Africa needs investment and not quick solutions to help a re-election – Graça Machel

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Africa needs investment and not quick solutions to help a re-election – Graça Machel

1:56 CAT | 02 Aug 2018

Photo: Twitter @EllenAgler

Graça Machel, the widow of former South African president Nelson Mandela and a humanitarian activist, speaking in South Africa on Thursday, called for African leaders to create a long-term national pact with the private sector and civil society to defend the interests of the common citizen.

“Often, governments have the policies but lack the capacity to implement them, and I believe the private business sector could help transform governmental policies into practical results that can benefit citizens,” Ms Machel, former first lady of both Mozambique and South Africa, said at the annual African Philanthropy Forum in Johannesburg, during a debate on the new face of leadership in Africa.

Ms Machel, who on Wednesday took part in a joint debate with the former president of Mauritius, Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, also pointed out that it was important to improve the “climate of mistrust” between governments, the private sector and civil society in Africa to give way to a “collective leadership.”

She said Germany was a good example of how public and non-governmental institutions had managed to implement national development plans.

“There are several German institutions that receive funds from the government, but there is a very precise coordination between them in terms of implementation and desired objectives. We don’t have that in Africa.”

Ms Machel also said it was time for African leaders to invest in African institutions.

“One of the issues that concerns me in this African narrative surrounding our institutions is to know how to generate knowledge that will transform these institutions. Why is it necessary to always resort to institutions like Harvard or Cambridge when we have excellent African institutions?”

Ms Machel pointed out that with 43% of children in Africa suffering from stunted growth, there should be a credible study in place to serve as a base for national policy and its subsequent implementation to deal with this problem.

“This is the type of contribution that the private sector and civil society can make with the government because what we need in Africa is investment and not quick solutions to help a re-election,” Ms Machel said.

Africans need to very clearly define, defend and implement our own research agenda. It shouldn’t be dictated from Harvard or Cambridge or elsewhere — Insight from the ever amazing, inspiring, goosebump-inducing Mama Graça Machel #APF18 @G_MachelTrust pic.twitter.com/5xCKmSSePW

— Ellen Agler (@EllenAgler) August 1, 2018

#APF18@mama Graca Machel, “We need to invest not do a quick fix” pic.twitter.com/zAcyCj5ArN

— Mable Jenje (@Zakkariyya) August 1, 2018

The #MOMENT for us at the #APF18 #Day1 was the second Fireside Chat: The Changing Face of Leadership in Africa with Moderator – Julie Essiam and Panelists – Graca Machel, @aguribfakim, @HerbertOWigwe and @obyezeks. #APF18 pic.twitter.com/SkPVXFv6N0

— TYDanjuma Foundation (@TYDFoundation) August 1, 2018

‘Be deliberate in transforming the communities in which you work’ – Mdm Graca Machel’s powerful ‘tweet’ to philanthropists @apforg. Blown away by the wisdom and fervour of the last panel of Day 1! pic.twitter.com/jBc3ev3ocL

— Ishk Tolaram Foundation (@ishktolaram) August 1, 2018

Source: Lusa