The old stereotype of Africa as a hopeless continent, whose leaders never seem to relinquish power, is now losing ground, as the continent has made strides and there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel.
Speaking at his inaugural lecture and formal launch of the J.A Kufuor Foundation in Accra on Tuesday, former Ghanaian president, John Kufour said a new breed of African leaders had emerged and they were putting their brains together in the hope of uplifting the continent.
He said every leader only reflects after his tenure of office and identifies where he went wrong and were he made giant strides so that he could meaningfully contribute his quota towards nation-building after his term of office.
The foundation, in honour of former President John Kufuor, is meant to promote accountability and inclusive democratic governance, as the necessary platform on which African States should pursue sustainable development.
The foundation’s pillars are leadership, governance and development.
Former presidents Jerry John Rawlings, Thabo Mbeki of South Africa and Horst Kohler of Germany attended the launch.
Among those who attended the launch, were former Ghanaian ministers from the New Patriotic Party (NPP), who served under Kufuor.
Kohler praised Ghana for being among the fastest growing economies in the world.
Speaking on the theme: “Walking the tight rope: Balancing State, market and Society” he said Africa was “Hopeless continent ten years ago, (but) has now unquestionably become the continent of hope”.
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