President Mahama calls for common front to overcome poverty and disease in Africa

President John Mahama has urged African countries to come together in their common struggle to overcome disease and poverty on the continent.

“I fully recognize how intimately bound the fortunes of my country are with those of our entire continent. Our struggle to overcome poverty, disease and illiteracy, is a common one whose success is dependent on the solidarity that exists between us,” he said.

President Mahama was addressing the 20th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Sunday January 27, 2013.

“With Africa’s vast human and material resources as well as unprecedented access to technology, there is no reason why we cannot succeed if only we could muster the political will and seize the moment,” he said.

He offered Ghana’s support to the newly elected AU Commission Chairperson, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.

On the Mali crisis, President Mahama said Ghana fully supports the ongoing international intervention and trusts it will lead to a speedy resolution of the crisis and the full recovery of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of that country.

“We cannot remain entrapped in the grim episodes of our past. Nor must we allow our future to be overshadowed by the dire situations that persist in places such as Somalia, eastern DR Congo and lately Mali among others,” he said.

He urged African leaders to recapture the same spirit of selflessness and patriotism that brought the continent out of colonial domination, “I have no doubt that the dreams that inspired the heroic pioneers of independence and development will surely materialize in a generation,” he said.

In her welcome address, AUC Chairperson, Dr. Dlamini-Zuma expressed optimism that Africa’s time has arrived and the continent can achieve its dream within 50 years or even less.

She justified her optimism on the fact that  six of the world’s ten fastest growing economies are African, and the continent has been growing at an average of 5% per annum for over a decade, despite the global financial and economic crisis.

“We have a growing, vibrant, resourceful and youthful population, who are being equipped with critical skills that would be necessary to drive Africa’s transformation,” she said.

According to her, the ICT revolution has been embraced by Africans particularly, the youth, which has spurred innovative approaches to information, microfinance and the mobilization of rural producers via the mobile telephone.

She indicated that the expansion of Africa’s middle class, estimated at 355 million, is bound to spur developments in a range of areas, including the growth of the private sector and knowledge economy.

The 20th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government under the theme “Pan-Africanism and African Renaissance.” will end Monday January 28, 2013.

By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia