Jun. 5, 2013 (TSR) — Zambian President Michael Sata said on Wednesday Africa has been made into a “guinea pig” in the last 50 years by developed nations that pretend to help transform the continent but in fact only enrich themselves, leaving the continent poorer, reported by the Zambian media on Monday.

“In the last 50 years Africa has been made a guinea pig, we have all the resources, people come and take all our resources and we are having a conference here to help Africa,” Sata was quoted as saying by the paper in remarks made during the three deliberations under the theme ‘Towards the Post-2015 Development Agenda’ at the ongoing 5th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD V) in Yokohama, Japan.

The Zambian Head of State, who arrived on Wednesday for the three-day conference, held between June 1-3 in Tokyo, said Africa had all the resources it needed to succeed.

AFRICA must liberate itself from developed countries that have exploited mineral resources for a long time, President Michael Sata has said.

Mr Sata said Africa had been deprived of its resources by developed countries for a long time and that the scenario should change for the better now.

Under the conference’s sub-theme: ‘New and Emerging Challenges to Sustainable Development’, he said some developed countries came to Africa under the guise of developing the continent but ‘plundered’ the raw materials and shipping them out for their own benefit and enrichment leaving Africa poorer.

“We know the problems in Africa and the reason is the so-called developed countries that have used Africa as a guinea pig for taking our raw materials for developing themselves. And they just come and pick all our raw materials because in Africa we still have plenty of raw materials but the so-called developed countries come to Africa under the guise of development but they are coming to steal our raw materials,” he said.

Sata, who is known for raising controversies at international meetings, said “We have problems in Africa and the reason is this, the so-called developed countries have used Africa as a guinea pig by taking our raw materials to go and develop themselves. And they just come and pick all our raw materials because in Africa we still have plenty of raw materials.”

African leaders should not expect external solutions to the current malaise in health and other social sectors but should employ home-grown initiatives.

“Africa cannot be developed by anyone else but by itself,” said Mr Sata, adding that Africans understood the problems of the continent better than outsiders.

President Sata said being a former minister of local government, health and labour, he was experienced enough to know that the current problems in Africa were caused by Africans themselves. He said some people, who did not even know Africa well, wanted to prescribe the remedy for the continent’s challenges.

He said while African countries appreciated the assistance from international bodies like the World Bank, Africans held their destiny in their hands.

He said the World Bank had acknowledged and identified the difficulties the countries were facing.

“So, it is nice to listen to what people are saying about developing Africa, but being an African, born and bred in Africa, I understand our problems. And I sympathise with people who pretend that we can’t develop ourselves,” he said.

The Zambian leader said Africa should not rely on others to help it but should rely on itself, adding that African leaders understand better the problems of infant and maternal mortality on the continent. He has since called on the continent to free itself from developed countries that have exploited its mineral resources for a long time.

“All these are all our personal problems as Africa. And it is not the conference that will help us. We have heard all sorts of stories,” the Zambian leader,” he added.

To develop, he said, African countries should invest more in the education sector, especially at tertiary level.

Mr Sata observed that while most African countries had a lot of secondary and vocational training schools, the number of universities was still low.

The Zambian leader further said his administration was trying to invest more in education because education was a prerequisite to national development.

“What we are trying to do now, we have already got four universities, and it is our aim to have 10 universities. Each province must have a university in Zambia. Because without education everything we are talking about becomes useless. We have more technical colleges [but] we do not need to mention them here,” he said.

Sata woos Japanese investors, gives support to Japan’s bid for UNSC permanent seat

After the conference, President Michael Sata congratulated Japan for successfully hosting the TICAD V and urged the Japanese government to consider holding the next conference in Africa.

He has also invited Japanese investors to come to Zambia and assured that the Government will provide sufficient safeguards for investment according to Times of Zambia.

“Zambia would ensure that investments from Japan were safe and able to grow sustainably,” the Head of State said as he was speaking at a privately held talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on June 3 at the Inter-Continental Hotel in the morning.

“The Zambian Government remains open to facilitate the growth of investment from Japan,” said Mr Sata, who was accompanied by Foreign Affairs Minister Effron Lungu, Emmanuel Chenda for Commerce and Zambian Ambassador to Japan, Mwelwa Chibesakunda.

He emphasised the need for Japan to send trade and investment delegations to explore various opportunities for Japanese investments in Zambia.

Mr Sata said Zambia had a favourable investment climate and that Japanese investors from the public and private sectors were free to visit the country to look at prospective investment areas.

He said his Government was happy with the long-lasting relations the two countries were enjoying.

This is according to a statement issued here by Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations, George Chellah.

“Japan has always stood with Africa and Zambia in particular, that is why we support your bid at the United Nations (UN),” he said.

Japan wants to become a permanent member of the UN Security Council.

In response, Mr Abe said Japan was happy that the two countries had continued to enjoy good relations.

He said Zambia’s efforts in improving the business environment were important to Japan and welcomed the idea of expanding Japanese business interests in Zambia.

Mr Abe assured the Zambian delegation that Japan would cooperate with Africa and Zambia in particular to facilitate mutual growth and prosperity.

“Zambia-Japan relations will be a win-win situation. We have to grow and advance together,” he said.

He said with its advanced technology, Japan would continue supporting Zambia on projects like the construction of Kazungula Bridge. Japan had also decided on the new grant assistance to Zambia towards the improvement of medical equipment in hospitals.

Mr Abe requested for Zambia’s support in his country’s bid to host the Olympic Games in 2020.

The Japanese premier visited Zambia about two years ago when he was an assistant to the then Japanese Foreign minister.

The Zambian president has been wooing Asian tigers to invest in his country.

Most recently, Sata who was in China a few weeks ago, was asking foreigners to come to Zambia and help develop it. He urged prospective Chinese investors to organise business delegations to Zambia for an on-the-spot assessment of business opportunities.

On April 11, 2013 while in China, Sata said, “We are a country of 13 million people with a lot of land. So you can invest in practically everything.”

“Come to Africa and make Zambia your springboard. If you are slow, you will find your position taken because everyone is rushing to Zambia,” he said.

“Once you help us to re-establish Zambia Airways, our first stop will be Beijing,” he said.

About TICAD

TICAD, which is a high-level conference to which all African leaders in principle are invited to discuss how to promote African development, takes place every after five years.

The TICAD conference has attracted 39 African leaders and 51 delegates.

Among the African presidents who attended this year’s conference include South African President Jacob Zuma, Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, Mozambican President Armando Guebuza, Ethiopian Prime Minister and African Union chairperson Hailemarian Desalegn, Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila and Botswana President Ian Khama, Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara, Lesotho President Tom Thabane, Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba, Swaziland’s King Mswati III and among other leaders.

United Nations (UN) Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon gave the opening remarks during the thematic session, while Liberian President, Ellen Sirleaf-Johnson delivered the keynote address.

A special feature of the forum this year is that it opened its doors widely to parties other than the Japanese and African governments.

At the end of the conference, the leaders signed the 2013 Yokohama Declaration.

 

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