The Centre for Trade and and Development says the commemoration of Africa Freedom Day offers an opportunity for the continent that start afresh.
CTPD Executive Director Isaac Mwaipopo says Africa Freedom Day is a good time to reflect on the progress made towards enhancing citizens rights to employment, shelter, water, sanitation and many others.
Mr Mwaipopo said the continent should ask to what extent it has worked around ensuring that the Natural resources benefit all citizens.
“Africa Freedom Day is a significant day not only for the continent of Africa but even more for our own country Zambia. Its also a time when we can start afresh and work towards realising the society our forefathers aspired for,” Mr Mwaipopo said in his Africa Day message.
“We remain alive to the many persisting economic challenges our country is facing , key among these includes the ballooning public debt, high poverty levels and low economic growth. It is also sad to note that Zambia’s has not made much progress towards diversifieng its economy, we have continued to rely on the export copper with no value adding.”
Mr Mwaipopo added that as Zambia should be worried as a country that even after being a mining hub for more 100 years, there is still no meaningfull social and economic transformation to talk about.
“On the continental front, CTPD has observed various efforts aimed at intergrating the African continent over the past 40 years, its regretable to note that Africa’s share of total foreign trade has remained very low when compared to other regions,” he said.
“Intra Africa trade is estimated at just 11%, African countries have continued to trade among each other under high barriers and many African countries have continued to trade more with their colonial masters than fellow African countries, this has led to serious neglect on the need to develop the requiste infrastructure that would help unlock Africa’s trading potential.”
Mr Mwaipopo said there is need to address the disparities in the economic perfomance of African states adding that the on going negotiations around the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement is one golden opportunity to mark a new begining for the continent.
“We urge all citizens, especially private sector players to make their submissions through the Ministry of Commerce Trade and Industry when they commence national consultations on tha Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement so as to shape Zambias policy direction on Trade,” he said.
WE AFRICANS ARE NOT READY TO RULE OURSELVES, DONALD TRUMP WAS RIGHT TO SAY AFRICA NEEDS TO BE RECOLONISED. WE ARE NOW SLAVES AND LIVING IN POVERTY AND FEAR BY OUR OWN PEOPLE AT THE TOP WHO BELIEVE THAT BEING AT THE TOP IS A CHANCE TO ENRICH THEIR RELATIVES FRIENDS AND THEM SELVES BY OPPRESSING THE VERY PEOPLE THAT PUT THEM THERE.