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Cape Town – President Jacob Zuma has emphasised African solutions for African problems in a joint sitting at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland.
Zuma highlighted the role of collective leadership as opposed to individual leadership and lamented the fall of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi saying it undermined African security.
"The issue of Boko Haram stems from what happened in Libya. The big countries thought they had their own way - it had negative effects on our efforts. We are dealing with how we were undermined in Libya," he told CNBC’s executive director and anchor Bronwynn Nielsen who chaired the sitting.
Zuma formed part of a panel including entrepreneur and philanthropist, Sunil Bharti Mittal, CEO of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, Oscar Onyema, chairperson of Flour Mills of Nigeria, John G Coumantaros, and Rwandan president Paul Kagame.
READ: Davos as it happened: Zuma seeks skills for Africa
Nielsen confronted Zuma with the idea that "SA is the poor player in Africa right now".
According to Zuma, South Africa is dealing with the legacy of the past. "We are doing the best to deal with legacy and expand the economic situation," he said.
"We are laying down infrastructure and are investing in energy. We understand where we are - it is a positive mood that the country is in."
Mittal said Africa is experiencing significant GDP losses due to a lack of adequate infrastructure. “The AU needs to create massive infrastructure, especially regarding transport - it needs to be linked. If you want to see Africa growing and breaking free from its current issues,” he said.
Mittal used China as an example of success when there is a strong focus on infrastructure.
Zuma again emphasised collective leadership regarding infrastructure and said: "We are beyond planning - in some countries work is going on."
Zuma and the Rwandan president also highlighted the importance of intra-African movement.
"Africa should have a predictable environment. We should allow Africans to move freely across borders and invest in each other," Kagame said.
