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Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development Minister, Charles Milupi, has urged African nations to focus on self-reliance and regional integration, stressing that the continent must take charge of its own development rather than depending on external partners.
Speaking during at a third Infrastructure financing in Africa summit in Angola on Tuesday, Milupi said Africa’s slow pace of intra-continental trade would persist unless countries deliberately harnessed their collective market potential and vast natural resources.
“Without this, we shall continue talking about low levels of intra-African trade,” he said. “Other continents such as America and Europe are becoming increasingly self-interested, focusing on protecting their own priorities. Africa must now realise that no one else will look after its interests — we have to look after ourselves.”
He emphasised that Africa, with a market of over 1.3 billion people and abundant resources, possesses the capacity to produce and manufacture for its own needs.
He cited Zambia’s approach as an example of how nations can reposition themselves for greater participation in regional and global value chains.
“In Zambia, we have embarked on a programme to open up our country. We now describe ourselves as land-linked, not landlocked, because our focus is on using our central location to connect with neighbouring countries and stimulate trade,” he said.
Milupi noted that the traditional trend of Africans seeking opportunities abroad was slowly changing, as more governments and entrepreneurs began investing in domestic industries and regional markets.
“For many years, people have looked to foreign countries for better opportunities, but this will change,” he said, adding, “We are realising that genuine progress will come from building Africa ourselves.”
Minister identified three key indicators that would determine the success of the ongoing conference and the broader continental agenda.
“First, we must see the development of infrastructure corridors that connect different parts of Africa. That would be a major success,” he explained.
He added that progress on reforming the global financial architecture would also be critical, noting that the African Union had appointed the presidents of Mozambique, Kenya, and Ghana to spearhead discussions on the issue.
“The third measure of success,” he said, “is ensuring Africa moves away from being a supplier of raw materials to focusing on value addition. In Zambia, we are promoting downstream processing to create jobs, increase revenue, and strengthen our economy.”
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