The Cape University of Technology will become part of a Continent University‚ African Union Commission chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said in Durban on Monday.

The university is one of five “campuses of excellence” across Africa that would focus on space sciences‚ she said during her swansong State of the Continent Address at the Hilton Hotel.

She said one of the objectives of the AU in its Agenda 2063 was the development of education and creating access to higher education for Africans‚ whose population was getting younger.

“Education is the greatest equaliser between the rich and the poor‚” she said.

Dlamini-Zuma stressed the importance of skills development‚ hence the establishment of the Continental University to harness critical skills which are currently not adequately offered by many African universities.

“There are 10 million university students qualifying every year in Africa. The number of graduates has grown exponentially‚” she said.

Other countries with Continental University campuses of excellence include Nigeria‚ Kenya‚ Cameroon and Algeria where studies of science‚ technology‚ ecology‚ finance‚ social sciences‚ humanities and agriculture will be the main disciplines.

The outgoing AU chair also spoke of the importance of free movement between African countries‚ saying this would boost trade.

Dlamini-Zuma insisted on peace initiatives‚ saying there would be no development without peace in Africa and no peace without development.

She praised the work of those countries and regions fighting terrorism but said they have urged communities to assist.

“We need to win the hearts and minds of the people because this is where they recruit the young people‚” she said.

Dlamini-Zuma‚ whose term at AU officially ends in the new year‚ said her time at the AU had been fulfilling as she had been able to advance the continent’s agenda and unlock the ability of African women for their emancipation socially and economically‚ as well as help then assert their place in political affairs. — TMG Digital