Rabat: Confidence in Africa’s own capabilities, investment in infrastructure, and continuity in public policies are essential conditions for transforming the continent’s potential into tangible development opportunities, Minister of Industry and Trade Ryad Mezzour said on Monday in Rabat.
According to Agence Marocaine De Presse, speaking at the 4th edition of the Africa Economic Symposium, Mezzour noted that while Africa is endowed with a young population, abundant talent and significant natural resources, it continues to face challenges related to access to electricity, education and stability. He stressed the need to strengthen Africans’ confidence in their own capabilities and their ability to design and implement solutions tailored to their specific realities.
Referring to Morocco’s experience, the minister underlined that the Kingdom has chosen a path of economic openness and international competition, despite the social and economic costs associated with this strategic orientation.
Mezzour also highl
ighted the role of public investment in infrastructure, describing it as a prerequisite for the development of a competitive productive base. He noted that investments in ports, highways and logistics infrastructure have been instrumental in the expansion of Morocco’s automotive industry, which has become the country’s leading export sector.
Addressing the technological transition, the minister said that artificial intelligence offers small businesses and individuals access to knowledge and capabilities comparable to those available to large organizations.
He emphasized the importance of equipping citizens with the skills needed to use these technologies intelligently and of developing artificial intelligence solutions that serve individuals, communities and their own values.
The two-day symposium provides an opportunity to explore ways for Africa to transform its abundant natural resources into drivers of development while navigating the climate and energy transition to achieve resilient growth.
It will
also examine the levers needed to make digital transformation a catalyst for inclusive structural change, recalibrate social policies in support of shared growth, and mobilize the financing frameworks required to sustain these transformation pathways.