Obasanjo Canvasses for Robust Africa, China Bond to Curb Poverty

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said a robust bond between Africa and China would limit the plague of poverty in Africa.

He stated this at a forum organised by the Embassy of China titled: ‘A new era for China-Africa Cooperation, Partnership for Peace, Security and Development’ in Abuja on Wednesday.

Obasanjo added that a new era of such stronger tie would be advantageous to Africa and the world at large, saying Africa had a lot to gain from China, urging Africa and China to enter a strategic partnership in the areas of grants, long and short term loan such that it would help in providing skills acquisition, trade and infrastructure.

The former president said if Africa is ready to move with China, Africa must be ready to get on  regular and periodic reform.

He added that poverty alleviation in Nigeria with active collaboration with China was also imperative, and that the effect of poverty was telling on Africa, therefore, it must seek a lasting solution.

Saying that China was a good example of how a country should fight poverty, Obasanjo said within a space of one generation, China had lifted about 500 million people out of poverty and the method has been hugely successful.

The former president tasked China to teach other Africa countries willing to learn how to fight poverty, adding that China had consistently created 13 million jobs in urban areas.

He said from 2012 to 2017, China lifted about 68 million out of poverty because the government served the expectation of the people, stressing that poverty reduction should be the main focus of Africa’s relationship with China, which would deliver on governance.

Obasanjo stated further that generations of leaders in China had not deviated from the vision of its founding fathers, stressing that Africa needed China and Asia at large for its economic development, as he explained that China can import the knowledge in the areas of housing, agriculture, rural road development, and Nigeria corps members can be deployed to learn in such areas.

Obasanjo therefore called on African leaders to lead the way in leadership, stressing that once the desire to do the right things were seen by the citizenry, they would fall in line.