President John Dramani Mahama has stated that the only way African countries could develop politically and financially was by embracing democracy as it would improve public participation and development.

He said with financial crises in Europe over, Africa was seen as the right destination for investment.

President Mahama said there was, therefore, the need for Africa to democratise and respect human rights and freedoms to subsequently provide a congenial atmosphere for multi-national corporations to establish on the continent.

President Mahama said these at Paris when he met African diplomats in France, as part of his three-day official visit to the European country.

The diplomats, who had earlier on met President Mahama on his arrival on Monday at the Orly VVIP Lounge in Paris, also organized a meeting to welcome the President to France.

President Mahama said now that the late President Kwame Nkrumah’s vision of liberating the African continent had been achieved, the next struggle should be the concentration on democracy, which would create vibrant platform for civil society organizations, media and human rights activists to put governments on their toes.

“The vibrancy of these institutions will also enable them to check corruption, human rights abuse and ensure transparency and good governance in the continent”, he said.

President Mahama said much as there was the need to woo investors into various countries, there was also the need to be mindful of situations that could impoverish the citizenry and create class systems in their countries.

“We need to allow, investments that will create jobs and ensure a win-win system and not in a situation, where there will be rich few with tennis courts and other pleasures in the midst of abject poverty on the other hand,” President Mahama said.

The President urged citizens to compel investors to create local content that would engage them, and also demand social corporate responsibilities that would provide basic social amenities for the communities in which they would operate.

President Mahama urged citizens to work collectively to fight hunger in Africa.

President Mahama, who has ended his three-day visit, has left for Japan, where he is expected to hold discussions and attend a trade forum.