Africa: External Political Manipulations Stifle Africa's Economic Growth -
Kagame
1 November 2012
President Paul Kagame has said that there is ample evidence that external
political manipulations stifle economic growth in Africa.
He said this while officiating at the 7th African Economic Conference on
Tuesday. The conference is taking place in Kigali.
According to President Kagame, African economies operate in both national
and international political contexts which have a huge impact on choices
countries make and the outcomes thereof.
He elaborated that it is also clear that in Rwanda and other developing
countries, development is not driven by local politics alone.
"Although the agenda is Rwanda-driven and led, the outcomes are often the
result of partnership with development partners. This means that development
outcomes are partly dependent on external factors that are sometimes
unpredictable and not rational or logical, and therefore we are not in full
control.
In fact, there is ample evidence that external political manipulations can
stifle, and do stifle economic growth. I don't want to believe that this is
what is intended."
He pointed out that if development in African nations depended on the advice
of economists alone, the countries would have made tremendous progress:
"In Rwanda, we understand that politics and economics go hand in hand and we
have made a conscious and deliberate choice of inclusive development based
on our political reality. By and large, they have produced positive results.
Growth has been consistent and poverty levels considerably reduced like in
the last five years by 12 percent-from 56.9% to 44% in five years."
In his speech, Dr. Donald Kaberuka, the African Development Bank President
said that it is expected that the conference will come up with additional
strategies for long term solutions for the world economic crisis, as the
situation has led to each country looking at fixing their immediate
problems.
He advised that African nations should start looking for internal solutions
to finance their own development as well as learning from what has gone
wrong globally in designing their own strategies.
Helen Clark, the UNDP administrator said that in spite of the uncertain time
in which we live in today, with the recent past marked by crisis after
crisis, the conference is gathering with the conviction that the people of
Africa would rise to the challenge.
Clark warned that deliberate policy measures and targets and investment are
need to not only make growth fast but also inclusive and sustainable because
the 'rising tide is capable of rocking every boat in the harbour.
The African Economic Conference (AEC), which is also being attended by
former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo and former Prime Minister of
Sao Tome and Principe, Joaquim Rafael Branco is the most comprehensive event
held each year on Africa's economy and development.
It discusses macroeconomic prospects, as well as trade and finance and
development policy in a global context.
It provides a platform for experts on Africa, both within and outside the
continent, to reflect and dialogue on new directions for growth policy on
the continent in order to determine the best approaches to attain the
Millennium Development Goals, achieve the objectives of NEPAD and accelerate
Africa's sustainable development.
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Received on Thu Nov 01 2012 - 19:58:54 EDT
