THE 50th Anniversary of the African Development Bank (AfDB) is a timely platform for African leaders to reaffirm their commitment to collectively push for the continent’s sustainable development. African countries need to be seen to be united towards a common destiny, as they bid to achieve the Agenda 2063. The ongoing 49th Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank in Kigali should serve as a platform for African leaders in the public and private sector to recommit to working together and take the continent to another level. The event should pronounce itself on the future of Africa and on key issues that will enable Africa to achieve the Agenda 2063 and to make significant gains in major sectors like energy, roads, and exports, among others. But to achieve this, it will require more than just the roadmap that the conference will come up with at the end of the long week meet. African leaders’ actions must be consistent with the continent’s growth agenda. There are many challenges that need collective efforts to deal with as a continent. Already, across the continent, we have seen regional blocs and individual countries making genuine efforts to help pacify hot spots in their neighbourhoods. That’s a positive sign that the continent can actually address the challenges it faces, without looking West of East. But this solidarity must also be extended to development issues in general.
