The organizers requested me to speak on the topic “Economic Emancipation of Africa and the way forward”. In itself this topic suggests two things, namely that the African economy is in bondage and that it can be freed from its bondage.
Talking about economic emancipation in Africa is problematic in that Africa is a diverse continent with economies that are significantly different and thus would require different diagnosis. There are therefore no simple solutions to the question of economic emancipation in Africa.