Africa Needs to Focus on Realizing Agenda 2063 to Ensure Peace, Prosperity in Continent: Ambassador

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Addis Ababa,  February 7/2022 /ENA/ Africa needs to focus on accomplishing the goals of the Agenda 2063 to have peaceful, integrated and prosperous Africa, Ambassador of Angola to Ethiopia said.

Agenda 2063 is one of the grand development programs of the African Union that aspires a prosperous Africa based on inclusive growth and sustainable development by integrating the continent on the ideals of Pan-Africanism.

It is a strategic framework for the socioeconomic transformation of the continent over the next 50 years that builds on and seeks to accelerate the implementation of past and existing continental initiatives for growth and sustainable development.

In an exclusive Interview with ENA, Ambassador Francisco José da Cruz said Africans are making progress. "It is a long road that we need to remain focused and be proud of what we have accomplished so far."

“We are at the right direction,” he said, adding what is important is to re-engage every day and try to do more based on our experience, especially trying more than ever to work together for the common good and mutual benefit.

“We need to be focused on accomplishing the goals of the Agenda 2063 to have peaceful, integrated and prosperous Africa. That is why we need to make an effort working together. By doing so we will be able to mitigate any attempt from outside which intends to undermine our unity and stability,” the ambassador underscored.

Furthermore, the ambassador noted that Africa definitely needs to address the challenges of peace and security in the continent.

“We definitely need to address the challenges of peace and security in the continent. We are very concerned on the expansion of terrorism, extremism and number of unconstitutional change of governments taking place in the continent,” he stated.

All these are challenges of peace and stability that are against the values of democracy, political diversity and inclusion that need to be addressed, according to the ambassador.

Africans have demonstrated their strength during the fight against COVID-19 in collaboration, the ambassador said " that is a good example that when we work together we can accomplish even the biggest challenges." 

He further stated “It is important for us to find not only our own solutions but also have our resources. And that is why we need to overcome the shortage of vaccines by starting manufacturing our own vaccine.”

On other hand, Ambassador Jose Da Cruz pointed out that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is a very important initiative to realizing economic integration in the continent.

Ethiopian News Agency
2023