Africa is realizing its potential and capacity as a formerly side-lined continent by harnessing its natural resources and demographic dividend, thus becoming an economic, political, and social powerhouse, as stated by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Wednesday during the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) Forum held in Beijing, China.
He called for active participation of African countries in global forums and events having a significant impact on the region.
"We cannot be idle observers in forums that affect common well being," he added as cited by media.
At the same time, the prime minister lamented that the African continent has been particularly impacted by the climate crisis and conflicts in other regions of the world.
The third edition of the Belt and Road Forum, taking place on October 17-18, aims to establish regional economic partnership mechanisms. The theme of this year's event is "High-Quality Belt and Road Cooperation: Together for Shared Development and Prosperity."