Economic integration is key to Africa’s growth and development across all sectors, Yoweri Museveni, President of Uganda, explained as he addressed audiences at the Global Business Forum on Africa in Dubai on Wednesday.

During a special head of state session entitled, "Next Generation Africa - Realising the Promise of Integration", the Ugandan President underlined the importance of education in addressing the challenges facing African countries. He warned that a lack of integration will inhibit Africa’s ability to establish healthy markets and may potentially worsen the continent’s brain drain.

Museveni called on young people, in particular, to find solutions to the problems facing African societies and be the engine of their development. He urged the youth to focus more on their national identity and less on other affiliations in order to prioritise public interest, build strong societies, and help expand African companies' footprint into international markets.

He noted that Africa is making great strides on economic integration.

The Global Business Forum on Africa 2017, organised by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, ran on November 1st-2nd.

Source: Wam