Alan Kyeremanten
Minister for Trade and Industry, Alan Kyeremanten, has indicated that the implementation of African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) cannot be optimized without the involvement of engineers.
He said this at the opening of the 7th edition of Africa Engineering Week and the 5th Africa Engineering Conference in Accra on Tuesday, October 5, 2021.
According to Mr.Kyerematen, it was paramount for Africa to develop engineering capacity and capabilities to enable countries on the continent to be among the pioneer league of nations in the world.
Mr. Kyrerematen explained that the division between rich and poor countries around the world is a divide not based on natural resources but a division between those with engineering capabilities and those without.
He admonished African countries to harness the benefits of AfCFTA through the production of goods which can be traded or sold to other African countries.
He also called for the mobilization and deployment of engineering professionals around the continent with the capacity and capabilities to support production in various strategic sectors in which African countries have a comparative advantage.
“Align to this, is the production of infrastructure and facilities including the fabrication and installation of plant machinery and equipment, the construction of factories as well as the supply of utilities for production such as energy, telecommunication and water facilities.” he added.
He was optimistic that recognizing the importance of engineering in Africa will provide answers to the poor stage of transport infrastructure in Africa.
In conclusion, he urged engineers must position themselves to be the individuals fit to drive a sustainable socio-economic development.
About The Conference
The Engineering Conference is in collaboration with the Federation of African Engineering Organization, the World Federation of Engineering Organization and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
It is on the theme: “Engineering, Inter-African Trade and the Sustainable Development Goals.
The conference is a wakeup call on engineers in African to position themselves to leverage the opportunities that the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement presents