Luanda - The Minister of State and Chief of Staff of the President of the Republic, Adão de Almeida, reaffirmed Tuesday in Luanda the importance of more investment in the education sector for the development of the African continent.
The Minister made the statement at the opening of the second Regional Meeting of the African National Commissions for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) taking place until Friday in Angola capital, Luanda.
According to the minister, in a world like today, marked by disputes between the great powers in the midst of a digital transformation, investment in education is essential for the continent's problems to be solved by Africans.
"Otherwise, we will continue to follow solutions based on other people's realities and philosophies, which, taking advantage of globalization, are presented as global solutions, opening up spaces for neo-colonization," the minister said, stressing that only education based on African cultural standards can prevent this from happening.
"At the same time as we open up to the world, we have to ensure that we don't give up the foundations of African culture by educating the new generations. Accusing children of witchcraft, mutilating the genitals of women and girls and preventing them from attending school are not cultural standards, but wrong practices that are holding our continent back and which we must have the courage to banish," Almeida said.
Running under the motto “Challenges and opportunities of regional cooperation for sustainable development and the promotion of peace in Africa", the meeting aims to develop cooperation strategies at regional level for a peaceful and sustainable continent.
It will also identify good practices and experiences to draw up a joint operational plan based on concrete actions within the framework of the commitments made at regional and global level, bringing together experts from UNESCO's national commissions, regional offices, NGOs, social partners and specialists with innovative approaches.
The three-day event is being attended by UNESCO regional representatives from across the continent. LIN/MCN/AMP
