The Pan African Business Forum (PABF) has called on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to nominate Dr Kayode Fayemi, a top tier Nigerian political leader, for the position of the next Chairperson of the African Union Commission.
The PABF is a formal grouping of like-minded, entrepreneurs, corporate executives, business people, investors, public officials, multilateral institutional executives, leaders of thought academicians and diplomats drawn from all across Africa with the collective objective of promoting economic co-operation and pan African trade and investment with a view to accelerating economic growth and development all around the continent.
According to the PABF, Dr Fayemi is “an excellent choice for the position in pursuance of the AU Commission’s efforts to promote enhanced pan African trade and investment, underpinned by increased local value added, with the ultimate aim of increasing wealth generation and consequent vastly improved living standards for the peoples of the continent in line with the Commission’s new economic agenda.”
Dr Kayode Fayemi is a former Governor of Nigeria’s Ekiti State and a former Nigerian Minister of Solid Minerals Development, which means he has vast expertise and experience in both political administration and the management of economic activity conducted on an international level. Points out the PABF in its letter to President Tinubu: “As a holder of the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger, among many other awards he is recognized as a most distinguished Nigerian worthy of the respect and confidence of Africa’s political, economic, social and cultural leadership. “
PABF believes that with Dr Fayemi at the helm, the AU Commission would be optimally positioned to pursue and attain the vision of the continent’s collective Gross Domestic Product surpassing US$ 30 trillion within the foreseeable future. Indeed the Forum is confident that he is the prime candidate to guide the Commission towards the path to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
“The realization of this ambitious but achievable objective for the African continent requires the proven expertise, experience, temperament and commitment of a seasoned, visionary leader and Dr Fayemi fits the bill”, insists PABF in its recommendation to President Tinubu.
To be sure PABF recognizes the immense influence President Tinubu can bring to bear on the issue of who next leads the AU Commission being the most populous country and the largest economy on the continent. The Forum also acknowledges President Tinubu’s own personal commitment to Africa’s socio-economic advancement.
It is instructive that the PABF was instrumental in the nomination of South Africa’s Dr Dlamini Zuma to the position of Chairperson of the AU Commission, a position she subsequently held between 2011 and 2015 with outstanding skill resulting in exemplary progress achieved by the Commission towards greatly enhanced socio-economic progress across Africa propelled by pivotal pan African initiatives such as the design of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) which is now the continent’s flagship multilateral economic initiative.
“This demonstrates our ability to identify excellent candidates for helming the AU Commission towards its pan-continental socio-economic goals,” asserts Dr Ladislas Agbesi, PABF’s Chairman.
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