Africa must build its own systems and lead its transformation - Vice President

Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang called for a new model of African leadership while delivering the keynote address at the 16th Oxford Africa Conference at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. She said Africa possesses the talent, resources, and capacity needed to shape its own future despite the many challenges confronting the continent.

Prof. Opoku-Agyemang stated that transformation depends on governance that remains disciplined, ethical, connected to implementation, and grounded in the people it serves. She highlighted Ghana's ongoing economic reforms aimed at stabilising the economy, reducing dependence on raw material exports and promoting value addition in sectors such as cocoa processing. She also referenced the government's proposed 24-Hour Economy policy and the Women's Development Bank initiative. According to her, Africa must move beyond being merely a consumer of externally developed systems and technologies and that "Africa must develop technologies and solutions rooted in its own realities and priorities."

Prof. Opoku-Agyemang underscored the importance of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), describing it as a major opportunity for economic integration and growth across the continent. She urged African leaders to remain connected to communities and responsive to the real needs of citizens. She concluded that Africa's future would depend largely on how deliberately and collectively the continent chooses to organise itself to lead in an increasingly disrupted global environment.