Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has called for a radical shift in the West’s approach to Africa, urging for relationships rooted in mutual respect and strategic cooperation rather than aid-driven paternalism or geopolitical opportunism.
Speaking at the 13th edition of the Kultaranta Talks in Naantali, Finland, where he represented President William Ruto, Mudavadi challenged global powers to engage Africa as a sovereign, equal partner capable of shaping its own future.
“The West must engage with Africa not through the lens of charity or risk management, but through strategic solidarity, fairness, and a shared commitment to global public goods,” he said. “Africa seeks partnership, not patronage or master-slave relations.”
Addressing a panel on global shocks, which included leaders and foreign ministers from Finland, Costa Rica, Benin, Thailand, and heads of state from Estonia, Latvia, and Finland, Mudavadi emphasized the importance of recognizing Africa’s growing geopolitical significance and development aspirations.
He said Africa is no longer a passive recipient of aid or a theater for global influence, but a continent asserting its agency through intra-African trade, youth-driven innovation, and green energy leadership. He pointed to the African Union’s initiatives like the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) as examples of African-led responses to security challenges.
“Africa’s peacekeeping efforts, such as AMISOM and now AUSSOM, demonstrate our resolve. Yet, our contributions are often overshadowed by external actors who dominate the narrative,” Mudavadi noted.
He warned that excessive foreign interference in internal African conflicts often prolongs crises and weakens local institutions. Referring to ongoing instability in Sudan, Somalia, the DRC, and the Sahel, he said over 500 million Africans are affected by conflict-related challenges, including hunger, displacement, and lack of education and healthcare.
Highlighting lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, including vaccine nationalism and aid delays—Mudavadi urged African nations to take ownership of their development, stating that no external actor will build Africa’s future.
“We must chart our own course so that external support becomes transformative, not exploitative,” he said.
The PCS also decried the growing “new scramble for Africa,” with proxy battles for critical minerals and strategic influence playing out across conflict zones. He called for the West to realign trade, investment, and foreign policy with Africa’s development priorities and democratic processes.
“Unilateralism is weakening multilateral cooperation. We must restore global respect for rules-based engagement to find shared solutions,” he said.
The Kultaranta Talks also addressed broader geopolitical tensions, including the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel, with Mudavadi warning of the ripple effects on global supply chains and Kenya’s tea exports.
“We urge the international community to urgently pursue peaceful resolution to prevent wider economic and humanitarian fallout,” he said.
The annual high-level forum brought together around 140 global thought leaders, including legislators, policymakers, academics, civil society, and media figures, to discuss global security and foreign policy under the theme “The Changing World Order – Old Meets New.”
Written By Rodney Mbua
