“What African business needs to do is ensure all of us can trade between ourselves on the continent without the hindrance of policies in various countries.
Matlala says the African Agri Council (AAC) is geared into a good position to begin to open Africa for business and to create interaction between business people. “Through the AAC, business people of various countries in Africa can be enabled to interact with farmers and other business people. When you go home to your country after summits such as this, you will begin to talk to your government about what was discussed. It not only business people that need to join the Council but government representatives too. This way, we can ensure business and government work together.”
Matlala says we must move away from the blame phase where we point fingers and instead move into identifying topical areas of concerns and seek solutions to ensure those concerns are done away with.
“In my view, The AAC is also the right platform to get business people from Cape to Cairo to talk and begin to understand the role Africa should play in the international community. We must come together to put in place our own terms in doing business with the outside world, instead of them coming in and making the terms.”
“This Council would play a pivotal role in ensuring that African business is led, managed and implemented in a way that the 233 million going home without food is dealt with and solved. Africa will create jobs and be a home for people of Africa.”
