President William Ruto has called for a fundamental shift in the way Africa engages the global economy, urging investors and international partners to move beyond aid and extraction towards investment, local value addition, technology transfer and shared prosperity.
President Ruto made the call on Thursday at the ECAM Council Summit in New York, held alongside the 81st United Nations General Assembly.
The summit brought together political leaders, investors, business figures and policymakers to discuss Africa and the Middle East’s role in shaping the future global economic order.
“Africa must be in the room where tomorrow’s economic architecture is designed; not waiting outside to inherit it,” Ruto said.
His remarks came against a backdrop of growing debate over whether existing global financial and economic institutions adequately reflect the interests of developing countries.
During his wider engagements at the UN General Assembly, Ruto has also called for reforms to global finance and international governance, arguing that Africa needs greater influence over decisions affecting its development.
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At the ECAM summit, the President placed healthcare at the centre of his argument for a new investment relationship with Africa.
He pointed to the COVID-19 pandemic as evidence of the risks created by dependence on external supplies, particularly medicines, vaccines and specialised healthcare capacity.
“COVID-19 exposed the cost of dependence,” Ruto said, arguing that African countries need to train their own specialists, manufacture medicines and vaccines and establish resilient supply chains.
For Kenya, he said, the response includes expanding health coverage, strengthening primary healthcare and investing in modern health infrastructure and technology.
The emphasis on healthcare reflects the broader focus of the ECAM Council, whose stated mission includes promoting sustainable healthcare and education systems through cooperation between governments and private investors.
This year's summit was held under the theme “Shaping the New Global Order: Africa, the Middle East and the Architecture of Tomorrow.”
Ruto also sought to present Kenya as an investment destination while stressing that investment should deliver benefits beyond capital flows.
“We made our position clear that Kenya is open for investment that creates jobs, transfers technology, builds skills and strengthens African institutions,” he said.
The approach places technology transfer, skills development and local production alongside traditional measures of investment such as capital and infrastructure.
The President's message also fits into Kenya's wider push for stronger African participation in global decision-making.
At another New York summit this week, Ruto argued that Africa possesses substantial domestic savings but needs reforms to the international financial architecture to unlock that capital for development.
The ECAM discussions therefore highlighted a broader question on how can Africa convert its markets, human resources and natural wealth into greater productive capacity within the continent?
For Kenya, the answer outlined by Ruto involves attracting private investment while ensuring that projects generate employment, develop local expertise and strengthen domestic institutions.
He noted that building hospitals and expanding coverage can address immediate needs, but manufacturing medicines, training specialists and developing technology would also reduce dependence on external supply chains.
The summit's broader agenda included healthcare, education, research, agro-industry, energy and economic development—sectors identified as areas where stronger Africa-Europe and Africa-Middle East partnerships could create long-term investment opportunities.