Ruto urges African leaders to work together in pushing for global financial system reforms

President William Ruto has urged African leaders to work together in pushing for reforms of the international financial system.

He told leaders in Africa that there was need to liberate African economies from expensive debt that has slowed the continent’s growth.

He noted that African nations are profiled unfairly.

“Together, we must demand responsible sovereign lending that ensures our countries get concessional resources that can help us position our continent as the epicentre of the next industrial revolution,” he said.

The President also called for reforms of the African Union to make it “fit for purpose.”

This, he explained, will strengthen the continent’s capacity to unlock its vast renewable energy, mineral and agricultural resources.

“We cannot be a continent defined by poverty; we must be a continent defined by opportunity, potential and investment,” he said,

President Ruto made the remarks on Saturday when he joined other Heads of State and Government and the people of Namibia for the funeral service of the late Dr. Hage Geingob, the third President of the Southern African country.

Present at the memorial service were Presidents Nangolo Mbumba (Namibia), Frank-Walter Steinmeier (Germany), Samia Suluhu Hassan (Tanzania), Sahle-Work Zewde (Ethiopia), Évariste Ndayishimiye (Burundi), Felix Tshisekedi (DR Congo), Emmerson Mnangagwa (Zimbabwe), João Lourenço (Angola), Mokgweetsi Masisi (Botswana), Filipe Nyusi (Mozambique), Lazarus Chakwera (Malawi), Sauli Niinistö (Finland) and the Prime Minister of Madagascar, Mr Christian Louis Ntsay, among others.

He described the late President as an accomplished scholar and one of the architects of the Namibian constitution that has given his country political stability.

The President said the continent has lost a visionary leader whose voice in African affairs is unmatched.

“He stood tall as a pan-Africanist who believed in the unity of our continent,” he added.

President Geingob died at the age of 82 while serving his second term. He will be buried on Sunday at the Heroes Acre in Windhoek.