20100420 sabc
American Civil Rights activist Rev. Jesse Jackson says it would be ideal for the continent to form a United States of Africa. Jackson was addressing students and academics at the University of Zululand.
Jackson says a common currency will fight inequalities among African states. He said this would prevent the influx of people from poorer countries to those with stronger economies. Referring to South Africa, Jackson said although the country was politically free, the majority are still trapped in what he called ''Economic Apartheid".
Jackson said: “It is a vast continent - but one message should be a common message on economic growth and fair trade and transparency, it should be a common message on equality, we are all free but we are not all equal, inequalities are the threats of our time and challenges of our time”.
Jackson told the students that the only way they could free themselves from poverty was by getting an education. Jackson said: “we respect each other - everybody is somebody, everybody matters - we will go forward by hope”.
During his stay in the country, Jackson will receive an Honorary Degree from the University of KwaZulu Natal. He will also visit the Nelson Mandela foundation before holding talks with deposed Haiti leader Jean Bertrand Arestide.
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