Africa�s moment has come, says Aga Khan

Aga Khan, the Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims on Sunday extolled Africa's resilience, economic progress and new willingness to accept diversity, says a press release.
“What I see emerging today is a refreshingly balanced confidence in Africa - a spirit that takes encouragement from past progress, while also seeking new answers to new challenges,” he said.
He made the remarks in a keynote address to the “Africa 2016: Business for Africa, Egypt and the World” conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, hosted by Egypt’s president, Abdel Fattah el Sisi. The Aga Khan noted the decidedly upbeat spirit about Africa's economic future that emanated from the speeches of African leaders taking part in the conference. “My enthusiasm today is especially strong because of the message which is at the heart of this Forum.  And that message is, quite simply, that Africa’s Moment has come,” he declared.
 “The story of Africa's progress and potential is also impressive - whether  we talk about growing GDP and foreign direct investment, whether we look at economic diversification and national resiliency, whether we chart the rise of a vital middle class - and the expansion of consumer spending - now breaking through the one trillion dollar mark,” he said.
He noted that the experience of the Aga Khan Development Network, which is active in 13
African countries and works in an array of sectors ranging from health to education to culture to economic development, supports the positive picture.
“In sum I believe that social progress will require quality inputs from all three sectors - public, private and Civil Society. Sustainable progress will build on a three-legged stool,” he said, arguing that “cooperating across traditional lines of division does not mean erasing our proud, independent identities.  
But it does mean finding additional, enriching identities as members of larger communities - and ultimately, as people who share a common humanity.  It means committing ourselves to an Ethic of Pluralism.”

 

Africa�s moment has come, says Aga Khan

Aga Khan, the Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims on Sunday extolled Africas resilience, economic progress and new willingness to accept diversity, says a press release. What I see emerging today is a refreshingly balanced confidence in Africa - a spirit that takes encouragement from past progress, while also seeking new answers to new challenges, he said. He made the remarks in a keynote address to the Africa 2016: Business for Africa, Egypt and the World conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, hosted by Egypts president, Abdel Fattah el Sisi. The Aga Khan noted the decidedly upbeat spirit about Africas economic future that emanated from the speeches of African leaders taking part in the conference. My enthusiasm today is especially strong because of the message which is at the heart of this Forum. And that message is, quite simply, that Africas Moment has come, he declared. The story of Africas progress and potential is also impressive - whether we talk about growing GDP and foreign direct investment, whether we look at economic diversification and national resiliency, whether we chart the rise of a vital middle class - and the expansion of consumer spending - now breaking through the one trillion dollar mark, he said. He noted that the experience of the Aga Khan Development Network, which is active in 13 African countries and works in an array of sectors ranging from health to education to culture to economic development, supports the positive picture. In sum I believe that social progress will require quality inputs from all three sectors - public, private and Civil Society. Sustainable progress will build on a three-legged stool, he said, arguing that cooperating across traditional lines of division does not mean erasing our proud, independent identities. But it does mean finding additional, enriching identities as members of larger communities - and ultimately, as people who share a common humanity. It means committing ourselves to an Ethic of Pluralism.