Ruto wants African countries to embrace manufacturing

By Peter Ochieng

President William Ruto is determined to see Africa embrace manufacturing for job creation and economic development.

Speaking during the 22nd Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) summit in Lusaka Zambia on Thursday, Ruto said African countries should stop exporting raw materials.

Instead, he said they should be used to build value addition and manufacturing ventures in the continent.

"The potential for intra-COMESA trade is colossal; the demand for value-added products is bound to keep growing well into the future,” he added.

The COMESA bloc, he said, must embrace a systemic shift to exploit its untapped potential.

“The shift will also offer higher returns, incentivise industrialisation, boost our competitiveness and create employment," he said as quoted by president.go.ke.

Present were Presidents Abdel Fattah El-Sisi of Egypt, Zambia's Hakainde Hichilema, Lazarus Chakwera of Malawi, Burundi's Évariste Ndayishimiye and COMESA Secretary General Chileshe Kapwepwe, among others.

President Ruto noted that Africa must utilise its rich, clean energy to advance its industrial development.

“We are championing for the radical repositioning of Africa as the clean, green continent of the future in order to exploit the opportunities arising from the transition to green industrialization."

The summit marked the end of President El-Sisi’s chairmanship.

He handed over to President Hichilema.