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Story by Bruce Chahwanda
Vice President Kembo Mohadi says Africa must remain vigilant in coming up with lasting solutions to challenges facing the continent, while adopting a paradigm shift in education underpinned by innovation and technology.
He was speaking at the official opening of the 12th Conference of Speakers of African National and Regional Parliaments in Midrand, South Africa, this Wednesday, where he was representing President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Officially opening the conference, Vice President Mohadi rallied the continent towards a paradigm shift in education underpinned by innovation and technology.
“It is, therefore, a clarion call to action towards empowering every African through capacity building based on access to relevant knowledge. We, therefore, need to paradigm shifts in our education systems to expedite the holistic development of Africa, underpinned by research, innovation, science and technology,” he said.
He said the continent must remain vigilant and alert to evolving geopolitical dynamics and find lasting solutions to emerging challenges.
“In our endeavour to achieve continental integration and prosperity, we remain alive to the unique challenges that confront us. We live in times when the effects of climate change have taken a toll on agriculture across the globe. Conflicts and insecurity are on the rise. International governance institutions seem strained and overwhelmed. Pandemics and epidemics are becoming the order of the day.
“Allow me to state that the situation is such that no country or region can boast of capacity to address any of the challenges facing humanity, in isolation. We have to remain vigilant and alert to the evolving geo-political dynamics in order to adopt and adapt such measures as could provide effective and lasting solutions to existing and emerging challenges.
“I wish to state, Hon. Members, Ladies and Gentlemen, that none but ourselves will create the political and socio-economic environment that we want. Indeed, Africa confronts diverse political and economic challenges that deserve such strategic interventions that will sustain our shared values,” he said.
Vice President Mohadi noted the need to turn realities of domestic and global events into economic and business opportunities for an industrialised continent.
“We need to move beyond playing second fiddle in the spheres of industrialisation, trade and development. Africa has to rise as a competitive economic block. We are proud of being African. As Africans, we have a rich history of eradicating colonialism,” he added.
The 12th Conference of Speakers of African National and Regional Parliaments seeks to find lasting solutions to climate change and Mpox, enhance regional integration and deployment of innovation and technology to propel industrialisation.
