‘Africa is too rich to be poor’ – Akufo-Addo

President Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo says the African continent is too endowed to be in need, considering the natural and human resources it can boast of.

The President says he has never been confident of the continent’s readiness to realise its six-decade dream of having a united Africa than now.

Speaking at the opening of the second edition of the Africa Prosperity Dialogues at Peduase in the Eastern region Thursday, January 25, 2024, President Akufo-Addo noted that Africa has everything it needs to power itself into a global powerhouse in the future with all the resources at its disposal.

“We all know that Africa is blessed, Africa is not a poor continent, in fact she is too rich to be poor. A continent that has every natural resource imaginable; oil, gas, minerals and an abundance of sunlight. We have some 65 per cent of all arable land available to feed 9 billion people globally by 2030 and our continent is filled with the most youthful population in the world –everything we need to transform Africa into a global powerhouse of the future,”

According to President Akufo-Addo, “I’m now encouraged that Africa now has a private sector that is ready, deliberate and eager to see that the 60-year-old dream of the United Africa manifests. The difference perhaps, of the then and today is that the focus is on an area where there can be no debate –economic integration. How we facilitate the free movement of people, goods and services across this vast and resourceful mass Africa is what we must devote our energies to.”

President Akufo-Addo’s optimism about the continent’s ability this time around stems from the private sector’s readiness for economic cooperation through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

He called on all to contribute towards the dream of building a stronger Africa, both collectively and individually, whilst expressing the privilege to host the dialogue.

“We must therefore remind ourselves, consistently of the prospects she has in our individual and collective responsibility, to turn prospects into productivity that can generate prosperity for our people.

“I’m excited, I’m proud once again that I’ve had the privilege to host the Africa Prosperity Dialogue; an excellent initiative aimed at facilitating understanding, dialogue, and commitment to the African Continental Free Trade Area Initiative,” he said.