We can build a thriving Africa with our resources – Ruto

President William Ruto has said it is possible to build a more integrated, prosperous, and stable Africa using the continent's resources. 

He said this will be done by first reforming the African Union to empower it and enable its performance to align with its goals.

"We must free the AU from constraints so that it can pursue urgent and critical interventions in the continent using internally generated resources," he said.

He spoke during the 5th Mid-Year Coordination Meeting of the African Union, the Regional Economic Communities, the Regional Mechanisms, and the African Union Member States at the UN Complex in Gigiri, Nairobi.

Ruto regretted that over five decades after independence, the continent still relies on external funding to drive its agenda.

He frowned upon the financing of over 60 per cent of AU programmes by overseas partners.

He said the Pan-African movement has always been about sovereignty.

"The chronic dependence on well-meaning partners is inconsistent with this aspiration," he added.

The President said African integration will open doors for unprecedented transformation, adding that the African Continental Free Trade Area (ACFTA) will be the world's largest free-trade area, bringing together 54 countries.

"This single market will lift 30 million people out of extreme poverty and boost incomes," he said. 

He said the success of COP27 in Egypt was a signal that Africa is taking off.

"It showed that Africa can speak in one voice and contribute to global development and climate action."

Present were AU chairperson Moussa Faki, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohamed, Presidents Azali Assoumani (Comoros), Ali Bongo (Gabon), Abdel Fattah (Egypt), Macky Sall (Senegal), Ismail Guelleh (Djibouti) and Bola Tinubu (Nigeria) among others.