The President of Nigeria Bola Ahmed Tinubu has warned against continued exploitation of African resources by foreign elements.
"The world we inhabit is often unkind and uncertain. Past history and current global difficulties argue against our future success,’’ Tinubu said in a speech at a summit of African leaders in the Kenyan capital Nairobi on Sunday.
The remarks by the Nigerian leader come at a time world powers continue to compete for influence in Africa with some analysts saying such keen global interest in the continent is mainly driven by economic ambitions given its huge resources.
Tinubu, the leader of Africa's largest economy and most populous country, condemned the notion of a ‘’new scramble for Africa,’’ urging countries in the continent to unite and work together for common good.
‘’Past plundering and exploitation of the continent should remain in the past and never be repeated,’’ a statement from his office quoted him as saying.
Africa's fate
He stressed the need for Africa to overcome its challenges and ‘’work towards a prosperous future, focusing on inclusive growth, good governance, and leveraging the opportunities provided by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).’’
‘’Our nations can suddenly find themselves in dire situations if we choose to be passive observers of our fate,’’ he added. ‘’Some observers assert a new scramble for Africa is afoot and it is much like the old scramble that plundered our continent,’’ he said.
''But, here and now, let it be said to whomever the new scramblers might be that our continent may be old but our spirit is new. And it is strong. The bad that took place in the past must stay there. It shall never be repeated,'' he warned.
The summit in Kenya was held to accelerate the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) aimed at removing trade barriers, facilitating free movement of goods and services and boosting economies within the continent.
'Pains and anguish'
African countries began officially trading under AfCFTA in January 2021. Trade between African nations accounts for around 10% of the 55-nation continent's total commerce, a ratio that has been in gradual decline over the past decade and which compares unfavourably to 25% in southeast Asia.
''We cannot integrate Africa and attain the prosperity we seek while our nearby brothers and sisters suffer in pain and anguish, they should not suffer,’’ President Tinubu suggested.
He said if African countries fail to pursue a common goal, ‘’we risk the creation of two or more Africa, one a select group of nations moving steadily while the rest remain trapped in the age-old mire of poverty, conflict and lack of hope.’’
Kenya's President William Ruto called for reforms to make the African Union more autonomous. “We must free the AU from constraints so that it can pursue urgent and critical interventions in the continent using internally-generated resources,” said Ruto.
