Addis Ababa — AFRICAN Union (AU) Commission Chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma says Africa's economic growth and development challenges require focus on equity, inclusiveness and the preservation of natural capital.

Dr Zuma said Africa must maintain a healthy balance between achieving peace and advancing development.

She advised that AU-Regional Economic Communities (RECs), Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), and the African Development Bank (AfDB) should collaborate with other partners to foster the agenda of an integrated and prosperous continent.

The AU chief made the remarks when she opened the 10th AU-RECs-ECA-AfDB committee meeting in Addis Abba, Ethiopia yesterday.

"Given the scale and scope of global changes, it is important that Africa re-energised our momentum for integration and development, guided by its leadership in order to claim its renaissance in a very competitive, insecure and unequal world that we see today," she said.

Dr Zuma said it was important to address the central question of the Abuja Treaty of how to increase African self-reliance and promote an endogenous and self-sustained development.

"We must help give direction as to how to move more swiftly to ensure that Africa becomes prosperous, integrated, and peaceful and indeed a global growth-pole over the next few decades.

"This means that we cannot anymore be satisfied with small, incremental improvements, but we have to think and act bolder," she said.

Dr Zuma said as the continent celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Organisation for African Unity (OAU)/AU, it was an opportune moment to look at the achievements and learn from the past on what should have been done better.