ARFSD-11 Launches in Uganda: A Call for Bold Leadership and Sustainable Solutions
KAMPALA, UGANDA — The Eleventh Session of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (ARFSD-11) commenced in Kampala, emphasizing the urgent need for bold leadership and decisive policies to foster job creation, inclusive growth, and science-based solutions across the continent.
President Kaguta Yoweri Museveni, the host of the forum, highlighted the imperative for Africa to cease exporting raw materials. “When you export raw materials and someone else profits from it, you are donating jobs and money,” he stated. Museveni announced a ban on the export of unprocessed minerals, declaring, “If we can’t process the minerals, they must stay in the ground for our grandchildren.”
The forum is designed to facilitate dialogue and action that could significantly influence Africa’s path toward sustainable prosperity. “Driving job creation and economic growth through sustainable, inclusive, science and evidence-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063” is the central theme of this year’s event.
Museveni shared insights on Uganda’s employment landscape, revealing that the agricultural sector employs 3.6 million people, while manufacturing and industry account for 1.4 million, and the services sector employs 5 million. The ICT sector, he noted, currently employs 46,000 individuals, demonstrating the potential for job creation.
Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa stressed the necessity of collaborative efforts. “We can not have individual countries championing as individual countries. There must be a connectedness of our efforts,” he said, urging for shared discussions on achieving common goals.
United Nations Deputy Secretary General Amina J. Mohammed pointed out that progress has been insufficient. “Structural inequalities persist, and informal unemployment remains widespread,” she noted, advocating for a narrative driven by African leadership, particularly from the youth.
Mr. Claver Gatete, Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), addressed significant challenges hindering progress, including the lasting impacts of COVID-19, geopolitical tensions, and a debt burden of 64.3% of GDP. He emphasized that Africa’s GDP growth has stagnated at around 3%, highlighting the need for urgent action to meet the 7% growth target essential for achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8.
“Aid is no longer sustainable. We must scale up domestic resources, curb illicit financial flows, and utilize pension and sovereign wealth funds for Africa’s transformation,” Gatete asserted, urging immediate implementation of inclusive and evidence-based solutions
Robert Rae, President of the Economic and Social Council, echoed the need for regional cooperation, stating, “Africa for the Africans” must remain a guiding principle to achieve prosperity, endorsing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
With just five years remaining until the 2030 deadline, leaders at ARFSD-11 are calling for a shift from diagnosis to actionable solutions, particularly for the five critical SDGs under review in 2025: Good Health and Well-being (SDG 3), Gender Equality (SDG 5), Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8), Life Below Water (SDG 14), and Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17).
ARFSD-11 has convened heads of state, government officials, academia, civil society representatives, and international partners, all united in addressing the pressing development challenges facing the continent.
By: Frank Owusu Obimpeh
