Panellists at the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) meeting yesterday said the future of Africa was unfolding, but there was need for the continent to build its own capacity.
Finance minister and governor of ACBF, Tendai Biti, said the continent has in the past been known for wars, ethnic divisions and breaking down of social contracts.
Biti said statistics on the region speak of a deficit situation that is regrettable.
I think over the years you have seen a new Africa coming with numbers of wars reducing, the number of conflicts reducing and a number of democratic elections increasing, said Biti.
A new Africa, a new narrative is emerging. He said in the past governments did not look after citizens, but were now gradually taking over their roles.
He added that 20 years ago 60%-80% of African state budgets were financed through donor support, but the tide was changing.
Economic Planning and Investment Promotion minister Tapiwa Mashakada said the paradigm had shifted as far as Africa is concerned as a result of the global crisis.
Mashakada said the economic outlook for Europe was not good and Africa was poised to grow by between 6%-7%.
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The future of Africa is now, said Mashakada. We are saying with all that we have as a continent, what can we do to impact on poverty and how can we leverage on our resources?
The Africa of today needs investment and trade. It no longer needs aid. Africa cannot continue to be at the periphery of the economic order.
Higher and Tertiary Education minister Stan Mudenge said human capacity was the heart of capacity building. He said that is the reason why Zimbabwe has a high literacy rate.
World Bank country representative Linneiye Mungai said the bank has extended $100 million to ACBF for the period 2012-2016.
An African Development Bank resident representative Mahamudu Bawumia said the future of Africa was unfolding.
As African countries we are operating in a global competitive environment, said the official. We have to play by the rules, but we should have the capacity to play. No one is waiting for us. Many African countries have been playing without goalkeepers. We have fallen short especially on legal capacity, he said.
ACBF chairperson Paul Baloyi said the continent had seen the depletion of resources and donor funding diminishing due to the global crises, but had managed to come up with strong institutions.
