Ramaphosa preaches economic regeneration for Africa

Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa has highlighted the critical role that Africa's youth play in what he called "the economic regeneration" of the continent.

He was addressing the African Renaissance Conference in Durban on Africa Day  on Thursday.  He says Africa needs to develop areas such as trade, infrastructure and skills to empower its people.

Ramaphosa says continental development will come by affirming self-worth for individuals and the greater collective.

"This gathering should be about affirming our individual and collective self-worth as a people, but also about our determination to develop our continent through innovative entrepreneurship."

Ramaphosa has encouraged the youth to remember the sacrifices of their forefathers who fought for democracy across the continent.

"We are the continent where innovation originated. The young people of this continent must know that innovative talent originated in Africa and that they share an affinity with the civilisations of Egypt, Timbuktu, Mapungubwe and the great Zimbabwe. The entrepreneurship that resided in this continent and was exported to the rest of the world is what we now need to dig up in African soil."