“Inflation has fallen almost everywhere in Africa, a new private sector is being born. We observe a new political stability. It is a big change,” the UN secretary general told the deputies and ministers.
“Africa does not need charity, Africa needs investment and partnership,” he said.
“This is the hour of Africa. It is time to consider sub-Saharan Africa as one of the biggest emerging economies of the world. Like the economic tigers of Asia of the past, the big cats of Africa are emerging.”
The UN chief said the World Cup under way in South Africa was also good for the continent.
“I am not a football expert but I already know who is going to win the World Cup. It is the African people,” he said to applause.
Ban urged for the same enthusiasm over goals scored in the football event to be shown in meeting the UN’s millennium development goals, which include benchmarks on ending poverty and hunger, and promoting education.
The UN chief said Gabon had seem “some progress” on eliminating corruption and bad management, but it needed to ensure its parliamentary elections due next year were honest.
“Elections open to everyone, free, honest and transparent, play a clear role in the maintenance of peace and stability.
“Africa has seen too much election fraud, too many unconstitutional changes of government, too much manipulation of the law,” he said.
The Gabon opposition does not recognise the 2009 presidential elections — won by Ali Bongo Ondimba, son of strong-arm president Omar Bongo Ondimba who died last June after 41 years in office — alleging they were rigged.
Source: AFP