Vice President of Ghana, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, has astutely challenged the pervasive notion that foreign aid to Africa is a charitable endeavor.
Addressing students from Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) at Jubilee House, she posited that this perception is far from accurate, emphasizing that the continent’s wealth is, in fact, being siphoned away at an alarming rate.
“You see, one of the questions he hasn’t asked himself is how much leaves our continent for his [Donald Trump’s] country. They think it’s just charity. It is not,” she sagely noted.
Vice President Opoku-Agyemang’s remarks were, in part, a response to US President Donald Trump’s recent comments on cutting assistance to Africa.
The Vice President’s words served as a stark reminder that Africa’s economic struggles are, to a significant extent, exacerbated by the disproportionate flow of wealth out of the continent. “If even a fraction of what is taken from our continent remained, we wouldn’t have issues with unemployment, sanitation, or many other challenges,” she astutely observed.
Opoku-Agyemang’s address also touched on the pressing issue of economic imbalances, warning that Africa will no longer tolerate such disparities. “At the right time, we’ll also take action. And it will not be funny,” she declared, referencing Niger’s recent renegotiation of its mineral contracts, which yielded a remarkable increase in national revenue from $1 billion to over $10 billion within a year.
The discussion, which brought together students from Harvard Kennedy School and MIT’s urban planning program, encompassed a range of critical topics, including women’s empowerment, climate action, and regional integration in Africa. On the subject of climate justice, She underscored the egregious burden placed on African nations, despite their minimal contributions to global emissions. “We are responsible for less than 5% [of emissions], yet we are expected to bear the consequences,” she noted.
In conclusion, the Vice President urged the students to amplify African perspectives in global conversations, emphasizing the importance of collective voices in shaping a more equitable and just world. “We need everybody’s voice. You are from Harvard Kennedy School and MIT, we need your voices too,” she urged.
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