Buhari lists impediments to Africa’s regional integration

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari has identified corruption and internal conflicts within the African region as the major challenges that should be tackled in a bid to actualize the sixty-year dream of a regionally integrated Africa.
Buhati said this at Africa’s Presidential roundtable tagged “the next sixty years in Africa: Looking for Wins” held at Intare Conference Arena, in the Rwandan city of Kagali.
This is as the President stated that knowledge economy, artificial intelligence and delivery of ideas as well as serene policy environment have been identified as answers to Africa’s quest for development.
Buhari, who was represented at the occasion by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Jusitce, Abubakar Malami, said, “To my mind, I think there are major issues that constitute hindrance to Africa’s integration despite having in place a policy environment that will allow integration in Africa.
“I find the issue of corruption and prevailing conflict as serious set-back militating against the development and integration of Africa.
Conflict and corruption within the region hinder policy environment and delivery of ideas”, he said.
The President charged African Union and stakeholders in the development of Africa to vigorously pursue the processes of surmounting the challenges posed by corruption and internal conflict for a regionally integrated Africa and the next 60 years Africa envisaged.
On the issue of corruption, President Muhammadu Buhari said, “ if you are talking of infrastructure, a development project that might cost $1b to execute may end up consuming much more resources arising from multiplicity of chain of corruption with the result not having been timely achieved and quality compromised.
“What are we doing to address these challenges? I think these are the major components that constitute impediment to the realization of issues related to the delivery of ideas, knowledge economy couple with infrastructural development.
“We must never underrate the negative effects of corruption and the prevailing conflict situation that are prevalent within Africa,” he said.
Speaking on the same issues, the Chairman of African Union, Moussa Faki Mahamat said although there is no conflict between sovereign African states, internal wrangling within the region characterized by political unrest, insecurity, insurgencies and militancy must be addressed in order to “silence the gun” in the region.
Mahamat decried that over $50b were embezzled in Africa due to corrupt practices, the amount which, he said, was much bigger than combined international aids that the African continent received across the globe. He, therefore, charge Africans to have vision, commitment and conviction for the region will prosper to a greater level.
The Africa Union High Representative for Infrastructure Development in Africa, Raila Amolo Odinga said for “African Lion” to challenge the Asian Tigers, in addition to thinking of going to the moon should also think of going to the next galaxy.
According to Odinga, the region must improve its integration approaches, have unified currency, improved implementation of political and economic policies.
In his contribution, Mr. Felix Tshisekedi, the President Republic of Congo said the development of the region could be taken step-by-step.
The President said he was determined for development of individual Congolese who will develop themselves to develop their country that will pave the way for the regional integration and development of the entire African continent.
Vera Songwe, the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission in Africa, emphasized the importance of African Continental Trade Agreement (ACFTA) improvement of doing business, protection of local industries, addressing competition policies, intellectual property right, e-commerce, peace, governance and leadership in Africa.
Speaking on the development, the hosting President, Paul Kagame of the Republic of Rwanda stressed the need for the African leaders to envisage an African that is accountable to the people of Africa and for the development of Africans.
He highlighted the various ramifications of free trade, African integration, uses of technology progress, peaceful, fight against poverty, continental prosperity and good governance.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Nation Media Group Dr. Wilfred David Kibro, the organizers of the event said the decision to host the programme was informed by the numerous issues in the African continent including youth expulsion in the region, climate change, water scarcity, infrastructural development, boarder, peace and security.