Former
Mozambican President Joaquim Alberto Chissano in discussion with former
Tanzanian Presidents H.E. Ali Hassan Mwinyi and H.E. Benjamin William
Mkapa during the 4th Forum For Former African Heads of State and
Government(Africa Forum) held at the United Nations Economic Commission
for Africa(UNECA) Conference centre in Addis Ababa Ethiopia. The Two
Days forum(2-3 April 2016) has been sponsored by UNECA.
Former
Tanzanian President H.E.Benjamin William Mkapa in conversation with
former Malawian President H.E.Bakili Muluzi in Addis Ababa.(photo
courtesy of Tanzania Embassy in Addis Ababa Ethiopia).
Sound
economic policies geared at propelling African countries into
industrialization coupled with properly trained young workforce could
make the continent more prosperous lifting millions of Africans out of
poverty.
The
United Nations Under Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) Dr. Carlos Lopes
said this during the opening session of the 4th General Assembly of the
forum for Former African Heads of State and Government (Africa Forum)
held at UNECA Conference Centre in Addis Ababa today.
The
two days General Assembly of the Forum for Former Heads of State and
Governmen(2-3April 2016) has been sponsored by The United Nations
Economic Commission for Africa UNECA.“
African
countries need to undertake economic structural transformation geared
towards industrialization,” adding that recent growth of economies in
most African countries was a result of increase export of raw
commodities to industrialized countries.
Dr.
Lopes said that manufacturing in most African countries has been going
down significantly in the past decade despite doubling of GDP in the
same countries as a result of increase of export of raw commodities and
that there has been an increase in internal consumption of imports.
The
UNECA Executive Secretary outlined some challenges the continent is
facing towards industrialization including patenting and protection by
the industrialized countries of their intellectual property rights in
commodity production, complex trade regimes in global market, inadequate
technology and stiff competition.
Dr.Lopes,
however, said the there is a great hope for Africa to industrialize by
embarking upon the production and proper utilization of renewable
energies to process raw commodities(Agro processing) in various
countries creating job opportunities to most young people in Africa.
He
further said that countries should formulate sound economic policies
aimed at encouraging the population to consume what is produced locally
to boost local industries and that commodity based industrialization is
capable of creating between five to seven million jobs annually in
Africa reducing tremendously youth unemployment in the continent.
Dr.
Lopes said that proper and appropriate technology should be adopted in
various African countries to curb low productivity and boost storage
capacity to prevent post harvest loses which is a common feature in most
African countries that subsequently trigger food insecurity in the
advent of bad weather.
In
her remarks during the same occasion, The Chairperson of the African
Union Commission Dr.Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma emphasized the need for
African countries to take a seriously a move to review their academic
curricula so as to equip the young generation with relevant skills to
fit into modern production processes adding that emphasis should be
placed on science subjects and vocational training.
Dr.Zuma
reiterated the need for African countries to speed up the process of
integration through the promotion of intra-African trade and tourism and
simplify procedure on cross border movements so that young people could
travel freely in the continent in search for jobs other economic
ventures.
The
AUC Chairperson further emphasized the need for African countries to
mobilize domestic resources to fund various local development projects
and reduce donor dependence and that the focus should be placed on
building infrastructures including roads and railways to connect African
countries and boost intra African trade and labor movements.
The
4th General Assembly of Former Heads of State and Governments will
among other things exchange views on the Economic partnership Agreement,
and the issue of illicitly financial flows and their development
impact, as well as Africa’s development Agenda 2063.
Former
Heads of State attending the Africa Forum include Tanzania’s former
Presidents Ali Hassan Mwinyi and Benjamin William Mkapa, Malawi’s former
President Bakili Muluzi, Namibia’s former President Hifikepunye Lucas
Pohamba, Nigeria’s former President General Jackob Gowon, South Africa’s
Thabo Mbeki and Mozambique’s former president Joaquim Alberto Chissano
who is also the chair of the forum.
The
Africa Forum Constitutes an informal network of former African Heads of
State and Government and other African Leaders designed to support the
implementation of the broad objectives of the African Union(AU) and its
initiative, the New Partnership for Africa’s Development(NEPAD), at the
national, Sub regional and Regional levels. With the specific functions
of advocacy and think tanking, the Arica Forum will help to harness the
experience, moral authority and good offices of former African Heads of
State and Government and African Leaders with the view to assisting the
advancement of Africa’s Social and Economic Development.
From Tanzania Embassy information Department Addis Ababa Ethiopia
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