The Government Spokesman, Col. (Rtd) Cyrus Oguna has called on the African Union to come up with frameworks that are unique to the African countries if meaningful progress in the continent is to be realized.
Oguna said that Africa cannot develop if it does not talk or trade within itself, noting that Africans must come up with mechanisms that will enable countries within to integrate and promote business and movements without any hindrance.
He noted that 7-8 per cent of the foreign exchange goes back to the developed countries leaving Africa with a paltry 3 per cent that cannot enhance its development agenda to the fullest.
Col. (Rtd) Oguna, speaking on Monday during the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) media workshop conducted to create a brand awareness to sensitize journalists on the new reporting structures in coordinating implementation of African Union programs and projects further said that it is about time that people were communicated to on the continent’s development agenda.
“Communication is a governance function that is funded by most governments and as such it should be felt by the people who programs are developed for,” said Oguna, adding that this must be backed by political will.
The government spokesman further observed that majority of the mainstream media focus on what he termed as “now” issues, thereby forgetting to raise developmental issues that address basic human growth and development.
Journalists attending the workshop called on the African Union Development Agency (AUDA) to ensure that it has sober and real conversation with the media to ensure that development agenda in all fronts is given priority and that it’s not overtaken by political rhetoric.
Within the broad AU Reform, the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency has been transformed into what is now referred to as the African Union Development Agency of AU Assembly.
The member states of the African Union are the 55 sovereign states that have ratified or acceded to the Constitutive Act of the African Union to become member states to the African Union (AU).
The AU is the successor to the Organization of African Unity (OAU) and membership is open to all former member states.
By Alice Gworo
