Udom Emmanuel makes case for fair trade via value addition

Akwa Ibom Governor, Udom Emmanuel has said the call for fair global trade and attainment of peace will remain a mirage as long as Africa is exploited by developed countries.

The governor said this at the 7th London Political Summit which held at Westminster Hall, London where he spoke on the theme “Global Peace Through Trade.”

Udom decried how African countries continue to surrender their raw materials to the West via exports without any value-addition that should make them command better prices and create wealth and job opportunities at home for the teeming youth who are restless and can be used as agents of destabilisation when not gainfully employed.

He shared part of his presentation on his social media accounts, adding that there cant’s be fair trade between Africa and the rest of the world without processing of raw materials and transfer of technology to enable Africans and Nigeria in particular produce locally.

“I believe that the attainment of peace through fair trade will remain a mirage if African countries continue to surrender their unprocessed raw materials for export to advanced countries.

“Fair trade can only come from value addition and technology transfer, not raw material exploitation and export.

“These were some of my assertions while presenting the keynote address at the 7th London Political Summit on the theme achieving Global Peace through Trade, held at the House of Commons, Westminster, London,” he said.