South Africa’s GDP has increased by more than $250 billion since 1994 when apartheid ended, President Jacob Zuma said Monday, and set his goal as an annual economic growth rate of 5.4 percent.
Zuma, speaking at a luncheon at the National Press Club, pitched South Africa’s willingness to be a global trading partner and economic ally to the world’s most powerful nations.
“South Africa has a good story to tell,” he said. “We are open for investment, open for trade, open for tourism and open for partnerships that will enhance our drive towards a better life for all of our people.”
While focusing on his country’s improved conditions, Zuma recognized South Africa is still not one of the world’s big powers.
“Our work is not yet complete,” Zuma said. We still have a long, hard road ahead. As we confront the triple challenges of unemployment poverty and inequality. Fortunately we have a road map in the form of the national development plan. By 2030, we want poverty to be history, unemployment to be reduced. These are not easy targets, but with determination and hard work, nothing is impossible.”
His remarks come on the first day of the three-day U.S.-Africa summit hosted by President Barack Obama. Zuma is one of more than 50 African leaders expected to attend this week’s international gathering. The heads of state will attend a dinner Tuesday night at the White House hosted by the president and first lady.
“Our democracy has come of age in a very short space of time,” Zuma said. “We are also proud of our well-established democratic processes, such as holding of elections successfully and transparently every five years.”
“We have achieved a lot in the last 20 years, since the dawn of freedom in 1994,” Zuma said, noting improvements in the country’s education system and housing.
Zuma was elected president of South Africa in 2009 and was re-elected earlier this year. He was accused of nepotism after last week after naming his 25-year-old daughter as a senior government official. He has also been accused of using taxpayer money to fund upgrades to his personal estate and secure contracts for family members in lucrative fields like gold and diamonds.
In his speech, Zuma also weighed in on the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict that has threatened to overshadow the summit.
“We call all sides to lay down arms and negotiate a solution to international recognized and supported two-state solution, he said.” We believe violence will not solve the Israeli-Palestine problem.”
In a conference call with reporters leading up to this week’s summer, U.S. Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes called the meetings “an historic opportunity for the United States to strengthen our ties with the African continent and to underscore America’s commitment to investing in Africa’s development,”
