Former president Thabo Mbeki speaking during the 16th Thabo Mbeki Africa Day Lecture at the Century City Conference in Cape Town.
Former president Thabo Mbeki used the 16th Thabo Mbeki Africa Day Lecture at the Century City Conference Centre on Saturday to deliver a stark warning ahead of Africa Day commemorations, arguing that despite decades of political progress across the continent, poverty remains Africa’s greatest challenge.
Addressing delegates before leading an open-floor question-and-answer discussion, Mbeki reflected on efforts to advance African development and said debates around governance, institutions, and economic policy must ultimately be measured by whether they improve the lives of ordinary people.
"One of the major, major, major challenges on the continent is the eradication of poverty. In the end, it’s about changing the lives of our people radically," Mbeki said.
Speaking under the theme "Rebuilding African Unity in an Age of Fragmentation: Sovereignty, Solidarity and the Renewal of Institutions", Mbeki argued that African unity, sovereignty, and the ideals of the African Renaissance would hold little meaning if they did not address the widespread poverty experienced by millions across the continent.
