UN, NY mayor trumpet Africa as next big thing in global business
As the United Nations General Assembly High-Level week proceeded last week, the idea of Africa as the next business frontier of the world resounded with glaring ardour.
Besides the speeches of many African leaders at the ongoing General Debate, it was the speeches of both the NY Mayor, African American Eric Adams and UN’s Amina Mohammed that fired the imagination of many that Thursday night dinner in New York and certainly many more who would review the event.
The Mayor, a leading politician here in the USA, said Africa must take charge of its present situation by seizing the moment to position itself as the cornerstone of the world’s future.
“We must through self-determination ensure that the natural resources of Africa will never again be exploited. We have our solutions. It is not about the brain drain of the continent that once regained academic standards. We must use the academic knowledge that we got from prestigious institutions to go in and build Africa and make it what we want,” the Mayor charged.
Speaking next right after what was a beautiful dinner was the UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed, who said Africans anywhere in the world possess real power irrespective of their demography.
She acknowledged among others the unique role Nigerians & Africans were playing globally. She herself is a representation of that fact.
“Africans in this room today, whether they are of African descent or diaspora,… the real power is in Africa,” said Mohammed.
Speaking on the theme, she then observed that indeed “we are only unstoppable when we own everything; the good, the bad & the ugly and whatever needs to be done we do it as leaders, we need you to step up.”
According to her, Africa is blessed with the best brains who can develop the continent, especially with the women’s power, “We are not talking about numbers, we are talking about brains, we are talking about the capacity to sit in a room and to discuss with other men.”
In all, it was an evening of hope, fun, and yet one offering a serious anticipation of what the future holds for Africa in our world. #UNGA
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