President Paul Kagame has said that there is all evidence to indicate that the future lies in digitalisation and that transformation is already underway. Speaking at the 77th UN General Assembly in New York on Wednesday, Kagame stressed the need to increase global health financing saying that Africa is doing its part but the world need to increase funding towards health initiatives. “The future is digital and transformation is happening now, as evidenced by the ongoing work of the Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development and the Smart Africa Secretariat,” said the President. He added that high-quality digital jobs are a practical response to the underlying drivers of irregular migration by closing the human capital investment gap that separates high- and low-income countries. “To ensure that the benefits are equally shared, we must continue investing equitably in emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence,” Kagame told the UN gathering. The theme of this year’s General Assembly is, “A watershed moment: Transformative solutions to interlocking challenges” and reflects on the critical situation created by these interconnected crises, which include the Covid-19 pandemic and its consequences, the war in Ukraine, a tipping point in climate change, unprecedented humanitarian challenges, and growing concerns about the global economy. “We are also working with partners to bring end-to-end vaccine manufacturing to our continent, notably through collaboration with BioNTech, and strong support from the European Union. This is critical to increase Africa’s resilience against future pandemics,” Kagame said. He added that; “The future of billions of children and young people across the world depends on overcoming the challenges of inclusion and quality of instruction, particularly as we recover from the pandemic.” During the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting held Rwanda in June this year, leaders adopted an ambitious program of action, including special instruments on Living Lands, Sustainable Urbanisation, and Child Care Protection and Reform. According to Kagame; “We also agreed to prioritize public-private partnerships to create digital jobs for young people across the Commonwealth.” At the UN General Assembly, Kagame also took stock of the contribution of Global Fund to Fight HIV, Tuberculosis, and Malaria saying that it has helped save countless lives in Africa and beyond, while also strengthening health systems. “I hope that all countries will respond strongly, and sustain their commitments, at the 7th Global Fund replenishment session chaired by President Biden later today,” Kagame said. He added that; “Africa is doing its part but must do more. For sustainability, external funding must go hand-in-hand with increased domestic financing for health. This is a priority which the African Union is tracking on an annual basis, and which I am honoured to lead on behalf of the organisation.”
