Author : Tanoubi Ngangom

Expert Speak Energy News Monitor
Published on Jul 24, 2019
The success of the Afro-Asian Century will be largely predicated on the real-time sharing of experiences: Tanoubi Ngangom ORF Programme Director Tanoubi Ngangom gave the vote of thanks at the Kigali Global Dialogue. Following is the text of the speech.

Good Afternoon Excellences, delegates and colleagues.

We come to a close of three excellent days of conferencing. The conversations we have had over these days reflect the key transitions we are currently witnessing globally.

Across the spectrum of conversations, there are three distinct points that come through:

First, the increasing role of emerging actors and indeed determined individuals in scripting and shaping our common futures. This pen is wielded by many of you present in this room. Please use it wisely.

Second, we are witnessing the beginning of a new era of coalitions and of community led transformations. This is our new reality - it is a pragmatic model of co-development - one that serves the aspirations of all – irrespective of borders and geographies, culture and contexts.

Third, we are creating a new global blueprint for people, growth and development.  One that is equally shaped and led by women. A demography that is most excluded. Excluded more than any tribe, class or caste.

As #SheLeads, she must create alternative paradigms rather that serve existing biases.

I can safely assume, and I am sure many of you in the room would agree.... we have reached a new realisation. We are staring at an opportunity called the “Afro-Asian Century”. These two regions and people are linked at the hip and will implicate each other’s destiny.

And to this end, the discussions over the past 2.5 days have certainly helped identify the challenges and opportunities that we must respond to and avail together.

The success of the Afro-Asian Century is predicated on certain key factors.

First, emerging African economies, emerging Asian economies must simultaneously respond to two mandates – that of economic growth and that of climate change. They must come up with an effective model of growth in a resource-constrained global ecosystem. And our once in a century gift to mankind could be the discovery of a viable low-carbon growth model.

Second, technology must serve the needs of mankind – we may have got the equation backward and may just be serving the appetite of innovation that may lack purpose. How do we prevent the replication of offline inequalities in the online ecosystem? How do we ensure technology aid our common endeavor of building human capital, of creating clean and smart cities, of facilitating the realization of the SDGs. Together we will solve these posers.

Third, as the African proverb goes, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

The success of the Afro-Asian Century will be largely predicated on the real-time sharing of experiences. Of our successes and more importantly, our failures. This in turn can only be possible through the facilitation of more people-to-people linkages, the development of more institutional partnerships, of more convenings like these.

We hope the Kigali Global Dialogue can play a small part of this larger objective. As a conduit, a platform, that fosters such engagement.

That to me is a good note to conclude what we hope is the first of many editions of the Kigali Global Dialogue.

A job well begun is half the job done.

And I would like to take to this opportunity to thank those who have made this possible.

First, thank you to the government of Rwanda. To the Ministers, and the officers who have joined us over the past two-and-a-half days. Without your leadership, your indulgence, these conversation, these collaborations, and what we believe is an important beginning of an India-Africa partnership would not have been possible.

Second, I would like to thank our partners.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Minister Sezibera, and the officials of the ministry.

The Rwandan Convention Bureau.

Thank you for so graciously hosting us in this beautiful country of a thousand hills. Murakoze!

Third, thank you to the ORF team.

And last, but certainly not the least, thank you to our delegates who have travelled from far and near to join us. Thank you for committing your time, your energy and your ideas to our young project.

We are committed to Rwanda. We are committed to this continent. We would be honoured to be a part of your future.

Wish you all a safe journey home, and look forward to welcoming you to the next edition of the Kigali Global Dialogue.

The views expressed above belong to the author(s). ORF research and analyses now available on Telegram! Click here to access our curated content — blogs, longforms and interviews.

Author

Tanoubi Ngangom

Tanoubi Ngangom

Tanoubi Ngangom is a Chief of Staff and Deputy Director of Programmes. Tanoubi is interested in the political economy of development — the evolution of global ...

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