By: Isatu Bai Kamara
Africa’s future hinges on a conscious decision to stand together, former Sierra Leonean leader Ernest Bai Koroma has declared, as he addressed delegates at the African Unity Summit held in Accra.
Delivering his remarks before political leaders, policymakers, and Pan-African advocates, Koroma argued that unity is no longer a theoretical aspiration but a strategic necessity for the continent’s survival and prosperity. He stressed that Africa’s continued fragmentation weakens its influence on the global stage and undermines its bargaining power in international affairs.
According to Koroma, the rest of the world already engages Africa as a single bloc, yet African nations often negotiate and plan as isolated states. This contradiction, he warned, has cost the continent economically and politically over decades.
He cited the African Continental Free Trade Area, headquartered in Accra, as living proof that continental cooperation is possible. The trade framework, he said, demonstrates that shared markets and coordinated policies can unlock growth, create jobs, and strengthen Africa’s global relevance.
Koroma emphasized that integration must extend beyond trade to include transport corridors, digital connectivity, governance systems, and collective security arrangements. These pillars, he noted, are essential to transforming Africa’s vast natural resources, youthful population, and cultural diversity into tangible development outcomes.
Despite Africa’s wealth in human and material resources, Koroma observed that disunity has too often turned abundance into deprivation. He challenged leaders to confront this paradox by taking bold, coordinated action.
Among his key recommendations were the rapid implementation of AfCFTA commitments, increased investment in cross-border infrastructure, stronger continental institutions, and deliberate efforts to prepare young Africans for opportunities within an integrated continent.
He concluded with a stark warning: Africa’s central dilemma is no longer whether unity is affordable, but whether continued division is survivable. The summit, which continues in Ghana’s capital, has drawn influential voices committed to turning Pan-African ideals into measurable progress.