Interview: New UN resolution opportunity for Africa: expert

The new resolution on "Social dimensions of the New Partnership for Africa's Development," approved by the United Nations is a focus of excellence to promote employment of local talent and build local capacities in Africa, according to Ethiopian expert.

The 55th UN Commission for Social Development recently approved a resolution by consensus, which calls for more support to Africa's economic and social development by embracing the Chinese concept of building "a human community with shared destiny."

"Common and shared development in Africa requires a plural set of rules, which ensure critical thinking, promote and protect rules of peaceful participation and competition," said Costantinos BT Costantinos, a senior adviser for a number of international and regional organizations based in Ethiopia such as the African Union and UN-Economic Commission for Africa.

According to Costantinos, the resolution would help Africa to accomplish its effort towards "eradicating poverty and achieving sustainable development for all."

Costantinos, who is also Chairman of the Ethiopian Infrastructure and Tunneling Company and President of the African Center for Human Environment, said the resolution is an achievement to accelerate the process of regional economic cooperation in Africa.

Costantinos, who also hailed the ever increasing Sino-African trade partnership, said "the political and economy reforms in China can be partially transplanted to the African context."

"Africa can learn from China's policies toward autonomous areas; and conduct developmental experiments for poverty alleviation goals," he said.

"China has experimented with a degree of decentralization that could yield benefits for many Sub-Saharan African countries," he added. Endit