There is no reason why Africa should be experiencing food insecurity given its natural advantages, President Paul Kagame has said, calling for quick and decisive actions “to deliver measurable results on the ground.”
He was speaking Tuesday, September 20, at the Global Food Security Summit on the margins of the ongoing UN General Assembly in New York in the United States.
The meeting, co-chaired by the United States, the European Union, the African Union, and Spain, took place in the context of a world plagued by conflict, the Covid-19 pandemic, and the climate crisis which has driven around 200 million people into acute food insecurity globally.
“Today, the pandemic, ongoing conflicts, and rising temperatures are putting unusual pressure on our food systems and reversing development gains. The impact is disproportionately felt in Africa,” Kagame said.
He added, “For our continent, one thing is clear. We must become more resilient and productive.”
The Rwandan leader noted that the issue was “emphasized at the AGRF Summit in Kigali earlier this month as well as the landmark United Nations Food Systems Summit last year.”
“In Africa, the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program and the Malabo Declaration will remain our blueprint to transform agriculture,” he said.
The African Continental Free Trade Area is anchored in each framework, Kagame noted, adding that “significant investment is needed in value addition and processing. This is an opportunity for investment and partnership with Africa.”
