Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has urged African nations to reduce their reliance on foreign funding for development projects and instead prioritise mobilising their own internal resources.
Speaking at the 42nd session of the Steering Committee of Heads of State and Government of the African Union Development Agency-NEPAD (AUDA-NEPAD), held virtually on February 10, 2025, President Faye outlined his vision for Africa’s structural transformation.
“We must mobilise our internal resources through the ‘Team Africa’ initiative,” he declared, emphasising the need to finance African projects without excessive dependence on external funding.
The Senegalese leader also highlighted several key priorities, including accelerating the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to boost intra-African trade, expanding energy infrastructure to ensure universal access to electricity, and reforming vocational training systems to address contemporary challenges.
A central theme of his speech was preparing African youth for technological advancements.
“We must equip our youth with the right skills, particularly in digitalisation and artificial intelligence,” he stressed.
In a notable diplomatic gesture, President Faye also praised Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi’s leadership and backed his continued tenure as chair of the AUDA-NEPAD Steering Committee.
ARD/te/sf/lb/as/APA