Outgoing African Union chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma
Photo by: Reuters
The outgoing chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, on Wednesday said African leaders needed to do more to counter the negative effects of globalisation.
Opening the 30th Ordinary Council of the AU, Dlamini Zuma said the effects of globalisation were becoming more evident and African leaders needed to counter them through pursing the AU 2063 vision, which seeks to create the “Africa we want”. Agenda 2063 is the AU vision of an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa.
The slump in many world economies has resulted in governments implementing austerity measures that have reduced the privileges of the middle class and social services.
“On the continent too we see a growing number of protests around wages, costs of education and access to resources,” said Dlamini-Zuma, adding that gender equality, support for education and the use of technology could help counter the ills of globalisation.
“We need to unlock the potential of creativity of young people.”
However, she noted that the youth of today were better educated than “any other generation before them”, but opportunities for them remain limited.
Dlamini-Zuma was giving direction to the executive council, which is charged with formulating the agenda for the AU heads of State, whose sessions begin Thursday.
“We are thus making progress, but there are still many challenges,” said Dlamini-Zuma who will relinquish her position as AU commission chairperson during the summit. She said reviving the “African Peer Review” mechanism would also help counter the ills of globalisation.
Dlamini-Zuma also urged the continent’s leaders to “continue on the path of gender equality”.
The 28th AU Summit began on Monday and ends on 31 January.