Africa is now realising its potential and capacity, with the formerly side-lined continent harnessing its demographic dividend and natural resources and becoming an economic, political, and social powerhouse, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said on Wednesday.
Ahmed said that the African continent has particularly suffered the consequences of the climate crisis and conflict in other parts of the world at the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) Summit in Beijing.
“We cannot be idle observers in forums that affect common well-being,” he added.
Leaders from across the developing world descend on Beijing this week for a government-organised forum on what is known as BRI for short.
The initiative has built power plants, roads, railroads, and ports worldwide and deepened China’s relations with Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East.
The summit in Beijing is being attended by some 130 leaders from Africa, South America, and other…