DM Leader Raila Odinga on Wednesday laid public his grand agenda for Africa following his appointment as African Union’s High Representative for Infrastructure Development.
Odinga stated that he would work towards achievement of an “African miracle” that will seek to bring about radical economic growth in the African continent, driven by political and economic integration.
He further promised to lobby AU member states to support infrastructure development projects that will link the entire continent and promote intra-continental trade.
“I strongly believe that the existence of a reliable infrastructure of roads and railways, running North to South, East to West of Africa, is critical to opening up the Continent and making it the gateway to the 21st century. You must have heard of the Trans-African Highway; the hugely ambitious, grand project, launched in 1971.”
"It is a network of nine highways which, when connected, will cover a combined total of 60,000 kilometers across the continent. One of them will stretch 8,000 kilometers between Cairo and Dakar; another for 8,000 kilometers between Cairo and Cape Town; a third for 6,000 kilometers between Lagos and Mombasa; and a fourth for 4,700 kilometers between Dakar and Lagos,” Odinga said during a public lecture at Duke University in the United States.
He noted that only one highway had been completed, promising to work towards completion of the grand project.
The former Prime Minister further promised to work towards eradication of corruption in Africa – terming it as a major impediment to economic growth in the region.
He said that his handshake deal with President Uhuru Kenyatta had strengthened the war against corruption and promised to continue doing so in the African continent.
“One of the biggest threats to the shared prosperity is Corruption. I accept that it has been difficult to fight corruption on the continent. I admit that even in Kenya, where I have joined President Kenyatta in waging a campaign against corruption, many remain skeptical. But I see a turning point. Now, in most African countries, people’s voice can no longer be ignored,” Odinga stated.