Kenyan President William Ruto has called on African leaders to intensify efforts to accelerate the realisation of Agenda 2063, Africa’s blueprint and master plan.
Ruto further urged African leaders to transform the continent into the global powerhouse of the future.
He said the success of Agenda 2063 depended not on chance or hope, but on choice, resolve and relentless implementation.
“Let us mobilise resources, strengthen governance, and forge partnerships that drive tangible results for the people of Africa,’’ he told a virtual meeting of the African Union Development Agency-New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA-NEPAD) Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee.
According to a statement from the presidency issued in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, Ruto said the continent’s leadership has the responsibility to shape the trajectory of Africa’s sustainable development by domesticating, implementing, and championing Agenda 2063.
He said the programme would not only uplift individual nations but also transform Africa as a whole.
The meeting, which was chaired by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi of Egypt, was attended by President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani of Mauritania, who is also the African Union chairperson.
Also in attendance was President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, President Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia, President Ismail Omar Guelleh of Djibouti, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye of Senegal, President Mahamat Idris Deby of Chad and President of the Libyan Presidency Council Mohamed al-Menfi.
The Kenyan leader called for innovative financing solutions that go beyond the traditional to address the financial challenges facing infrastructure development across the continent.
He noted that the grand ambition of the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa and the Presidential Infrastructure Champion Initiative face a crippling financing deficit that hinders Africa’s growth.
“This deficit is the barrier that slows our integration, deters investment, and stifles trade,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ruto urged African nations that adopted the Kampala Declaration on agriculture to translate their commitments into action, investments into impact, and policies into prosperity.
He also called on the continent’s leaders to champion green, climate-resilient growth by giving priority to sustainable energy, climate-smart agriculture, and bold mitigation measures.
“AUDA-NEPAD’s role in supporting climate adaptation is indispensable, and we must forge strategic partnerships to combat this existential threat,’’ Ruto said.
