Ruto calls for borderless Africa with limitless opportunities for the youth
President William Ruto during the official opening of the Youth Conneckt Africa summit held in Nairobi.
What you need to know:
- In October, President Ruto called for a shift from adversarial North vs South and East vs West dynamics.
- The President said Africa holds immense promise for sustainable development with its vast resources and a young workforce.
President William Ruto has asked young people to take advantage of opportunities created by a borderless continent.
Africa, the President said, should abolish visa requirements for its people and allow free movement of people and goods.
He spoke on Saturday during the annual Youth Connekt Africa Summit whose theme is “Youth Innovating a Borderless African Renaissance” at the KICC, Nairobi.
“We are in the process of creating a new Africa, one that is founded on a rock-solid belief in our own capacity; that is driven by our relentless pursuit of progress and that is committed to developing solutions to obliterate the challenges we face,” President Ruto said.
“At the heart of this revitalisation sits the most talented, innovative and dynamic generation of Africans there has ever lived; a wireless generation, a borderless generation and more importantly, a relentless generation.”
Borderless market
The President said Kenya supports the establishment of the African Continental Free Trade Area, which seeks to create a borderless market for entrepreneurs and businesses.
“It is Europe that taught us about visas,” President Ruto told the gathering.
During his address to the European parliament weeks ago, Dr Ruto urged Europe to embrace the new era of cooperation and collective action in tackling climate change and building wealth and peace.
He gave the example of Europe, which has 450 million people but has abolished visa requirement in 27 countries, making the continent virtually borderless.
In October, President Ruto called for a shift from adversarial North vs South and East vs West dynamics.
Sustainable development
He stressed the importance of reciprocal partnerships, technology transfer and equitable capital flows.
The President said Africa holds immense promise for sustainable development with its vast resources and a young workforce.
“We have the world’s biggest untapped renewable energy potential,” he said.
“Ours is the youngest and fastest growing workforce and human capital. Sixty per cent of the world’s best solar potential is in Africa.”
President Ruto also witnessed the graduation of 1,800 small and medium enterprises from the Google Hustle Academy.
