John
07-24-2010, 04:14 PM
Africa can lead the global recovery, former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said on Saturday, setting out five potential sources for economic growth in the continent.
In a speech to be delivered to African leaders at a summit in Kampala, Brown said lower income countries in Africa are forecast to grow at a 5 percent rate this year, compared to 2 percent average growth predicted in high income countries.
"Africa can drive the global recovery, but not without Africans driving the global agenda," said Brown, who resigned as British premier in May after his Labour party lost the general election.
"That is why I propose enhanced African representation at the IMF, increased African representation in the World Bank and a constituency system for the G20 where Africa can be permanently and fully represented along with other non-G20 countries of the world," he said.
"Africa does not only stand to gain from a global society, but must be its inspiration and a leader," Brown said, adding that Africa has more untapped potential and unrealised talent than any other continent.
He said one of the five potential sources of growth is "a faster pace of economic integration in Africa's internal market, and between (its) market and those of other continents, facilitated by investment in infrastructure."
Others include broader based export-led growth, founded on new products and services, along with investment in the private sector from African and foreign sources, he said.
Brown, who remains a Labour MP, also called for "the up-skilling of the workforce and... more effective governance to ensure that effective states can discharge their task of creating growth and reducing poverty."
"So I am here to speak not just of the ascent of Africa and Asia, but to say today just as people have spoken of an American century and an Asian century, I believe we can now speak of an African century," he will tell African leaders.
In his first major speech since leaving office, Brown quipped: "President Obama spent some time as a community organiser before becoming a politician. I'm somebody who spent some time as a politician before becoming a community organiser."
In a speech to be delivered to African leaders at a summit in Kampala, Brown said lower income countries in Africa are forecast to grow at a 5 percent rate this year, compared to 2 percent average growth predicted in high income countries.
"Africa can drive the global recovery, but not without Africans driving the global agenda," said Brown, who resigned as British premier in May after his Labour party lost the general election.
"That is why I propose enhanced African representation at the IMF, increased African representation in the World Bank and a constituency system for the G20 where Africa can be permanently and fully represented along with other non-G20 countries of the world," he said.
"Africa does not only stand to gain from a global society, but must be its inspiration and a leader," Brown said, adding that Africa has more untapped potential and unrealised talent than any other continent.
He said one of the five potential sources of growth is "a faster pace of economic integration in Africa's internal market, and between (its) market and those of other continents, facilitated by investment in infrastructure."
Others include broader based export-led growth, founded on new products and services, along with investment in the private sector from African and foreign sources, he said.
Brown, who remains a Labour MP, also called for "the up-skilling of the workforce and... more effective governance to ensure that effective states can discharge their task of creating growth and reducing poverty."
"So I am here to speak not just of the ascent of Africa and Asia, but to say today just as people have spoken of an American century and an Asian century, I believe we can now speak of an African century," he will tell African leaders.
In his first major speech since leaving office, Brown quipped: "President Obama spent some time as a community organiser before becoming a politician. I'm somebody who spent some time as a politician before becoming a community organiser."