"On Africa Day, we celebrate the enormous promise and potential of this diverse and dynamic continent".

Africa is a home for hope. On Africa Day, we celebrate the enormous promise and potential of this diverse and dynamic continent.

The prospects on the horizon are bright - from Africa's growing and vibrant youth population, to initiatives like the African Continental Free Trade Area, the Decade of Women's Financial and Economic Inclusion, and the African Union's bold vision for the future, Agenda 2063.

But today, we are also reminded of the multiple challenges preventing Africa from reaching its full potential - including the COVID 19 pandemic and its devastating impact on African economies, climate change, unresolved conflicts, and a severe food crisis.

To compound all this, the war in Ukraine is creating a perfect storm for developing countries, especially in Africa. This crisis is resulting in soaring costs for food, energy and fertilizer with devastating consequences on nutrition and food systems, while making...