Carlos Lopes, the eighth Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa, began his conference with a confession that was both deeply personal and political. “Africa,” he said, “has long been seen as a problem to be solved.” Mired in deficits, burdened by the legacy of colonialism, and too often ignored in international decision-making, the continent is facing a crisis of its narrative.
But Lopes’s message was clear: it’s not about catching up to the standards of others, but about changing the system that defines them. At the heart of this transformation are young people who refuse to wait for permission to innovate.
Africa’s greatest wealth does not lie underground; it lies within its people. As the global narrative becomes increasingly negative, a new generation is reshaping Africa from within.
