South Africa 'to lead continent's infrastructure growth'
23 November 2010
Improvements in Africa's energy, transport and telecommunications infrastructure should be driven by South Africa, one expert has claimed.
Ebrahim Patel, economic development minister and delegate of the bi-lateral trade negotiations with Zimbabwe, was speaking after he helped launch the country's New Growth Plan, the Financial Mail reports.
It outlines the potential for the nation to work with other states in the continent on what would be mutually-beneficial opportunities.
This regional development is essential if South Africa is to have growth that is sustainable, Mr Patel said.
He added new approaches in infrastructure and the green economy would be used to bolster employment creation.
"Our strategic objective must be to forge a consensus on the new opportunities for South Africa across the continent and globally and how these can be seized to achieve socially desirable," Mr Patel remarked.
The news provider noted the country hopes to add 300,000 direct jobs by "greening" the economy.