The United Nations Resident Coordinator in Uganda, Rosa Malango, has urged to accept and love their identity if they develop themselves in the competitive world.
“We need Africans to work together to come up with their own solutions,” she said there is need to tackle issues like; barriers to trade, how everyone can work together as well as how African people can contribute to the sustainable development goals.
She added: “I think the critical thing is to understand where you come from, we need to do research on why the things we have done in the past haven’t worked. I think this is the right time for emerging leaders to come up with new solutions & move forward with them.”
Ms Malango was speaking at the Africa Now Summit co-chaired by President Museveni alongside other Heads of State and key business leaders on the continent at Commonwealth Resort hotel in Munyonyo.
Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) Executive Director, Allen Kagina, said most countries in Africa have prioritised infrastructure because it’s the backbone of development.
“I’m here to learn. The integration of Africa is something Africa requires and needs right now; I’m here to be part of what will be history.” She said every single sector requires investment but infrastructure is a priority.
I don’t think every age group should be pointing fingers at each other, we are all responsible for the growth and development of Africa, she said.
According to Kagina, the integration of Africa is something Africa requires and needs right now for the young generation.
Former Makerere Chancellor Prof. Mondo Kagonyera said conferences of this nature are important as they bring together people of different backgrounds, experiences and intellect come together to exchange views.
He said such people they are likely to identify the actual problems facing Africa and now they can be solved.
Africa today is completely different, the population has changed but some aspects of our lives haven’t, we still have high child mortality rates and diseases,” he said.
He said some of the problems have been solved while others haven’t. Much has been achieved but more is yet to be done.
“Lack of awareness is a very big contributor to failure to look after our families. The most challenging thing about Africa is our lack of knowledge, we’re always behind when it comes to knowledge, we need to catch up with the rest of the world,” he said.
Speaking at the function President Yoweri Museveni emphasised the role of regional integration in Africa, saying that it is the most viable way of promoting trade among countries as big populations create markets for goods and services.
The summit happening Tuesday and Wednesday is organized by the Africa Strategic Leadership Centre and aims to harness the interminable energy of the African youth in forging a secure, integrated and growing Africa.
In addition, it seeks to build effective Youth-Business Alliances, which are critical for growing economies, generating opportunities to address youth employment, building and sustaining innovation and knowledge-based economies and building the future of Africa, now!
Speaking at the summit Tony Elumelu, the founder of Tony Elumelu Foundation said Africa needs leaders who value life and have no sense of entitlement. “Leaders who embrace the reality in deed and action,” he said, adding that the common people as well as the private sector can help transform Africa.