The World Bank has just identified seven African nations projected to grow at rates exceeding six percent between 2026 and 2027, challenging a singular narrative that has long dominated the story of Africa, as a continent of potential, perpetually on the brink of take-off. Addressing these projections, Peter Babyenda, a lecturer at the School of Economics at Makerere University in Uganda, highlighted the key drivers of this growth and how it impacts the continent’s development, as well as the sectors that are anticipated to see the most significant expansion in Africa.
“There are four key sectors. One is agricultural modernization. So, most of these countries have invested in agriculture, taking advantage of weather and then value addition in agriculture. Instead of exporting raw agricultural products, we are now adding value [...] Number two, is the mining sector, the mineral development, looking at the oil reserves as minerals like gold, diamond. These are expected to generate a lot of revenues and which will drive growth but also reduce the cost of importing the inputs, now they can use these raw materials to produce more goods. Now number three is tourism. The tourism sector is booming in Africa, including Uganda and those seven countries, and this will bring in the foreign exchange, thereby increasing the earnings. Number four, which is the key, is the science [...] these innovations in industries like production of medicine, smartphones, laptops are reducing imports, but also creating jobs, increasing value, thereby increasing foreign exchange earnings,” he said.
Furthermore, the episode featured the Sputnik Africa’s exclusive interview with His Excellency Mr. Barry Faure, the minister of Foreign Affairs and the Diaspora of the Republic of Seychelles, as he talked about how multipolarity creates conditions for peace and prosperity in his country.
“We are a country which fought against colonialism, and we believe strongly in ensuring that this independence is preserved, not only by us but by all, and all countries need to be treated equally,” the minister stated.
This episode also features:
Wasa Gertrude Mobunubhata, the administrative head of the division for Benin City, the National Commission for Museums and Monuments in Nigeria’
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