Hon. Amina Gerba: Honourable senators, May 25 is Africa Day. It is an opportunity to celebrate the significant progress that is being made in Africa and the vitality of this developing continent. It is also an opportunity for us, as Canadians, to rethink our relationship with this key player on the international stage.

While our government has been hemming and hawing for two years about how to refer to its future action with Africa, waffling between the terms “strategy”, “framework”, “discussions” and, more recently, “approach”, Africa has been making progress. My guest, Grace Kabayo, can attest to the fact that Africa is slowly but surely moving forward. Today, there is even talk of the awakening of the African lion.

By way of evidence, the continent is currently benefiting from renewed cooperation with all of the world powers, including the United States, China, the European Union, India, Japan and the Gulf countries.

Clearly, all these countries seem to have understood something that Canada has not. Perhaps it is because, by 2050, one in four people on the planet will be African, because Africa is home to 60% of the world’s uncultivated arable land and 30% of the world’s critical mineral reserves, or still because 11 of the world’s 20 fastest growing economies in 2024 are in Africa.

Honourable senators, we need to take urgent action so as not to miss the boat when it comes to Africa.

Our country enjoys a great deal of goodwill throughout Africa. A 2021 IMMAR survey showed that Canada had an excellent image in Africa, but how much longer will that last?

Thank you.

Hon. Senators: Hear, hear!