Africa Calls for the Transformation of the Continent's Resources into Industries, Jobs, and Development

African leaders, continental organizations, and business leaders have called for Africa to move beyond planning stages and promises, and instead focus on implementing effective projects to develop the continent's economy.

This call came from the first Alamein Africa Forum , held in the city of New Alamein in Egypt, where the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Ali Yusuf , stated that Africa is not lacking in vision and ambition, but the challenge lies in how to transform major plans into well-prepared, funded, and implemented projects.

He pointed out the need for close cooperation between governments and the private sector to accelerate the continent's progress.

The President of Burundi and Chairperson of the African Union, Évariste Ndayishimiye , stated that Africa has abundant resources, but they are not yet fully utilized. He called for natural resources to be transformed into production, industries, and jobs, while strengthening cooperation between governments, investors, and businesses.

Ndayishimiye also urged that Africa's relationship should go beyond mere diplomatic cooperation to encompass economic collaboration, investment, and production.

He emphasized the importance of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) , stating that the agreement requires interconnected trade infrastructures, simplified borders, harmonized tax systems, payment services, and supply chains linking the countries of the continent.

The President of Egypt, Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi , stated that Africa needs to have additional power to shape its future, with peace, stability, independence, and strong governmental institutions being the foundation for sustainable development and investment attractiveness.

Al-Sisi also pointed out that the private sector can play an important role in Africa's economic growth and job creation, calling for the strengthening of relationships among African traders and facilitating trade and investment between the countries of the continent.

The President and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Afreximbank , George Elombi, also emphasized the importance of Africa strengthening its financial institutions.

He stated that African institutions have the capacity to play a significant role in addressing economic challenges and external pressures facing the continent, urging African countries to continue to enhance funding and support for their institutions.

Businessman Aliko Dangote stated that Africa needs to change the way it utilizes its resources. He called for the continent to move beyond exporting raw materials and to focus on processing and domestic production to create jobs, increase domestic income, and build an economy resilient to external challenges.

Dangote also mentioned that AfCFTA could provide Africa with a large market that encourages industrialization and investment, but this requires reducing barriers at borders, transportation, payment, and trade regulations.

On the other hand, the head of AUDA-NEPAD , Nardos Bekele-Thomas, stated that Africa does not need just many meetings, but it needs action, investment, and implementation.

She called for projects on the continent to be prepared in a way that investors can fund them, focusing on projects that connect multiple countries and regions.

Overall, the Alamein Africa Forum has become a platform emphasizing the need for Africa to leverage its resources, large market, and youth potential, as the plans of Agenda 2063 and AfCFTA are transformed into real projects that lead to production, investment, and jobs.

The main message coming out of the forum was that Africa's economic future does not solely depend on the amount of resources it has, but on its ability to convert those resources into production, industries, trade, and job opportunities.

Nevertheless, the conference also called for Africa to strengthen economic cooperation, domestic investment on the continent, and the capacity of African institutions, to achieve development significantly contributed to by the continent's governments and businesses.