President Muhammadu Buhari in South Africa listed terrorism, insecurity, poverty, unemployment and underdevelopment as the greatest challenges facing Africa as a continent.
Speaking at the opening session of the 25th assembly of the heads of states and governments of the African Union (AU) holding in that country, Buhari urged African leaders to redouble their effort in sustaining economic development of their countries by empowering the youths.
He said that Nigeria, on its part, will continue to play its part in supporting the African Union Commission and other continental and regional institutions in their efforts to prioritize African development in all sectors of human endeavour.
“It is however clear that some of the greater challenges to our peoples within this Union still lie in the political, economic, as well as peace and security spheres. Our continent is currently bedevilled by the twin evils of terrorism and insecurity, poverty, youth unemployment and underdevelopment,” he said.
“The destructive effects of the inhuman and criminal campaigns of the Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria and neighbouring countries, the Al-Shabab attacks in East Africa, and the activities of the Al-Qaeda in the Maghreb (AQIM) all bear testimony to a continent under siege.
According to him, the stories of African youths getting drowned in the Mediterranean Sea in their desperation to seek better life in Europe “is not only an embarrassment to Africa’s leaders, but dehumanises them. Indeed, they combine to paint a very unfavourable picture of our peoples and countries.”
Buhari told the continent’s leaders present at the summit that they owed it as a duty to reverse the ugly trend and put an end to the push factors that compel young men and women “to throw caution to the winds and risk life, limbs and all on this dangerous adventure.”
“We must redouble our efforts to sustain the economic development of our countries, ensure empowerment of our youths, create more jobs, improve and upgrade our infrastructure, and, above all, continue the enthronement of a regime of democracy, good governance and respect for human rights and rule of law. These and other measures that engender peace and stability must be pursued relentlessly.”
He assured them of Nigeria’s unflinching commitment to the ideals and aspirations of the African Union as explained in the Agenda 2063, which, according to him, “is geared towards ensuring a peaceful, prosperous and integrated Africa in the next 50 years.
“It is for this reason that Nigeria is fully and irrevocably committed to the ECOWAS vision. We do so because we believe that African integration is best attained through the instrumentality of our Regional Economic Communities (RECs) as the building blocks of viable continental institutions.
“The journey might look arduous, but certainly not impossible. There are opportunities in every challenge. If and when we adopt this call for a change of attitude, approach, and disposition towards agreed protocols and commitments, we shall be bequeathing a politically stable, economically developed, and socially harmonious Africa, thereby justifying the confidence reposed in us by our electorate.”
He urged them to always demonstrate their qualities as statesmen and true daughters and sons of Africa.
Being his first address at the AU summit, Buhari, said he was elated to address the gathering barely two weeks after his inauguration as the president of Nigeria.
He stated that Nigeria’s 2015 election, which was adjudged the fairest and most credible in the history of elections in Nigeria, was made possible by the dogged determination of the Nigerian people to deepen their democracy.
He said, “Their quest was amply supported, and even encouraged by the goodwill of our friends and partners in the international community. I therefore wish to seize this opportunity to convey my very deep appreciation to all those who contributed to the success of that election.
“My election has been described as historic. I agree that it is indeed historic because, for the first time in the practice of democracy in my country, an opposition party defeated the ruling party in a keenly contested election.
“The election was also held against the backdrop of the fears and concerns expressed both in Nigeria and among our international friends abroad and partners that the outcome of the election could spell doom for Nigeria.
“I am glad that even though those fears and concerns were not without basis, the outcome was totally different, to the relief of all of us,” he said.
Buhari reiterated his commendation of the very positive role played by his predecessor, former President Goodluck Jonathan, in averting the feared crisis and in facilitating the peaceful transition of power.
Source: Leadership
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