Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga has challenged African states to do more business among themselves instead of relying on trade with other continents.
He said it is ironical that African governments cry about their products being locked out of European and US markets while they also block trade with fellow African countries.
Speaking when he received a delegation of MPs from Ethiopia, he said Africa is crippling itself by making trade and travel within the continent difficult.
The Ethiopian MPs are in the country to study Kenya’s progress in the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
“Why is it easier for an American or a British to set up business in Kenya or Ethiopia than for a Nigerian or a Ugandan to do the same ?” he said, adding that the continent is in many cases its own worst enemy.
Odinga said Kenya is making good progress with MDGs although funding remains a challenge.
He said the MDGs were formulated with an understanding that developed countries would commit a percentage of their budget to support the goals in the developing countries but that has not been done.
Odinga, however, said Africa can dig into its resources and meet substantial portion of the goals.
“Africa has to wake up. Africa must abandon the belief that the world owes it a living. We have stood by while our resources get exploited by the developed world, then we ask the world to do something for us,” he said.
“Let Africa begin by doing more trade with itself. Let us open up our borders,” he added.
Source African Press Agency
