Microsoft Word - KAnnan remarks APP launch READY.docx

Opening remarks by Kofi Annan on 10 May 2013 in Cape Town for the launch of the African Progress Panel's report, "Equity in Extractives: Stewarding Africa’s natural resources for all". The remarks address the potential for Africa's natural resource wealth to reduce poverty and the necessity of governance reforms and global cooperation to prevent the squandering of these resources.

• Africa possesses vast, largely untapped oil, gas, and mining resources and is currently experiencing high growth driven by natural resource exports and strong demand in emerging markets. This trend is expected to maintain high prices for at least another decade, with foreign investment reaching record levels.
• Despite economic growth, the management of natural resource revenues in many African countries has been poor, often widening the gap between rich and poor and failing to improve health, education, and nutrition. The African Progress Panel report highlights instances where income was lost through mismanagement, undervaluation, and "shady deal making", benefiting a small elite while the majority remain in extreme poverty.
• To better manage resource wealth, African governments are encouraged to adopt several measures: adhering to global transparency standards for contracts, building anti-corruption capacity, securing tax revenues, processing resources locally to add value, and investing revenues into social safety nets, infrastructure, health, and education.
• The document calls for action from G8 and G20 leaders to address global tax avoidance and illicit financial flows. Specific recommendations include developing a rules-based global system for tax transparency, requiring foreign-owned companies to disclose ultimate beneficiaries of profits, and urging countries like Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States, China, and Brazil to clamp down on illicit flows or engage in these efforts.

APA

Institute for Security Studies (n.d.). Microsoft Word - KAnnan remarks APP launch READY.docx. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/Kofi Annan remarks at the APP launch.pdf

Chicago

Institute for Security Studies. Microsoft Word - KAnnan remarks APP launch READY.docx. n.d. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/Kofi Annan remarks at the APP launch.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Institute for Security Studies |title=Microsoft Word - KAnnan remarks APP launch READY.docx |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/Kofi Annan remarks at the APP launch.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{instituteforsecuritystudiesndmicrosoft, author = {{Institute for Security Studies}}, title = {{Microsoft Word - KAnnan remarks APP launch READY.docx}}, publisher = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/Kofi Annan remarks at the APP launch.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }