New AU will hinge on robust African trade- Prez Ruto

PRESIDENT of the Republic of Kenya, Dr William Ruto has vowed to work to achieve a reformed African Union which will be supported by a robust trade and investment base from within the African continent

President Ruto who is the AU’s new Champion for institutional reforms, tasked with providing leadership and vision to complete the Union’s comprehensive institutional reform initiative that began in 2016.

Speaking in Accra during his visit to the office of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, President Ruto emphasised the need to exploit and leverage the potential of the 1.4billion people market to boost intra-Africa trade.

“As part of the reform of the AU to make it fit for purpose, we’re going to consolidate our place in making sure that the 1.4billion people market in Africa becomes a viable entity that will provide opportunity for trade , for investment, for business, for commerce so that we can create prosperity that leaves nobody behind and shared prosperity that brings everyone on board,” President Ruto submitted.

The Kenyan leader highlighted the importance of technology and the digital era and stressed the need for Africa not to lose sight of how technology impacts efficiency.

“Talking about digitisation and technology, we  believe that technology democrarises opportunity, technology improves efficiency and improves accountability and therefore front and centre technology is going to dictate the pace at which we move our goods and services, our products and our progress,” he added.

 The Kenyan leader encouraged the Secretariat to work other agencies of the AU in making sure that “we leverage on technology to accelerate the movement of goods and services across our continent and also to accelerate progress in all other fields”

Dr Ruto noted that the signing of the AfCFTA in March, 2018 of the extraordinary session of the African Union was a mile stone in pursuing more integrated and inclusive economic growth.