WORLD
FORMER UK PM SAYS GLOBAL ECONOMY RELIANT UPON GROWTH IN AFRICA
Baku, July 24 (AZERTAC). Former UK PM Gordon Brown has used his first major speech since leaving office to say the future growth of the world economy is reliant upon the development of Africa, according to the BBC.
Speaking in Kampala, the Ugandan capital, the former UK prime minister said he wanted to see the continent achieve its full potential.
Mr. Brown also made light of losing the British general election in May.
He said he was someone who “spent some time as a politician before becoming a community organizer”.
Mr. Brown contrasted himself with President Barack Obama “who spent some time as a community organizer before becoming a politician”.
Speaking to Ugandan political leaders, Mr. Brown said he wished to see the creation of an “African century”.
“Future growth in the world economy, and future jobs in the developing world, will depend on harnessing both the productive potential and the pent-up consumer demand of this continent,” he said.
“There is an alternative to a decade of low global growth which would fail to meet both the development needs of Africa and the growth needs of Europe and America.”
“To me the answer is obvious - as we struggle to find new sources of growth we must turn here, to Africa, to this continent of huge potential and talent.”
To help economies develop across Africa, he said nations needed to increase access to broadband internet, which he said less than 1% of people currently had access to.
Mr. Brown added: “I am already working with some of you to bring together experts in this field for a major campaign and programme of work, because I truly believe that the rapid expansion of internet access in Africa could transform how Africa trades, learns and holds political power accountable.”
Turning his attention to the developmental aid given to Africa, he said this needed to increasingly focus on private sector wealth creation, and not just providing services for the poor.
“The job of aid is to kick-start business-led growth and not to replace it,” he said.
“And so I believe we need to focus not just on poverty, but on wealth.”