Africa should pump out funds in human talents, pitches Bill Gates at AU Summit

African leaders should focus heavily on human talent so that the ‘Africa 2063’ Agenda can achieve its goals, Microsoft billionaire Bill Gates said in Ethiopia’s capital city Addis Ababa on February 10.

Bill Gates has been one of the three special guests at the opening ceremony of the 32^nd Summit of Heads of State and Government of the African Union. According to him, it will be the human talent that will design, implement and manage all the infrastructures to support the continent’s development.

For over 25 years, through its Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates has supported social projects in Africa in the education and health sectors, believing that healthy, well-educated people generate development. Through its foundation, he has invested over USD 15 billion in education programs, projects on agriculture, programs to combat poverty and diseases such as malaria in Africa.

He said he believes that Africa can achieve its goals, provided that it intelligently invests in human capital, as his foundation is willing to continue supporting projects that help to develop the continent. On his side, Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) President Gianni Infantino, stressed that the body that manages football in the world is an African partner in promoting programs on education and sport.

He emphasized that football is more than a game, because of its impact on the economy and the psychological effect it has on people. “Football is also a tool for economic growth and a way of integrating people,” Gianni Infantino said.

Also the World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom said that, following the African Union campaign culminating in his election to lead the World Health Organization, the African leaders' goal should now be to create conditions that guarantee the health and well-being of all Africans, so that the continent occupies its place in the world and develops its full potential.

To that end, he said that Africa should make smart investments, especially in primary health care, in preventive medicine, and work hard to control outbreaks and diseases like Ebola and the creation of drug agencies to combat the phenomenon of adulterated drugs.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres said that Africa has many challenges ahead, such as maintaining peace and security, combating climate change, and others. He added that the moment now is to work on solutions to unify the Libyan people and consolidate peace operations in the continent.

The opening ceremony of the 32^nd Summit of Heads of State and Government of the African Union, which is taking place at the organization's headquarters in Addis Ababa, was chaired by President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi as the organization's new leader.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres said that Africa has many challenges ahead, such as maintaining peace and security, combating climate change, and others. He said that the moment now is to work on solutions to unify the Libyan people and consolidate peace operations in the continent.

With inputs from agency,