It is unquestionable that Africa is on a major ascendance path, a trend shared by the rest of the rising ‘South’. Despite the global economic downturn of recent years, the continent has experienced unprecedented growth. While erratic at times, there has been progress in the reduction of poverty, and the improved quality of life has brought economic opportunities for many Africans. Trade has significant potential to help achieve sustainable development and has increasingly played an important role in the strong economic performance of African economies during the past decade. Indeed, trade performance has shown great resilience even in the face of the ongoing economic crisis.Still, Africa needs to look at its continuous economic growth in light of the three pillars of sustainable development – economic, environmental and social – and assess whether its ‘development meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’, as set out by the Brundtland Commission in its report Our Common Future. Last year’s United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio+20, unleashed the momentum for the facilitation of a green economy in Africa, and it remains critical that the continent direct its transformational agenda onto a sustainable development path.
Posted on: Fri, 09 Aug 2013 01:16:05 +0000
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