President Bassirou Diomaye Faye calls for African sovereignty in security and economy
via SeneNews2 min read
During the 10th Dakar Forum on Peace and Security, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye delivered a speech emphasizing the need for African sovereignty in both security and economic matters. He stated that Africa should no longer be a "playground for great powers" and must actively participate in global decisions that directly affect the continent. President Faye criticized Africa's dependence on external decisions for its security agenda, priorities, and strategic space. He acknowledged the efforts of regional institutions like the African Union and ECOWAS in crisis management and peacekeeping but highlighted limitations in coordination and financing. Economically, he advocated for local transformation of African resources to create added value, moving away from models based on raw material export. His vision includes "extracting locally, transforming locally, and selling at a fair price" to foster a more autonomous and equitable economy. He proposed strengthening peace mechanisms, regional cooperation, youth investment, industrialization, and developing African value chains, alongside reinforcing early warning systems and defense capabilities in conjunction with the United Nations. Other African leaders, including Sierra Leone's President Julius Maada Bio and Mauritania's President Mohamed Ould Cheikh Al Ghazouani, also spoke at the forum, stressing the importance of youth, women, and infrastructure for the continent's development.
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