African ambassadors accredited to Zimbabwe on Friday, June 2, celebrated Africa Day, with the diplomats acknowledging that the continent has the potential to shape geopolitics and world economics.

It was noted that in fact, all eyes were turning towards Africa as a possible solution for problems besetting the world, and that the continent can achieve much if its huge young population is productively nurtured.

Africa has the youngest population in the world, with 70% of sub-Saharan Africa under the age of 30 giving the continent a greater advantage in its pursuit of sustainable socio-economic progress.

Kenya’s ambassador to Zimbabwe, Stella Munyi, said: “To safeguard and guarantee the future of Africa, we should ensure that our young people access opportunities for work and to innovate.”

The diplomats said Africans have been trying to overcome different challenges by promoting peace and security which is one of the core functions of the African Union, but it was lacking a credible mechanism to fund Africa’s priority operations in this domain.

Rwanda’s ambassador to Zimbabwe, James Musoni, on behalf of the African Ambassadors' Group, thanked the government of Zimbabwe for facilitating the Africa Day commemorations.

Zimbabwe’s Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Oppah Muchinguri, said the southern African country was working flat out to ensure it does not miss out on opportunities that will be ushered by the full implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area.

“To ensure that Zimbabwe is not left behind in harnessing lucrative export opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area, the government is doing all it can to create an enabling environment for enhancing investment, trade and industrialisation in the country,” said Zimbabwe’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Dr David Musabayana.

“Resources are being disbursed towards building and capacitating national institutions and sectors that play a critical role in providing the enabling environment for private sector investment.”

The Africa Day commemorations were held at the Heritage City in Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare, which houses the Museum of African Liberation as its main attraction. The Heritage City also comprises a Theme Park which is an amusement park, an animal park, and a leisure and recreation facility with zebras on site.

It also comprises Solidarity Nations Gardens in which one African country will be allocated one acre of land to parade its history and heritage.