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By Youcef Baadja<\/em>* <\/p>\n\n\n\n For a long time portrayed through the lens of challenge, Africa must now be seen through the lens of opportunity. The continent is no longer waiting for development\u2014it is building it. Through bold national initiatives, strong regional cooperation, and strategic international partnerships, Africa is asserting itself as a proactive agent of its own transformation. Our continent is no longer \u201cawaiting development\u201d\u2014it is already moving forward in growth, resilience, and innovation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The African Union, through its Agenda 2063, lays the foundation for a prosperous, integrated, peaceful, and influential continent. This agenda is not merely a document of principles\u2014it is a concrete action plan with tangible results. Flagship projects such as the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), the high-speed rail network, and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) illustrate this shared ambition. Officially launched in 2021, the AfCFTA is one of the world\u2019s largest free trade areas by the number of participating countries. It opens a market of over 1.3 billion people. According to the World Bank, this project could lift 30 million people out of extreme poverty by 2035. This is a concrete example of Africa\u2019s ability to build inclusive growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The African Development Bank (AfDB) has invested heavily in infrastructure, agriculture, renewable energy, and entrepreneurship. Its “High 5” agenda\u2014Light Up, Feed, Industrialize, Integrate Africa, and Improve the Quality of Life for the People of Africa\u2014has connected millions of people to electricity, improved food security, and expanded access to clean water. Kenya is a powerful example. Thanks to the combined support of the AfDB, private investors, and proactive public policies, the country has become a clean energy champion. Today, over 90% of Kenya\u2019s electricity comes from renewable sources, primarily geothermal and hydropower. This proves that sustainability and development are not opposites, but complementary forces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the digital sector, Africa is not lagging behind\u2014it is inventing its own models. The success of platforms like M-Pesa in Kenya and Wave in Senegal demonstrates that innovation can arise from local needs and spread globally. Africa, soon to host one out of every three young people in the world, is a laboratory of agile and resilient solutions. Rwanda, often praised for its bold reforms, launched the Smart Rwanda program to make digital transformation a driver of progress in health, education, and administration. Today, over 95% of the population has 4G coverage, improving access to public services in rural areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Development will not come solely from institutions\u2014it is built by the women and men of Africa. As President of the Swiss Agency for the Development of Human Rights, I have witnessed firsthand young people transforming entire neighborhoods through social entrepreneurship, women creating agricultural cooperatives that uplift villages, and communities self-organizing to build schools, health centers, and sustainable farms. We must nurture this energy. Investing in education, vocational training, and local entrepreneurship ensures our youth have the tools for their own success. As Nelson Mandela once said: \u201cEducation is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is time to move beyond declining and paternalistic narratives. Africa does not need to be saved\u2014it needs to be supported, heard, and accompanied in its own decisions. In this light, win-win partnerships with both the Global South and the Global North take on their full meaning. Yes, challenges remain: governance, inequality, climate change. But above all, there are achievements to grow, talents to reveal, and projects to champion. As Senegalese writer Felwine Sarr puts it: \u201cAfrica should not run after the world; it should run after itself.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is with this spirit that we\u2014as leaders, entrepreneurs, citizens, and members of civil society\u2014must act. Africa can succeed. More than that: Africa is already succeeding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n *CEO and President of the Swiss Agency for the Development of Human Rights (ASDH)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Agenda 2063 is the African Union’s long-term strategic vision to transform Africa into an integrated, prosperous, and peaceful continent, driven by its own citizens and playing a dynamic role on the global stage. Adopted in 2015, it charts a 50-year development path for the continent, building on past experiences, current challenges, and future aspirations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The framework is built on seven major aspirations: a prosperous Africa based on inclusive growth and sustainable development; an integrated continent; democratic governance with respect for human rights; durable peace and security; a strong cultural identity; empowered people\u2014especially women and youth; and a globally influential Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Its flagship projects include the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), a high-speed rail network, the African passport, and the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM). Agenda 2063 thus represents a collective commitment to an African future based on solidarity, innovation, and sovereignty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
June 4, 2025<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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