Africa has become the future of the global economy - Ramaphosa
President Cyril Ramaphosa said the world is increasingly looking to Africa for critical minerals, energy resources, agricultural potential, and strategic partnerships.
Ramaphosa and the Namibian President, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, co-chaired the 4th South Africa - Namibia Bi-National Commission (BNC) in Pretoria on Friday.
The President said the two nations' resources would shape world industries going forward.
He, however, posed the question whether Africans will be prepared to capture the value which they create.
"South Africa and Namibia have both the opportunity and the responsibility to ensure that our natural endowments become engines of industrialisation, of innovation, of skills development, and of the provision of decent work," said Ramaphosa.
He added that value chains should be created to produce finished products rather than merely exporting unprocessed materials.
"For far too long, Africa has exported opportunity while in itself importing prosperity."
Ramaphosa said both South Africa and Namibia created industries in other parts of the world when, at the same time, unemployment remained a constant local challenge.
He added that this could not define Africa's future.
"The days when our minerals leave our shores simply as rock and dust must steadily come to an end. Instead, we should increase the process, refine, manufacture, and innovate here in Southern Africa, creating value for our own economies and opportunities for our own people."
The South African President said the Orange Basin is emerging as one of the world's most promising new energy frontiers.
The Orange Basin lies beneath the western coasts of South Africa and Namibia and is said to contain oil and gas reserves.
Ramaphosa said the development of the basin presents an opportunity to not only extract petroleum products, but also to establish an integrated regional energy economy.
Migration is also a challenge shared by both countries, said Ramaphosa, and it requires shared continental solutions.
"South Africa remains committed to ensuring and enforcing its immigration laws fairly, firmly, and consistently while upholding the constitutional values and human dignity that define our democracy."
He said the most effective long-term responses to migration were sustained dialogue, enhanced border cooperation, orderly mobility, and inclusive economic development.
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