The African Bar Association Bestows Prestigious Leadership Award on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was recently honored with the distinguished Medal of Merit in Leadership Award by the African Bar Association. The accompanying citation lauds President Akufo-Addo as a pan-African advocate, an anti-corruption champion, and an exemplar of democratic leadership and good governance. The association highlighted his enduring legacy, one that current and future African leaders are encouraged to adopt, recognizing its enduring impact.
The President of the African Bar Association, Hannibal Egbe Uwaifo, presented this esteemed recognition to President Akufo-Addo during the 2023 Annual Conference held in Pretoria, South Africa.
Grateful Acknowledgment
Upon receiving the award, President Akufo-Addo expressed his gratitude to the association, emphasizing the unique role that the legal profession occupies within African societies. He recognized the special status afforded to lawyers and underlined their historical role in the struggle for freedom from colonialism. President Akufo-Addo remarked that, since gaining independence, lawyers have seamlessly traversed between the realms of politics and the legal realm.
“We must define ourselves by our own perceptions rather than by external judgments. This, however, necessitates increased internal trade among African nations. With Africa constituting a mere three percent of global trade and lacking robust intra-African trade connections, our potential remains untapped,” he stated. President Akufo-Addo attributed this to the enduring influence of the “colonial” economic model marked by fragmented regional markets, primary commodity dependence, and limited productive capacities that have persisted for decades.
The Potential of AfCFTA
President Akufo-Addo identified the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a monumental opportunity for enhancing intra-African trade and unlocking Africa’s substantial economic potential. He emphasized the strength in unity, pointing out that the combined population of 1.3 billion people and a collective GDP of $3 trillion position Africa as the world’s eighth-largest economy. This collective strength, he underscored, presents Africa as an attractive investment destination with the potential to sustain growth and generate much-needed employment opportunities for the continent’s youth.
President Akufo-Addo hailed AfCFTA as a transformative force, with the potential to boost intra-African trade by $35 billion annually and decrease external imports by $10 billion. He emphasized the positive impact on small businesses, the potential to lift millions out of poverty, and the diversification of Africa’s industrial exports, moving away from overreliance on commodities and foreign imports.
Challenges and Commitments
Despite the promising prospects of AfCFTA, President Akufo-Addo acknowledged the necessity of stability and security. He highlighted the pressing concern of terrorist insurgency affecting West Africa, notably Mali, Burkina Faso, parts of Niger, and Nigeria. He stressed the imperative of uniting against this menace to ensure regional peace and stability, vital for the entire continent’s development.
Moreover, President Akufo-Addo emphasized the commitment to democratic governance and the rejection of unconstitutional changes in government. He called for unity and dedication to these principles, which are crucial for the progress of both West Africa and the wider continent.
