Ghana's President Nana Akufo-Addo has urged
African countries to stop "begging" from the West in order to earn
global respect and change poor perceptions about the continent.
Mr Akufo-Addo made the remarks during the
opening of the US-Africa Leaders' Summit in Washington DC.
"If we stop being beggars and spend
African money inside the continent, Africa will not need to ask for respect
from anyone, we will get the respect we deserve. If we make it prosperous as it
should be, respect will follow,"
Furthermore,
Mr Akufo-Addo urged greater solidarity among Africans
to address shared aspirations.
Nana Akufo-Addo's remarks came on the day
that the International Monetary Fund agreed to give Ghana a $3bn (£2.4bn) loan
to alleviate an unprecedented economic downturn in the West African country.
Already burdened by high debt, Ghana is
facing historic inflation of more than 40% and a collapse in the value of its
currency - the cedi - economic difficulties exacerbated since the Russian
invasion of Ukraine.
Nearly 50 African leaders and delegates are
in Washington DC for a key summit hosted by President Biden.
It is the centrepiece of a major effort to
reset and improve U.S. ties with African countries, whose relations with China
and increasingly Russia have drawn scrutiny.
