African leaders urged to embrace Dr Salim’s vision for continental prosperity
Dr Salim Ahmed Salim
What you need to know:
- Dr Salim, who served as the Secretary-General of the then Organisation of African Unity (now the African Union-AU), is celebrated for his unwavering commitment to African integration and conflict resolution
Dar es Salaam. African leaders have been urged to embrace the leadership values and vision of Dr Salim Ahmed Salim, a distinguished figure in African diplomacy, to foster unity, peace and development across the continent.
Dr Salim, who served as the Secretary-General of the then Organisation of African Unity (now the African Union-AU), is celebrated for his unwavering commitment to African integration and conflict resolution.
“He demonstrated his dedication to the principles of African self-determination and unity,” the Minister for Works, Mr Innocent Bashungwa, said during a webinar discussion hosted by Columbia University’s Global Centre Nairobi and the Salim Ahmed Salim Digital Archive (SAS Digital Archive).
Moderated by a Kenyan journalist, actor, director and playwright, John Sibi Okumu, the speakers of SAS Digital Archive Episode 2 themed ‘Effective Leadership in Complex Environments’ noted that Dr Salim's vision extended beyond national borders, aiming to create a unified Africa that leverages its own resources for sustainable development.
When asked what could be done to honour Salim’s contributions to the continent, Mr Bashungwa emphasised the need for current leaders to emulate the former diplomat’s philosophy on uniting Africans, resolving conflicts, and focussing on employment opportunities for the youth to create economic stability.
He said Dr Salim had a vision to create employment opportunities for the youth to minimise crises and conflicts on the continent, calling for them to engage in economic activities.
“Apart from addressing conflicts and ethnic wars, he also tackled youth challenges,” Bashungwa noted.
He pointed out that by 2035, there will be more young Africans entering the workforce.
“This is one of the challenges that requires solutions on our continent. We should leverage our resources to create a win-win situation for the free trade area,” Bashungwa added.
A former Member of Parliament in Kenya and an activist for gender, women’s rights, and disability issues, Dr Dennitah Ghati, shared her vision of Africa adopting a single currency to facilitate trade and accelerate development despite differing ideologies.
“This is one of the goals Dr Salim pursued during his tenure at the OAU and remains unachieved,” she said.
“We need unity to advance development on our continent,” she added.
Professor Glenn Denning of Columbia University, who is an expert in international agriculture, food security and sustainable development, said one of the key legacies of Dr Salim was the need for African countries to produce enough food to ensure stability.
He said 20 percent of people in Africa currently face hunger, while 58 percent face severe food insecurity, and 57 percent cannot afford healthy food.
“This is a wake-up call. When I reviewed Dr Salim Ahmed Salim’s archives, his wisdom on this issue was evident,” Professor Denning added.
A senior lecturer at the Kenyatta University in Kenya, Dr Felix Kiruthu, said African leaders can honour Dr Salim Ahmed Salim’s legacy by striving for a more unified, prosperous and peaceful Africa.
The SAS Digital Archive was launched by President Samia Suluhu Hassan in September 2023 and is dedicated to preserving Dr Salim's leadership legacy, capturing his contributions to public service and providing insight into the history of global politics in an African context across six decades.
