JOHANNESBURG, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma on Thursday night called for African countries to work toward the continent's economic growth.
Dlamini-Zuma made the remarks while giving a lecture on South African liberation struggle hero Stanley Nkosi in Johannesburg.
She said Africans should work together to achieve the dreams of making the continent successful.
The AU chairperson said that since Africa has a youthful population, they should be educated and skilled to develop the continent.
"Africa needs skills revolution, only when there is skill revolution, inclusive growth and economic integration can take place. We have to ensure that we have a proper and quality education and quality in subjects like maths, science and other technical subjects to break the cycle of poverty, inequality and unemployment,"she said.
Dlamini-Zuma warned that idle youth would become easy prey to extremists and terrorist groups which would lure them to join them.
She stressed the urgent need to improve the continent's infrastructure and replace the obsolete one which was built by the former colonial powers.
"There is a mistaken belief that for the continent to develop it has to have overseas assistance, no country has ever developed through charity. We have to mobilize resources within our own countries and externally,"Dlamini-Zuma said.
She gave examples of beneficiation, agro processing, and manufacturing which she said can drive Africa to a higher level of growth.
Dlamini-Zuma said it is not the duty of only the governments to strive for economic growth but also the private sector.
For Africa to prosper, governments and the private sector have to fight corruption, she said.
Corruption within states erodes trust between citizens and the state. We must work with governments and the private sector to curb corruption and use the funds to develop the continent,"she noted.
The AU chief also called on African countries to remove constraints to development, such as the electricity and water shortages.
She said the continent should prioritize energy and renewable energy among others.
The AU is pushing for the removal of tariffs and wants free trade in the continent, Dlamini-Zuma said, but which she admitted will take time to be implemented.
