Africa needs to assert its independence and shape its own future, Kenyan Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs Minister Dr. Musalia Mudavadi told Sputnik Africa on the sidelines of the 38th African Union Summit, where the central theme is justice for Africans and people of African descent through reparations.
“Africa must now be treated appropriately. [...] And going forward, Africa must take full control of its own destiny,” he said, highlighting the continent’s youthful population of 1.4 billion people.
He stressed the importance of greater integration, increased intra-African trade, and self-reliance in handling peace and security challenges.
According to Mudavadi, the summit is crucial in ensuring strong leadership that can drive Africa toward true sovereignty and economic empowerment, free from the lingering effects of colonialism and neocolonialism.
Aside from that, the Kenyan Prime Cabinet Secretary also called on Russia to support Africa’s push for greater representation in global governance, particularly in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
Mudavadi emphasized Africa’s demand for two permanent seats in the UNSC, a position collectively held by the continent’s 55 nations.
“With 28% of the world’s countries, Africa remains excluded from permanent membership in the Security Council,” he told Sputnik Africa.
He highlighted Russia’s role as a permanent UNSC member and urged Moscow to champion Africa’s cause for a more inclusive and representative global security framework.