adminVictoria Ruzvidzo in KIGALI Rwanda
Africa should capitalise on the opportunities presented by the Fourth Industrial Revolution to transform itself into a competitive player on the global stage, the official opening ceremony of the 26th World Economic Forum on Africa heard yesterday. In his address, Rwandan President Paul Kagame said Africa was too blessed to trail other continents in development.“Africa should not be still playing catch-up when the fifth revolution comes around. Africa is a place of opportunity and partnership and should be free of pity and apprehension,” he said.
However, it was critical to note that technology was not a “magic bullet” in itself but a toll for tackling socio-economic challenges faced by the continent.
Digital solutions in financial markets needed to be scaled up while efficient and reliable capital markets were key in accessing funding for growth.
Founder of the Foundation for Community Development Graca Machel said it was crucial that the Fourth Industrial Revolution does not leave anyone behind.
“The third revolution left 50 percent of Africa behind; women. No leader can bring effective development if you do not bring women on board. The energy, knowledge,creativity and leadership skills that women have makes inclusion an imperative.
It was also critical to revolutionise education to achieve results.
“The fact that schools are still teaching the same stuff I learnt when I was still in school decades ago means we are behind. Education must be far ahead of where we are today,” she said.
Her sentiments were also echoed by the by McKinsey and Company Global managing Director Dominic Barton who said the four-year college qualification was not serving Africa well. He stressed that four to six week special courses to get young people into business and the real economy would achieve results.
“If you do not fix the education system you will not live up to the potential of the continent of less than five percent of unemployment,” he said.
President Kagame challenged Africa to rise to the occasion.
“Of course women have been left behind men but we have men of Africa just ahead of women but behind everyone else in the world,” he said.
His sentiments were echoed by the African Development Bank President Dr Akinwumi Ayodeji Adesina who challenged the continent to be more aggressive in its quest to achieve sustainable development.
“We need to revolutionise our continent and create jobs so that we can develop ourselves with pride. We need to leave a development dividend on this continent,” he said.
World Economic Forum head of Africa Elsie Kanza said her vision of Africa as part of the Fourth Industrial Revolution was for the continent to send a team of women to Mars in a spacecraft designed and launched from its own soil, as she illustrated the capacity resident on the continent.
Delegates here are agreed that Africa has what it takes to move forward and what is required is to transform the ideas and strategies into action.
Online Reporter