• Thursday, March 28, 2024
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Why South Africa, Nigeria must lead African industrialization – Envoy

Bobby Moroe

Acting High Commissioner of South Africa to Nigeria, Bobby Moroe, has said that his country and Nigeria must lead the process of industrialization in Africa in order to escalate trade and investment, and intra-trade on the continent.

The South African envoy said this during an interview with reporters during the recent celebration of the 25 years of Democracy in South Africa, in Abuja, stressing that “Nigeria and South Africa are the two biggest economies in the continent and one of the things that South Africa and Nigeria need to do in order to escalate trade and investment or intra-trade in the continent is to make sure that we pioneer the process of industrialization in the continent. These are the two countries that are poised firmly and strongly through their strong economies and international roles that the play in global institutions to make sure that they advance the interest of the continent.”

He noted that through diplomatic relations the two countries have done a lot to make sure that the rest of the continent can benefit. “Our relations have continued to be strong and we will continue to strengthen with movement of people –to- people between South Africa and Nigeria. We have had a number of state visits to South Africa, we have had a number of state visits to Nigeria and you will be pleased to know that in 2016 during the Binational commission on the occasion of the visit of the former President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma, to Nigeria the two countries decided to elevate their Binational commission from the vice presidential to the presidential level. That is reflective of the role that we need to play in the continent in the interest of the continent,” he said.

He noted that the 25 years of freedom for South Africa did not come easily, but through the support of the continent and the international community. “Our promise is that we will never betray the support of Africa,’’ he said adding that South Africa has played a role at the global level in the past 25 years, which demonstrates its commitment in ensuring the African agenda within the context of regional integration and Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) together with West Africa through the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) working together with other international bodies.

“Our membership of IPSA and membership of BRISC does not exclude other African members. You know that the previous summit that we hosted under the BRISC banner, our President had made sure that they invite many heads of state from other countries. Although South Africa is the only African member of   the BRISC it is through our membership that Africa will derive the benefit that we desire.

“So South Africa membership of BRISC does not only benefit South Africa it is to the benefit of the entire continent and we have made sure that we work the floor, we fold our sleeves, we sweat and we wipe our sweat and we speak truth to power and we represent the continent. So we continue to make use of our strengthening of the African agenda through South Africa’ foremost principles and are we not about to stop,” he noted.

On the issue of inclusivity in his country, Moroe said “We have one of the most colourful constitutions in the world, and one of the mantras of the constitution is that South Africa belongs to all those who live in it regardless of your gender, race, creed or religion. So our justice system is anchored on these very strong principles of the constitution that we have. Our government continues to make use of all the justice system models, continues to make use of all the law enforcement agencies to make sure that perpetrators of violence, transgressors of the law are brought to book. You could read South African newspapers even on line and you will see that the law enforcement agencies are actually making sure that they comply with constitution because South Africa really belongs to all those who live in it,” he said.