Mudavadi calls for end to West's 'master-slave' approach to Africa

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi during the 13th Edition of the Kultaranta Talks in Naantali, Finland. [@MusaliaMudavadi, X]

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has said Africa is no longer a passive recipient of aid but a continent on the threshold of economic independence and intra-Africa trade.

Speaking during the 13th Edition of the Kultaranta Talks in Naantali, Finland—where he represented President William Ruto—Mudavadi called on the West to reframe its engagement with Africa, urging a shift from charity and risk management to strategic solidarity.

“The Western world must engage with Africa not through the lens of charity or risk management, but through strategic solidarity, fairness, and a shared commitment to global public goods. Africa seeks partnership rather than patronage or master-slave relations,” said Mudavadi.

He emphasized that Africa’s development should be guided by the principle of "African solutions to African problems", as championed by the African Union (AU).

“The challenge we are facing is that the resources bound in the conflict-prone regions are leading to a new scramble for Africa,” he warned, citing proxy battles for critical minerals and other valuable resources.

Mudavadi noted that over 500 million Africans are affected by conflict, with children missing school and healthcare systems under strain. He highlighted crisis hotspots including Sudan, Somalia, South Sudan, the Sahel, and Eastern DRC.

“There is a real crisis at hand with more mouths to feed... and the African population accounts for a significant portion,” he said.

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi with Finland's Foreign Affairs Minister Elina Valtonen during the 13th Edition of the Kultaranta Talks in Naantali, Finland. [@MusaliaMudavadi, X]

While Africa welcomes partnerships, Mudavadi said, they must be based on mutual respect, shared priorities, and sustainable development—not relationships that reinforce dependency or weaken regional institutions.

"Africa is making efforts to drive its own resilience against debilitating global shocks and the narrative about Africa must shift from fragility to potential and from victim to a positive contributor to global governance,” he stated.

Participating in a panel on “Accumulation of Shocks at the Global Level – What the West Should Understand,” Mudavadi joined leaders such as Finland President Alexander Stubb, Estonian President Alar Karis, Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics, and Foreign Ministers Elina Valtonen (Finland) and Arnoldo Tinoco (Costa Rica). The session was moderated by Fareed Zakaria (CNN) and Francine Lacqua (Bloomberg).

Mudavadi warned that unilateralism is weakening regional mechanisms for peace, especially in the  Horn of Africa and Great Lakes region.

“We cannot have a situation where multilateralism is taking a heavy thrashing because of unilateral positions,” he noted. “We must work together to restore respect for multilateralism.”

He said international support must amplify—not eclipse—African leadership, citing the AU’s peace missions, such as AMISOM and the current AUSSOM mission in Somalia.

“Too often, the heavy lifting done by African troops and mediators is overshadowed by external actors claiming credit,” Mudavadi said.

He further highlighted Africa’s growing role in global climate action, green energy, and the supply of critical minerals, stressing the importance of investing in youth, education, and technology.

Mudavadi cautioned against waiting for foreign actors to develop the continent.