AFRICAN LEADERSHIP MAGAZINE - APRIL 2022 EDITION

www.africanleadershipmagazine.co.uk

Afric n Leadership Promoting African dignity & opportunities globally

APRIL 2022

LIBERIA’S BICENTENNIAL Chronicling 200 Years of Resilience & Forward Thinking

US - AFRICA TRADE RELATIONS A stock taking of Biden’s Administration

THE POWER OF SERVICE AU Youth Volunteer Corps in Focus

WAMKELE MENE Secretary General, African Continental Free Trade Area

Africa's Chief Trade Diplomat

Contents 15. UK Supports Making Africa The Largest Trading Bloc In The World 18. Liberia's Bicentennial Celebrations Launch A Year Of Change

34. The Legacy of Dr. Amos Claudius Sawyer A Life Dedicated To Building A Liberia of One Citizen, One Vote 38. Creating Food Security While Fighting Climate Change Within Nigeria's Environment

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43. Sweating Your Way To Fitness - And A Healthy Environment 45. The Future of NIGERIA through the MSMEs

48. Poverty Alleviation In Africa A Realistic Goal With Huge Potentials 50. Africa's Exchanges In New Push To Raise Boardroom Gender Parity 52. Economic Diversification In Africa How And Why It Matters 54. Small & Medium Enterprises Africa's Tool For Realising SDG 8

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56. Ukraine/Russia Conflict Possible Effects On Africa 60. US – Africa Trade Relations a Stock Taking Of Biden's Administration 65. “Mozambique Holds The Key to Southern Africa's Clean Energy Transition” 69. The Power of Service AU Youth Volunteer Corps (AU-YVC) In Focus

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27. Remarks By Special Assistant To U.S President, Dana Banks At Liberia Bicentennial Launch

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...A Publication of The African Leadership Organization

Ken Giami Founder & Executive Chairman

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Group Managing Editor - Kingsley Okeke editor@africanleadership.co.uk Editor - Kembet Bolton kembet@africanleadeship.co.uk Associate Editor - Arvy Nahar aknahar@africanleadership.co.uk Head of Creatives - Joseph Akuboh A. Editorial Board Peter Burdin, London UK - Chair Nwandi Lawson, Atlanta USA - Member Simon Kolawole, Lagos Nigeria - Member Peter Ndoro, SABC EditorJohannesburg - Member Frenny Jowi, Nairobi Kenya - Member Brig. Gen. SK Usman Rtd., Abuja Nigeria - Member David Morgan, Washington DC USA - Member

Furo Giami - Chief Operating Officer / Executive Director Boma Benjy - Iwuoha - Group Head, Finance & Administration Sasha Caton - Manager, UK & European Operations Ehis Ayere - Group Head, Sales & Business Development Izuchukwu Samuel Ukandu - Manager, Client Relations & Partnerships Amana Alkali - Executive Assistant to the Chairman Samuel M. Elaikwu - Manager, Sales & Business Developments Happy Benson - Director of Operations North America Christy Ebong - Head, Research & Admin - North America Stanley Emeruem - Business Development Managers Muna Jallow - West African Rep for The Gambia and Senegal Oluwatoyin Oyekanmi - Head, South African Bureau Bernard Adeka - Head, Nigeria SS/SE

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...Identifying, Celebrating & Enabling Excellence in Africa

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FROM THE CHAIRMANʼS DESK

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WHY AFRO-POSITIVISM & AFRO-OPTIMISM MATTER From 'the hopeless continent' to 'the poor continent' and several negative appellatives in between, Africa has continued to bear the impact and stigma of negative stereotyping. This negativity has spurned a narrative that impacts on the volume of FDI inflows into the continent, intra African trade, and even a basic understanding of Africa as a continent and not a single country as some non-Africans still think - with its diversity, cultures, languages and differences.

Hence, the average non-African, who is not an active participant in Africa matters, most likely has a skewed, inaccurate and often negative perceptions and image of the continent.

However, there is another side to the story of Africa, an amazing continent rich in its history, music, art, and both human and natural resources. According to a UN report, the world's most youthful continent, with 70% of the population of subSaharan Africa under the age of 30, the story of African progress, innovation, courage, and achievement is the pedestal on which Afro-positivism and Afro-optimism rest.

J AwNw. w Ua AfRrYi c2a 0n2l e2a d e r s h i p m a g a z i n e . c o . u k

Afro-positivism as a concept was first used by a Congolese author Sony Tabou Tansi, describing it as a movement totally different from and opposite to Afro-pessimism. Afro-pessimism, simply put, has long since referred to a psychological bias that pushes most Africans and people of African descent to think that their continent positions its people to construct and build garbage economies in the depths of the cruellest, unbearable forms of indignity that humans can endure (Wilderson 2010). Afro-optimism, on the other hand, emphasises Africa's modernity, exudes positivity, inspires action, and celebrates 'Africanness' or African solutions, uniqueness and progress.

As more Africans continue to make unquestionable contributions to world peace and development and lead innovations in various sectors, including science, technology, and the arts, a subtle change of narrative is happening - galvanising the 'Afro-optimism movement'. This can be seen with

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FROM THE CHAIRMANʼS DESK

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Africa being home to up to 6 of the fastest-growing economies in the world, and greater global engagements with Africa reflected in several Africa summits over the last ten years, such as the US-Africa Summit, UK-Africa Conference, China Africa Forum and the list goes on. Hence, Africa and its leaders must deliberately design programs and encourage campaigns that underline optimism and positivism in the continent's future - in spite of the challenges we still face and grapple with. Initiatives such as #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou movement must be encouraged both at the individual and trans-national levels to drive Afro-optimism.

I do believe Afro-optimism and Afro-positivism are by no means a denial of the lived experience of most Africans, who still deal with acute cases of poverty, poor access to basic healthcare and the many other challenges we are all too familiar with.

However, it is an expression of the possibilities and convictions of our past heroes that Africa can truly and fully lead itself someday and also lead the world. It is a conviction hinged on the belief that human beings could alter their circumstances by their individual choices and commitment to doing the work needed to back up those choices.

Africa is the future, and that future is now. Africa can truly lead the world someday.

To this extent, among several others, three key reasons why Afropositivism and Afro-optimism matter and should be encouraged are listed below: 1. Afro positivism inspires action.

My work and passion over the last two decades, which has focused on identifying, celebrating and enabling achievements in Africa, points to how celebrating outstanding achievements and leadership on the continent is good for humanity, and especially for Africa; as it has the potential to create a ripple effect in the society by inspiring others to take action towards serving humanity for the greater good of all.

Indeed, the inspiring example and impact that one truly effective action transmits is really powerful and gamechanging, not just for the ordinary

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citizens but also for African and global leadership. As the Singaporean leader, Lee Kuan Yew, mentioned in his book, From third world to first, "honesty and effective government, public order and personal security does not come about as the natural course of events, but as the products of visionary, ethical and competent leadership" (and action I should say). Such actions, especially when led by leaders, become notable points of reference for what is possible and also inspire a whole generation of upcoming leaders to go on to solve some of humanity's biggest problems in the future.

2. It has the ability to rally the African diaspora. Africa is Rising, and there is indeed a resurgent Africa arising from today's global challenges to emerge as the last growth frontier, and its diaspora must play a leading role in that emergence. Africans in the diaspora need to understand that they play a vital role in representing their African roots and in the popularisation of their 'Africanness'. African immigrant communities around the world must harness their intellectual capabilities, expert world views, strategic relationships, industry experience and skills to Fastrack or leapfrog economic development and progress on the continent. Governments and political leaders on the continent must back their Afro-optimist campaigns with enabling environments and benefit systems that encourage the African diaspora's contributions by replicating as much as possible the circumstances the diaspora members were operating in before coming back to Africa. And the returning diaspora members must

be willing to make sacrifices for the development of the motherland.

3. It would boost inward bound foreign direct investments and tourism.

Globalisation makes a case for increasingly growing international trade, information technology, interconnectedness and outsourced manufacturing. Africa can only catch up with industrialised nations through economic expansion and interaction.

The stories we tell must be positive and optimist in nature while staying balanced and true to attract the much needed investments that will drive innovations, jobs creation and a better life for the African people. This narrative will also boost tourism and revamp the struggling multi-billion tourism industry on the continent.

There are many beautiful tourist sites in Africa, ranging from Lions Head in South Africa, Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe and Zambia, the Omo River Region in Ethiopia, and Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. Through tourism, we can begin to showcase some of the unique culture, music and food to the world all instruments of soft power.

In conclusion, as the saying goes, if you don't tell your story, someone else will tell it for you in ways that may undermine you. Therefore, it is time to tell the African story through Afropositivist and Afro-optimist lenses, for the Africa we want to see is the stories we need to sell.

I do believe Afro-optimism and Afro-positivism are by no means a denial of the lived experience of most Africans, who still deal with acute cases of poverty, poor access to basic healthcare and the many other challenges we are all too familiar with

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WHAT NOTABLE LEADERS ARE SAYING ABOUT

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H. E. JOHN MAHAMA FMR. PRESIDENT OF GHANA

H.E. MRS AMEEN GURIB-FAKIM FMR. PRESIDENT OF MAURITIUS

DR GOODLUCK JONATHAN FMR. PRESIDENT OF NIGERIA

“It is always an honour to be in the company of such distinguished fellow Africans, that the African Leadership Magazine events bring together Africans who have committed their lives to changing the negative narrative about our continent.”

“It is very gratifying that we now have an organization like African Leadership Magazine, which endeavors to promote good governance and impactful leadership in Africa - bring the best of Africa to the global stages.”

“African Leadership Magazine has become a brand for Africa and I am pleased to be associated with it. especially because of the caliber of African Leaders on itʼs board.”

H.E. JOHN KUFOUR FMR. PRESIDENT OF GHANA

H.E. JAMES A MICHEL FMR. PRESIDENT OF SEYCHELLES

FMR. PRESIDENT OF SIERRA LEONE

“I believe people are more important than power and anything that promotes good people and leadership is what we need in Africa, and that is what African Leadership Magazine is doing.”

“I wish to express my sincere thanks and deep appreciation to the African Leadership Magazine for the work that it is doing on the continent, and especially in advancing the cause of small Islands Developing states, Any effor t aimed at increasing the visibility of the good work being done by leadership in Africa does positively impact on the continent and that is what the African Leadership Magazine is doing.”

“I am delighted to be associated with the sterling work that the African Leadership Magazine is doing on the continent. Democratic governance is the elephant in the room, and the continent needs to reaccess its governance systems. The agenda on global sustainable development shows that Africans are lagging behind. Africa will need to reinvent its governance system with its youth growing population.”

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H.E. ERNEST BAI KOROMA

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WHAT NOTABLE LEADERS ARE SAYING ABOUT

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MRS. ELLEN JOHNSON - SIRLEAF Nobel Peace Prize Winner & Fmr. President, Republic Of Liberia

H.E JAKAYA KIKWETE Fmr. President Of Tanzania

H.E DAVID MABUZA Deputy President Republic Of South Africa

“I feel deeply honored to be associated with the African Leadership Magazine as it is a veritable platform to honor true service in Africa. I commend your effor ts and assure you of my continued support and the support of the good people of Liberia.”

“African Leadership Magazine is doing a wonderful job of speaking for Africa and Africans. The magazine remain a good example of what young people in Africa can do in the world. Best wishes in keeping the African dream alive.”

“It is an honour to participate at this African Leadership Magazine's 2020 Ceremony, and I commend the m a g a z i n e's f o c u s t o r e s h a p e positively, the dominant narratives about the African continent, especially towards the pursuit of peace-building and democracy on the continent”.

DR. AKINWUMI ADESINA President, African Development Bank

DR. MO IBRAHIM Founder, Mo Ibrahim Foundation

MO DEWJI Tanzania Businessman & Philanthropist

“I thank you so much, African Leadership Magazine for the great work that you are doing for the continent. Your tradition of awarding excellence as I have seen in the line up of African Leaders who have received the African Leadership Awards, is something ver y commendable”

“The future of African people and improving the quality of Leadership on the African continent is my vision and I find in African Leadership Magazine - a true partner. I am also happy that the African Leadership Awards is doing at a lower level, what I intend to achieve at the Head of State level. That is why I flew to Paris just to be a part of what you are doing here at the African Leadership Magazine”.

“The African Leadership Awards truly captures the essence of my message which is that, success shouldnʼt be solely defined by wealth. It should be about the positive impact and influence that one has had in his community.”

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EDITORʼS NOTE

The average non-African, who is not an active participant in Africa matters, most likely has a skewed, inaccurate and often negative perceptions and image of the continent. In the publisher's porch, Dr Ken Giami explains why Afro-positivism and Afro-optimism matter in changing this skewed narrative, don't skip it.

It was both humbling and exciting when I was announced as the new editor for the African Leadership magazine.

My journalism journey, prior to this time, has been almost exclusively inspired by women, and focused on gender related issues, which had always mattered dearly to me. My first bosses were also driven women, who passionately pursued their objectives despite any limitations. With the backing of such women, most of whom you will read about soon, I have written and edited many articles that have inspired some action and progress on African women empowerment and development issues – for which I have always been proud of and content with.

Here, however, I have now been saddled with the very important task of editing not just the stories of women but mold the opinions and perceptions of all peoples and gender towards my beloved continent, "AFRICA". I therefore consider this opportunity one of the greatest honour of my life to shine the spotlight on the opportunities, beauty and achievements of Africa in all its ramifications. I look forward to sharing the very exciting stories of fortitude, resilience and triumphs that exemplify today Africa. With your support, we will continue to promote African dignity and opportunities globally, in a way it inspires action and progress on the continent. This is my promise to you, and you can count on that.

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Every African has wondered about what motivated our forefathers to break the chains of bondage and slavery to seek a land where they could experience the benefits of freedom irrespective of colour, creed or religion. You will find that of Liberia in the segment, LIBERIA BICENTENNIALChronicling 200 years of Resilience and Forward Thinking.

The story of Liberia in 2022 would not be complete without a tribute to the consummate African Statesman and former interim President, Amos Sawyer, who gained his wings this year.

This edition contains many other interesting reads on Economy, Trade, Health, Gender, and Youth Leadership. The stories in this issue matter to me, and I hope they will matter to you too. It needs engaged readers through which the stories come alive. And I hope when you're reading them, you'll forget all about me and this note, which I will take to mean I have done my job.

As I present to you the April edition, I promise, from now on, to be an editor who NOTES!

Kembet Bolton

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In this edition, we are focusing on the stories of the defining moments in the history of countries like Liberia, distinguished Africans like HE Wamkele Mene, and issues that matter to the economic development of our continent.

I first read about Wamkele Mene two years ago when Dr Ngozi Okonjo – Iweala was nominated as Director-General of the World Trade Organisation. I embarked on research on the WTO and its African representation, and the name popped up. I have followed him and his work since then.

Hence our cover story on Wamkele Mene, Africa's Chief Trade Diplomat, is definitely a page-turner in this edition.

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AFRICA'S CHIEF TRADE DIPLOMAT

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Secretary General, African Continental Free Trade Area The AfCFTA initiative is widely considered to be a potential game-changer in terms of Africa's economic fortunes. The Secretary General Wamkele Mene spoke to African Leadership's Stephen Williams in this exclusive interview.

Mr Secretary General: Thank you very much for talking to African Leadership magazine. Could we ask you about your background before you became the SecretaryGeneral of the AfCFTA? Before answering your question, I will like to thank the African Leadership magazine for this opportunity and your work over the past decade or so, as it were, “telling the African story from an African perspective”.

This is an exciting time in Africa and an opportunity of a lifetime to make Africa work for Africans.

Today, African countries trade more with the rest of the world than themselves. Only up to about 18% of all trade on the continent occurs between African countries.

In Europe, about 70% of trade happens within the continent, while in North America and Asia it's about 54% and 51% respectively.

This is a major source of concern for a continent with about 17% of the world population but accounts for only 2.1% of world trade and 2.9% of world GDP. The AfCFTA presents an opportunity to accelerate intra-African trade and use trade more effectively as an engine for growth and sustainable development to create more jobs and more economic opportunities for the

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citizens. Therefore, the AfCFTA is about the 1.3 billion Africans and their livelihoods.

I bring to my job, as Secretary-General of the largest free trade area in the world since the formation of the World Trade Organization, by a number of participating countries, extensive knowledge of trade issues in Africa, including trade policy and diplomacy; trade representation; government to government representation; as well as investment and resolution of investment disputes.

I am a trade diplomat, and before my election by the 33rd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union to the position of Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, I served as Chief Director: Africa Economic Relations, at the Department of Trade and Industry of South Africa.

As Chief Director: Africa Economic Relations, I was South Africa's chief trade negotiator in the AfCFTA and Tripartite Free Trade Area negotiations. Interestingly, South Africa ratified both the AfCFTA and Tripartite Free Trade Area agreements during my tenure as chief negotiator.

Prior to that, from 2010 until 2015, I represented

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South Africa at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Geneva, Switzerland. During my posting to the WTO, I was elected by over 130 governments to the Chairman of the Committee on International Trade in Financial Services (2013-2014), a committee comprising trade negotiators, financial regulators and financial policymakers from over 160 countries.

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Before joining the government, I worked for the law firms Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP in London and Milbank and Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP in Hong Kong. I have written and lectured internationally on international trade law, investment law, and business law.

I am conscious of the high expectations Africans have of this secretariat. With the continued support and cooperation of the member states, development partners and all Africans - at home or in the diaspora, this agreement would be successfully implemented.

Achieving consensus among 54 African countries, enabling the launch of the AfCFTA, is a considerable achievement.

What were the main challenges you encountered?

While concluding a continent-wide agreement among all 55 countries is no small accomplishment, we are mindful that the AfCFTA's success depends on its practical implementation, which requires support and buy-in from AU member countries as state actors or non-state actors.

Fortunately, the AfCFTA has enjoyed unprecedented high political will supporting the agreement.

Looking back to the time when the AfCFTA was established in March 2018, with 44 countries as signatories to the Agreement, clearly significant progress has been achieved.

Today, we have 54 signatories, implying that all but one of the African Union member states have signed the Agreement. Impressively, 42 of these countries have deposited their instruments of ratification, making them state parties to the agreement, thus, providing their consent to be bound by the agreement and accept and implement the obligations agreed on as state parties.

This makes the AfCFTA agreement the fastest instrument to be ratified in the African Union, demonstrating our Heads of State's political will and commitment to the market integration and AfCFTA project.

Though there were delays by some countries, some of the big countries, in signing, but their decision did not reject the agreement. Instead, some needed time to consult with key stakeholders in their countries, such as labour unions, the manufacturer's associations, and other players in the private sector.

As secretariat, we understand and appreciate that trade agreements are complex and technical. Thus, countries tend to take a lot of time to deliberate on the implications and obligations.

However, we continue to engage and provide the

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needed support, where necessary, to ensure that all countries sign and ratify the agreement to have the AfCFTA operating at total capacity to yield maximum benefits.

I am greatly encouraged that irrespective of the concerns that may have existed, our countries have responded positively to the continent's economic development challenges and focused on seizing the opportunities presented by the AfCFTA to embrace inclusiveness and mutual benefits to promote shared development.

What role did the RECs play in reaching this historic agreement?

The success chalked so far in the operationalisation of the AfCFTA can be attributed to drawing on the expertise and experience of all key stakeholders, including Africa's Regional Economic Communities (RECs).

Although the AfCFTA negotiations and processes are Member States-driven, the RECs provided a common basis for negotiating positions taken by member states and provided technical backup and coordination of their negotiating positions.

To ensure institutional coherence, the REC Secretariats' representatives participated in the negotiation process through the continental task force. As secretariat, we have now formalised our relationship with the REC Secretariats through a memorandum of understanding.

It may be recalled that the AfCFTA Agreement explicitly recognises the RECs as building blocks for the AfCFTA, and thus, they will continue to play a central role in the implementation of the AfCFTA. It is expected that while the AfCFTA provides the overarching framework for trade among African states, RECs' institutions, instruments and mechanisms will continue to be leveraged to back the implementation of the AfCFTA to ensure harmonisation of regional customs practises within the continent.

As we all know, each of Africa's RECs has a dominant economy – such as SADC and South Africa; ECOWAS and Nigeria; COMESA and Egypt et al. Did this fact raise significant problems, and if so, how were they overcome?

Secretary-General: Not at all. The RECs in Africa consist of countries that recognise the importance of regional economic integration in their development and, as such, to a very large extent, see the value in collaboration rather than in brinkmanship. Of course, some big economies have become regional trading hubs, having leveraged the alliances they established through their RECs. The big countries can positively affect progress and slow down regional integration processes. And there have been instances of both influences in the RECs in the past.

But I can say that our experience has been that most of the dominant economies have been the driving force in rallying their relatively smaller partners in the RECs to advance the AfCFTA. And, it seems to me that in recent years, the size of a

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economic model has, effectively, forced the demise of African industry. We need to dismantle it, and we are in the process of doing that.

country or its economy is no longer the only indicator of influence on the continent or in the REC's. Small states or medium-sized countries can also positively influence big issues on the continent. And there are clear examples I am sure you are aware of.

For regional and continental progress to occur, we need to bring on board all countries, and the more developed, larger economies on the continent will have to lead by example. I am sure they are committed to that, as demonstrated by the progress made in the AfCFTA processes so far.

Can you summarise what potential benefits will accrue to Africa with the implementation of the AfCFTA? Studies have shown that over the long term, if the agreement is fully implemented, it will result in significant benefits to the member states and to the continent as a whole, with the biggest gains stemming from reductions in nontariff barriers and trade facilitation at borders.

The World Bank, for example, estimates that by 2035, real income gains from full implementation of the agreement could be 7%, or nearly $450 billion, in part, by reducing import tariffs, but more importantly by eliminating nontariff barriers (NTBs).

Furthermore, the estimates show that the volume of total exports could increase by nearly a third by 2035 relative to a scenario

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with no trade agreement. In particular, the AfCFTA would bolster intra-regional trade, which is low compared to the rest of the world due to specialization in primary commodities and substantial trade barriers between African countries.

Under the AfCFTA, intra-continental manufacturing exports are estimated to post the largest gains.

In contrast, the projected gains for services are more modest.

While acknowledging the benefits to be gained from the AfCFTA, it is worth noting that these benefits will not accrue automatically to Member States. It will require each Member State to develop a National Programme of Action in order to harness the benefits of the AfCFTA. Such programmes must be mainstreamed into national development strategies.

How will the AfCFTA stimulate Africa's greater industrialisation?

As you may know, the role Africa has been playing in the international division of labour is primarily that of the provider of raw materials to power the industrial development and prosperity of other regions of the world.

Our strategy for industrialisation is based on developing priority regional value chains, leveraging our demographic dividend.

Our focus is thus, to develop and strengthen regional value chains to offer member states an opportunity to use regional advantages to boost competitiveness, diversify product supply, and export products with higher value added.

In this regard, we have, in collaboration with partners, developed strategies, for promoting industrialisation in Africa through regional value chains.

In partnership with the MasterCard Foundation, we have launched a Private Sector Strategy focusing on four initial priority sectors or value chains, namely agro-processing, automotive, pharmaceuticals, and transportation and logistics for quick wins, based on the potential for import substitution and existing production capabilities on the continent.

Our common reality is that we are largely exporters of raw materials to East Asia, Europe, and North America; and importers of value-added manufactured goods and services.

It is estimated that the designed interventions in these value-chains will add over US$11 billion annually in production and over US$5 billion annually in intra-Africa trade – more than double the current contribution of these value-chains to intra-Africa trade. This increase in production and trade could create over 700,000 jobs, 55% of which will be for women and youth.

We import too much from the rest of the world; and this colonial

Sectors identified for future interventions include horticulture,

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If for nothing, the Covid pandemic has underscored the importance of Africa accelerating industrial development, selfsufficiency and the establishment of regional value chains across the continent. And we intend to make a success of our private sector strategy to boost industrialisation in Africa.

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textiles, financial services, telecommunications, and Information Technology (IT).

failed to upend the momentum of the AfCFTA, which is highly commendable.

If successfully implemented, this will help us achieve quality growth, boost structural transformation, and strengthen our resilience. This will accelerate the pace of poverty reduction, narrow income gaps, and create more decent and productive jobs, especially for the youth, as well as mitigate the impact of external economic shocks, such as sharp declines in the prices of oil and other commodities.

Therefore, in a nutshell, we could say that although the pandemic caused a delay, it has not thwarted our efforts toward the realization of the AfCFTA.

How seriously did the COVID-19 pandemic impact the AfCFTA's progress?

The pandemic has had a very severe impact on the operations of the Secretariat. For starters, my election coincided with the start of the pandemic, and I spent the first seven-and-a-half months of my tenure in a lockdown situation. We were not able to do much. Some 42 countries in Africa were in a full or partial lockdown. But we kept pushing, and we have made appreciable progress.

The physical constraints imposed by the lockdowns made the negotiation and due diligence more difficult for our negotiators, but we literally embraced technology to make things possible to maintain the momentum we had built.

And after the Covid-19 induced delay of six months, trading under the AfCFTA preferences was eventually launched in January 2021, although negotiations are still ongoing with rules of origin yet to be finalised for few key sectors, such as clothing and textiles, constituting about 12 percent of tariff lines.

It may be fair to say that it is likely that more progress on the AfCFTA may have been made without the pandemic-related distractions. And it speaks to the perseverance of African leadership and commitment to transformative economic policies that such a crisis

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In a way, it rather gave the process added impetus to redouble our efforts and seriously look at our industrial development strategy from an implementation standpoint and to really fast track the execution of this agreement.

Africa is overly reliant on the export of primary commodities, and over reliant on global supply chains.

This is the opportunity to dismantle the colonial economic model and build the Africa we want.

What sort of reaction has there been from the international community to the AfCFTA initiative?

It has generally been positive and supportive. As you may know, the agreement has the potential to transform African economies and significantly raise the continent's share of global trade while strengthening its bargaining power in international trade negotiations.

Indeed, research studies and reports have all pointed to the agreement's significant and positive development impact within Africa and beyond.

Accordingly, the agreement has attracted a great deal of attention and interest within the international development community, including the World Bank, World Trade Organisation, International Monetary Fund, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, and the African Export–Import Bank.

Would you care to make any further comments?

As a result of the breakthrough we have made with the improvement in the negotiations of the rules of origin to a high threshold of 87.7% of product lines, we are now able to start trading under the AfCFTA in earnest.

Therefore, our ambition now is to see commercially meaningful trading taking place in “Made in Africa” products across the length and breadth of our continent to create jobs and economic opportunities for Africans, especially women and the youth.

This year, we have also concluded the protocols on Investment, Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs), Competition Policy, Digital Trade, and Women and Youth in Trade. Our main goal is to move toward the second phase of the implementation of the agreement.

As the Secretary-General, I am committed to ensuring that the AfCFTA is effectively implemented such that there is shared and inclusive economic growth.

My focus is on young Africans and women in trade as segments of society that we must bring with us to benefit from the implementation of this agreement. It would have failed if it had benefited only the big multinational corporations in Africa. We are, therefore, taking concrete steps to ensure that women and young Africans are at the heart of the implementation of the AfCFTA.

The international development community has pledged and, indeed, supported the AfCFTA processes in diverse ways, from the launch of negotiations in June 2015 to date. Let me use this medium to express our deepest appreciation to all the development partners for their support and engagement.

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UK Supports Making Africa THE LARGEST TRADING BLOC IN THE WORLD

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HE Wamkele Mene, AFCTA Boss & Lord Dolar Popat

Africa today, as we know it, following the combination of lessons learnt from the outbreak of Covid-19 and the roll out of the AFCFTA, should not… and will not be the same again. We have seen decades where nothing much happens… and we have seen weeks where decades happen.

For far too long, the UK has seen Africa with band aid lens.

But this should stop and it is beginning to. The key is what lens you wear. It is time to look at Africa from a different perspective. It is time to come back to Africa, especially as w w w. a f r i c a n l e a d e r s h i p m a g a z i n e . c o . u k

the Africa Continental Free Trade Area begins to achieve its objectives.

Post Covid-19, the next 10 years are going to be the best for Africa. With Brexit done…time to look at new opportunities available in Africa is now. Africa is a land of great potential, and the continent has always held a special place for me, having been born in Uganda and now a member of Parliament and Her Majesty's Trade Envoy to

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DRC, Rwanda, and Uganda.

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I am delighted that the UK government has decided to commit up to £35m to support negotiations and implementation of African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA). I am working closely with TEMA (Trade Mark East Africa) to ensure the success of this programme and have held discussion with its CEO, Frank Matserat, Ken Giami, CEO African Leadership Organization, and several other African Business leaders on this very important subject.

This ambitious pact has been signed by 41 of Africa's 54 countries, thereby ensuring a three percent extra GDP growth. This pact was much needed in the light of the fact that UK's trade with Africa which was 30 percent not so long ago has shrunk to less than four percent. It is estimated that by 2035, AFCFTA will be able to lift an additional 30 million people above extreme poverty and increase intra Africa exports by 81 percent thereby raising wages by 10 percent. For UK businesses, the trade bloc will remove market access barriers by creating a single largest continental market of 1.3 billion people, making it easier and more cost effective for UK businesses to export goods and services across the 54 AFCFTA member states.

Recently, UK's Deputy Trade Commissioner to Africa, Alistair Long and myself hosted His Excellency Wamkele Mene, Secretary General, AFCFTA in London. I have held meetings with Mr. Mene who was formerly the Director of International Trade Laws at the Department of Trade and Industry to iron out the fine lines to realize the benefits of AFCFTA coming from lower tariffs, which involves working with the continent's trade negotiators

to agree on rules of origin.

Inter-regional trades within the continent make up 18% of Africa's export, far lower than the 59% in Asia, and 69% in Europe, indicating an absence of regional value chains and challenges of cross border trade.

The AFCFTA will not only allow better movement of people, trade, and investments, it will help expand trade within the region, through better coordination of trade across the regional blocs and Africa as a whole. It will lead to the reduction in tariffs between Nigeria, Uganda, South Africa, and Ghana as markets of key interest to many African countries. I am glad the president of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni, President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa, and other African leaders appreciate this effort.

The sub-regional trade blocs on the continent, like the EAC can have the opportunity to maximize AFCFTA trade opportunities. EAC partners can strategically use government procurement to spur manufacturing capacity of

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Theo Clarke, UK Member of Parliament, Alastair Long, UK Trade Commissioner to Africa, and HE Wamkele Mene

companies, identity and address impediments to market access where applicable and include provisions in the FTA negotiations to mitigate them in the future.

In a volatile and changing world of geopolitics, the UK, through AFCFTA, can continue to work as a strategic partner in making it the world's largest trading Bloc and creating new opportunities for businesses across Africa and the UK. It cannot be ignored that Africa's 54 countries cover a landmass that is larger than China, USA, Western Europe, Japan and India combined. By 2050, more than a quarter of the world's population will be African and the continent has the largest middle-class in the world. With a very large young population. As the world's largest free trade area, the AFCFTA has the potential to boost Africa's economic growth

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by driving industrialization, generating jobs, and delivering prosperity across the continent. If implemented fully, the trade pact could increase Africa's income by $450bn, or 7%, while increasing GDP growth by up to 3.5 percentage points under some scenarios (Brookings Institute).

Despite accounting for 17 percent of the world's population, Africa has only three percent of global GDP. But with sustained structural reforms, one can envisage Africa emulating China's rapid rise over the past 50 years, and McKinsey has estimated that by 2025 there will be approximately $5.6 trillion in African business. And, as the UK Prime Minister's trade envoy to the DRC, Rwanda and Uganda, I am confident that the success of AFCFTA will open Africa, deservedly, to major trade benefits.

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www.africanleadershipmagazine.co.uk

Afric n Leadership promoting African dignity & opportunities globally

LIBERIA:

A YEAR OF CHANGE

Chronicling 200 Years of Resilience & Forward-thinking

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LIBERIA'S BICENTENNIAL CELEBRATIONS LAUNCH A YEAR OF CHANGE

By Peter Burdin

Liberia's year-long Bicentennial celebrations are a moment to take stock of the West African country's future as well as reflect on the past two hundred years since it became Africa's oldest Republic.

That future is currently in the hands of the former international footballer and local hero George Weah whose Presidency is now well into its second half with his pro-poor agenda still needing to score a few more goals to deliver the victory he needs to secure re-election in next year's polls.

President Weah is confident of success. Launching a year of celebrations to mark Liberia's Bicentennial of freedom he celebrated Liberia's progress in the twenty years since the end of the civil war in which a quarter of a million Liberians died.

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At the national stadium where he used to delight supporters with his footballing skills, he told the massive crowd that Liberians must now embrace unity and reconciliation: "I believe that our forefathers can look down on today's Liberia with pride and satisfaction, seeing that their dreams have not only been realised, but that their vision has also been sustained".

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Those forefathers arrived from America in 1822 as Africans freed from slavery were offered the opportunity to begin new lives on the continent. The liberated slaves arrived in Providence Island, now the capital Monrovia as part of a mission by the American Colonisation Society.

They went on to create the Republic of Liberia in 1847 making Liberia the oldest republic on the continent.

The United States has maintained close ties with Liberia ever since and the Bicentennial celebrations were attended by President Joe Biden's Special Assistant and Senior Director for Africa Dana Banks. She acknowledged what she called those "deep historical ties" but told the crowd that Liberia still has work to do to address levels of corruption which she said continued to plague the country: "We bring this up as your friends who are eager to help. Corruption subverts economic opportunity and exacerbates inequality. It eats away at the democracy you have worked so hard to build. It robs you of the healthy business environment we all know Liberia could have, which would lift countless Liberians out of poverty".

President George Weah was elected in 2017 on a populist pro-poor agenda designed to tackle the poverty that Dana Banks referred to. In common with the rest of the world his government's ambitions have been disrupted

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by the Covid-19 crisis. Ahead of next year's elections, the government is busy trying to recover from the pandemic and deliver on its promises to the poor.

This year's budget has seen a firm response to addressing those promises with an 11.3% increase in spending of health to build back a more resilient health care system, and a 12.3% increase in education for a country in which 52% of the population are still illiterate.

President Weah is now presiding over a booming economy. GDP growth is currently at 3.6% and is projected to grow to 4.7% this year. In addition, the IMF has launched a four-year aid programme worth $214 million, and President Weah will use the opportunity of the Bicentennial to host an investment summit to raise foreign direct investment. A new Tourism Board has been set up and several infrastructure projects across roads and electrification have been announced. Perhaps this will unlock his desire to divert state resources to his largely poor constituency.

As a man who grew up in one of Liberia's poorest slums, President Weah is painfully aware of the importance of education. When he first ran for office against his predecessor Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf he was accused of not having sufficient education to be a President. So he went to DeVry University in Florida in the US to study for a degree in Business Administration. Now he's keen to improve the educational opportunities for Liberia's youth.

He's scrapped tuition fees in state universities and says he's making the most significant investment in secondary education since the 1970s.

President Weah announced a $47 million grant from the World Bank to help build new schools and help with new teacher training and textbooks. He aims to renovate

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Should President Weah ever need a reminder of what education can achieve, he should perhaps make a visit down the road from his residence to the LEAD-Monrovia Football Academy which takes boys and girls from mainly poor backgrounds and gives them a good education, hot meals and football training.

The Academy was co-founded by a young American called William Smith in 2015 after he was inspired by his participation in President Weah's Liberian Peace and Reconciliation football match. Smith's vision was to create a school that combined high-quality education with elite football coaching.

LEAD-Monrovia Academy now has 63 girls and 98 boys in residence. Each of them receives a breakfast, lessons in life skills and academic classes in the morning and football coaching in the afternoon. On Saturdays they attend sessions with prominent young leaders who are making a change in their communities.

On the pitch, the Academy is doing President Weah and Liberia proud with many of its students representing their country. That includes 15-year-old Blessing Kiah and five other girls from the Academy who now play for Liberia's Under-17 national team. Blessing scored a hattrick on her debut when her team scored a 9-0 victory over Niger. She has also led the Academy team to victory in the Target USA Cup in Minnesota, the first time a Liberian women's team has ever won a tournament outside of Liberia.

"My passion for peace work began at the age of thirteen when I was asked to present a radio programme called Golden Kids News. I began to get involved in peace advocacy. I realised that disarming the fighters was just one aspect of peace, to achieve genuine peace requires reconciliation among the various groups" Now Gwendolyn works with ex-combatants as a mediator and conducts coaching and mentorship programmes for girls in urban slums just like the one President Weah grew up in. She travels around the Liberia and the world giving speeches on peace and security matters, including making an address to the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission.

The Messengers of Peace and LEAD-Monrovia Football Academy are both examples of a new vibrant Liberia dedicated to trying to give young Liberians a better future.

It's a far cry from the life chances of those who returned to Liberia from America two hundred years ago.

But what of the present? Can President Weah and his government be part of this future?

As he approaches next year's election, President Weah is aware that he's under pressure and faces criticism of his performance in office. His government has been accused of being soft on corruption and sometimes failing to deliver on its promises. Weah rejects those accusations and says that he's used to such pressure from his days as one of the world's most successful footballers: "Remember I was a performer. I played in front of 100,000 people. If I played bad, they laughed at me, they booed me, but with all the boos, I still became the winner of the Ballon d'Or…so anything you say to tarnish my reputation-even though I'm doing well, you are wasting

Not all the Academy's pupils will follow in President Weah's footsteps and forge professional careers. That's not the point – the Academy's mission is to prepare talented boys and girls to lead positive change in Liberia.

Another Liberian change-maker is Gwendolyn Myers, who founded and still runs Liberia's Messengers of Peace organisation which is an internationally recognised mission to promote peace and security through getting young people to volunteer in their communities. Gwendolyn now manages over a thousand volunteer peace messengers in over twenty peace clubs in schools and vulnerable communities. She also hosts a month-long Peace Summer Camp for 75 vulnerable young people.

The United States has maintained close ties with Liberia ever since and the Bicentennial celebrations were attended by President Joe Biden's Special Assistant and Senior Director for Africa Dana Banks

Messengers Of Peace was born out of the horrors of Liberia's Civil War in which a quarter of a million people

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That includes the education of young girls who currently suffer high dropout rates from school. What's government intends to provide scholarships for 3,000 girls covering uniforms and textbooks as well as registration fees.

"My mother told me that when I was born, she could not even afford a blanket to wrap me. A midwife was kind enough to assist with a cloth. Those were trying times for my family.

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"We must train our teachers so that they themselves will be able to train the minds of our youths", says Weah.

were killed. Gwendolyn was born in 1990 a year after the civil war began and was only thirteen when it ended in 2003:

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Liberians – growing up in a slum in the capital Monrovia, becoming one of the world's most famous football stars and then going back to school and university afterwards to finish his education before winning the presidency".

President Weah often uses that status to give advice to his young supporters. He has built a church for his family and and sometimes he can be found preaching there. Paye-Layleh tells the story that one New Year's Eve he invited his cabinet to hear him preach:

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"Dressed in white robes, he told the congregation at Forky Jlaleh Family Fellowship Church that God has given each and every person a talent they can use for their own benefit".

And using an analogy from the world of football he warned his cabinet that serving in his government was like being in a football team: "When you are on the pitch playing you should know there are others sitting on the substitutes' bench ready to replace you at any time".

According to Paye-Layleh this remark brought cheers from the congregation, but it was an acknowledgement of the pressure the government is under to deliver. your time".

Weah grew up in Clara Town, one of Liberia's poorest slum communities. Although it is only a thirty-minute drive away from the Executive Mansion where he now lives, it's a world apart from the plush football stadiums of Milan, Paris and Chelsea where he used to ply his trade as a professional footballer. Clara Town is an overcrowded settlement built on a swamp and riddled with disease. His supporters relish the fact that he overcame this poverty to become an international football icon.

His footballing talent was already well known in Liberia when he was spotted by the legendary coach Arsene Wenger who took him to Europe to play for AS Monaco in 1988. Weah went on to play at the highest level of the game with top European clubs like Paris St Germain when he was named FIFA Footballer of the Year, AC Milan where he won two league titles, Chelsea where he won the FA Cup, Manchester City and Olympique Marseille. He was also voted African Footballer of the Year on three occasions for good measure.

When he retired from his playing career in 2003 to go into politics, his fans saw him play a final match for the Liberian national team as he finally hung up his famous Number 14 shirt. But that magical number still resonates in Liberia. There's a Number 14 hospital, a Number 14 school and so on.

According to the BBC's highly regarded correspondent in Liberia Jonathan Paye-Layleh Weah's career has made him a role model:

For now, Liberia is a country that has shown great resilience. It has survived a brutal civil war, an ebola outbreak and the covid pandemic and now it can enjoy its year-long Bicentennial celebrations and look forward to a new future.

Liberia is two hundred years old and as it's football-star President glances across at the substitutes' bench, it's quite clear that he's intent on staying on the pitch a little longer and is keen to score a few more goals. He may

President Weah is now presiding over a booming economy. GDP growth is currently at 3.6% and is projected to grow to 4.7% this year

"It's easy to see that President Weah is a role model for many young

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REMARKS BY HIS EXCELLENCY

DR. GEORGE M. WEAH PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA

ON THE OCCASION MARKING THE OFFICIAL LAUNCH OF THE BICENTENNIAL COMMEMORATION OF THE FOUNDING OF THE REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA 1822 TO 2022 AT THE SAMUEL KANYON DOE SPORTS COMPLEX PAYNESVILLE, MONTSERRADO COUNTY Her Excellency Madam Clar Marie Decontee Weah, First Lady of the Republic of Liberia; Her Excellency Chief Dr. Jewel Howard-Taylor; Vice President of the Republic of Liberia; His Excellency Adama Barrow, President of the Republic of Gambia, His Excellency Mohamed Bazoum, President of the Republic of Niger, His Excellency Julius Maada Bio, President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, His Excellency Faure Gnassingbe, President of the Republic of Togo, His Excellency Yemi Osinbajo, Vice President of the Federal Republic of

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Nigeria, Her Excellency Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Former President of the Republic of Liberia; Ambassador Joseph N. Boakai, Former Vice President of the Republic of Liberia; Honorable Dr. Bhofal Chambers, Speaker and Members of the House of Representatives; Honorable Albert T. Chie, President Pro-Tempore and Members of the Liberian Senate; His Honor Francis S. Korkpor, Chief Justice, and Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of Liberia, and Members of the Judiciary; Honorable Dana Banks, Special Assistant to the

President and Senior Director for Africa at the National Security Council and Head of a Special Delegation representing Mr. Joseph R. Biden, Jr., President of the United States of America, to the Bicentennial Celebrations, and Members of the delegation; the Dean and Members of the Cabinet; the Chief of Staff and the Gallant Men and Women of the Armed Forces of Liberia, and other Members of the Security Apparatus; former Officials of Government; the Doyen and Members of the Diplomatic and Consular Corps; the

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Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General; Heads of International Organizations; Heads and Members of Political Parties; Heads and Members of Civil Society Organizations; Presidents, Chairpersons, and Members of Youth and Student Groups; Presidents and Chairpersons of Women's Organizations; Members of the Business Community, especially Market Women and Men; Yana Boys and Girls; Bus and Taxi drivers; KehKeh and Pen-Pen riders; and Wheelbarrow operators; Disadvantaged and Physically Challenged Citizens; Heads and Members of Religious Institutions, Prelates, and Members of the Clergy; Chief Zanzan Karwor, Chairman of the Council of Chiefs of Liberia, and other Chiefs, Elders, and Traditional Leaders; Heads of Educational and Banking Institutions; Members of the Fourth Estate; Distinguished Guests; Fellow Liberians; Ladies and Gentlemen: I stand here before you today as a proud Liberian. I am happy to have this golden opportunity to serve our country at this particular time as President of the oldest African Republic, standing on the shoulders of all of my predecessors who have led Liberia throughout these past 200 years. This is the legacy that has been passed on to me to maintain and sustain, this shared heritage of millions of people over the years, and over the world, who proudly and uniquely call themselves “Liberians”.

Our shared history is uncommonly unique and exceptional.

Today we celebrate 200 years since we first began the journey to become a sovereign state, eventually to become the first African country to be established as an independent Nation. Such a unique occasion should give us reason to reflect on where and how far we have come as a People. Let me use this occasion to thank the Almighty God for his blessings and mercy in bringing us thus far as a resilient, committed, reconciled and peaceful nation.

As we recollect, review and reexamine these first two hundred years, we cannot help but wonder

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what motivated our forefathers to break the chains of bondage and slavery in order to seek a land where they could experience the benefits of freedom irrespective of color, creed or religion.

This converging of people from various backgrounds and localities eventually led to the founding of the country that we all now know and love as the Republic of Liberia. Today, as descendants of these diverse groups of people, we are all citizens of Liberia, with a common national identity. This commemoration must therefore bring us closer together, and strengthen our national unity, even as we recognize and celebrate our diversity. I believe that our Founding Fathers were in search of a Land of Liberty and Freedom, which would serve as a home and a safe haven for all its citizens, regardless of tribe or creed or religion, and as a place where they could exercise and enjoy their inherent and inalienable human rights without obstruction.

Wherever their souls may lie today in peaceful repose, I believe that our forefathers can look down on today's Liberia with pride and satisfaction, seeing that their dreams have not only been realized, but that their vision has also been sustained.

AND GENTLEMEN, the official theme for these Bicentennial Celebrations, as selected by the National Bicentennial Steering Committee, is “National Unity and Reconciliation”.

National Unity and Reconciliation is the foundation upon which we must build the New Liberia. It must become the imperative agenda of all current and future national development policies. The projects and programs emanating from these policies should focus on eliminating all forms of discrimination and exclusion in Liberia. This is our only option for survival and continuity as a holistic and inclusive body politic, even as we strive to recover from the devastation and division that characterized our recent civil conflict.

We must focus on promoting unity amongst all Liberians, wherever they may reside, and encourage all to make meaningful contributions to the nation-building tasks of our country.

Redefining Liberia's identity and building a shared sense of nationalism should be at the center of continued reconciliation.

DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, LADIES

I believe that our Founding Fathers were in search of a Land of Liberty and Freedom, which would serve as a home and a safe haven for all its citizens, regardless of tribe or creed or religion, and as a place where they could exercise and enjoy their inherent and inalienable human rights without obstruction

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APRIL 2022

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REMARKS BY SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO U.S PRESIDENT,

DANA BANKS

AT LIBERIA BICENTENNIAL LAUNCH Thank you, President Weah, for warmly welcoming President Biden's delegation to Liberia, and for hosting this bicentennial opening event. On behalf of President Biden and Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, who so deeply regrets being unable to be here, thank you for allowing us to be with you to mark such an important occasion.

It is so good here with you today to mark the 200th anniversary of free Black men, women, and children from the United States arriving on Providence Island.

They were leaving a country that legalized slavery. They were sponsored, in part, by the American Colonization Society, a racist project – supported even by the Great Emancipator himself, President Abraham Lincoln – with the goal of removing free Black people from America.

It was a hard journey, and an even harder life for those who arrived. But we know why they made the journey. As it says upon your coat of arms, “the love of liberty brought us here.”

When I think about what it must have felt like for those first free people arriving to establish Monrovia – feelings of apprehension, nervousness, excitement, returning to a home they'd never known – I can't help but reflect on the deep, strong, historical ties between the United States and Liberia – the very ties we are here today to reflect upon and commemorate.

Under President Abraham Lincoln, the United States recognized Liberia as a sovereign nation in 1862, sending a diplomat to represent the United States in what would be

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its only direct diplomatic relationship with an African nation for the next several decades.

160 years later, President Biden remains committed to the U.S.-Liberian relationship, despite troubling events elsewhere in the world, sent a delegation on his behalf to demonstrate the unique bond that the United States shares with the founding of Liberia.

Today, on President Biden's behalf, we have presented President Weah with a framed archival copy of the 1861 Act recognizing Liberia as a sovereign nation.

In my short time here, I have been struck by the warmth and kindness of the Liberian people. Although I have only been here a few hours – after an absence of nearly 15 years – it has felt like a homecoming.

Liberia is a country where the sense of purpose to succeed is tangible. From finding the strength and grace to leave behind nearly a decade and a half of civil war, to making history by electing the first female head of state not just for Liberia, but in all of Africa. A milestone, I might add, we have yet to achieve in my own country.

You then went on to have a peaceful transition of power, from one democratically elected president to another democratically elected president – an achievement to be proud of.

In short, you have overcome your divisions and built a democracy from the bottom up.

At a moment when we are seeing democratic setbacks

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and a rash of dangerous coups across Africa, Liberia stands as an important example of democratic elections and peaceful transitions of power. You have made progress on empowering the free press by decriminalization defamation and insult.

You have taken steps to combat human trafficking.

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Liberia needed a UN peacekeeping mission here until 2018 – now you are contributing to the UN Mission in Mali.

That is remarkable. But, as President Biden has often said, this is a unique moment in history, when the community of democracies should seriously ask themselves whether they are delivering the blessings of liberty and prosperity to their people. And like the United States – like every democracy – Liberia is not perfect.

and friend of Liberia. But ultimately, only the Liberian Government and the Liberian people can tackle corruption, fight for accountability and transparency, and move this country forward.

Still, in the meantime, we will continue our strong and unique partnership for taking on all kinds of challenges – especially on issues that affect us all like climate change and the global COVID-19 pandemic.

The expectation, sometimes, is that the United States and the rest of the international community will step in to solve Liberia's long-term problems.

But here, on this 200th anniversary, I wonder if you all feel the same way I do. The way I imagine those first Liberians felt when they arrived here all those years ago.

Aware of the challenges, of the complications of history. But excited and filled with hope.

Because I know that Liberia, with its persistent people and firm belief in democracy – a people whose love of liberty brought them here – will once again succeed.

They have been used by hundreds of millions of people in the United States and around the world. Getting vaccinated could save your life – or the life of your loved ones.

Of course, the pandemic hasn't only affected our health – it also threatens to undo decades of progress on economic growth, education, gender equity, poverty reduction, and food security.

It is so important for us to address these secondary effects too.

That's why we have supported Liberian farmers, through Feed the So let me be clear. The United Future, to pivot their business models States is a proud and dedicated partner during lockdown restrictions. It's why

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And it's why we have implemented school feeding programs to help keep thousands of Liberian grade school students fed and in school.

Liberia has fought back against COVID-19. You have drawn from your experiences with Ebola, implemented lockdowns to stop the spread, worked to vaccinate your fellow citizens, and The truth is, when it comes to this even drafted a National Action Plan for pandemic, no one is safe until everyone Health Security to ensure you are is safe. Which is why the United States prepared for future pandemics. is committed to leading the global fight The work we are doing together to against COVID-19. counter COVID-19 is emblematic of our That is why, already to date, we partnership, and the work we are doing have provided over 5 million dollars in to take on Liberia's challenges together. direct COVID-19 relief to Liberia.

These are difficult, weighty challenges.

The cornerstone of our response Like many democracies, Liberia still effort is, as President Biden says, has work to do to seriously address and becoming the world's arsenal for safe root out corruption. We bring this up as and effective vaccines. your friends who are eager to help.

We've provided nearly one million Corruption is an act of robbery. It doses of vaccines, in partnership with robs Liberia's citizens of access to COVAX, to Liberia. And we were health care, to public safety, to working here in Liberia to establish education. more vaccination sites, train more health workers to administer vaccines, It robs you of the healthy business environment we all know Liberia could and counter vaccine misinformation. have, which would lift countless On that last point – countering the Liberians out of poverty. false rumors about vaccines – we have It subverts economic opportunity, to work together. exacerbates inequality, and erodes We need you to tell your families, integrity. your friends, and your neighbors what It eats away at the democracy you we all know to be true: the vaccines are have worked so hard to build. safe and effective.

Liberia has a host of anti-corruption institutions. But while these institutions are nominally and legally independent from the Government of Liberia, the truth is that the government fails to adequately fund them and exerts its influence upon them. Too many of Liberia's leaders have chosen their own personal short-term gain over the longterm benefit of their country.

we have worked with Liberian small businesses to provide direct cash transfers to sustain their livelihoods.

Too many of Liberia's leaders have chosen their own personal short-term gain over the long-term benefit of their country

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TRIBUTE

A tribute by - SAMUEL

D. TWEAH, Jr. Liberia's Minister of Finance and Development Planning

BEYOND NATIONAL STATESMANSHIP: 30

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The Gem that was Dr. Amos Claudius Sawyer

Amos Claudius Sawyer was larger than national statesmanship; he encompassed a moral voice in an age of amoral politics, a moral political tutor who helped pull Liberia back from the precipice of annihilation. He defined an era of restless resistance to monstrous and grievous national wrongs. This is why his passing on February 16, 2022 leaves an irreplaceable national void to be filled only by national recourse to the mores, values and principles that propelled him to heights of national significance.

My first close interaction with Dr Sawyer occurred when he handed me my high school diploma at the William V. S. Tubman High School graduation ceremonies in 1993. He was the guest speaker, and I was to deliver the valedictory address. What could I say in the presence of Dr Amos C. Sawyer? A man whose every word and didactic excursions on the tragedy of our national conflict I had previously w w w. a f r i c a n l e a d e r s h i p m a g a z i n e . c o . u k

imbibed; and whose evocative eloquence egged a nation on to a higher national purpose in its darkest hour. It is a testament to how much intellectual awe I held for the man that I do not remember what I said on that occasion, more than likely because of what he said: that “mastery of subjects is not achievable by mere superficiality of knowledge.”

It was a ringing Sawyeresque admonition to members of my generation whose educational opportunities were being destroyed by war. He urged us to dig deeper and strive to be the best in an era of eroding standards and diminishing human capital. He would mount countless preaching forays as President of the Interim Government of National Unity (IGNU) to rally the country against war and decry the plundering and pillaging of Liberia through “a bonanza of international gangsterism.” He would inveigh AFRICANLEADERSHIP MAGA ZINE

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The choice of President of IGNU naturally and rightfully fell on Dr Amos C. Sawyer. No other Liberian was more deserving or more qualified. Amos Sawyer had been the quintessential and proverbial Liberian scholar in the consciousness of the nation. Years of outstanding scholarship at the University of Liberia and Indiana University enabled him to weld the fields of history and political science into a praxis of policy and governance on Liberia, culminating in his authorship of The Emergence of Autocracy in Liberia: Tragedy and Challenge. Beyond scholarship, Dr Sawyer also challenged the True Whig Party administration by attempting to contest the Monrovia mayoral elections against the TWP candidate Francis Chuchu Horton. Fear of the popular professor may have aborted those elections. After the coup, Sawyer was appointed as chairman of a 25-member National Constitution Commission, which provided a draft constitution reviewed and revised by a subsequent 59-member Constitutional Advisory Assembly.

The Amos Sawyer Commission laid the substantive theoretical frame of our national constitution; the Edwin Beyan Kesseley Commission merely added the political icing. And during the 1980s, Sawyer was imprisoned for his political views, an outcome that led to student protests and killings at the University of Liberia. So, when representatives of political parties and civil society organizations convened in 1990 in The Gambia under the auspices of ECOWAS to structure an interim leadership for Liberia, the name Amos C. Sawyer could only

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But criticism against Dr Amos Sawyer cannot withstand informed scrutiny. Sawyer was merely an interim president who had very limited scope to achieve what President Sirleaf could or what President Weah can accomplish: limited budget and diminished

Sawyer's two major criticism was that 'he changed the country's money' and that 'he manipulated the peace process to prolong his interim stay in political power'. These two criticisms can easily be rubbished.

Changing the face of the national currency was an optimal politicoeconomic decision. The IGNU had to reestablish the monetary base of the country after the significant currency looting that happened at several commercial banks during the war. A major indicator of legitimate control of a government or of country is control of currency and this had to be asserted. IGNU's decision to change currency is similar to the ongoing currency reform being undertaken by the Central Bank of Liberia to reestablish the monetary base and instill confidence in the country's legal tender. If this exercise is being done more than 30 years after the war, it had to have been done immediately after the war.

The charge that Sawyer manipulated the peace process is an even more frivolous one. There was nothing to manipulate. The NPFL was intransigent on a war of attribution as a means to political power. When Charles Taylor wept profusely after winning the 1997 elections, I interpreted the weeping to mean a regret for wasting too many lives and causing too much destruction when

Criticism against Dr Amos Sawyer cannot withstand informed scrutiny

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In the demonology of Liberian political criticism, all political leaders who serve the country at the highest levels are 'not deserving of heroic status or are not worthy of praise.'

Praise of national leaders is heavily politicized and factionalized depending on who or which side is in power or which side is doing the praising. National holidays of two presidents are sustained merely by statute but the country remains heavily divided on the desirability of the celebrations. Joseph Jenkins Robert's willing of his wealth for the nation's education is not much regarded since that 'wealth was supposed to be for the people in the first place.' William V. S. Tubman's legacy remains hugely controversial though he largely retains his popularity among older generations.

William R. Tolbert's legacy is similarly mixed. He appears pragmatic with a number of development programs and initiatives, but the 'benefits are too skewed to family members and others of his political cabal.' Samuel Doe has been vilified by the Liberian intelligentsia for abuse of human rights, but today in the popular consciousness of Liberians, 'he is a celebrated president who placed the country on an unprecedented development trajectory and was undermined largely because he was a native president.' Ellen JohnsonSirleaf 'did not avail the level of development commensurate with the level of support received from the international community.' And George Weah no matter how much development he avails, is 'not presidential enough for some since he brings a different style and taste to the Liberian presidency and has a background atypical of most presidents.' Of course, the legacy of Amos C. Sawyer has been and will be similarly framed.

territory. IGNU's sole role was to create a haven of peace for constructive governance and a space for dialogue with contending rebel factions, especially the NPFL, which saw the IGNU as a machinery to obstruct the political ambitions of Charles Taylor.

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naturally emerge.

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against the abuse and drugging of young children as fighters, rallying parents to help prevent the destruction of the nation's youth and calling on them to “look at your child when you go home.” He would tirelessly inspire the nation never to give up on peace despite numerous failed peace conferences, to extinguish any false “stupor of complacency” that may impel Liberians toward an acceptance of a divided country as a new normal of sorts because of the difficulties of peace.

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in fact the Liberian people were enamored of his leadership. Forget the false narrative that 'Liberians voted for Taylor because they were afraid of war.' For one reason or another, Charles G. Taylor was extremely popular from the day he launched his war to the day he left Liberia. I was in the streets with hundreds of thousands of Liberians in 1995 to welcome Charles Taylor to Monrovia, the capital he had come to see as a nemesis. Surprisingly, he was given a hero's welcome. The question is why did Taylor not surrender to elections in 1992 or thereabouts when he was this popular? The result may have been even wider than it was in 1997. So ultimately, Amos Sawyer was never really the enemy although the powerful and effective NPFL information machinery rained invectives on the learned professor portraying him as some bugaboo of the national peace process.

Despite these distractions and the larger challenges of securing peace, Amos Sawyer soldiered on for his country, knowing more than most that caving in to warring factions was to legitimate autocracy in its most

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virulent form of tyranny, a subject on which he was an expert. And so, he pushed ECOWAS and ECOMOG to remain vigilant and increase troop presence and flow of resources to safe-guard Monrovia, whose collapse would spell larger doom for the country. He was vindicated in his 1992 Octopus victory against the NPFL and was fully justified in the decorated departure given to ECOMOG Force Commander MajorGeneral Tunji Olurin of Nigeria, who led the ECOMOG forces during the Octopus assault on Monrovia.

Amos Sawyer left office in 1994 and a new transition government of warring factions was installed. On April 6, 1996 major fighting ensued among the warlords in Monrovia, proving that Amos Claudius Sawyer was never the problem in Liberia's peace process. Elections were held in 1997 after which many skirmishes and battles transpired in Monrovia.

It is these histories that vindicate the legacy of Dr. Amos C. Sawyer. He availed extraordinary leadership to his country at a time it was most divided and factionalized. In the years since the end of conflict, he has worked

tirelessly to firm up governance, to situate national policy and national institutions as the lynchpin of development and transformation.

After the election of President Weah and prior to his recent ailment, Dr. Sawyer engaged with the new administration on national civics program for primary, middle and secondary school students. The program is at its finishing stage and would involve publication of civics books for grade students. Long out of the mainstream governance, Dr. Sawyer's interest laid in developing informed voter-citizens endowed with practical knowledge of their country's history and the workings of its society. President Weah had long given his full commitment to seeing the civics program through.

Relations between the two national statesmen remained warm for decades. It was Sawyer who conferred the title of Sports Ambassador on the national superstar George Weah in the nineties, long before he waded into politics, granting the Ambassador the deserved recognition for his immense contribution to sports. Respect for

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their individual accomplishments remained mutual.

Sometime in 2012, I met Dr. Sawyer at the office of the Governance Commission. I was then a consultant at MFDP and he had sent for me to talk about the CDC. He said to me: “My young man, I see a lot of promise and potential in the CDC, but y'all got some small work to do on messaging”. He continued, “The biggest problem I see with the party is message dissonance. Too many people talking for the party and saying many different things and the absence of a coherent message coming out is not good as a political or electoral strategy. We need to work on that.”

I conveyed the advice to the party leadership and changes were wrought. The CDC purged a few militant elements whose discordant messaging annoyed key members of the international community. The party launched a policy of constructive engagement with the Unity Party administration, disavowing a zero-sum politics of nihilism in the interest of national peace and security. Ambassador George Weah accepted a position as National Peace Ambassador, an easy option since the man himself had led national disarmament campaigns. He squelched the 'Ellen Step Down Campaign' touted by hardened elements of the CDC, a move that cemented the policy of constructive engagement. Refined messaging and coalition building became the norm as the CDC braced itself for 2017.

What Amos Sawyer saw as a political promise was ultimately fulfilled in 2017.

So while invisibly holding a definite political suasion or supporting particular political causes, Dr. Sawyer presented himself as largely beyond partisan politics and would consult with varied sides of the political divide, even if he was totally not espousing or supporting their particular viewpoints. When he recently announced his withdrawal from active partisan politics, his reputation and role as consultative national political statesman preceded

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that announcement.

And so, on February 16, 2022, the nation endured a colossal loss. It would require volumes to do justice to the life of Amos C. Sawyer and no one volume may even suffice. He advanced national peace and worked to restore Liberia from plunder to constructive governance. He deserves a fitting national memorial but we can begin by memorializing him via rigid adherence to the democratic precepts and norms that were the mainstay of his public and political life.

Our profoundest condolences go to his beloved wife Comfort Sawyer, his son Frank Sawyer and to the rest of the family. We can only encourage them to take great solace in his life and accomplishments! Our teacher and moral compass now belong to the ages. Our generation, our democracy and our nation owe him everything!!

Our profoundest condolences go to his beloved wife Comfort Sawyer, his son Frank Sawyer and to the rest of the family.

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THE LEGACY OF

DR. AMOS CLAUDIUS SAWYER: A LIFE DEDICATED TO BUILDING A LIBERIA OF ONE CITIZEN, ONE VOTE

By Siapha Kamara and Franya E. Cabral-Ruiz

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governance and promote peaceful resolutions to the myriad of conflicts bedevilling Liberia's economic transformation.

The mission to democratically transform Liberia and the subregion suffered a significant hit on February 16th, 2022, with the sudden demise of the muchrespected former Interim President, 2012 to 2014 Chairperson of the African Union Peer Review Mechanism and Panel of Eminent Persons, and recipient of the 2011 Gusi Peace Prize, Professor Amos C. Sawyer. Amos, as he was affectionately called, was an

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exceptional crusader for Liberia's democracy for over 50 years. He contributed immensely to building governance institutions to catalyze accountability, transparency, inclusiveness, and rule of one citizen, one vote, ultimately empowering every citizen to act on their socio-economic rights and responsibilities. Professor Sawyer's efforts also supported grassroots organizations in mobilizing their members to participate in local

The last decade of Professor Sawyer's working life was devoted to three governance institutions and the youth of Liberia: The Governance Commission of Liberia (GCL), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and the African Union (AU) Eminent Persons Peer Review Mechanism. As head of GCL, he led Liberian professionals in designing policies, programs, and strategies to strengthen public institutions and enable good governance practices

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His Excellency Professor Amos C. Sawyer continued to play an active role in the sub-region until his last breath. He was a founding member of the West African Elders Forum, which promotes democracy and good governance in West Africa. He was actively working on the African Peace Engineering Corps initiative, an innovative rethink towards the future of peace and security in the region with HE Ernest Bai Koroma, former President of Sierra Leone, HE Goodluck Jonathan, former President of Nigeria, HE Mahamadou Issoufou, former President of Niger and HE Hassan Sheikh Mahmud, former President of Somalia. He was also part of the Tana High-Level Forum, which promotes African-led solutions to security issues in the continent.

They engaged annually in candid dialogues fundamental to resolving conflict and transforming societies.

He was a frequent contributor at the Wilson Center in Washington DC, one of the United States' key non-partisan forums for global issues, independent research, open dialogue and actionable ideas.

He was also an active member of the distinguished Africa Forum for former African Heads of State and government. His legacy and ongoing contributions to peace and security in the region will continue to transcend.

Emboldened by the growing grassroots support for social mobilization activities advocating for an equitable Liberia, in 1978, Professor Sawyer announced his intention to run as an independent candidate for the Mayor of Monrovia. This was utterly surprising to the Liberian government but greeted with thunderous approval by a broad segment of the population, particularly in urban slum communities. The one-party state

Emboldened by the growing grassroots support for social mobilization activities advocating for an equitable Liberia, in 1978, Professor Sawyer announced his intention to run as an independent candidate for the Mayor of Monrovia

Amos has transitioned to his

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A firm believer in the adage that "knowledge is power," Professor Sawyer commenced his academic career at the University of Liberia in 1973. Like most African countries in the 1970s, Liberia was a de-facto one-party state, with poverty affecting over 70% of the population of 1.4 million.

Undoubtedly, working on his PhD dissertation, "Social Stratification and National Development: A Liberian Case Study" (1973), helped lay a solid intellectual foundation for his lifelong commitment to Liberian society's democratization and equitable development. It is, therefore, no surprise that he went on to introduce a course called Liberian Society that exposed thousands of students to the various traditional and modern structures in Liberia that are inimical to democratic participation and equitable development. Together with like-minded academics, notably Dr. Togba Nah Tipoteh and Mr. Dew Tuan Wleh Mayson, Amos used his teaching, research, and public speaking engagements to initiate unprecedented political agitation demanding a democratic Liberia in which poverty would be history. They established two organizations to strengthen their

social mobilization activities: Movement for Justice in Africa (MOJA) and SUSUKUU. Amos became Chair of MOJA's membership and recruitment committee and the Director of Special Projects for SUSUKUU. Of course, the one-party state of the 1970s did not take kindly to being openly criticized and challenged to democratize. So, it tried unsuccessfully to intimidate the "MOJA people" as they came to be known. They established two organizations to strengthen their social mobilization activities: Movement for Justice in Africa (MOJA) and SUSUKUU. Amos became Chair of MOJA's membership and recruitment committee and the Director of Special Projects for SUSUKUU. Of course, the one-party state of the 1970s did not take kindly to being openly criticized and challenged to democratize. So, it tried unsuccessfully to intimidate the "MOJA people", as they came to be known.

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maker, leaving behind a Liberia richer in democracy than he met it.

We are sure Professor Sawyer's question to every Liberian and African is, "What are you doing to make sure that the democracy bequeathed to you continues to grow?"

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of accountability, transparency, and equity. Professor Sawyer served as Chair of the AU Panel of Eminent Persons African Peer Review Mechanism (2012 to 2014). He also led election observation teams in different African countries. Similarly, he headed ECOWAS election observation missions to most member states. Finally, Professor Sawyer was deeply concerned about the ill-preparedness of the youth to participate meaningfully in Liberia's democracy and hence devoted the past few years to writing a civic education series for Grades 1 through 6 addressing rights, responsibilities, democracy, and governance.

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had not experienced any serious opposition for decades and never for the mayoral position of Monrovia, the national capital. Not surprisingly, the Sawyer for Mayor campaign community structures proved impossible for the government machinery to intimidate, let alone silence.

Exacerbating the already-tense political climate in the country, in early 1979, an opposition political group announced its intention to demonstrate against a proposed incremental increase in the price of rice. On April 14th 1979, the protest degenerated into a bloodbath with the killing of over 100 unarmed persons by the police. Political opposition leaders and student activists, including this author, were arrested and charged with treason.

On April 12th, 1980, the civilian government was toppled, and the President was brutally killed. The University of Liberia administration, including Professor Sawyer and religious leaders, engaged the government to stop the repression and release all political prisoners. In a yet-to-be-published manuscript, Professor Sawyer remembered being taken to see the coup leader the next day. The following conversation ensued: "Dr. Sawyer, do you know me?" he asked. "Do you remember in 10th-grade class at Marcus Garvey High School, a student asked you why you do not like to join the army?" Professor Sawyer was offered the mayoral position at the end of the conversation, which he respectfully declined. He also rejected being a presidential advisor.

One offer Professor Sawyer did accept from the military government was to chair the drafting committee of a new constitution for Liberia. For Professor Sawyer, this was an opportunity to influence and encourage the military to turn over power to a civilian-elected government. So his committee drafted a constitution that emphasized a multi-party system of governance based on universal

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suffrage. Between 1981 and 1983, while Amos toured the country drumming up support for constitutional democracy, the military leader tried unsuccessfully to convince him to become his running mate. By 1983, the working relationship between the two men had broken down; the draft constitution was quickly presented, and Professor Sawyer was placed under increased security surveillance. Unsatisfied with the draft, the military leader established a so-called Constitutional Advisory Assembly that removed key democratic guarantees, making it possible for him to contest the 1985 election.

Although there were constant threats to his life and heavy clampdowns on MOJA militants, Professor Sawyer refused to go into exile. Supporting MOJA members in prison and attending to their relatives became his major preoccupation. At the MOJA Second Congress, he announced the formation of the Liberian People's Party (LPP) with him as the Chair, followed by a speech suggesting that the 1985 election could be neither free nor fair if the military head of state was a candidate and demanding his resignation.

Professor Sawyer was then implicated in a bogus coup, arrested, and thrown into jail. After his release in 1984, he reluctantly moved to the United States and became active in the exile community against the Doe regime.

An armed rebel group emerged on Christmas Eve in 1989, and by September 1990, President Doe was assassinated. This armed group unleashed massacre after massacre across the country. Different civilian interest groups, including political parties opposed to the armed rebel groups, chose Professor Sawyer to form and lead an Interim Government of National Unity, with the primary mandate of negotiating a peaceful end to the war. Indeed, under Amos's leadership from 1990 to 1994, the framework and principles for a comprehensive peace agreement that ended the

civil crisis was developed and signed by all stakeholders.

Two years after Professor Sawyer resigned as interim President, Charles Taylor, the mastermind of the Liberian civil crisis, was elected as President in August of 1997.

Professor Sawyer became a key target of Taylors' security agencies.

Despite the threats, he turned his attention once again to grassroots and community mobilization to strengthen the fragile peace process. He set up the Center for Democratic Empowerment (CEDE) and became the Convenor of the Eminent Persons Group in Advocacy for Liberian Children, collaborating with UNICEF. Relentless attacks by Taylor's agents compelled Amos to accept an offer (from 2002 to 2007) to be Co-Director of the Workshop in Political Theory and Policy Analysis at the University of Indiana, where his scholarship and social activism for democracy and good governance flourished. He published numerous peer-reviewed articles and the book Beyond Plunder: Toward Democratic Governance in Liberia (2005), an analysis of the challenges and opportunities for deepening democracy in post-war Liberia.

Professor Sawyer always remained actively involved in Liberian politics, throwing his full support in 2005 to the successful election campaign of Africa's first female President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

Amos, as he was affectionately called, was an exceptional crusader for Liberia's democracy for over 50 years

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CLIMATE CHANGE

Creating Food Security While Fighting Climate Change Within Nigeria's Environment

By Chekwube Ukoh

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The reality of climate change and its unpleasant consequences amount to considerable threats to human lives across different world regions.

been felt across the vegetative regions of Nigeria. Research has shown that climate change is becoming a major threat to food security in Nigeria.

Climatic conditions such as floods, droughts and extreme temperatures are some of the consequences of climate change.

These conditions have led to crop losses, threatened the livelihood of farmers, and posed food security challenges overtime, to some regions, especially in developing countries.

In 2018, an estimated 25 million Nigerians were undernourished - up by 180 percent over the previous decade. Nigeria has long relied on foreign supplies, spending approximately $5 billion of the $35 billion Africa pays annually for food imports. The present administration under President Mohammed Buhari has repeatedly called on Nigeria's farmers to make up the deficit by increasing agricultural production.

Nigeria is not shielded from the rest of the world regarding the effect of climate change. The outcomes of climate change have

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However, the effects of climate change mean farmers cannot

respond to the president's call.

Nigerian farmers continue to rely primarily on rain-fed agriculture—meaning they depend on rainfall for water. This leaves them vulnerable to increasingly unpredictable and extreme weather events like flooding, heat waves, and droughts.

Heavy precipitation, abnormal onset and cessation of rainfall, rising temperature and shift in relative humidity have dire consequences on agricultural activities and food security in Nigeria. This change has led to disruption in the seasonal pattern of food production and distribution, thereby creating a shortfall in supplies which brings rising food

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In this interview with African Leadership Magazine, the GEF-SGP National Coordinator in Nigeria, Mrs Ibironke Olubamise speaks on Creating Food Security While Fighting Climate Change within Nigeria's Environment.

Climate change and food security are intricately linked. How can we create food security while fighting climate change?

Climate change is the abnormal result of interaction between climate and natural resources resulting from anthropogenic factors. Climate and natural resources are the bedrock of agriculture, which is the basis for food security. Thus, addressing climate change is directly linked to ensuring food security. Every action to address climate change is directly linked to improving agricultural practices and hence improving food production.

Developing climate- resilient agricultural practices, restoring degraded farmlands, and improving access to water and energy will positively affect agriculture and hence food production. However, it is very important to create more awareness of the relationship between climate change and food security, which can lead to changing our paradigm about nature and natural resources and how we humans interact with them.

Agriculture employs an estimated 2.5 billion people worldwide. It is also responsible for about 80% of deforestation worldwide. It

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Small scale farmers in Nigeria are adversely affected by the climate crisis. What smart-food systems can be adapted or developed to improve farming?

Nigeria has different climatic zones and vegetation cover, so one size may not fit all. From experience, and as listed in question 2 above, we have supported various community initiatives to address various environmental problems, farming practices and livelihood enhancement. By targeting the major types of food systems, production,

What are some UNDP approaches and adaptation programmes to address food security challenges amid the climate crisis?

The most important approach that the UNDP GEF SGP has used is to create awareness, with the aim to change the paradigm by painting a picture of the cause and effect of unsustainable practices that jeopardize food production and security. We engage in training, advocacy for policy development, building capacity, and engaging in inclusive practical demonstration of proposed solutions and promoting ownership to ensure sustainability of any effort.

Mrs Ibironke Olubamise is the Global Environmental Facilities and Small Grants Programme National Coordinator for the United Nations Development Programme in Nigeria.

The outcomes of climate change have been felt across the vegetative regions of Nigeria.

Research has shown that climate change is becoming a major threat to food security in Nigeria

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The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) through the Global Environmental Facilities and Small Grants Programme (GEF-SGP) is tackling environmental projects across Nigeria.

Yes, there are a couple of UNDP projects that address food security.

There is a GEF-funded Full-Size project on Food security, currently ongoing. In addition, over 80 percent of community projects supported by the UNDP GEF Small Grants Programme are directly or indirectly related to food security. The various initiatives, which are primarily targeted at achieving environmental benefits, have and are still creating awareness and empowering farmers, of which about 65% are women, to get engaged in climate-smart agriculture, agroforestry, training in water harvesting, composting, production of organic fertilizer, simple drip and pitcher irrigation methods, urban farming, animal husbandry etc.

processing, distribution, and consumption, we have supported projects in Agro forestry, campaign against the use of inorganic pesticides and fertilizers and training to produce organic fertilizers and compost, marketing, etc. The aim is to build resilience, adapt, improve yields, or reduce susceptibility to climatic conditions. More so, we do not ignore the traditional knowledge of the rural farmers who have been engaged in farming, howbeit, subsistence for ages. Sometimes, traditional knowledge has made a meaningful impact rather than imposing foreign and strange solutions that may not fit the peculiarity of the target audience or place.

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Working in partnership with national governments, over 40 international organizations and NGOs, donors, and UN Agencies such as FAO, UNEP, UNICEF and WFP, UNDP's vision is to transform food and agriculture to be more resilient, equitable, inclusive, and environmentally, socially and economically sustainable.

contributes about one-fifth of all greenhouse gas emissions and is a primary cause of biodiversity loss. It is both one of the central causes of, and answers to the climate crisis. We need agriculture to ensure food sustainability. Are there UNDP projects in place to address these and ensure food security?

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prices and limited access to food.

INTERVIEW

SENATOR ABRAHAM

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SCORING ON KEY PEOPLE-ORIENTED AREAS Senator Abraham Dillon is a politician, civil rights activist and a humanitarian. He currently holds a senatorial position in the House of Representatives in Liberia.

In an exclusive interview with African leadership magazine, he shares his thoughts on integrity and why he is big on peopleoriented areas. Excerpts; 2022 is loaded with political activities. Campaigns have started in some quarters and the air is generally thick with political activities. What message do you have for citizens of countries who are going to be choosing their political leaders?

Firstly, let me say that I am a firm believer in the tenets of democracy, good governance and the rule of law. And elections to public elected offices should be about democracy. The people should know who they are voting for and why they are voting. The will of the people especially in African elections must always be observed and respected.

As we go through this many elections, we can only hope and call on the leaders in Africa to allow the free will of their people to be exercised. Their decisions should be respected and post-elections, good governance should be the order of the day. This will ease the political tension and instability that result from the manner and conduct of these elections. So I'm going to call on my fellow African leaders to be democratic and respect the wishes and will of the people. We should let good governance and democracy thrive.

Leadership positions are often very challenging and we are sure you have had your fair share of these challenges. How do you deal with this?

Well, the challenges are enormous, but with courage and will, we can face them. Leadership is about courage to do what is right and the use of common-sense approach. I have the tendency to plan with my people. Leadership is also about planning with my people and not for the people.

The tendency of planning for the people sometimes is greeted with resistance and non-corporation because you don't know what the aspirations of the people are. But if you plan with them, you incorporate their aspirations and

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then you implement it as a policy maker. There are challenges in environment like Liberia and other places too, but I'll be specific with Liberia and my inner situation. We have for decades being doing the wrong things, so it came across as being normalized and generally accepted. And if you are an agent of truth seeking to do the right thing, you will meet a lot of resistance and resentment. Like an African parable will say “a speaker of truth has no friends and even if he or she will have friends, not very many friends. The first challenge you will face is loss of friends. But you've got to stand up and fight with integrity. You have to win the perception of having integrity because if you even have the integrity and courage to do right, but the perception is that you don't have it, it is difficult to penetrate and win such a fight. Your personal conduct and the content of your character should speak to the change you are seeking to achieve. That is why they say “we should be the change that we want”.

I totally agree with you. It is often said that “he that comes with equity must come with clean hands” so if you preach integrity, you should also be a symbol and be seen as a man of integrity.

Correct! And in some environment and in my particular instance, people think when you are fighting as an agent of

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INTERVIEW

So, you want to rewrite history, the factual history? What kind of power tender activities are we holding? Is it the coming of free slaves or the founding of the republic of Liberia?

1822 was the arrival of free slaves on What message will you provide to most this land. At that time, it was called the people who look at you as their leader? green coast, it was not a country called Liberia, people were here. In 1847, this Patience! Patience and discipline. place became Liberia as an Life is like a ladder; an elevator speeds Yea, for instance, you go to independent country.

So, in 1947 we up and then speeds down. But with a campaign in an area where they have celebrated and observe the centennial, ladder, you make sure you have a solid roads connected to tell them “I will the history of our country.

In 2022, we balance with every step taken, so build roads for you'' the message will are still carrying the history that is patience and discipline are required. not resonate. Interact with the people mixed.

Take the steps of life and not the and hear from them and then say when elevator. you give me your vote this is what I'm In essence, from your own view it going to push for you. should be celebrated at 2047 not 2022?

Sometimes, the elevator comes down and brings you down. But if you You are a man of strong moral Correct! The republic of Liberia, are using a ladder and I'm standing, which has impacted your and the motto on our seal says “the leadership career. Please can you love of liberty brought us here” in my In essence, whether you are a explain why it is so important to view its divisive and not reconciling. It is student, a farmer, a business person, or embrace integrity as a leader? only recognizing those who came but political leader, Patience is just a virtue. they have not incorporated those who Sometimes it comes from the Patience is a virtue, nothing beats were here to blend together to make a upbringing. When you grow up in a it. Patience is the pillar of waiting in country. home where truth telling is a creed and anticipation of something, but if you In essence it's a fundamental issue and then you grow up like the bible says are doing nothing to anticipate what not that of this administration or the “train up a child in a way he or she you expect, you're wasting your time one before? should grow so that when he is old, he and that's not patience. So, patience is doesn't depart from it”. Truth telling is the discipline to wait, while you are Of course, not just this difficult. Almost everywhere, it takes preparing for the next step. Don't be administration. The founding history courage, grace of God and fear of God. materialistic if you want to get to full where a motto is incorporating those I love the portion of the bible that says term. Most times, young people get who were brought here free from “the fear of the lord is the beginning of exploited especially in the political slavery and it doesn't talk about those wisdom”. Now, not many persons have setting because of lack of patience. I who were here. The traditionalist, the caught it there, the fear of the lord is believe strongly in the message from natives then there's a problem, its the beginning of wisdom not wisdom Nelson Mandela who says “politicians divisive it needs to be reconciled and itself. So, when you fear God, you will are concerned about the next elections; since then we have had this divide in stand for the truth. Sometimes, as a leaders should be concerned about the our country. Congo vs the native. The human you will slip and not say the next generation”. That drives me and Congo American Liberians free slaves truth but the courage to come back my involvement with preparing young who believed they founded this country and say “no, what I said wasn't the people. What I do in office will and so the preamble of this country is truth. It is what counts.” As a public determine my political future. So, I do it all about them. Not much is recognized leader, admitting that you were believing that my work will speak, I and spoken about in our history about untruthful on certain things and asking don't do it for the politics, you want to those who were here. That divide stills for an apology, makes you better. That prepare a generation that takes after goes on like racism between black and is something very rare and very unusual you. After you, if a whole institution or white. It is still a problem today. And in our national life especially here in generation dies, you were never a what are we celebrating? We are Liberia. And when you have a leader. celebrating the coming free of slaves. governance system where transparency, I listened to your national interview and We are not celebrating the foundation

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And I learnt that from my mother, and I try as much to live it. I get a lot of people commending me for always standing for the truth, and that in itself increases my burden to remain truthful.

Africa lacks role models in leadership and almost in every sphere and so we give God all the glory that he can be gracious upon us.

you mentioned some issues bothering on the authenticity of the bicentennial celebration. You talked about rewriting history. What is your take on the bicentennial celebration and from a political standpoint, what do you think your leadership is also doing towards rewriting the history of Liberia?

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Like you said, in leadership generally people want to make the decision for those who are their followers and politics is not far from it. I think the concept of national integration and national conference should be brought back where people's feelings, aspirations, and demands should be incorporated into the policies of the program. I like what you said that “it's not thinking for the people but thinking with the people “and that is the proper definition of real representation.

openness and accountability is like a taboo, and you want to ensure that is done, you must be prepared to face resistance.

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change, you must be an angel. They don't see that you are a human, you have flaws and all of that.

INTERVIEW

formation of the country. There has to be a reconciliation and we need to rewrite that history.

As a senator and a law maker, how do you think you can champion a course, if need be, to see that this reconciliation, this fundamental challenge is dealt with?

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So, whenever we talk about reconciliation, we now have diversity of opinions on political and policy issues but the history must be factual and the founding philosophy of the country should not be distorted. So as senator speaking on these issues and creating awareness is one way of correcting this history. Civic education must be brought back in our schools so that right and factual history of our country can be taught.

One of the seven key aspirations listed in that agenda 2063 is “the Africa we want” . We are talking about PanAfricanism, from your own stand point we would like to hear how well does this speak this value.

I've heard about the Africa agenda for 2063, and some of the things the Africa will want. I will touch on them just briefly. I like gender equity because in my view, equity is fairness, gender equality is sometimes kind of off to me. With equity, everybody has their fair share.

Fundamental human rights most times are abused, not just in Africa but since we are talking about the Africa we want, the access to education, access to clean water, access to job based on merit system qualifications and all other tenets of human rights should be implemented.

People should have the right to life, and liberty.

Our African tradition is halting our desire for democracy. A typical African man will eat and leave his plate on the table for his wife, but that same man will go to Europe and eat and take his plate. So, there is certain tradition in us that seems to be a challenge to our acceptance of democracy because men dominate in our tradition and we take it into our democratic setting.

And then there is the issue of peace. We can't make progress in the absence of peace and security. Most times people equate peace to the absence of guns and wars but I equate peace as the presence of justice as said by Nelson Mandela. Safety and economic security are all very important. Most leaders in Africa feel like they own the resources of their country while they are in power.

wouldn't want to believe that there is any African that will want to denounce his citizenship or lack love for his country, but sometimes our people are constrained to do so because they want to get into power. So, the Africa we want and should be working towards is an Africa that embraces these 7 points and probably an Africa where Africans will be proud of themselves and our continent and will not need to want to be citizens of other continents.

We want an Africa that reflects the resources Africa has. We built Europe we know that. We say it all the time but we haven't reached that place where we decide to build Africa. “I'm looking forward to hopefully being a part of history of grooming a generation that will wake up one morning and say the ball starts here. It's going to be a new Africa”.

Going forward as the people's senator and grassroot mobilizer, what will you be doing to help the citizens as well as the present administration to achieve its set goals?

I have always strived to be engaging and constructive. Going forward, I want to be a good senator and a better one than I was yesterday. With the current administration, I am an opposition politician clear, but the patriotic spirit is an act of being a nationalistic politician which involves constructively engaging.

Yesterday I sponsored three legal instruments coming from the President of Liberia on the senate floor for senate consideration for passage into law. That does not shy me away for a second to ensure checks and balance, provide oversight to enact the enabling laws. The President delivers his annual message at the beginning of the year and presents his legislative agenda for his legislature to act appropriately to enhance that agenda.

So, I'm here to ensure I will be a cooperative part of enhancing that agenda because any national policy crafted that can be implemented for the benefit of the people will not benefit only those from the ruling party, but benefit the people generally. So, our cooperation is guaranteed, and so is our courage to check and balance.

Every time I think of December 6th 2020 rally in the country, I remember there is somebody somewhere whom I dare not fail to bring a desired result. We will continue to do the people's will with reliance on God.

The Africa we want is the Africa we can be proud of. “I want to be the African who don't need to take citizenship of a European country because of the opportunities those countries provide that we are not providing in Africa”. I

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SWEATING YOUR WAY TO FITNESS AND A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT

By Blame Ekoue

Felix Tagba a Togolese journalist and environmental activist, has combined sport and environmental protection to spark a trend: Eco-jogging.

On a Saturday morning in Lomé, the Togolese capital, Felix Tagba stands patiently waiting at crossroads. Clad in blue shorts and a white jersey, ready with a large black plastic bag and a cane designed to pick up plastic waste, he looks on as other people join him.

Once the crowd is large enough, he takes on a cheerleading roll, his shouts loud enough to startle onlookers.

“Eco-jogging for us all!” he shouts and more than 50 joggers respond in unison: “Eco-jogging to save the

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environment”.

Shortly after, the group, carrying plastic bags and canes, sets off as they do every Saturday morning.

This is just one group of a larger movement that has around 1,000 members across all of Togo's five regions. Each group congregates every Saturday morning for their jogand-clean-up initiative. They jog while picking up trash, especially plastic bags, which are sent for recycling.

This Eco-jogging initiative was launched by Tagba in January 2017, bringing together Togo's eco-friendly and keep-fit enthusiasts who want to reduce the amount of plastic waste in their communities. “Eco-jogging is simple.

We run or walk while picking up waste. In fact, I think that

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everyone has Eco-jogged once without knowing it, because surely you are walking or running and you drop something then you bend down to pick it up and start walking again,” Tagba explained.

At the end of the four-hour Éco-jogging session, the exhausted joggers gather at the entrance to a recycling unit, located at the outskirts of the Togolese capital. The coordinating team of the day deposits the collected trash, to the cheers of the gathered joggers.

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Tagba first got the idea for Ecojoggers during workout sessions in a field where he noticed a lot of trash. This bothered him. He then launched an appeal on social media and people made suggestions. Among these was ecojogging. So Tagba gave it a shot, hoping his efforts would raise awareness of the dangers of indiscriminate disposal of plastic wastes.

“We initiated Eco-jogging because we noticed that there are more and more wastes in nature and people do not engage in sports, and we know that sport is good for health, especially jogging,” Tagba explained.

Since its inception, the initiative has collected over 15 tons of plastic waste - most of it sent for recycling. “The trash we collect, we don't throw away, we give it another life,” Tagba said.

“When we finish picking up, we use part to make big bags in which we collect the waste and another part goes to the recycling structures, which transform them for other things,” he added.

Like other major cities in the West African region, Lomé faces a proliferation of plastic waste. While plastic consumption globally has quadrupled over the past 30 years, only 9% of plastic waste is recycled, while 22% is mismanaged.

He added that he is “convinced that now is the time to adopt a treaty legally binding to end plastic pollution.”

That statement resonates with Tagba who maintains that the call is ideally in line with the objectives of the movement.

“I think it's together that we can win this fight because there is so much waste in our countries that does not benefit our planet and ourselves,” he explained.

“Today, there are countries like Rwanda, if they got there, it is because they took firm measures to fight against the proliferation of waste, then you have to join forces to get to that level.”

At another Eco-jogging event, this time in Agbodrafo, a small town located some 35 kilometres from Lomé, the mayor, who also joined the group, was impressed by what the eco-joggers were doing. He hoped that more could be done to achieve a cleaner environment.

“My main challenge in this town is how to eliminate wild dumps. So Eco-jogging can help achieve that”, explained Edoé Guun, the mayor of Agbodrafo.

Tagba has taken his initiative global. Several countries are scheduled to participate this year in the second edition of the Eco-Jogging World Cup, which will take place in Burkina Faso, while over 6,000 people in 18 countries across the world including Togo, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Niger, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Benin, Senegal, Chad, Guinea, Mauritania, Mali, DRC, Gabon, France, Belgium, Germany, and the United-States of America, are involved.

“We only tried to bring people together through social media and but now every time we put out a call, people come,” said Tagba.

“What we have just done is for our own health and whoever talks about health, talks about sanitation. We have travelled all over.... and it has allowed me to see a bit of the quality of the streets and their cleanliness gave me a lot of ideas for the future,” Tagba said, clearly excited about the opportunities.

The initiative also encourages eco-entrepreneurship.

“There are some women today, who go to the dumpsite to pick up these plastic wastes to resell. It is already an alternative if people know that we can sell them. It can help fight against the proliferation of plastic wastes while protecting our environment,” Tagba elaborated.

At the fifth session of the United Nations General Assembly for the Environment held on February 28, 2022, in Nairobi, Kenya, UNEA-5 Chair, Espen Barth Eide said plastic pollution was becoming an epidemic. Paradoxically, plastics are some of the most durable products humans have made.

Yet, it is often just thrown away.

Eco-jogging for us all!” he shouts and more than 50 joggers respond in unison: “Eco-jogging to save the environment

“Plastic is a product that can be reused, and then reused again and again, if we make it part of a circular economy,” Eide said.

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The Future of

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By Omowumi Odesomi

Late last year, Kola, a founder of an Ice Cream and Confectionary in Ekiti State, South-West Nigeria, was finding it difficult to continue doing business.

His business which employs nearly ten persons struggled to stay afloat, in part due to the rising costs of materials. The place was quite attractive to fun-lovers in the state, and was fast becoming one of the lively spots in the capital, yet, he was struggling with running costs.

The definitions of micro-business, small business, and medium business however depend on the country.

Even as a viable business with a good model, he was finding it difficult to get loans of any sort, and found himself in a conundrum where staying afloat might mean cutting either wages or letting go of some employees.

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Micro tagged as between 1 and 10 employees;

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Small tagged between 10 and 50 employees and;

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Medium tagged between 50 and 200 employees.

His problem isn't isolated but it is the norm in the country for most MSMEs owners who have to constantly make these decisions daily.

MSMEs, that is - Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises are the bedrock of any progressing or vibrant economy.

MSMEs outnumber large companies by a wide margin and also employ many more people thereby reducing unemployment.

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In Nigeria, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are generally referred to as enterprises with up to 200 to 250 employees.

The Bank of Industry categorizes them according to the number of employees as

include; The contribution of output to the economy in terms of goods and services, development of skilled and semi-skilled workers for industrial expansion, creation of jobs amongst others.

Interestingly, there are over 40 million Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises in Nigeria (MSMEs) and they contribute around 50 per cent to the gross domestic product and account for over 80 per cent of employment in the country.

They are often referred to as the engine room of an economy as a result of sustainable growth, employment generation capability, the development of entrepreneurs, and their contributions to export earnings.

This is evident across various states, cities, and areas of the country where it has become a norm to see the everyday barbershops across the street, the provisions store down the road, the confectionery shops, beauty parlours, the shoemakers, and other small service providers spread across the streets not only carrying out their activities but training others in such skills.

MSMEs cut across many sectors of the economy ranging from agriculture to technology and manufacturing. Its benefits to the Nigerian economy

The Nigerian government is however targeting a 7 per cent contribution to the nation's GDP by the year 2025. The government aims to

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achieve this through the What then is the way forward to get implementation of the Revised National the MSMEs to do better?

Policy (2021- 2025) which was created In identifying the way forward for to nurture and promote the necessary growth in the sub-sector, it is important conditions for the growth and to point out some of the challenges development of MSMEs. being faced in the sub-sector which Among other things, the policy was have hampered growth and discredited the efforts of individuals involved. subjected to review to accommodate new changes at national, regional, and Some of these challenges include global levels to give room for effective growth of the MSME sector. Ÿ Lack of access to affordable finance.

In the words of the Director-General of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria, SMEDAN, Mr Dikko Radda, at the launch of the Revised Policy in April 2021 "some of the changes include the macroeconomic policy thrust embedded in the Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy (2019-2021); The National Economic Growth and Recovery Program (ERGP 2017-2020) introduced to pull Nigeria out of recession; the enactment of the Finance Act 2020 with some explicit provision targeted at the MSMEs and the coming into effect of the African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA".

This policy if not well articulated will however mean little or nothing to the young man on the street trying to get funds for his business or the young lady whose last hope of setting up her business is being dashed because she doesn't have access to finance.

It is to this end that the policy recommended that all existing government intervention schemes should be harmonised, an information portal created for demand, and also a wholesale banking institution for MSME funding should be created.

Given the number of MSMEs operating in Nigeria at the moment, can one say they are performing well?

For the Former Managing Director of the Bank of Industry Mr Waheed Olagunju, "if we have about 40 million MSMEs in Nigeria and we're still where we are in terms of national development, then what is clear is that the sector is still underperforming and it's not being able to maximise its potentials as MSMEs have done in other economies".

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Inconsistent regulatory policies.

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Infrastructural deficit.

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Multiple taxations.

Having identified the importance of small-scale enterprises to the nation's growth, moving on, businesses like that of Kola highlighted earlier and others in the MSMEs categories will do better with more funding.

To achieve this, the government is proposing to increase loan disbursements to the MSMEs from N190 billion to N440 billion through the National Development plan 20222025 which is a medium-term development plan aimed at accelerating sustained inclusive and private sector-led growth.

To further tackle the lack of access to finance, the government in the Development plan intends to provide technical assistance to partner financial institutions through the Development Bank of Nigeria to improve their MSME lending capacity, guild operational efficiency, and provide loans and credit guarantees.

As funding can never be too much, the National Development plan also highlights that the government intends to increase the value of loans guaranteed from N6.2bn to N116.5bn and train 375 MSMEs by 2023.

It is however worthy to note that the development of the MSME subsector cannot be achieved by the government alone, rather it needs the joint efforts of both government and the private sector.

economy will largely depend on how much it can manoeuvre in that area.

Nigeria cannot be left behind in the technology-driven growth and as it strives to achieve a digital economy, an MSMEs sub-sector driven by technology is inevitable.

It is on this premise that some operators in the MSME categories have jumped in on the trend of moving on to the “streets” of social media such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to promote their products and services.

However, more can still be done.

MSMEs are also encouraged to take advantage of the digital education being provided by some government agencies and private entities to acquire the necessary digital skills required to navigate a digitised world.

Some of these trainings and retrainings oftentimes appear on social media pages where it is believed that a large percentage of people would be reached.

While adopting technological innovations will move MSMEs to a better level for development, Nigeria still needs to do more in the area of its regulatory policies.

Going by the saying that too much of everything is bad, then it will be right to say Nigeria has too many

MSMEs cut across many sectors of the economy ranging from agriculture to technology and manufacturing

As the world has become a global village and almost all aspect of life is driven by technology, the future of any

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To facilitate development, government and its relevant agencies need to ensure that regulations and requirements are appropriate and balanced to allow businesses and entrepreneurs to focus on product innovations that contribute to growth.

Another crucial factor that needs to be looked into to position the MSMEs as the future of the country as suggested by a Fiscal policy partner and Africa tax leader at Price Water House Cooper's Nigeria, Taiwo Oyedele, is for government to prioritize

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Oyedele added that a bottom-up approach for funding whereby all policies and interventions are implemented right from the local government level should be deployed for easier management.

As Nigeria hovers between a Central bank growth forecast of 3 per cent for 2022 and the International Monetary Fund's 2 per cent growth forecast for the year, the implementation of the various intervention policies of government is expected to fast track growth and development in various sectors including the MSMEs sub-sector to ensure that the country achieves growth in the near term and grow above the historic average.

It is however worthy to note that the development of the MSME sub-sector cannot be achieved by the government alone, rather it needs the joint efforts of both government and the private sector

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Osinbajo said, "there are too many regulatory requirements. Too many regulations kill output. We have to take a second look at how we regulate.

Over-regulation is killing businesses. It kills investments".

the aspect of MSMEs businesses that is labour intensive since the nation does not have unlimited resources.

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policies which are sometimes uncoordinated and conflicting such that even Vice President Yemi Osinbajo acknowledged it earlier in the year when the government set another 60day export action plan as part of its efforts to make it easier for people to do business in the country.

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POVERTY ALLEVIATION IN AFRICA A REALISTIC GOAL WITH HUGE POTENTIALS

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Imagine an Africa where people would not have to depend on philanthropists or live below the minimum wage, and living becomes a bit comfortable.

A fundamental question about contemporary Africa is why Africa is still referred to as poor long after the departure of the European colonial domination and amid so much natural resources?

Africa's distinctive problem is that its economies have not been growing. Globally, the number of people in absolute poverty has declined for 25years.

When the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) were announced in 2015, it was clear that success on SDG 1 – "eradication of extreme poverty" depended on Africa's performance. Recent World Bank and United Nations forecasts suggest that Africa will not make it. We should be concerned, but what can be done?

Jakkie Cilliers (Executive Director of the Institute for Security Studies) argued that many African countries are unlikely to reduce extreme poverty to below 3% by 2030. "There is huge potential in Africa to make significant strides to reduce extreme poverty in coming decades. But more realistic targets are needed," Cilliers said, arguing in favour of a goal to see Africa reducing extreme poverty below 20% by 2030.

If circumstances remain the same, the poverty rate will only decline to 23% by 2030, and global poverty will become

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increasingly African, rising from 55% in 2015 to 90% in 2030. 82% of people living in extreme poverty in Africa live in the rural areas and earn the little money they have, primarily from farming. Fragile and conflictaffected states have notably higher poverty rates. Lack of education, health, skills, and persistent inequality between men and women, make poverty reduction harder.

The broad strategy for poverty reduction emphasized rural development, expansion of employment opportunities for the rural and urban poor to essential public services such as housing, transportation, water supply and sewerage and family planning services.

"Africa's giant" and the continent's biggest oil exporter, Nigeria, continue to face the economic impact of the COVID- 19. The country is projected to fall into its deepest recession since the 1980s, pushing up to 20 million Nigerians into poverty in 2022. To prevent or reduce the impact of the pandemic on Nigerian citizens, the World Bank in 2020 discussed a five-year Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for Nigeria with a $1.5- billion financing package to support a resilient post-COVID-19 recovery. This will help the government achieve its goal of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty by 2030.

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Although Ghana has achieved progress in reducing extreme poverty, there is considerable evidence of poverty and widening inequality, and the economic growth and poverty reduction has weakened. The coronavirus pandemic and accompanying global crises have served as a major setback to Ghana's prospects for further poverty reduction.

However, on March 30, 2021, the World Bank approved a $100 million Ghana Productive Safety Net Project 2 (GPSNP 2). The project will support the government of Ghana to expand and strengthen its social safety net program, which will directly benefit over 1.6 million people in the country.

The project will help improve the incomes and productivity of the poor and vulnerable.

"The World Bank is pleased to support this project as it will help ensure that more poor and vulnerable people have access to basic services and can boost their productivity," said Pierre Laporte (World Bank Country Director for Ghana).

"The project is aligned with the government's COVID-19 relief and recovery plans which seeks to protect and restore the economic wellbeing of affected households, workers, and enterprises."

The project will benefit the poorest households in all regions of Ghana by providing cash transfers to 350,000 homes through the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP). This will reach 1.5 million individuals, 60,000 through the Labor- Intensive Public Works (LIPW) program, and support 35,000 beneficiaries through productive inclusion activities to enhance the poor and vulnerable income-generating potential.

As Iffath Sharif, Social Protection and Jobs Global Practice Manager for Western and Central Africa of the World Bank, said, "the project will build support of existing social protection projects by expanding coverage of social protection programs to strengthen performance and impact.

Based on lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and the need to provide more comprehensive support for the urban poor."

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South Africa has also had a fair share of help from the World Bank. This help also comes in order of collaboration with the government. Due to the shrinking fiscal resources that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 -19 pandemic, the Social Assistance programs and Systems Review: South Africa reports underscores the critical role of grant and social assistance system in mitigating poverty.

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Like notable Nigerian entrepreneur and philanthropist Mr Tony Elumelu, CON Chairman of Heirs Holding, once stated, "entrepreneurship has the potential of uplifting millions of Africans from poverty." Education is an avenue to develop essential vocational skills and efficiency in the population.

GPSNP 2 will extend coverage into urban communities to help tackle pockets of high poverty and vulnerability that exist in these communities. It will also scale up the provision of information, communication and engagement of safety net program beneficiaries.

Given the high unemployment rates and limited access to unemployment insurance for workers, the system has been a necessary government intervention.

"South Africa's Strong and effective Social protection programs have helped protect vulnerable people and ensured that they can meet their basic needs, especially during the pandemic when limited fiscal resources are under pressure" said Marie- Francoise Marie-Nelly (World Bank Country Director for South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho and Namibia). "We hope that this research will enhance policies to ensure that the important investments the government is already making will help break the cycle of poverty for the next generation and keep children healthy and in school. Help households' transition from social grants to more sustainable income-generating opportunities."

The African Union's Agenda 2063 process offers an opportunity for Africa to take charge of its development trajectory, but continental targets should only be a starting point. These targets could include African countries reducing extreme poverty to below 20% by 2030, below 10% by 2045 and below 3% by 2063. The million-dollar question is whether Africa will ever see the end of extreme poverty?

The broad strategy for poverty reduction emphasized rural development, expansion of employment opportunities for the rural and urban poor to essential public services such as housing, transportation, water supply and sewerage and family planning services.

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Nigeria's Federal Executive Council in 2021 approved a National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy (NPRGS), a scheme they say will accelerate the reduction in poverty through economic growth, social protection programs and others. The total cost of the execution /implementation of the policies and programs underpinning this strategy over 10-years is estimated at US$161 billion. "This estimated cost covers the dual objective of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty and achieving all the country's development objectives in line with the Sustainable Development Goals 2030. As a middle-income country, around 50-60% ($80b $97b) of financing needs are expected to be covered by the government," they said.

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AFRICA'S EXCHANGES IN NEW PUSH TO RAISE BOARDROOM GENDER PARITY

By Conrad Onyango

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As global financial markets investors seek more disclosures on how listed firms deal with climate change, governance, and social issues, Africa's stock exchanges are riding on the window to push for more women to be appointed to senior leadership positions- and shore up capital.

Stock exchanges in South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya and Egypt have renewed their commitment towards closing the gender parity gaps by bringing on board more women in leadership positions—especially as chief executives and chairs in some of the continent's most prominent private firms.

The move which aims at attracting more foreign and direct capital is a critical paradigm shift by the exchanges to do this by embracing global pro-female empowerment groups, while also introducing gender-focused products and rules that require listed firms to disclose how they are entrenching gender parity in their boards.

And the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), which experienced a 73 per cent slump in equity capital raised in 2021 fueled by a high number of delisting's, has affirmed that women empowerment will be its priority in the postCovid-19 era in the rebuilding of economies.

"More and more women must occupy their spot at the wealth-generating table now if we are to have a sustainable and inclusive tomorrow," said JSE Director of Marketing and Corporate Affairs Vuyo Lee during the

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annual "Ring the Bell for Gender Equality" ceremony.

According to Africa Capital Markets Watch 2021 report

by Price waterhouse Coopers (PwC), Africa recorded its lowest equity capital market activity in the last five years with a decline in value and volume by 28 per cent and 23 per cent, respectively, compared to 2020.

"The reduction of IPOs and capital raising in 2021 indicates that Africa may be falling behind the international market ability to leverage the private sector to create investment and wealth," said the report.

JSE is the only exchange in the continent to beat the Group of 20 average for female representation among directors of companies traded.

A 2021 UN Sustainable Stock Exchanges initiative and IFC report rank stock exchanges of the G20 by the gender balance of their issuers' boards voted JSE as the best gender balance on boards (28.5 per cent) of any developing country in the G20 markets.

In Nigeria, the exchange said it is exploring strategic partnerships with government and private businesses to promote the adoption of sustainable business practices, reporting and fostering the growth of long-term sustainable finance.

"NGX Group of Companies is committed to championing efforts to advance gender equality across our ecosystem through the introduction of genderAFRICANLEADERSHIP MAGA ZINE

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In Kenya, the Nairobi Securities Exchange, a signatory to UN-baked gender equality promotion vehicles, the WEPs and the Sustainable Stock Exchanges (SSE), is banking on new Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles to shore up the number of women leaders in listed firms.

"NSE as a member of the Sustainable Stock Exchanges (SSE), is working to scale up its actions on gender equality through its recently launched ESG Guidance Manual," said NSE on its official Twitter handle.

The NSE became the fourth African stock exchange to launch the ESG guidance manual requiring listed firms to publish annual sustainability reports on how investors address issues such as corruption, customers' data privacy and environmental impact.

Companies listed on the exchange are also required to report on gender balance and efforts in offering equal opportunities to people with disabilities.

Kenya's 2010 Constitution requires all businesses to ensure that at least a third of their board members are of a different gender.

"This approach will allow exchanges to focus their efforts in a way that is most likely to produce meaningful outcomes," according to the guidance.

Of the four only African exchange members listed under SSE Initiative, only South Africa's JSE has the highest female composition on the board and executive team and policies and practices that promote a culture of gender parity.

The JSE Board, the exchange's highest decisionmaking body, is led by a female chairperson and comprises 66.67 per cent women representation. Its executive committee, also led by a woman CEO, is 77.78 per cent female.

Nigeria's Stock Exchange 11-member board of directors consists of three women, with only one female on its executive committee of three members.

Nairobi Securities Exchange has two women independent non-executive directors on its nine-member board with its executive committee having three womenmajority (six) being men.

In 2016, the Capital Markets Authority of Kenya published a corporate governance code that requires listed companies to adopt a board diversity policy that includes gender.

Egypt, also a member of the SSE Initiative, in July 2021 promulgated a rule that requires the board of directors of all Egyptian Stocks Exchange-listed companies to have 25 per cent of female members or have at least two female board members by the end of 2022.

The North African country also ratified penal law last year to confront sexual harassment and promote flexible work arrangements for female workers.

Sustainable Stocks Exchange Initiative- In which the four African stocks exchanges are members, calls on exchanges to lead by example - through an inward introspection to evaluate and report their progress on gender equality.

"The first step for all exchanges is to identify the most pressing barriers to gender equality in their markets and map those barriers to the areas where they are most likely to have an impact," says the initiative in its updated guidance christened, How Exchanges Can Advance Gender Equality.

Sustainable Stocks Exchange Initiative- In which the four African stocks exchanges are members, calls on exchanges to lead by example- through an inward introspection to evaluate and report their progress on gender equality

Key proposed interventions on the internal promotion of gender equality include setting targets on gender

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The NEL has also committed to advocating for increased participation of women on boards and in senior management and lending support for capacity building initiatives to enable companies to achieve their genderrelated aspirations.

Exchanges can, therefore, begin to promote genderfocused services and products while strengthening their market performance to influence big businesses to grow their quota of female employees in strategic decisionmaking positions.

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Nigerian Exchange Limited Chief Executive Officer, Temi Popoola.

recruitment, elimination of pay gap and protecting women against harassment.

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responsive and inclusive financial instruments," said the

ECONOMY

ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION IN AFRICA HOW AND WHY IT MATTERS

By Janet Abena Quainoo

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Growing up some of us were told to not put all our eggs in one basket. But I never understood it until I was in Junior High school. This was because I believed if all the eggs were put in one place then carrying it becomes easier, doesn't it? But I guess this saying had a different meaning. An understanding of it has helped in some decisions I have taken at various stages in my life. And these decisions have had enormous impacts on my life.

Although the saying has helped me personally, I think it could be used at various spheres of human activities and one of such is a country's economy. For decades African countries have relied on their natural resources as a source for revenue generation. But a shift from the over reliance on these natural resources can lead to economic diversification.

Given the importance of diversifying African economies, it is critical to recognize how various dimensions of diversification can have different implications on a country's economy. Former managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Christine Lagarde articulates, "We know that economic diversification is good for growth. Diversification is also tremendously important for resilience."

Unfortunately, this goal continues to elude African countries.

The global financial and economic crisis has revealed Africa's vulnerability to external economic shocks. Many of the continent's economies are largely dependent on the export of commodities and have suffered setbacks in economic growth as a result. However, economic diversification and more broadly-based industries hold great potential to increase Africa's resilience and would contribute to achieving and sustaining a long-term economic growth and development.

Africa's low level of economic diversification is a leading factor in the continent's economic fragility. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic has magnified the risks of countries over dependence on a single natural resource such as oil. Although the continent is endowed with abundant natural resources. We equally produce a vast amount of the world's tropical hardwood, coffee, cocoa and rubber. The United Nation has strongly advised against African countries' over-reliance on extractive commodities and for them to diversify their economic base.

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Fortunately, Africa has made socioeconomic progress in the last two decades, but economic diversification would have created a more solid foundation for accelerated development. Economies that are not diversified experienced a decline in growth, accompanied by weak institutions as well as stunted efforts at structural and economic transformation. If an economy lacks diversification it is susceptible to global crisis

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The countries especially those most at risk, must implement evidence-based policies and strategies that can promote economic diversity. And they may include: A strategy that involves financial inclusion driven by the digital revolution to foster market integration and production activities at a much lower transaction cost.

Digital platforms can also boost agricultural productivity through prompt payments for produce, information sharing and agro-industrial activities.

Another strategy could be to remove restrictive barriers to especially intra-African trade as well as trade with other regions. Barriers to trade include cumbersome import and export policies, trade taxes and complicated customs processes. Fortunately, the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is expected to address these obstacles.

Investment in skills, infrastructure, institutions and governance quality will increase the likelihood of a successful diversification.

Institutional capacity building and resorting to renewable resources are steps countries can take

Again, an increase in local manufacturing, particularly by agroindustries will tackle disruptions caused by over reliance on food imports from out of the continent. Each country can optimize its comparative advantage expertise.

Investment in skills, infrastructure, institutions and governance quality will increase the likelihood of a successful diversification. Institutional capacity building and resorting to renewable resources are steps w w w. a f r i c a n l e a d e r s h i p m a g a z i n e . c o . u k

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Trade expansion is central to creating new, higher productivity jobs that will facilitate growth and integration into the global economy lies behind success of many countries in diversifying their economies, driving far-reaching poverty reduction in the process. The question that begs to be answered is how quickly can countries formulate and implement policies to aid rapid recovery as well as insulate against future fragility? The answer might lie in those eggs I used to collect – with more baskets we can carry many more eggs!

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countries can take. Renewables will help reduce the exploitation of raw materials used to generate energy through gas and oil power plants

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such as this pandemic. Poor healthcare systems and food insecurity are major concerns in under developed regions on the continent. As the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) a policy and research organization focusing on sustainable development, emphasizes that "African nations are among those caught off guard by a pandemic, constrained by chronically weak health infrastructure and reliance on global value chains."

BUSINESS

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SMALL & MEDIUM ENTERPRISES AFRICA'S TOOL FOR REALISING SDG 8 The International Monetary Fund's (IMF) Regional Economic Outlook for Sub-Saharan Africa, released in April 2015, boldly declared that "Over the next 20 years, sub-Saharan Africa will become the main source of new entrants into the global labour force". With a further projection from the IMF that by 2035 the number of Africans joining the working-age population will exceed that of the rest of the world combined, the strength and importance of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) on the continent cannot be ignored as it is on their platform that such statistics thrive. These projections are further enhanced and consolidated because Africa is the continent with the highest entrepreneurship growth rate globally; according to the African Development Bank, 22 percent of Africa's working-age population are starting businesses. In this vein, the continent's SME power can be considered the solution to achieving and

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realizing the Sustainable Development Goal.

Impressively, the world over, statistics show that Africa has the lowest youth unemployment rates. In Sub-Saharan Africa, youth unemployment rates have been on a general declining trend since 2012, from 11.7 per cent to a projected 10.7 and 10.6 per cent in 2020 and 2021, respectively. However, this changes when considering the Northern part of the continent, which exhibits the highest unemployment rates in the world at over 30 percent in 2019, projected to decline slightly to 29.6 percent in 2021. The decline on both ends is good news. Still, it can be great news if unemployment is eradicated to the barest minimum of being almost non-existent, with a shot at SMEs providing such opportunities.

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It becomes crucial for Africa to see that SMEs can fill the gap and make it possible for the Sustainable Development Goal of Decent Work and Economic Growth to be attained. In 3 dimensions, SMEs can function as growth engines conveniently to cause development massive development for Africa and enhance the continent's chances to take over the global stage as the frontier for innovation and even technological advancement.

SMEs as the Platform for Decent Work and Increasing Global Employment The numerous opportunities in capitalizing on Small and Medium Enterprises show how African governments, organizations and businesses can provide decent work for the average individual from the continent. For instance, business enterprises linked to Dr Kwameh Kyei, the African Leadership Magazine's energy leader 2020, employ over 4,000 persons. These businesses are medium enterprises that operate within Ghana as his subsidiaries, e.g. Light FM and Light TV. It becomes necessary to evaluate

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SMEs as the Cure for Recession and Economic Growth To beat the recession associated with the advent of the Covid pandemic and effectively stimulate economic growth, SMEs need a boost to survive via an enabling environment that includes access to finance, a key challenge faced across the continent by these enterprises. Financial access is the single biggest hindrance to the establishment of new African enterprises and the growth of existing ones. According to the International Finance Corporation Regional Director for Sub-Saharan Africa, it is estimated that the continent's formal SME sector has an annual financing gap of over US $136 billion, which causes lost opportunities as SMEs account for 90 percent of all businesses in Africa and the investment potential and power which reside in the African continent can and will only be unlocked by financing the SME sector.

The undertaking of the Nigerian government is worthy of emulation by other African countries yet to adopt such strategies in their system. In China, according to Statista.com, SMEs are an important impetus to economic development. Currently, SMEs represent more than 90 percent of the enterprises in the country. They also contribute over 60 percent to the GDP, over 70 percent to patents, and account for 80 percent of nationwide jobs in the country. This is the power of SMEs which African countries can activate as it is one key aspect that is helping to shape one of the most thriving economies in the world.

The need for African Governments and Organizations to create, drive and build SME structures in Africa cannot be overemphasized, as SMEs possess the potential and power to cause a turnaround for the continent in terms of economic growth and development, thereby fulfilling the goal of sustainable development as envisioned in the SDGs by the UN. African governments can diversify their interests into empowering SMEs and possessing a stake in them to generate national income and build a sustainable economy. The provision of decent work and economic growth is crucial to ensure the continent's rapid growth, SMEs as Tools for Strategic and Africa is positioned to take the top Positioning of Economies position globally if action is taken to provide for and promote the growth of Through thorough research, the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics has revealed SMEs. In effect, a considerable part of the growth of Africa is dependent on that small and medium scale the survival and successful operation of enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria have SMEs, which must be encouraged with contributed about 48% of the national necessary policies to accommodate GDP in the last five years. And with a total number of about 17.4 million, they them in a friendly and enabling environment. As they thrive, Africa will account for about 50% of industrial thrive on the global stage. jobs and nearly 90% of the

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manufacturing sector in the country.

This shows the vital opportunity to position one's economy and financial future into developing SMEs. In recognition of this, the Nigerian government has supported small enterprises with reliefs in the Finance Act and certain intervention funds provided. For instance, as reported by www.newsdaily.ng in October 2020, the Federal Government of Nigeria provided an N75 billion intervention fund to help boost SMEs in the country.

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the commonly accepted notion that the drivers of economic growth and longterm sustainability for emerging markets lie in the potential and practical development of the small and medium enterprise (SME) sector. The population of Africa is estimated to be more than 1.3 billion people, with a growth rate of over 2 percent annually in most countries, and more than 50 percent of this populace falls below the age of 25. In light of this, the growing need for the services, jobs and economic growth which locally-based SMEs can only provide on the continent cannot be avoided. In response to these needs, job opportunities created by the advent of new and viable enterprises will fulfil the need for decent work and sustain the United Nations objectives in Africa.

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Business failure is another area in which the continent is said to see challenges, as the revelations from a Weetracker's study, in collaboration with the GreenTec Capital Africa Foundation, show that the annual rate of Start-up failure in Africa is at 54.20 percent. Then, with the advent of Covid 19, the trend of recession affected many countries as they could not sustain the viability of their economy.

However, when flipped, all these indices prove to confirm the need for Africa and its governments to seriously consider the prospect of SMEs and the potential they hold in moving the continent forward and allowing for adequate sustainability of resources – both human and otherwise, along the line. One can perhaps find the sum of the critical approach with which to view such indices in the words of Dr Ken Giami, the Chairman of the African Leadership Organisation, where he notes that the challenges in Africa are to be seen as opportunities in themselves rather than problems.

DIPLOMATIC WATCH

UKRAINE - RUSSIA CONFLICT & Potential Effects On Africa

By Meresia Aloo

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The main question that is yet to have a complete answer is, how hard will the hit be?

Andrii Pravednyk is Ukraine's ambassador to Kenya and stands in for other East African countries. Henriette Gieger is the European ambassador to Kenya, while Pirkka Tapiola is the Finnish envoy to Kenya.

These ambassadors were present at a press conference held at the Ukraine Embassy based in Nairobi. The purpose of the press conference was to address the updates as far as the Ukraine-Russia war is concerned. It also seemed to have been triggered by the video in circulation suggesting racism in Ukraine due to the war.

While at the press conference, all the ambassadors looked not to be in a mood to address the question I raised about the possible effects of the war on the African Continent. According to them, it was a bit premature to speculate about the possible impact the war would have on the African continent, even as some of the effects began to trickle in.

Ambassador Henriette Gieger however was the first to take up the chance and respond to my question. She majorly focused on the food-fuel aspect as a possible effect. According to her, Ukraine and Russia are among the world's leading producers of major commodities, including crude oil, wheat, and sunflower oil. As a result of the war,

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she says, food prices would go up, sending shockwaves across African and global economies. Global oil prices have already surpassed $100 per barrel as of today. As a result, Brent crude oil has risen to its highest level since 2012. The price of oil, which is currently trading at around 119 US dollars per barrel, has directly impacted fuel prices in several African countries. Nonetheless, the rise in oil prices has significant consequences for oil-producing and nonproducing countries.

This is because, in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the US and its European allies have proposed prohibiting the imports of Russian oil. By 04:49 GMT, Brent crude futures had risen $12.61, or 10.6%, to USD130.72 a

At least a quarter (around 20 percent) of the over 80,000 international students in Ukraine come from African nations with sizable populations from Egypt, Nigeria, and Morocco

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Away from this, Ukraine Ambassador to Kenya Andrii Pravednyk, told African Leadership Magazine that he was not in a position to state the effects of the war on the African continent, but pointed out possible effects on the Republic of Kenya. According to him, the haunting of travels from Ukraine to Kenya has harmed the country's lucrative tourism sector. "It will harm the tourism industry in your country. We started flights to Mombasa in April, 10 months to be specific, and within less than a year, 3000 Ukrainian tourists visited Kenya. "And you can imagine now that no single Ukrainian tourist will be able to come to your beautiful country due to Russian Invasion.

Kenya, on the other hand, is not a one-of-a-kind case.

They have also taken a massive hit in the energy sector, despite not having fully tapped their oil deposits in Turkana County. This month, the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) said that a liter of super petrol in Nairobi would start retailing at sh.134.72, up from sh.129.72. On the other hand, Diesel had risen to sh.115.60 per litre from sh.110.60.

"You may have seen some reports concerning impending price increases for specific products—for instance, wheat and other things on their way. Also, rising transportation costs for specific products or rising energy prices will impact products., Continuing, she said "Of course, another impact will be likely travel difficulties, but for the time being, the main impact is possible to price increases. However, it is still too early to assess, but energy scarcities will affect various sectors in the future" Henriette Gieger, European Ambassador to Kenya.

The Finnish ambassador to Kenya's major focus was on the need to join hands and champion for the continent's stability. He emphasized that the conflict between Russia and Ukraine should not cause heightened attention on the continent. "We must band together to increase our efforts to protect the system, whether at UNEA, the UN General Assembly, or the Human Rights Council…." he said.

Kenya is an economic powerhouse in East Africa., it plays a vital role in East Africa's trade. According to Mr Irungu Nyakera, Chair of the Kenya Tea Development Agency, sanctions are likely to occur due to the war. If Kenya and Russia share common trade relations, the tea sector will probably also suffer after the energy sector.

Meanwhile, Russia has been rebuilding and strengthening its relations with African countries through trade, aid, and security, most notably through the Wagner Group. Given that most African countries have been engaging in trade with them, the war might disrupt their other economic relations with African countries.

Russia is the sixth importer of Kenyan Tea. Kenya also imports a large proportion of its wheat supplies from Ukraine and Russia. With the war escalating in Ukraine, the price of wheat products has already gone high.

The hostilities between Ukraine and Russia, if not stopped, will continue to linger a direct influence on most of the African countries. Lastly, as I aim to stop here, the African continent hopes to witness the war's end. However, the war has placed us between a rock and a hard place.

Pirkka Tapiola, Finnish envoy to Kenya was of the opinion that “this isn't just a fight in one corner of the world; it's a question of stability and the barriers that exist'' He however took note of the possible impacts of the conflict on the African continent.

"Yes, there are economic consequences, but the most important one, in my opinion, is that the multilateral security order, which guarantees stability and security based on values, territorial integrity, sovereignty, and human rights, has been severely harmed. He must have referred to the extensive social media accounts posts that hinted at the African citizens living in Ukraine being faced with racism. According to the social media posts, the engineering and medical students were reportedly undergoing discrimination while attempting to flee the troubled country.

Oil-exporting countries are expected to make money and increase their foreign reserves, while the cost of commodities would rise globally

At least a quarter (around 20 percent) of the over 80,000 international students in Ukraine come from African nations with sizable populations from Egypt, Nigeria, and

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Oil-exporting countries are expected to make money and increase their foreign reserves, while the cost of commodities would rise globally. However, the consequences may be less noticeable for a country like Nigeria, which sells crude and buys refined fuel. Nigeria's reserves are over $39 billion, but the excess crude account has dropped to around $35 million. On the black market, the naira is now trading between N570 and N580.

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Morocco. The latest report on the issue indicates that the Ukraine Embassy in Nairobi has debunked concerns that Africans are being discriminated against in Ukraine due to the Russian invasion, while it's clear.

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barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) had risen $10.41, or 0.9 percent, to USD126.09. Intraday highs for both futures were near record levels in July 2008, when Brent hit $147.50 a barrel and WTI hit $147.27.

ENTERTAINMENT

USING DANCE TO WARD OFF EVIL

By Bongany Siziba

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In a poor neighbourhood in South Africa, a mom-anddaughter team have found a way to keep many of their neighbours' children away from crime and drugs: dance.

It's 10 am on a Saturday. A chilly winter wind is blowing over near-deserted streets in Claremont, a suburb of Randburg, near Johannesburg. The town's residents seem to have taken refuge indoors, protected from a wind so bitter it has frozen the water in some of the neighbourhood pipes.

Occasionally, a lone, brave soul - in the latest case, pushing a trolley - ventures out onto the street to confront the grim reality of the residents' everyday existence; a tough neighbourhood with a growing population, stalked by the menace of drugs and crime.

But save for that lone appearance, all seems quiet in the weather-beaten apartment blocks and houses with peeled backs standing forlornly in long but broken rows.

So where is everybody?

the teenage boys, are probably out, with some huddled in a local park, at what some locals call "solace bases".

Michelle Swarts walks down the empty street. She slows down and points to a group of boys sitting at the park.

You see, those boys are wasting their lives due to drug use; you will find them here by the park smoking," she says, her tone both angry and concerned

The adults and children may be hidden in the houses, away from the unforgiving wind. At least, the older children;

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Growing up in this community, Swarts has witnessed many teenagers waste away their lives on drugs. According to her, almost every family in the neighbourhood has lost at least one member to drugs.

“It's sad,” she added, face cracking with emotion.

Swarts has offered many of these very youths, an alternative. Tired of seeing young people wasting their lives, she, with the help of her daughter, Nicolene, has created a dance group and christened it the 'Xcel into Prominence Foundation'.

"I figured out that young people would not be lured into social vices if they had some kind of hobby to engage in,” Swarts explained.

“Since I enjoy music and dance, I thought it would be instrumental in keeping young people engaged."

Arriving at the Swarts home's entrance, one is immediately aware of loud music and excited noises emanating from the back yard. For around 30 boys and girls who come here daily after school (including weekends and school holidays, Swarts explained) this is a dance studio of sorts.

"Young people from this block are no longer idling in the streets. They come here for music, dance, and afternoon classes," Swarts said as she led the way to the yard.

There, in spite of the chill, a group of young girls were practising well-choreographed dance moves as their peers cheered them on excitedly.

The choice of music and the choreography is designed to provide anti-drug messages to the youngsters and educate them on the dangers of drug addiction.

Daniel Norman, 22, a dancer and choreographer at the XP Foundation said the foundation was steering young people in the right direction by helping them take charge of their lives.

“Our community is full of gangs and drugs. Here, these children not only learn how to dance but also get to know the dangers of drug use from an early age,” Norman said.

The program also teaches the youngster street-smarts.

“Therefore, when they go to the streets, they know how to behave,” he explained.

During the dance sessions, Michelle and Nicolene also assist with school work since the foundation also aims to help its members excel in academics.

From performing at various functions at schools, churches and dancing competitions, the foundation raises funds which are then used to contribute to school fees, as well as to provide food and basic necessities for some of the programme's poorest members, while a cancer initiative encourages the young women in the group to go for breast cancer screening.

Their next big milestone is to ensure the group is able to take part in a talent competition.

"It is remarkable how well the children have responded to the dance initiative. This backyard teems with life in the afternoons as they all stream in to dance and have fun," Michelle said, watching intently as the dancers went through their paces yet again.

"Focus! Focus! You need to focus. This life is not a game.

If you do not get it right, don't give up; you keep trying!"

Nicolene Swarts instructed from the sidelines.

The "XP Foundation" as it is known locally opened its doors five years ago. Since then, the initiative has won the hearts of many residents, particularly parents.

One parent who chose to remain anonymous credited the group with keeping her children alive. “l lost two brothers to drugs, and my neighbour's child was gunned down a few weeks ago by drug lords, so this town is not safe for our children,” she said. “l am happy my two daughters now they don't roam around in the streets. When they are not at home l know there are here dancing, which keeps them away from the

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"You cannot walk in the streets of Claremont without meeting a horde of drunk teenagers," she said, walking past another group of children, who this time were engaged in a game of football.

In fact, of the 30 XP Foundation members, most are female. There are 28 girls and just two boys. With the majority aged between six and 15, they are often escorted to and from the Swarts' home by Michelle.

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"Teenagers are among the heavy drug users in our community," the 44-year-old continued.

peer pressure of drugs in this community,” she added.

It is remarkable how well the children have responded to the dance initiative.

This backyard teems with life in the afternoons as they all stream in to dance and have fun

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"You see, those boys are wasting their lives due to drug use; you will find them here by the park smoking," she says, her tone both angry and concerned. From the look on her face, there is also a deep sense of urgency.

TRADE & INVESTMENT

US – AFRICA TRADE RELATIONS A stock taking of Biden's Administration

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Trade between the United States and Africa has decreased substantially since 2010, and America's adversaries have seized opportunities to expand their influence. China has overtaken the United States as the continent's leading commercial partner. Since 2005, it has invested about $2 trillion in projects and infrastructure. The country has also gained control of enormous rare earth minerals required to produce electric vehicles and advanced defence systems.

European transatlantic relationship.

He has reaffirmed the United States' commitment to the NATO alliance and collective security.

He has also reinstated the United States' participation in the Paris Climate Agreement and other climate-related actions.

Since 2015, Russia has inked new military cooperation agreements with seventeen African nations.

His administration has emphasised international cooperation in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and US defences against foreign-sponsored cyberattacks and cyberespionage.

On the continent, it is currently constructing six new military sites. China has mobilized a massive diplomatic effort to support these efforts, with high-level officials visiting Africa over 80 times in the last decade. This includes Xi's visits to eight different nations.

In her first briefing, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki stated that the priority on foreign relations would be with US friends and allies, saying: "I would expect his early calls will be with partners and allies. He believes it is critical to mend those bonds."

The Chinese prime minister and Russian President Vladimir Putin conduct opulent annual gatherings for African leaders.

As White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki put it, "President Biden is rightfully prepared to engage with SubSaharan Africa." His impact on American foreign policy is undeniable. Biden's principles are reflected in the incoming administration's approach to Sub-Saharan Africa. It has emphasized mutual respect, a true partnership, and efforts to strengthen multilateral institutions, mainly through African organizations.

Meanwhile, Africa has been hit particularly hard by America's historic diplomatic slide. The State Department's capacity has been slashed, and the Trump administration has failed to send a senior diplomat to the US-Africa Business Summit in 2019.

Biden's goal as President is to enhance the US-

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To be genuinely successful, since 2010, US trade with Africa has dropped by more than half, and only two US

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Pillars of the Biden-Harris Diaspora Agenda This is a brief, simple campaign document that President Biden and Senator Harris utilized during their campaigns. It gave a broad overview of Biden's administration's expected African preoccupation at the time, and it was aimed at a specific set of actual or potential voters.

In the future, while it was eager to address several fundamentals, it was also wary about overpromising.

The manifesto promised a shift in tone, the restoration of "mutually respectful engagement," and the revival and reinvigoration of diplomacy in US-Africa relations. It reiterated the United States' commitment to African democracy and economic development.

Despite this, the letter notably backed President Obama's Young African Leaders Initiative and appeared to seek diversity in the US diplomatic service.

So, where do we go from here?

Judd Devermont, a seasoned former intelligence official, joined the Biden administration late last year to assist in developing a new Africa policy. Several significant problems, such as US support for the African Continental Free Trade Agreement's implementation and follow-up to COP26 in Glasgow, will likely be at the forefront of the new approach.

At the same time, if President Biden keeps his ambitions for 2022 the same way he began 2021: with a focused video message for African leaders, he would send a favourable signal. This time, though, the administration would have to back up its words with action to show that Africa is genuinely a priority for the US. Also, as we are still in the early stages of 2022, announcing visits by Vice President Harris and Commerce Secretary Raimondo would be an excellent place to start.

Indeed, the campaign was the first to explain how it would promote the African diaspora's interests in the United States.

President Biden broadcasted a video greeting African leaders attending the 34th African Union Summit on his 16th day in office.

He promised American participation and solidarity on a range of vital subjects in the video. The message was a welcome change from former President Donald Trump's dismissive remarks about Africa.

Trade ties between the United States and Africa Wilbur Ross, the last commerce secretary to visit Africa, spent only one day in Ghana during his four years in office.

Secretary Gina Raimondo and a re-energized Presidential Advisory Committee on Doing Business in Africa (PAC-DBIA) are expected to pique investment interest in the region. In September, Vice President Kamala Harris met with Ghana's president, Nana Akufo-Addo, and Zambia's president, Hakainde Hichilema, in the White House. Her continued involvement in African affairs would provide the continent with a much-needed lift on Biden's foreign policy agenda.

Biden's principles are reflected in the incoming administration's approach to Sub-Saharan Africa.

It has emphasized mutual respect, a true partnership, and efforts to strengthen multilateral institutions, mainly through African organizations

The recent Senate and House hearings on the African

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The announcement by Blinken of an African leaders' summit in late 2022 will help accelerate work on the Biden Africa agenda.

Senator Chris Van Hollen and Representative Karen Bass encouraged President Biden to reconsider the administration's decision to end Ethiopia's AGOA benefits in December. They cited the decision's negative consequences, including hurting the nation's most vulnerable and reversing hard-won economic gains without reducing hostilities in the ongoing civil war.

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Last year, Secretary of State Tony Blinken's November visit to Kenya, Nigeria, and Senegal pushed an essential set of priorities for Biden's Africa policy: COVID-19 recovery, climate change mitigation, democratic support, and increased trade and investment.

Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) future demonstrate that Congress is paying attention to the United States' position in the African market even before the law's expiration in 2025. Given that AGOA remains the cornerstone of the US-Africa business relationship, this focus is welcome. Nonetheless, crucial aspects of AGOA must be updated.

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presidents have visited the continent." The Africa Policy of Vice President Biden will have to back up his verbal values.

This should be accomplished through a well-crafted, forward-thinking policy based on a detailed understanding of the varied realities and opportunities across SSA's 46 countries and how they are intertwined.

EDUCATION

IS FORMAL EDUCATION THE ANSWER TO YOUTH EMPLOYABILITY?

By Janet Abena Quainoo

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"Education is no longer just a pathway to opportunity and success; it's a prerequisite for success." Barack Obama, former US President.

In today's understanding of growth and development dynamics, education is crucial.

However, it has a complicated connection with other elements. According to the African Union, Africa has the world's youngest population, with more than 400 million young people aged 15 to 35.

These children are growing up in a very different world from their parents.

To raise the development index of African countries, such a young population needs increased investment in economic and social development aspects.

philosophy that underpins the entire concept of education.

On the other hand, education plays a significant role in today's understanding of economic growth and development processes.

Although the formal education system is primarily focused on primary education, special needs and adult education are frequently included.

Non-formal education is also seen as a supplement to formal education in the context of lifelong.

This type of education can be delivered over a short time, with a reduced level of intensity, and in various formats (short courses, seminars, workshops).

In addition, learning and teaching styles have altered, as have formal and non-formal education.

In most situations, non-formal education leads to qualifications that aren't recognized as formal by the relevant national educational institutions or no qualifications.

A broader perspective of education today differs in many ways, including access to education, teaching techniques, content or what is being thought, and the

It usually helps with adult and youth literacy, out-ofschool education, life skills, work skills, social and cultural development, and other programs.

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EDUCATION

Mr Kwasi Adu Amankwa is the General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC AFRICA).

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As a Sec-Gen, he is very vocal on matters about youth on the continent. Today, while speaking to African Leadership Magazine, he notes that formal education can help youth employability. However, it is not necessarily the answer to employability. According to him, the acquisition of fundamental skills and the ability to respond to relevant issues in the community and our society promotes employability.

The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) research on employment opportunities has found that persons with greater levels of education earn more and have lower unemployment rates.

According to the most recent BLS statistics, workers with professional or doctorate degrees earned the most money ($1,893 and $1,885, respectively) in 2020, followed by those with master's degrees ($1,545), bachelor's degrees ($1,305), and associate's degrees ($938).

Workers without a high school diploma ($619) were at the bottom of the list. Most companies value higher education, according to surveys conducted throughout the years. However, the experience can be necessary for determining who gets a job or a promotion.

Some occupations require a particular higher education level as a prerequisite for admittance. Others, such as sales jobs, place a higher value on results and work experience.

Of course, there are tradeoffs. College is costly, and the longer you spend acquiring your degrees, the fewer years you'll be working and earning money.

Getting a bachelor's or advanced degree might also mean taking on thousands of dollars in student debt, which can take years to pay off once you've started your career and influence other life decisions like purchasing a home, getting married, or starting a kid.

The human capital theory advocates that education is the primary means by which people gain skills and capacities (Dezelan et al., 2014). On the other hand, employers consider education as a determinant of future worker productivity and trainability (Garcia-Espejo, Ibanez, 2006).

primarily due to changes in the form and substance of labour and jobs in highly competitive knowledge-based societies, which has resulted in a shift in demand for specific knowledge and skills.

As a result, the long-term goal of any education plan is to improve education so that it will increase the workforce's employability, particularly among the young, who are one of the most vulnerable socioeconomic groups.

However, if the educational system does not improve employability, unemployment rises as a result of education and skill development. The definition of the term "skills mismatch" is crucial.

It refers to various discrepancies between acquired skills, knowledge, and competencies and those needed and sought in the job market. This is commonly referred to as the knowledge and skill gap between students and employer expectations.

The educational mismatch is a term used to describe a mismatch in informal education.

Wage penalties result from a mismatch between a worker's formal education and the educational needs of their employment.

According to numerous research, wage penalties and the over education phenomena are both a result of this mismatch. It can also be the result of demand-side issues, specifically by challenges on the supply side, such as an increase in the number of graduates or by a fall in demand or labour market stagnation.

Formal and non-formal education, such as internships, volunteer work, and paid jobs other than internships, are essential determinants of young employment status.

Bottom line.

What counts most when it comes to acquiring a job is a question that dates back to the beginnings of higher education.

Is your formal education getting you in the door, or are your talent and talents more important?

Will your experience or education assist you more in staying employed and growing after you get a job?

Stenberg et al. (2014) found that formal education positively impacted pay levels, particularly for women and children. The education-to-employment journey, also known as the transition from school to work, is one of the most significant issues today's youngsters face.

Education has long been acknowledged as a crucial aspect of personal development and a country's growth and development. It is critical to use a holistic approach to education analysis to maximize the transition from school to the work market.

This will help the employer and employee better understand each other. Labour markets are evolving

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Some occupations require a particular higher education level as a prerequisite for admittance. Others, such as sales jobs, place a higher value on results and work experience

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DEVELOPMENT

“Mozambique Holds The Key to Southern Africa's Clean Energy Transition”

By Fhedzi Modau

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With its massive gas reserves and billions of dollars of investment flowing in to monetize them, Mozambique has a unique opportunity to deploy a flexible power strategy that will bring major benefits across both its domestic and regional electricity markets.

Countries across Southern Africa have established ambitious targets to increase access to affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy by 2030. Renewables, especially solar photovoltaic (PV), are expected to account for threequarters of the increase (IEA – Africa Energy Outlook 2019).

However, the intermittent nature of renewables places great strain upon existing power grids. Both national and regional grids will require significant flexible power generation to counter-balance renewables and ensure a reliable power supply to drive economic growth in the region.

Mozambique is strategically positioned to provide it.

Today, Mozambique has one of the lowest electrification

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rates in the world. The development of its immense offshore natural gas reserves will not only enable the country to meet its 2030 goal of providing universal electricity access, but it will also provide an important energy resource to export across the Southern Africa Power Pool (SAPP), positioning the country as a regional powerhouse.

The SAPP was founded in 1995 to provide a forum for the development of a world-class, robust, safe, efficient, and reliable interconnected electrical system in the Southern African region. Today SAPP relies mostly on conventional power generation, with South Africa providing three quarters of installed capacity primarily from coal fired power plants. In the future, the Southern Africa region is expected to see the integration of large amounts of renewables to the power grid. South Africa's latest Integrated Resource Plan 2019 (IRP2019) sees a shift away from coal with planned decommissioning of aging power plants to be replaced by

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at least 6,000MW of new solar PV capacity and 14,400 MW of new wind power to be commissioned by 2030.

Strengthening the resilience of the existing transmission network whilst integrating the huge growth in renewable energies will be some of the challenges for the SAPP in the coming years.

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renewables allows for conventional power plants to provide a stable baseload. When considering a full fleet of assets, these flexible power plants can not only unlock the full potential of renewable energy assets, but they also offer the lowest Levelized cost of energy (LCoE) as well as a reduction in CO2 emissions.

potential by integrating a significantly higher share of low-cost wind and solar power plants, and vastly improve system reliability at the same time.

Mozambique has already taken steps in the right direction. Located close to the border with South Africa, the 175MW Central Termica de Ressano Garcia (CTRG) gas engine power plant Last but not least, gas engine power continues to supply the country with SAPP will need flexibility to integrate plants consume far less water than renewables highly reliable, flexible and similarly sized generation technologies, competitively priced energy since 2014.

Intermittent renewables, namely namely, gas turbines, coal, or nuclear Nonetheless, additional flexibility, in the wind and solar, present challenges to plants. In a country like Mozambique, form of gas engine power generation system operators because they disrupt which has suffered from both cyclones capacity, will be needed to complement the conventional methods for planning and droughts, and in the context of the expansion of cheap renewables and the daily operation of an electric grid. global warming, water consumption is accelerate the country's economic and Gusts of wind or momentary cloud clearly a parameter that cannot be industrial development. It would also cover can produce huge power ignored when assessing new thermal provide Mozambique with a unique variations in a matter of minutes which power generation. competitive advantage, generating existing grids are unable to cope with. important revenues by exporting much To maintain a balanced system and Increasing the share of low-cost sought-aftergas-powered flexible prevent power outages, grids need to renewable energy electricity to the SAPP. respond to supply and demand Mozambique has huge power fluctuations in seconds or minutes, not The government recognizes the generation potential from untapped hours. Flexible sources of electricity amazing opportunity that gas offers to wind and solar resources. However, must be available to adjust output at transform Mozambique's economy and unlike its neighbours, the current the same rate that wind or solar output position the country as a regional Integrated Master Plan (published in fluctuates. energy hub. It will only happen with a February 2018) targets just 10% of well-informed, well thought-out energy Power generation unit start-up time renewable energy by 2030 and beyond. strategy. And the decisions taken today These renewable energy ambitions are is a significant metric for flexibility, to build the right energy mix will have a too modest. This could be a missed although the comparison of different significant impact on the transition to opportunity for the country, technologies and designs can be cleaner energy not just for the country, complicated by the way start-up time is considering that renewable is set to but for Southern Africa as a whole. provide the cheapest form of electricity. measured. In general, conventional baseload power plants can take several With the support of flexible power generation, Mozambique could hours to start-up and reach full maximize its renewable energy operational capacity. With increased penetration of renewable energies, baseload power plants based on technologies like coal, for example, can no longer operate at full capacity 24/7, which means they generate lower revenues, lower margins and higher maintenance costs.

Combustion engine power plants, on the other hand, are comprised of multiple generating units, which can be fired-up instantaneously without sacrificing efficiency. They offer a large range in power supply availability and their ability to ramp up or down in a matter of seconds makes them the perfect ally for the stable operation of power systems with a high penetration of renewable energy technologies.

The use of modular combustion engines to balance the intermittence of

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AFRICANLEADERSHIP MAGA ZINE

AGRICULTURE

Four Ventures African Youths Can Explore In Agribusiness

By Alkali Amana Recognizing the essence of farmers to a nation, Thomas Jefferson, the 3rd President of the United States of America, once declared that:

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The words above draw attention to the need for a nation to recognize the need to develop and sustain agricultural practices and businesses by empowering its citizens who venture into the industry, more so through its youths. Africa boasts significant untapped agricultural potential, and now more than ever, the sector calls for more input from a continent with an ever-growing youth population.

Statistics reveal that while the African continent accounts for 60 percent of the world's arable land, it only contributes 4 percent of total agricultural output. This shows the need for more input of human resources and power alongside technology into a sector that offers so much yet is given little. The continent's population is expected to be double its current status by 2050, and the need for a high rate of agricultural production will only increase as the years drive by; thereby presenting an opportunity to solve the challenge of unemployment to a promising level among youths, should they actively seek to explore the sector. Slowly, elementary interest in agriculture is growing among Africa's youths, and inspiring stories fly from young people participating in agribusiness across the continent, enough to spur the interest of a young mind towards considering a potential venture into the sector. The herald of such thought comes with many possibilities, hence the

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“Cultivators of the earth are the most valuable citizens. They are the most vigorous, the most independent, the most virtuous, and they are tied to their country and wedded to its liberty and interests by the most lasting bands”.

importance of streamlining ventures that one can consider as agribusiness opportunities to venture in.

Providing Farm Consultancy and Advisory Services

Africa boasts significant untapped agricultural potential, and now more than ever, the sector calls for more input from a continent with an evergrowing youth population

There is immense opportunity inherent in offering consultancy and advisory services to farmers within the African continent. Most farmers need help in organizing and planning their business to achieve optimal results upon harvest and delivery. A key part of agricultural consultancy is research, and the responsibilities of a consultant in this area relate to providing insight on technical and business matters in areas such as accessing markets, understanding crop seasons, Nutrition, Waste management etc. A consultancy

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business in agriculture in the 21st century will also entail the provision of digital solutions to help a client maximize the benefit of the global village we find ourselves in. An industry expert in an exposition with the theme 'Agribusiness Opportunities for African Youth' featured on www.afappartnership.org notes that consultancy services for Farmer Based Organizations include the use of mobile applications for agriculture calendars, rain patterns etc. Other possibilities attached to offering consultancy services include the provision of forecase for fertilizer, seeds and crops, advice on improving farm sanitation etc.

Livestock Farming Livestock farming as an opportunity presents a variety of options to key into as it enables the rearing and breeding of edible animals for meat and other purposes. Keying into this opportunity, one can begin with owning a modern abattoir able to cater for the meat needs of a surrounding population or work through the production of milk, yoghurt, cheese, hide and skin etc.

Beyond terrestrial animals, aquatic farming in owning ponds to rear fishes such as catfish can prove to be viable outlets to take on in the agribusiness sector. Discussing fish farming opportunities, Mbazu Chibuzor, in an article on www.agro4africa.com, explained that aquaculture and smallscale fisheries offer specific opportunities to grow Africa's rural economy and reduce hunger and poverty. It must then be recognized that beyond personal profits, agribusiness helps to grow the African terrain, especially the economy of its rural areas.

Business Listing Agribusinesses Listing African farmers and the products they sell while providing and offering services that connect them with potential customers and consumers is a digital solution yet to be fully explored by individuals and businesses on the continent. The implication attached to this business opportunity lies in the ability to host agribusinesses on a central database and create access to a broader market using digital means to connect with

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buyers. Exploring this feature in a continent where the power of the internet is only growing every day can prove to be an important investment to undertake and revolutionize the agribusiness sector in Africa.

provision of viable employment alternatives to white-collar office jobs; hence it is necessary that African governments step into the fray to help achieve these objectives and ventures.

One important area Africa needs to improve on is the creation of an Sale and Maintenance of Farming enabling environment for businesses Equipment and ventures with which they can thrive As long as agriculture is needed, the and sustain themselves, and there is no better way to do this than to provide existence of tools with which to carry out its practices will remain, and it is an grants, government aid and consultancy support etc. within a opportunity to key into by providing country or nation. Agricultural agencies, farming equipment via sale and maintenance to farmers. An instance of on their part, can step in to reward and encourage youth ventures in their a successful African youth who has respective countries. The role of tapped into this viable agribusiness area is the African Leadership Magazine agencies also extends to the orientation involved to get youths on track to Disruptor of the Year Awardee, Kamal receive the agribusiness idea, and Yakub, who co-founded TROTRO indeed, achieving this will set the Tractor, a company that connects continent up for success towards food smallholder farmers to agricultural liberation and the sufficient use of its mechanization using technology. This agricultural potential. innovation has sometimes been called 'Uber for Tractors', and it has proved its worth in providing tools with farmers that can expand and sustain effective practices in their business without having to worry much about the heavy cost implications of getting or gaining access to important mechanization It must then be recognized machines such as the Tractor.

Venturing into this agribusiness area will enable African youths to grow and create a niche to help the continent grow in its ability to provide immense value and reap benefits from its land.

that beyond personal profits, agribusiness helps to grow the African terrain, especially the economy of its rural areas

The job cannot entirely be left to African youths in the quest for the

AFRICANLEADERSHIP MAGA ZINE

YOUTH & DEVELOPMENT

THE POWER OF SERVICE AU Youth Volunteer Corps (AU-YVC) in Focus

By Janet Abena Quainoo

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How will it feel when the African continent has a wind of change, where the youth can contribute their quota to the development of the continent? Will you be willing to send your son, brother or sister to a country where there are no close relatives? Yet someway somehow you are happy to send them off, because they will be contributing to the growth of other less privileged individuals.

Imagine, a young man or woman volunteering in a community applying his or her knowledge in teaching in a rural school, assisting in a local health center or CHPS compound for a year. That is an individual delivering an average of 2,160 hours of service to the community. Need I say more about the impact an army of youth will create within a shortest possible time?

The AU-YVC is a flagship initiative of the African Union Commission (AUC) set out to promote youth participation, capacity building and empowerment through service and skills exchange. Driven by the philosophy of Pan- Africanism and Youth leadership. Young professionals from across Africa and the Diaspora aged 18-33 can apply to join this program and have been doing so since its launch in 2010.

We can't celebrate independence had it not been for the likes of Kwame Nkrumah, Julius Nyerere, Jomo Kenyatta, Nelson Mandela, Patrice Lumumba among others. It's because they had a common dream for the continent – A strong and United Africa! They believed that the African needed to be free from colonial rule in order to develop.

For a long time though, Inter-African missions have mainly been limited to sending of peace keeping troops to areas riskig war or civil unrest. African soldiers have made tremendous impact in securing peace across their respective countries. Hence, AU-YVC seeks to replicate this momentum to a civilian setting. Whereby African Youth can yet again be deployed to provide their services in assisting development and attaining the common destiny of a prosperous and peaceful continent.

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Volunteering with AU-YVC promotes a sense of Pan Africanism, as travelling to a local community in a country outside of their own would not only be for service but also be able to learn an exchange culture from their host country.

This would create a life changing experience and perception returned volunteers would have about other African countries and their continent at large.

One way or the other we all need someone to encourage or empower us. And volunteering isn't an easy task to begin

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with. It demands leadership qualities which can help you attain your mission in a foreign country. And that is AU-YVC is about because they devote themselves to producing a generation of African leaders will to serve their continent and its people. Knowledgeable of the African dynamics and courageous to take charge and challenge themselves on a daring adventure of building themselves and their continent through service.

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A successful prodigy of AU-YVC is Mr. Frimpong Musa, who is a co-founder of Youth without Borders Ghana – a nonprofit dedicated to the socioeconomic empowerment of young Ghanaians. He was selected in 2014 among 49 African youth by the African Union into the prestigious (AU-YVC). In 2018, he was recognized among 22 others globally by the United States Department of State for his exceptional work in “Youth and Civic Activism.”

for a period of 2 to 3 weeks by the AU-YVC unit to enhance volunteer's professional, interpersonal and life skills. The training aims to prepare volunteers for their country of deployment and/or enhance their capacity Ÿ

Selected volunteers would now sign a tri-partite agreement with their host organization and the AUC which shall guide the terms of deployment.

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Volunteers are expected to provide regular reports on their activities and address challenges to the AU-YVC unit

Genuinely, volunteerism is a catalyst to engage people in national planning and implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Laying a fertile ground for creating a space that allows people and communities to participate in their own progress.

As part of this achievement, he spent July 2018 travelling across five major states in the U.S. under the States Department's premier exchange program – International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) where he met and interacted with several social, business and professional organizations.

By embracing the responsibility to inspire the next generation and inviting them to engage with real-world issues, the onus lies on the African Union Commission to connect nations with essential voluntary actions. This has a catalytic effect that ensures that nations and people are at the heart of their development.

Deciding to become an AU-YVC is a life changing decision, and the question you ask yourself is are you ready for the challenge? As your main commitment include;

At such a time when the world is hit with this global pandemic, it is critical that we as a society gain a greater understanding of our social responsibility and work towards creating a more egalitarian and just society. Ultimately, the privilege of making a lasting impact on the lives of others is what truly makes volunteering such a worthwhile cause.

· Your duties and responsibilities would mainly be to serve the community, organization or institution where you will be deployed. This will however be in relation to your field of study. · At present the main areas of focus for AU-YVC are, Education, Health AND HIV/AIDS, Peace and Security, Information and communications Technology (ICT). · During your deployment, your overall goal /objective shall remain to bring a lasting and sustainable impact and benefits to your host community/organization. And promote the spirit of volunteerism and values of service.

All in all, the purpose of AU-YVC is to make positive difference in society. If we could all grasp that mindset of service as power and social responsibility towards one another, there is no telling what heights we can reach as a united global community. African Youth arise, the wind of change is here and it begins with you.

To join the team of these remarkable young men and women to also serve your nation and continent, this is how it works; Ÿ

All aspiring volunteers who fulfill all requirements should fill out the online application form and upload their CV

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Volunteer application and volunteer request would be screened for completeness through a vigorous and transparent process. Candidates whose application was not convincing would be eliminated and notified.

Volunteers are permitted to apply for a second time

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Application of nominated volunteer candidates are matched with available vacancies according to the criteria specified by the requesting organization

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The AU-YVC would send multiple CVs (4-8) of matched volunteers to requesting organization to make final selection.

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Prior to their deployment, volunteers would be trained

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