Spending on priority areas like infrastructure, education, health, energy and technology will act as a booster for our withering economy. Photo/GIDEON MAUNDU
Scientific and technological innovations can contribute enormously to national development.
We must therefore mainstream science and technology especially in our agricultural and industrial production for rapid and sustainable economic development.
Due to climate change effects on our production, more investment is now required in technology related to infrastructure for water and irrigation.
We can also do so by adopting new and modern methods of farming, including improving our traditional agriculture through innovations such as modern organic farming.
It is also critical that we develop our own industries for producing fertilizer and other agricultural inputs.
Among the many challenges the region is experiencing is inadequate infrastructure, in the areas of energy, as well as transport and telecommunications.
This has affected our competitive edge due to the high cost of doing business.
Comesa is working in harmony with other organisations such as SADC and the EAC, and has come up with priority investment projects in these sectors.
Following the successful North-South Corridor Infrastructure Conference held in Lusaka in April last year, a second conference of its kind for the Northern and Central Corridors will be held in Kenya in October this year.
The volatile peace and security situation in our region needs to be given priority to peace and security as a cornerstone for development and our regional integration endeavours.
Lack of a reliable and stable government in Somalia has immensely contributed to the growth of insurgent militant groups in Somalia as well as the rebirth of piracy along the Indian Ocean coastline.
With regard to the Sudan and the forthcoming referendum in January next year, I wish to applaud the leaders in the Sudan for agreeing to work together for a peaceful and prosperous country.
So far positive achievements have been realised, most notably the recent general elections.
The implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) is at a critical stage.
A number of important milestones including the issues of border demarcation, among others have not yet been addressed.
Thus Comesa Member States must support and encourage the people of Sudan to resolve the outstanding issues in the CPA as we look forward to the holding of a peaceful referendum in the Sudan.
We should not isolate the people of Sudan.
These are excerpts of a speech President Kibaki delivered during the Comesa Summit of Heads of State and Government in Swaziland this week.
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