At the World Government Summit in Dubai, the President of Botswana delivered a powerful message to young Africans: stay on the continent and turn their ideas into economic success. But for this success to benefit everyone, he stressed the need for more transparent and ethical governance.
“When we came to power, we initiated a judicial audit. This was primarily because we had experienced incidents that gave rise to serious allegations of corruption. But it’s not just about conducting an audit; it’s also about providing guidance on how to prevent what we experienced in the past from happening again. This is therefore very important for us as we rebuild our country, because, as we often say, we are talking about a second republic,” said Hon. Moeti Caesar Mohwasa.
This message about youth and integrity resonates far beyond Botswana. The Prime Minister of Sierra Leone recounted his personal journey, from Chief Innovation Officer at 31 to Minister of Education, and then to Head of Government: “I became Chief Innovation Officer at 31. I became Minister of Education at 33. And actually, at the World Government Summit, I won the award for Best Minister in the World two years later, at 35, when I was still young. Today, I am the Chief Minister of my country. This shows that young people are not all the same. We are not simply sitting on the continent, waiting to take the reins. Whether it's in the arts and music, sports, governance and politics, coding and business, Africans are contributing to the world. And that will continue,” said Sierra Leonean Prime Minister Dr. David Moinina Sengeh.
And to conclude on the role of leaders, Zimbabwean President Nelson Mnangagwa recalled that states are sovereign and have the right to "choose their partners without having to answer to anyone" .
