UN General Assembly
2017

The developing countries and the marginalized peoples of the globe stand to gain most from a more peaceful, secure, just and equal world. They owe it to themselves and to coming generations to build solidarity and to steadfastly strive and work and innovate for a better world. It is their duty to ensure freedom, dignity and prosperity for their peoples. Africa remains the most marginalized of all continents. Undoubtedly, there is some progress, more in some countries than in others. But talk of an African Renaissance, of fastest-growing economies, is misplaced and premature. We should not flatter ourselves or allow others to flatter us. Africa remains a producer and small-bit exporter of primary products. It retains minimum revenue from those exports, with foreign companies getting the lion’s share. Processing of primary products, value addition, industrialization and technology development barely exist. African economies, physical and social infrastructure, institutional and governance structures, and peace and security architectures remain undeveloped.