Johannesburg: The Angolan ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the African Union (AU) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), Miguel Bembe, emphasized the critical need for building solid, transparent, and results-oriented institutions in Africa to ensure the success of development strategies.
According to Angola Press News Agency, Bembe made these remarks while speaking at the opening of the Inaugural Masterclass Program on Innovation in the Public Sector and Transformation for Sustainable Development. The event, themed 'Institutions Prepared for the Future,' was organized by the University of the Witwatersrand in collaboration with the Union African Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) and took place from March 9 to 13 in Johannesburg.
In his address, Bembe shared Angola's experiences in modernizing public administration, digitalizing state services, enhancing transparency, and fostering technological innovation. He stated that these initiatives have significantly increased Angola's productivity, improved the business environment, attracted foreign investment, diversified the economy, and developed critical infrastructure.
The ambassador stressed the importance of moving beyond conceptual frameworks to the effective implementation of policies and projects that improve the lives of the African populace. He urged African nations not merely to diagnose issues and develop strategies but to anticipate, shape, and guide their futures proactively.
Bembe called for transformative action, visionary leadership, and institutions capable of translating ideas into tangible outcomes. He highlighted the necessity of strategic planning and foresight to prepare appropriate responses and guide public action by constructing alternative future scenarios.
Furthermore, Bembe advocated for strategic investments in human capital, particularly in science, technology, innovation, artificial intelligence, and digital governance. He also underscored the need to strengthen data systems to base political decisions on strategic information.
Drawing on Karl Deutsch's theory of political communication, Bembe argued for the effectiveness of a government's communication and control systems in converting information into actionable knowledge. He also stressed the importance of forming structural partnerships between governments, universities, and the private sector to drive institutional innovation.
In conclusion, Ambassador Bembe called for a strategic regional and global perspective on Africa's development, emphasizing the need for institutions capable of anticipating, planning, and acting in a rapidly changing world.
