Former South African President Jacob Zuma has called for stronger unity among African nations to secure sustainable development and shield the continent from external exploitation.
He stressed that Africa must chart its own path rather than remain dependent on systems designed during colonial rule.
“I do not think there is a continent that has suffered more than Africa; the time has come for Africa to stand on its own,” he said at the 2025 University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) annual leadership lecture series on Tuesday.
Zuma urged political and economic integration, warning that neo-colonial influences continued to divide African nations for the benefit of outsiders.
“Our enemies know how to buy our own people and make them protect their interest. We must, therefore, stand together and prevent influences that make us fight one another so that in such divisions, we can be exploited.”
He praised Ghana’s role in Africa’s liberation struggles, describing Dr. Kwame Nkrumah as “an honest man who wanted the best for this continent.”
Zuma also highlighted challenges African nations face in trading among themselves, arguing that the current global economic order fails to serve the continent’s interests despite its vast natural resources.
Recounting his role in the formation of BRICS, Zuma encouraged African states to embrace such alliances to shape their own economic futures.
“BRICS is the future for Africa. It is a critical system in changing the economic fortunes of developing countries. We have modelled our economies to serve other countries, but we have not had any substantial benefit. It is time to look elsewhere,” he said.
The lecture, themed “The geopolitics and geo-economics of de-dollarisation: BRICS currency strategy, lessons for Africa’s common currency and beyond,” was attended by former President John Agyekum Kufuor, Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu, and other dignitaries.
Haruna Iddrisu described the platform as vital for shaping global and national discourse, while UPSA Chancellor Dr. K. K. Sarpong urged Africans to “be architects of our own destiny and become a continent that trades on its own terms, supported by robust institutions
Source:Lovinghananews.com
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