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The Realnews Magazine, Country Representative, UN Women, Prof Ibrahim Gambari and other Speakers at the 12th Anniversary Lecture of Realnews did not hesitate in expressing their concerns that Africa may be left behind in the emerging global economy and therefore called on the region to begin seriously to think through the implications of the new World Order for their immediate future and long-term interest. And in doing that, Women should participate, lead and benefit from all governance systems and peace processes in Africa.
By Goddy Ikeh
THE Realnews Magazine had during its 12th annual anniversary lecture on Tuesday, November 19, 2024 canvassed for the integration of Africa into the global economy in order for the region to enjoy unbridled influence of technology for the socioeconomic well-being of the people of Africa.
Delivering her welcome address at the event, Maureen Chigbo, publisher and editor of Realnews magazine, told the gathering that her publication as well as many patriots “are concerned about how Africa could be integrated into the global economy amidst the move towards authoritarianism, protectionism, nationalism, and the unbridled influence of technology on the socioeconomic well-being of our people.”
Speaking on the theme of her welcome address ‘Africa in World Shifting Geopolitics: Matters Arising on Democracy, Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Natural Resources’ posed the question: “Is Africa an Island, a mega-island? What are the continent’s strengths that can be leveraged to integrate it into the global economy for the benefit of its people?. She then posted that “these questions plague our minds in Realnews and lead to earnest searches for the best minds to deal with the theme.”
According to her, Realnews narrowed down on the Guest Lecturer, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari because of his pedigree. I do not doubt that he and the Keynoter will do justice to the topic of this lecture and that the panel of discussants with relevant expertise, knowledge, and experience were carefully selected to illuminate the topic further.
Chigbo did not fail to remind her guests and the relevant authorities in Nigeria that “Journalism as the Fourth Estate of the Realm can contribute to building a free, fair, and just society where fundamental human rights are respected and where citizens enjoy the freedom to pursue their interests without let or hindrance. Our motto at Realnews is: “For God and Humanity.” And she added that in the past 12 years, Realnews has kept faith with its Vision and Mission statements.
In the same vein, the Chairperson of the annual lecture Beatrice Eyong, said in her opening remarks that Africa should positively improve the conditions and status of its women and girls in order to take its place in the shifting geopolitics of the world.
Eyong, who is the Country Representative on UN Women also warned that no country can develop with high rate of gender inequalities and the feminization of underdevelopment.
Speaking on the theme of the Lecture: “Africa in World Shifting Geopolitics: Matters Arising on Demography, Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Natural Resources” Eyong, noted that the global economy will grow by trillions if women can equally participate in the economy and have equal pay.
She explained that increasing women’s access to services such as health, education and agriculture) technologies, resources, markets, decision making positions and peace processes will quickly reduce poverty and its consequences in Africa.
Advocating for Women to participate, lead and benefit from all governance systems and peace processes, she stated that studies show that peace negotiations without women and girls will not last up to 10 years. But with the full participation of women in peace processes, those processes will last for more than 10 years.
She averred that it has become even more necessary to ensure that the interest of women are secured, especially with the changing geopolitics between countries as a result of the rivalry between stronger countries such as, the US, China and Russia as well as the BRICS.
According to her, Anecdotal data shows that women and girls are disproportionally affected by of these changes, with women dominating the lower tiers of positive growth and being the worse victims of negative changes, thereby perpetuating cycles of poverty.
“Our goal is for the face of a woman to no longer be seen as the face of poverty. “No country can develop with high rate of gender inequalities and the feminization of under-development.”
The UN representative, however, noted that despite the afore-mentioned, Africa will become a prominent player due to Africa’s abundance of strategic resources, favorable demographics and attractive growth prospects which will give its leaders leverage in modern affairs.
“Africa’s population will reach 2.5 billion people by 2050, and will constitute what is expected to be a quarter of the world’s populace. According to studies, sub- Saharan Africa will soon be the only place with birth rates at replacement level or higher, while major economies like China, the US and Europe are expected to see major demographic decline. As a result of these favourable demographics, the African middle class is anticipated to reach 1.1 billion by 2060, up from 355 million in 2010. McKinsey’s research also found that as early as 2030, 250 million Africans are expected to unlock $3 trillion in consumer spending.
And delivering the 12th Annual Lecture, the former Undersecretary General of the United Nations, Ambassador Ibrahim Gambari, raised an alarm on the gradual return of the world to a new Cold War in which the big powers are directly joined and the Middle Powers are implicated either directly or by proxy.
Gambari, who was a former Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chief of Staff to former President Muhammadu Buhari, noted the ongoing geopolitical resurgence and realignment which we are all witnessing in these trying times around the world.
Speaking on the theme ”Africa in World Shifting Geopolitics: Matters Arising on Demography, Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Natural Resources”, Gambari urged Africans generally and Nigerians in particular ”to take a step back and reflect on the contours of change taking around us as for the invitation it provides us to begin seriously to think through their implications for our immediate future and long-term interest.”
The changes, according to him, are unfolding before our eyes, promise a profound transformation the workings of the international system, and nations, big and small, North and South, are busily preparing themselves to ensure that they are neither left behind nor reduced to victims of the new order that is in the making.
Observing that the expenditures on new generations of weapons of mass destruction are skyrocketing and across the world, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, the Arctic to the Antarctic, on land, in the air, on the seas, and in the outer space, he stated that “a relentless militarisation is taking place”.
“Taking advantage of the possibilities opened up by new digital technologies and artificial intelligence, various options for electronic warfare are being developed. “In all of this, prime locations around the world that offer one form or the other of strategic advantage are being sought,” he said, adding that Africa, with an abundance of such strategic sites is, not surprisingly, the target of competitive bid from the Big and Middle Powers setting up military bases.
“We know that the entire seaboard of Africa is already dotted with military bases operated by various powers; the continent is once again at the centre of a scramble as the new Cold War intensifies. In addition to geo-strategic considerations in the event of conflicts and war, there are strong interests in securing access to and control of strategic and critical minerals and arable land and forests,” he said.
Gambari also noted that competitive investments are also being made in building stable and durable political alliances with the governments of various countries and that the age of zero sum geopolitics is back with all its destabilizing consequences for African countries.
Looking at the options open for Africa, Gambari stated that with well over a billion people and with an overwhelmingly youthful population, the African continent is destined for a significant role in the demographics of the world in a context in which populations are both declining and ageing rapidly in many other parts of the world.
He believes that taking advantage of the African demographic dividend in a renewed season of new global geopolitics effectively means that the countries of the continent “must build national and regional strategies to leverage the energy, innovative acumen, and futuristic vision of its young people in order to ensure that as a new world order takes shape, we are positioned to be joint rule makers”.
According to him, the import of all the foregoing is simple. “Although there is no doubt that up we are in the throes of rapid, complex, multidimensional change in global affairs, it is equally important to know that the outcome of the ongoing geopolitical shifts are not necessarily destined to be at the expense of or to the detriment of our people and continent. That means that we must be ready to harness our abundant human and natural resources to leapfrog our development in order to achieve the structural transformation that has eluded us for too long.
“It also means that we cannot afford to sit on the sidelines while the rules of a new world order are being written; we have the opportunity to insist on being joint rule makers so that the new global order that is being forged reflects our values and aspirations for a fairer, more inclusive, and equitable world.
“In this, we must ensure that our youth bulge is turned into an advantage that puts us at the forefront of the digital economy and the innovations underpinning it,” he added.
In another presentation, KARIM El Ayanoui, Executive President, Policy Center for the New South Rabat in Morocco said that Africa should review its growth strategy to leverage the shifting global geopolitics.
El Ayanoui said that each country in Africa should strive to make the best out of the new world order.
He noted that it’s time for introspections in terms of rethinking the world view for every country and to rethink its relation with the rest of the world.
El Ayanoui, who is also the Vice President of Mohammed VI Polytechnic University and the Dean of its Humanities, Economics and Social Science Cluster, stated that although the United Nations, which was formed about 80 years ago has contributed greatly to world peace, but now we need a new institution for the coming 80 years.
“It has to be, I think, to take into account the needs of Africa. Same goes for the African Development Bank.” he said.
Speaking on the Theme, Africa in World Shifting Geopolitics: Matters Arising on Demography, Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Natural Resources, he called on African leaders to begin to ask pertinent questions on issues, some of which are at the level of countries and some at the level of continent.
Such questions as, what kind of multilateralism do we need, what are your partners, how do you want to interact with them, but at the continental level, it is what kind of world do we want for Africans, what do we have to say on multilateralism, does it make sense, can you make the best out of this new world? etc.
“But what we’re seeing is a paradoxical world where fragmentation is here in every dimension, in the multilateral system, but also in economic relations with an explosion of protectionism, with the reshuffling of value chains, and so on and so forth. But at the same time, countries, particularly in the New South, are in a state eager to cooperate. There’s an explosion, at the same time, of agreements. I will refrain from using the word alliance, but agreements, partnerships.
“It is a sort of, you know, willingness, excitement from countries to get into groupings. Some have coined the term Plurilateralism, unilateralism, and it’s quite, interesting to note this sort of double movement that can be seen as contradictory because it affects us. It’s impossible today to go to economic forums and not have political discussions, which was not the case a couple of years ago. We as economists were celebrating the happy days of globalization. So there was no question that politics could be an issue.
“Today, fragmentation stems mainly from the rivalry between the U.S. and China. And this rivalry has led to profound transformation. You mentioned the WTO before. It has led to a sort of completely stalled way, despite the great work that is done by my friend Ngozi, a former colleague at the bank. Despite all the efforts, we have to conclude that we’re not making a lot of progress.
“On the contrary, like I just mentioned, the explosion in the number of protectionist measures taken by countries, you could see the enormous subsidy programmes that are put in place by advanced economies have started inflation reduction. In the U.S. as protectionists for economists, subsidy or tariff is a protection.
Europe has responded of course, there’s also this fragmentation, the security dimension that has invited itself, and you’ve been following also, the tensions around proprietary technologies in advanced computing, in chips, etc., where they are first looking at two political lenses.
“We could go on and on on that, but this sort of rivalry is shaping also our position in what we do in Afghanistan of course and it has also an impact on multilateralism, cooperation at the global level, it has an impact on development finance, as we have not been able to scale up, for instance, the size of the World Bank, we have not been able to enhance cooperation on many areas. That includes climate, although on climate it’s less pronounced,” he added.
El Ayanoui also called for a change of narrative about Africa, one that will be told by Africans with the intention to improve its image.
Towards achieving this point, he called for an increased investment in education and create universities that can deal with the current challenges. “Not just, you know, the kind of university we have for the 20th century, and I am trying to think of what it means for the university to respond to the challenges here in Africa, here in the New South for us, and to equip our students with what I said earlier on, these two sides of things, intuition and reason, action and thinking, which I think will be essential for our continent
“It’s essential that the narrative about the continent is made by Africans on the continent.
“We’ve been trying at the Policy Center for the New South to do a modest contribution. We’re publishing three reports annually that are multi-author, multi-country authors. One on the geopolitics of Africa, one on the economies of Africa, and one on Atlantic Africa.
“For us, it’s a way to contribute to this narrative from the continent. This is essential as it shapes perceptions, and can shape as well the perceptions of investors about the continent. I think it’s about time that the narrative about this continent is made here, not somewhere else, in one of the largest capitals of the Atlantic community, we stand ready at the Policy Center to work with Nigerian think tanks, we do it with many others around the continent. I think you have a special role to play as Nigeria, an important country of the continent,” he added.
And for another speaker, Shehu Tijjani, managing director of Amal Technologies Limited, technology and artificial intelligence should no longer be optional for Africa.
Tijjani believes that Technology, Artificial Intelligence are fields that have become essential for Africa to secure its place in the global digital economy.
Speaking as a panelist at the Anniversary Lecture, Tijjani noted that as technology accelerates, Africa faces an extraordinary opportunity to leapfrog into the global digital economy.
According to him, the knowledge of this opportunity is what has driven Amal Technologies into championing a vision to empower Nigerian youth by aligning their training and development with industry needs, particularly in fields essential to high-tech manufacturing and innovation.
“We’re witnessing a revolution driven by artificial intelligence, but this revolution will be incomplete if it’s not inclusive. At Amal Technologies, we emphasize R&D in electronics manufacturing and the emerging semiconductor industry.
By prioritizing indigenous innovation, Africa can position itself as a contributor, not just a consumer of technology. Imagine an Africa that not only develops but exports AI solutions tailored for agriculture, healthcare, education, and more transforming daily life for millions while addressing our unique challenges.
“Africa is poised at a critical juncture with the potential to take significant strides in the global digital economy. As technology rapidly advances, the youth-led demographic in Africa presents a powerful opportunity to drive innovation.
However, realizing this potential requires an inclusive approach to artificial intelligence, AI, and a strong commitment to local research and development, especially in critical industries like electronics manufacturing and semiconductor production. At Amal Technologies, we are taking significant steps in this direction by prioritizing indigenous innovation, particularly through R&D in AI and hardware engineering.
“Artificial intelligence has the capacity to address many of Africa’s unique challenges, from improving agricultural yield and accessibility to healthcare and enhancing educational resources. However, achieving this requires an ecosystem that supports the collective contribution of numerous sectors. For instance, AI applications are inherently complex and demand the participation of specialized individuals across various disciplines a model that reinforces the importance of division of labor and a robust infrastructure to support it. By creating an enabling environment where individuals and institutions specialize and collaborate, Africa can accelerate its adoption of AI in practical, life-improving solutions, such as Amal Technologies’ innovations in healthcare and automation technology.
“Technology is at the heart of this transformation. By fostering local technological solutions, particularly in artificial intelligence and manufacturing, Africa can contribute to global innovation, rather than remaining a mere consumer,” he said.
Tijjani explained that the current shift in the geopolitical landscape also presents Africa with an unprecedented opportunity to redefine itself.
According to him, Africa can fully take advantage of this new opportunity by investing in its youths, championing technology, and managing its own resources responsibly, as well as through collaboration between both the private and public sector.
“We’re building a future where Africa is a pillar in the global economy. Our journey has challenges, but I believe that with strategic vision and collaborative action, Africa can lead on the world stage,” he said.
“Ultimately, by prioritizing local innovation in AI, supporting an environment conducive to specialized skills, and building effective private-public partnerships, Nigeria and Africa as a whole can transition into influential players in the global tech landscape, advancing beyond consumer status and emerging as creators and exporters of technology solutions.
“Africa’s shifting geopolitical landscape indeed offers a pivotal opportunity for transformation. This chance to redefine itself, however, will demand coordinated and forward-looking investments across multiple fronts. Focusing on our youth and harnessing our demographic advantage is essential; Africa’s young population is both an untapped asset and an incredible engine for future growth. By directing resources toward education, vocational training, and technical skills, we can equip young Africans with the knowledge to compete and thrive in global markets,” he added.
And at the end of the speeches, Prof. Gambari, Eyong, El Ayanoui, Bala Usman, Tijjani were inducted into the Realnews Hall of Fame as a demonstration of appreciation for their contributions to the aspirations and growth of Realnews magazine.
A.I
Nov. 25, 2024
Tags: Beatrice Eyong Goddy Ikeh Maureen Chigbo Prof Ibrahim Gambari Realnews magazine Shehu Tijjani
