Liberia’s Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Augustine Kpehe, has made a passionate call for accelerated African regional integration and enhanced South-South cooperation, in response to global economic shifts and recent policy changes by the United States.
Minister Kpehe made this call at a roundtable hosted by the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) in Lagos, where he spoke about the urgent need for African countries to unite and work towards economic self-reliance.
His remarks follow the imposition of reciprocal tariffs on all nations by U.S. President Donald Trump and the steady decline of international aid to developing nations.
African Integration
Kpehe argued that the current global environment offers Africa a rare opportunity to leapfrog its integration ambitions and secure a sustainable future for the continent.
According to him, African nations can no longer afford to delay the execution of integration strategies and policies already in motion.
“At this time when the big powers are retreating, this is precisely the time for Africa to leapfrog on all the integration ambitions. We cannot move slowly now,” he stated.
Inter-Generational Equity
The minister stressed the need for African leaders to ensure that international agreements are structured in a way that benefits future generations. He warned against signing deals that could burden the continent’s youth with unsustainable obligations.
“Let’s make sure the agreements we are signing today are fair to the generations of tomorrow. Otherwise, we’ll be giving them a legacy of problems, not a legacy of solutions.”
Free Movement and Regional Connectivity
Kpehe also spotlighted the inadequacies of intra-African travel. He shared his own experience of a 10-hour journey from Monrovia to Lagos—a trip that should have been shorter with efficient regional connectivity.
He criticised contradictory visa policies that allow free movement within certain regions of Africa but impose restrictions on travel to other parts of the continent. According to him, these policies hinder progress and are counterproductive to the vision of a truly integrated Africa.
Africa’s Natural Wealth
The Liberian minister added that it is the important to leverage on Africa’s vast natural resources to create value for African citizens and promote inter-generational development.
“We have been treated like we are leeching on the world when, in reality, to a large extent, the world has been leeching on us. My country, Liberia, has rich resources. Nigeria has rich resources. We need to harness these resources to get the best value for our people.”
Kpehe concluded by urging African leaders to protect the continent’s interests and ensure that their actions today set a strong foundation for Africa’s youth and future prosperity.
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