Monrovia, Liberia – In order to address concerns of mutual development in the global south, President Joseph N. Boakai has called for cooperation between South-South countries.
Speaking to Heads of State during the ongoing Korea-Africa Summit in Seoul on Tuesday, May 4, 2024, President Boakai stated that no country can handle the numerous intricate global issues on its own.
“This summit should foster South-South cooperation to address mutual developmental issues in the global south. No nation can address the myriad of complex global challenges alone.”
Speaking on the subject “The future we make together: shared growth, sustainability, and solidarity,” President Boakai said that the only way for the world to unite in combating issues like poverty, hunger, disease, and climate change is by putting forth a united front.
“We must remember that the future is not guaranteed; we must determine it by deliberately taking actions that will leverage our potential to achieve common goals and foster a better future for our people, a transformed, equitable, and sustainable future,” he said in reference to the discussions that take place at this first and historic Korea-Africa Summit.
According to the Liberian leader, Africa can accomplish this through strong cooperation with the proud people of Korea, who have demonstrated the value of human capital their most valuable resource in reshaping any country’s destiny.
According to President Boakai, countries have come together through South-South cooperation with a common goal of enhancing the social and economic circumstances of their citizens, as well as a wealth of mutual experiences.
He pointed out that approximately one-fifth of the world’s population is represented among those attending the summit, and as a group, they have a critical mass of solidarity that should allow them to face and resolve the issues affecting the entire world.
“As we wait with bated breath about the outcome of the 2024 Korea – Africa Summit, the first of its kind, the theme of this gathering, “The Future We Make Together: Shared Growth, Sustainability, and Solidarity,” must remind us that the future we want for our people and the world cannot just be hoped for or dreamed of or even guaranteed; it is one only achieved through concerted and deliberate actions.”
Global expansion and economic development have been fueled by the twin processes of globalization and technical innovation, according to Boakai.
The Liberian leader disclosed, however, that although both nations brought about incredible human growth to usher in the twenty-first century, the impact on global populations particularly in Africa has been uneven.
“This is why “shared growth” as part of the theme of this summit should express our collective desire that growth must come with development, prosperity must be inclusive to benefit all people, and that dividends of development should not be the exclusive preserve for a privileged few.”
In addition, he emphasized that Agenda 2063 the pan-African endeavor to foster shared prosperity as well as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the World Sustainable Development Goals must be achieved in tandem with shared progress and a shared future.
The President informed the heads of state that he hoped the summit would result in an agreement that would enable them to use the resources they have been bestowed with in order to enhance prosperity and raise the standard of living for all.
Boakai urged decision-makers to acknowledge that progress should be based on sustainability as well.
According to him, since resources are finite, it is always necessary to use or exploit the natural wealth of the whole in order to preserve a sustainable planet for coming generations.
The Liberian leader pointed out that securing a sustainable future requires adopting choices or substitutes that protect the environment while preventing earth’s resources from being depleted.
“As one of the custodians of the equatorial rainforest, Liberia intends to promote a sustainable future by leveraging this natural asset to contribute to the fight against climate change.”
Photo credit: Executive Mansion
