The maiden African Political Parties Summit (APPS) opened in Accra yesterday with a call on political parties across Africa to rise above narrow partisan interests and make the wellbeing of citizens the central focus of their political agendas.
“Partisan victories mean very little if they are achieved at the expense of national issues.
“Our people do not ask us to perform politics for its own sake. They deserve politics that translates into food security, decent jobs, functional schools, accessible health care, efficient infrastructure, security and justice,” the Vice President, Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang stressed.
On the theme; “From Politics to Prosperity: Strengthening Inter-party Collaboration for Africa’s Development and Economic Transformation,” the three-day summit aims at harnessing the power of party politics to promote economic transformation on the African continent.
Convening Heads of State, political leaders, policymakers, civil society groups, international development institutions among other stakeholders from across Africa and the Caribbean, the summit is expected to hold discussions around key issues such as regional integration, peace and security, inclusive governance, sustainable economic growth, and the role of political parties in driving Africa’s development agenda.
It is being held under the auspices of the Africa Governance Centre (AGC), an independent think tank committed to promoting governance excellence in partnership with the government of Ghana.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang highlighted Ghana’s democratic experience as an example of how opposition parties can work together for the common good, pointing to instances where parties have collaborated on policies of national importance even after fierce electoral contests.
She urged political leaders to adopt a long-term vision for national and continental development, imploring leaders to focus not only on the next election but “on the next generation”.
“We will not agree on everything, but if we can agree on the fundamentals, that Africa’s peace, unity and well-being are non-negotiable, then we will already have taken a decisive step forward.
We must envisage a way towards an Africa that, when united in vision, can defy the odds,” she urged.
The Chair of the Advisory Board of the AGC, Mr Jeff Radebe, stressed the need for African politicians to move beyond rhetorics and vain promises to having significant impact on the citizens they seek to serve.
“The citizens of Africa that we serve do not eat manifestos. They cannot build their futures on political promises that dissolve after elections.
They are tired. Tired of leaders who speak of unity in public, but sow divisions in private. Tired of politics that sound good in press releases, but fall and fail in practice. Tired of politics that consumes resources but produces no tangible change,” he emphasised.
Mr Radebe implored politicians to seize the opportunity now to meaningfully improve livelihoods to avert future unrest on the continent.
As part of the opening ceremony, a memorandum of understanding was signed by representing parties for the adoption of the Implementation Framework for the African Political Parties Initiative (APPI), a platform designed to institutionalise inter-party dialogue, build capacity, and foster sustained collaboration.
BY ABIGAIL ANNOH
