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Ghana�s former President and African Union High Representative for Somalia, Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings, says the over-reliance on foreign investment by Africa had made it vulnerable to the dictates of the international community. He said such vulnerability is often to the detriment of African unity and development. In an address delivered at the 10th Anniversary colloquium of the New Partnership for Africa�s Development (NEPAD) in Addis Ababa on Tuesday, President Rawlings said: �While the West is boosting regional integration and supporting each other at a time of global financial crisis, we are still grappling with unifying our continent and protecting each other from globaleconomic challenges.� President Rawlings said a hugely resourced continent such as Africa should be able to give real stimulus to the African Union and its organs such as NEPAD to implement progressive initiatives that pursue a common African agenda of continental development. The former President said one of the challenges facing the smooth implementation of NEPAD and other African initiatives is the abuse of leadership by elected officers. �We can over the past decade lay claim to expanding democracy across the continent with multi-partyism flourishing. Electoral victory for some however, means a leadership of impunity�, President Rawlings said. Please find below the full text of President Rawlings� address. ADDRESS BY H.E. JERRY JOHN RAWLINGS, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF GHANA AT THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY COLLOQUIUM OF NEPAD � ADDIS ABABA, MARCH 28, 2012 Your Excellency Meles Zenawi, Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Your Excellency Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of Nigeria, Your Excellency Dr. Erasmus Mwencha, Dep Chairperson of the AU Commission, Honourable Dr.Ibrahim Mayaki, Chief Executive Officer, NEPAD Agency, Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen: I wish to express my gratitude to the NEPAD Agency and the African Union for offering me an opportunity to share my thoughts on the topic, �NEPAD, Inspiring change in Africa�. This ceremony marks ten years since African leaders endorsed an ambitious new project aimed at infusing dynamism and action into a truly African driven plan for accelerating political and economic development on our continent. NEPAD has chalked significant successes in the areas of agriculture and food security, regional integration, economic and corporate governance, theenvironment, human development as well as gender and capacity development. These wide-ranging programmes, some in partnership with other international agencies have created opportunities for our people across thecontinent, helped accelerate Africa�s economic growth and has great potential for poverty alleviation. It is heartwarming to note for instance that NEPAD is in conjunction with the UNDP supporting the capacity building processes of the new South Sudan government. NEPAD is also facilitating feasibility studies on the proposed high-speed rail line from South Sudan to the Kenyan port city of Mombasa. Ladies and gentlemen, while we applaud NEPAD for these developmental initiatives, we have to concede that sadly, Africa has also faced significant challenges over the past decade particularly in giving true meaning to African unity, national political leadership, curbing corruption across all sectors of our societies and lack of true inspiration for our youth as builders of tomorrow.