Forge partnerships to drive innovation — Grenada Prime Minister to African govts
THE Prime Minister of Grenada, Dickon Mitchell, has urged African governments to forge strong partnerships to position technology and innovation as a springboard for financial inclusion and accelerated development.
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He said the time was right for Africans to invest in innovation and make it profitable and deliberately form partnerships that would encourage trading across borders.
“By forging partnerships and supporting each other, we could reduce the number of unbanked populations and increase cross-border partnerships,” he said.
Addressing participants at the 3i African Summit, which opened in Accra last Monday, he said the potential of fintech lies not just in the technology itself but in the spirit of collaboration and purpose that drives its implementation.
Mr Dickon, who is in Accra as the Special Guest at the three days 3i African Summit, noted that the convergence of innovation, investment and impact presented a unique opportunity to reshape economies and societies.
Summit
The 3i Africa Summit is bringing together key players in the financial, investment, policy-regulatory and digital technology domains in Africa. This includes 10 governors of central banks within and outside Africa, including the Bank of Ghana’s Dr Ernest Addison, the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Dr Olayemi Michael Cardoso and the National Bank of Rwanda’s John Rwangombwa.
“To truly realise the potential of fintech, it is crucial that small economies such as Grenada, those in Africa and others worldwide come together.”
“By uniting our resources, ideas and determination, we can unlock opportunities that no single nation could achieve alone. This collaborative approach enables us to build a more resilient fintech ecosystem that addresses the unique challenges faced by smaller economies while maximising our collective potential,” he said.
Accra agenda
Mr Dickon said Accra was the ideal venue for discussions that sought to move the entire African population both at home and in the diaspora towards an agenda.
“Accra is the ideal venue for these critical discussions as Ghana continues to demonstrate an exemplary commitment to driving technological progress and meaningful investment.
Together, we are here to forge partnerships, elevate each other, and lay the groundwork for a more prosperous, inclusive and technologically empowered future,” he said.