Johannesburg - Instead of viewing Africa Day as an opportunity to dress up in beautiful African prints for one day, it should be used as a platform to catapult Africans to join hands and fight for the unity of the continent’s growth and development.
These were some of the sentiments expressed by industry and business leaders who came together for the first-ever Africa Day Thought Leaders Dialogue at Deloitte Africa’s headquarters in Midrand.
Didier Bayeye, the managing director of Global Travel World Experts, said many of the struggles the continent was facing, particularly its development, was because Africans were not observing the protocols of ancient times.
Bayeye said Africa Day and being an African was not about simply dressing in beautiful African-print T-shirts, nor was it about the way we spoke, walked and danced or the food we cooked.
“Being an African is not defined by any outside aspect; it is a part of us because, ultimately, we are one with many languages. On this day, we need to learn to appreciate our similarities while we value our differences.
“We need to speak of African opportunities because the opportunities in Africa are plenty and there is everything for every business.”
Tshego Kekana, the founder and managing director of Alpha Destiny Communications, said bringing African industry leaders together in commemoration of the foundation of the Organisation of African Unity, which was founded on May 25, 1963, was crucial.
With load shedding, the political climate and ever-worrying economic issues, platforms to talk about what it took to build a brand in Africa and the opportunities available, were important due to how African countries had lost the essence of Africa, Kekana said.
“We need to take the time to map out solutions on how we collaborate as African businesses to help each other map our way around the red tape, compliance issues involved and how to start and register a company in other African countries.
“There are industries that are already bringing us together, such as the creative, entertainment and communications space, but we hope to find solutions that will push us towards a borderless Africa, so we can do business with anyone across the continent.
Kekana said that if countries continued to pay too much attention to politics and the political landscape, the growth of brands and businesses would continue to be hindered.
“Things such as xenophobia are challenges that hinder us from working together but if we take away those challenges and see our fellow African brothers and sisters as one, we will bring forth opportunities to work together and thrive together.”
The need for unity was also expressed by Maropene Ramokgopa, the minister in the Presidency responsible for planning, monitoring and Evaluation, under the theme: “Deepening the AU Vision for Unity for Africa through Prosperity, Peace and Modernity for a Better Africa and a Better World.”
Ramokgopa said it was important for the continent to continue cultivating and celebrating the strides made by the AU and Africa in harnessing the continent’s economic, human, cultural and natural treasures.
“We need to capitalise on the transformative mandate of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement to unite us all towards a shared continental interest that will accelerate trade and investment, harness innovation and creativity, and improve the livelihoods of our people.
“Our most powerful tool, as a continent, is the unity of Africa. Without unity and a sense of solidarity we will not be able to fully explore our potential to accelerate development for our people and the world,” Ramokgopa said.
The Star