Africa is the growth continent of the 21st Century, offering opportunities, the Director-General, United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), Gerd Müller, has declared.
He made this known at the opening of the 17th African Union (AU) Extraordinary Session on ‘Industrialisation, Economic Diversification and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)’ in Niamey, Republic of Niger.
Müller remarked that with the Agenda 2063, the AU has defined its own path, adding that with the AfCFTA agreement, African leaders have undertaken a huge and promising initiative.
Agenda 2063 is Africa’s blueprint and master plan for transforming into the global powerhouse of the future.
It is the continent’s strategic framework aimed at delivering on its goal for inclusive and sustainable development and is a concrete manifestation of the pan-African drive for unity, self-determination, freedom, progress and collective prosperity.
The AfCFTA is one of the flagship projects of Agenda 2063. Founded in 2018, with trade commencing on January 1, 2021, AfCFTA is a high ambition trade agreement expected to create the largest free trade area in the world since the formation of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
The pact connects 1.3 billion people across 55 countries with a combined Gross Domestic Product (GDP) valued at $3.4 trillion.
By eliminating barriers to trade in Africa, AfCFTA’s objective was to significantly boost intra-Africa trade, particularly trade in value-added production and trade across all sectors of Africa’s economy.
Müller, however, reminded that Africa needs investments in sustainable industrialisation which translates to investments in energy, infrastructure, digitalization, and skills development for youth and women.
“I once again call for a Marshall Plan with Africa,” the UNIDO boss said, adding, “UNIDO is your partner for sustainable industrialisation. More than 50 per cent of our work is in Africa, with initiatives like the Programme for Country Partnership. I will make sure that this cooperation grows stronger.”
He said debt relief for Least Developed Countries (LDCs), local manufacturing capacities, fair access to global financial markets and compensation for damages caused by climate change are the necessary actions for Africa’s accelerated growth.
Müller expressed a vision of Africa having a well-developed vaccine production capacity, a growing automobile industry and the continent achieving agricultural self-sufficiency. He called for the inclusion of AU in the G20, to play a greater role in global decision-making since it represents 55 states with a population of 1.3 billion.
President of Republic of Niger, Mohammed Bazoum, host of the Summit, emphasized the need for digitalization, saying: “We are living in a historic moment. The digital transition train is at the platform in front of us, let’s not miss it, let’s take it with determination. It is the condition of our industrialisation that will give meaning to the AfCFTA.”
The Summit attracted Heads of States from numerous countries, bringing together over 95 strategic partners and 7000 participants to deliberate on Africa’s Industrialisation.
UNIDO delivered 11 side events on various themes. It launched the first version of the ‘Africa Industry Observatory’ and the ‘African Industrialisation Index,’ a joint collaboration with the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the AU.
A publication, based on the best practices compiled from UNIDO’s expertise, on “Guidelines for Planning, Development and Management of Integrated Agro-Food Parks (IAFPs)” was also released.