BEIJING (Reuters) - Africa is now realising its potential and capacity, with the formerly side-lined continent harnessing its demographic dividend and natural resources and becoming an economic, political and social powerhouse, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said on Wednesday.

The African continent has particularly suffered the consequences of the climate crisis and conflict in other parts of the world, Ahmed said at the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) Summit in Beijing.

"We cannot be idle observers in forums that affect common well being," he added.

(Reporting by Laurie Chen and Ella Cao; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)