Accra-Ghana, Aug. 08, GNA – The Africa Bar Association (ABA) has awarded President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo a Medal of Merit in Leadership.
In a citation accompanying the prize, the President was described as “a pan-Africanist, anti-corruption crusader, a rare democratic leader in the field of good governance, a true African Statesman whose legacies present African leaders must emulate, and we are minded to say will stand the test of time.”
President Akufo-Addo received the honour from ABA President Hannibal Egbe Uwaifo at the association’s 2023 Annual Conference in Pretoria, South Africa.
The President thanked the ABA for the award, stating that the legal profession holds a unique place in African societies, and attorneys are assured of a privileged standing.
He stated that as lawyers, it was a source of pride that they had been at the forefront of the fight for liberation from colonialism.
With Africa unable to translate all its enormous natural resources into viable governments, the President reminded the gathering that it is past time for Africa and Africans to establish their own narrative.
“We must be defined by what we see in ourselves, and not what others choose to say about us.
“However, this cannot happen if we do not trade amongst ourselves. Africa accounts for only three per cent of global trade, and intra-African trade is one of the lowest of any region globally.
“This is largely due to the colonial economic model characterised by small individual economies, fragmented and disconnected regional markets, over-reliance on the production and export of primary commodities, and the presence of low productive capacities, which have been in existence for the last century,” he stated.
President Akufo-Addo noted that the emergence of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), whose trading began on January 1, 2021, and whose Secretariat Ghana is privileged to host, represents a historic opportunity for Africa to immeasurably strengthen intra-African trade as a powerful avenue for developing Africa’s vast economic and material potential.
“As the adage goes, there is strength in unity, and, for all fifty-four Member States of the African Union, our strength lies with our numbers. Cumulatively, we have a population of 1.3 billion, the majority of whom are young people, and we are in possession of a collective GDP of three trillion United States dollars, making us, collectively, the eight largest economy in the world,” he stressed.
This, he explained, positions Africa as, potentially, an attractive investment destination, adding that “with the relevant investment, we will be able to sustain economic growth, and create the job opportunities that the youth of our continent so desperately need.”
The President described the AfCFTA as a big game changer, stating that “once fully realized, we can increase intra-Africa trade by US$ 35 billion, and reduce external imports by US$ 10 billion annually.”
“This will mean more opportunities for growth for our small businesses, and the potential to lift some thirty million people out of extreme poverty. Additionally, a successful AfCFTA will mean that Africa’s industrial exports will be diversified, thus moving away from undue reliance on extractive commodities and foreign imports.”
President Akufo-Addo, on the other hand, stressed that the benefits of the AfCFTA cannot be realized in an atmosphere of turmoil and insecurity.
“We, in West Africa, are currently preoccupied with the need to free the Region from the terrorist insurgency that has engulfed Mali, Burkina Faso, parts of Niger and Nigeria, and is threatening the peace and stability of the coastal nations.
“It is incumbent that, in our generation, we all stand together to defeat this menace and guarantee the peace and stability, which are essential to the rapid economic development not only of West Africa but also of the entire continent, the surest way to banish poverty in our time… In the same vein, we must reiterate our commitment to democratic governance, and reject all unconstitutional changes of government.
“The vision of our forebears who fought the liberation of our continent from colonialism and imperialism, the AfCFTA has set the stage for Africa’s industrialisation and transformation. What is required now is for our respective Governments and businesses to show bold leadership,” he stated.
