Page 14 - Legacy Gala 2018
P. 14

PAGE/14                       LEGA CY GALA 2018                                                                        DECEMBER 2018                                                                              ISSUE 03  PAGE/15



        Africa is rising,






        and now is the                                                                                                                                                                 Central to the development


                                                                                                                                                                                       of African economies is the

                                                                                                                                                                                       establishment of economic
        time to invest.                                                                                                                                                                free-trade zones, reducing




                                                                                                                                                                                       unnecessary bureaucracy

                                                                                                                                                                                       which drains investment,

                                                                                                                                                                                       in addition to developing
        The overwhelming majority
        of us in the West have long                           “Poor Africa”                                                                                                            the necessary institutional

        had the idea that “Africa                                                                                                                                                      financial architecture
        is poor” hard wired into                              has been the
        our brains. That phrase                                                                                                                                                        needed to deliver on the
        “poor Africa” has, for a long                         typical Western                                                                                                          promise of a vibrant Africa.
        time been synonymous

        with a continent that has
        seen its fair share of wars,                          response                                                                                                                 The African Development
        poverty and corruption.                                                                                                                                                        Bank, established in 1964,

        The colonial economic,                                to African
        cultural and political                                                                                                                                                         is central to that vision.
        legacy has seen many on                               challenges                                                                                                               Over the last 50 years
        the continent struggle to
        come to terms with their                              throughout the                                                                                                           we have seen the ADB

        own independence, whilst                                                                                                                                                       invest US$47.5 billion
        seeking to drive up common
        standards of education,                               modern age.                                                                                                              and supported 82,003

        health and well-being.                                                                                                                                                         interventions. In 2003 it

                                                                                                                                                                                       received a triple ’A’ financial

                                                                                                                                                                                       rating with a reported
        Today, in the 21st-century that has                                                                                                                                            capital base of $32.4 billion.

        changed dramatically, Africa is
        experiencing the kind of economic
        growth, Europe can only dream of.
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