Seoul — President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has called on world leaders to recollect that the future is not guaranteed unless concerted actions are taken to leverage Africa's potential to achieve common goals and foster a transformed, equitable, and sustainable future for its people.
Making special remarks Tuesday, June 4, at the opening of the the Summit that focusses on shared growth, sustainability, and Solidarity, President Boakai acknowledged that the twin processes of globalization and technological advancement have spurred growth and economic development globally, noting that both processes have at the same time ushered the twenty-first century with remarkable feats of human development.
"This is why "shared growth" as part of the theme of this summit should express our collective desire that growth must come with development, prosperity must be inclusive to benefit all people, and that dividends of development should not be the exclusive preserve for a privileged few," President Boakai said.
The Liberian leader believes shared growth and a shared future must also be pursued in tandem with Agenda 2063, the pan-African effort to promote collective prosperity, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the World Sustainable Development Goals.
Boakai used the medium to seek an explanation from the Summit that would allow the application of what Liberia and other delegates have collectively been enriched with to increase prosperity and improve the livelihoods of their people.
Boakai recognizes the need for nations gathered at the Summit to share experiences from the South-south cooperation, that could help improve the social and economic conditions of the populations of respective countries.
"This Summit should further foster SouthSouth cooperation to address mutual developmental issues in the global south. No nation can address the myriad of complex global challenges alone," President Boakai enlightens.
"It is by standing together in solidarity that we can we bring our collective efforts to bear tackling climate change, disease, poverty, and the many problems that plague us collectively."
This he said can be achieved in firm partnership with the people of Korea who he noted, have taught Africa the importance of human capital, which is their greatest resource, in transforming the future of any nation.
By doing this, the Liberian leader, however, maintained that Africa and Africans must equally recognize that sustainability should undergird the drive for development.
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He said: "Resources are not infinite; therefore, the judicious use or exploitation of our collective natural wealth must always be considered in maintaining a sustainable earth for future generations."
President Boakai has further noted that achieving a sustainable future is possible through accepting options or alternatives that do not leave the earth depleted but also safeguard the environment.
Hence, he said Liberia, as one of the custodians of the equatorial rainforest, intends to promote a sustainable future by leveraging this natural asset to contribute to the fight against climate change.
Boakai, at the same time, told the gathering, that those attending this Summit represent about a fifth of the world's population, and as a community, they must have a critical mass in solidarity that should enable Africa and the World to confront and address the challenges facing the environment.
President Boakai recognized the Republic of Korea as a true friend and partner, one he thinks Liberia can learn from, as the country has so much to offer Africa in the continent's quest for a transformative future.
