for Africa’s common currency and beyond.”
Present at the event were Former President John Agyekum Kufuor, and the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, among others.
The lecture series was established in 2017, to provide a platform for national and global discussions on challenges and issues that cut across humanity.
Some notable personalities who have delivered the lecture in the past were Former President Kufuor, the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Cardinal Peter Kwodwo Turkson, Kwame Pianim and Lord Boateng.
Integration
Mr Zuma further said that there must be economic and political integration of Africa to facilitate growth.
He said the continent should resist any form of neo colonialism and outside influences which constantly sought to pitch countries against each other and people against themselves as a means to exploit resources.
“The problem is that our enemies know how to buy our own people and make them protect their interest. We must, therefore, stand together and prevent influences that make us to start wars, making us fight one other and become enemies so that in such divisions, we can be exploited.” the former President added.
He lauded Ghana for the critical role the country played in the liberation struggle against colonialism, adding “Dr Kwame Nkrumah was an honest man who wanted the best for this continent.
Challenges
Mr Zuma acknowledged the difficulties African countries faced in trading and doing business among themselves, which he largely attributed to an economic model designed during the colonial era.
He said the current world economic order had not also taken into consideration the peculiar needs of African countries despite the enormous natural resources on the continent being unfairly harness by the rest of the world.
The former President, therefore, called on African countries to be resolute, integrate their economics and pursue policies that would move people out of poverty.
He encouraged them not to shy away from joining economic groupings such as BRICS to help shape their economies.
Mr Zuma recounted how he was instrumental in the formation of BRICS and the challenges he and the other leaders who formed the group faced, including attempts to undermine their leadership and countries.
“BRICS is the future for Africa. It is a critical system in changing the economic fortunes of developing countries. We have modelled our economies to serve other countries, but we have not had any substantial benefit. It is time to look elsewhere,” he added.
Significance
The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, described the lecture as a critical platform to help shape national and global discourse to address some of the challenges facing the nation and the world at large.
The Chancellor of UPSA, Dr KK Sarpong, also said that Africans must learn to take their destinies into their own hands and not become spectators.
“We must be architects of our own destiny and become a continent that trade on its own terms, supported by robust institutions, with a common resolve,” he said.
Source: GraphicOnline