Frank Dixon Mugyenyi, Senior Industry Advisor, Dept of Trade & Industry of the African Union Commission comments on interactions with the Canada-Africa Chamber of Business Africa Accelerating II October series of events

 

Thank you so much for giving AUC an opportunity to participate in these very important forums. It is AUC's commitment, especially the new administration, to move Africa in the new horizons and we have quite ambitious agendas such as the Agenda 2063, the Continental Free Trade Area, the Africa Mining Vision, Infrastructure Corridors, Science Technology and Innovation, Accelerating Industrialisation, and Human Skills Development just to mention but a few.

 

The Last Chairperson of the African Union Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma once asked us why Africa cannot dream or dare to dream? Why Africa should not be ambitious? However, we cannot achieve the 'African Dream'  without genuine partnerships with the Private Sector and other key stakeholders and allies both in and outside Africa.

 

The Dispora will play a crucial role in building the African Dream. Katherine Johnson an Afro-American Mathematician helped NASA put its first ship on the moon!!! Canada is one of Africa's key and genuine allies. It has a diverse community. It has built herself into a stable and developed country in the last 150 years. Africa on the other hand is only 50 years old. The Canada-Africa Partnership can push Africa to achieve its ambitions in the next 50 years. This is possible because of the opportunity of readily available technology that wasn't there 50 years ego.  Africa can take a GIANT LEAP if it can optimally benefit from its abundant resources - both human and natural.