Pretoria – President Jacob Zuma has encouraged the business community to invest in the African continent so it can assist in creating jobs and improving the standard of living.
Speaking on Saturday during the 2nd Annual Ubuntu Awards at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, he said the regional efforts and the creation of the continental free trade was a step in the right direction as it will contribute immensely to Africa’s development.
“The global economic climate is far from favourable. South Africa has made the economy an apex priority in this current period,” President Zuma said.
In his efforts to find solutions on how to grow South Africa’s economy, President Zuma recently met with the business community to discuss what measure can be put in place to ignite growth and create jobs.
He said government will be meeting with labour and other sectors as well, as it responds to the persistent low growth, low commodity prices and other challenges facing developing economies.
"We shall work together to build a resilient economy which will enable us to address challenges of unemployment, poverty and inequality.
“We value cooperation with all regions of the world, as we take forward our vision of building a united, non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous South Africa,” President Zuma said.
He said South Africa participates in many activities that are designed to make Africa and the world a better place.
"It is our wish as South Africa, to see peace, stability and prosperity flourishing in every corner of our continent,” he said.
South Africa is participating in the work of the African Union Peace and Security Council designed to ensure that guns are silenced on the continent by the year 2020.
“We want to see an end to wars and conflicts in our continent. We want to see an end to the flight of many Africans from their countries to become refugees because of the conflict.
“We want to see an end to the suffering of women and children in Africa because of wars and pockets of conflict,” President Zuma said.
He said the South African National Defence Force would be deployed wherever it was needed, in order to contribute to peace and stability in the continent. – SAnews.gov.za
