The Summit on Africa’s Industrialization and Economic Diversification will be convened under the theme “Industrialising Africa: Renewed commitment towards an Inclusive and Sustainable Industrialization and Economic Diversification.”

1. OPERATIONALIZATION OF THE AFCFTA. THE NEXUS WITH INDUSTRIALISATION.

Trading under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement was that was launched on 1^st January 2021. Once fully implemented, the AFCFTA will create a single African market for goods and services, covering an estimated 1.2 billion people with a combined GDP of over USD2.5 trillion across 55 member states. In August 2020, the Secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area was officially opened in Accra, Ghana, a significant milestone in the full implementation of the free trade agreement. These developments cap a heroic journey to build a one-Africa integrated economy that began in earnest decades back, amplified by the 10^th Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of Africa Union Heads of State and Government (HoS/G) in Kigali, Rwanda that paved the way for signature to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement.

To achieve the aspirations of the AfCFTA, Africa’s industrialisation and transformation agenda needs to be supported at the highest national, regional, continental, and global levels. Such a focus will be key to accelerate efforts in a selected number of key policy areas – such as energy and road infrastructure, trade facilitation, financial sector development, education development, agro-industrial transformation, green industrialisation and technological innovation and transformation. Advancing the AfCFTA and Africa-Industrialization side-by-side with deliberate efforts to realize the mutually reinforcing interdependences between the two will provide Africa’s critical success pillar and condition for Agenda 2063.

2. COVID-19 AND NEW NARRATIVE TOWARD ACCELERATED INDUSTRIALIZATION.

The advent of COVID-19 in 2020 has posed the most formidable risk to the smooth operationalisation of the AfCFTA, given its disruptive nature to business and commerce, whilst at the same time also put a check on the vulnerability of African economies, preventing delays in the launch date of the free trade area. Thus, the COVID-19 pandemic has further heightened the risks of perpetuating the continent’s trade and business vulnerability globally, with most commodity-dependent nations. While COVID-19 is creating a significant economic and health crisis, it also presents an invaluable opportunity for the continent to re-configure its development narrative towards prioritization of initiatives that foster to accelerate Africa’s industrialisation.

COVID-19 and its attendant disruption of global supply chains have brought to the fore the urgency and significance of driving industrialisation in the continent. More fundamentally, the pandemic has openly exposed the hollowness of African economies on several fronts, including the fragility and weakness of Africa’s industrial capabilities.

There is no doubt that, at this juncture, the development of strong regional and local/national value chains can be a game-changer to build a resilient SMEs production capacity in the continent, to seize the business opportunities emanating from the COVID-19 induced disruptions of Global value chains. Industrialisation prospects for the continent are anchored on unleashing the growth of small and micro-enterprises guided by the African Union SMEs Strategy, whose development was informed by evidence-based mapping of the peculiarities of the continent’s production systems. By creating business-enabling conditions across Member States that can enhance the longevity rate of Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSMEs), the continent’s industrialisation momentum can be fuelled.

Learn more about the efforts and responses of the continent in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond here.

3. IDDA III AND AFRICA’S INDUSTRIALIZATION AGENDA

Whilst the continent’s industrial policy landscape stretches back to the 1980s from the First Industrial Decade for Africa, all the way to the Accelerated Industrial Development of Africa (AIDA, 2008), and globally, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has further magnified the significance of Africa’s industrialisation through the adoption of a Resolution in July 2016 that dedicated the period 2016-2025 to the Third Industrial Development Decade for Africa (IDDA III), the performance has remained rather mixed. Under the circumstances, the development challenges currently confronting the continent, therefore, necessitate the need for effective, efficient and timely deployment of action beyond political rhetoric for any meaningful impact on delivering sustainable human development in the continent in the medium- to long-term more so.

It is encouraging to note that IDDA III presents yet another opportunity to rally global partnerships and efforts to work as a collective to drive structural transformation in Africa. As such, it should be optimally leveraged in this endeavour for any meaningful impact on delivering a sustainable and inclusive Industrialisation pathway for Africa. What is critical at the moment for Africa is to acknowledge, the need to chart a revived focus towards a rejuvenated Pan-African industrialisation agenda, and framework informed by lessons learnt this far from previous programmes, taking full cognisance of the current and evolving social, economic and political trends, and developmental needs of the continent. The continent’s capacity to deliver on Agenda 2063 hinges on industrialization. To buttress this, the UN SDGs have assigned Goal 9 towards building industries and resilient infrastructure as a way of strengthening developing economies’ capacity to address structural challenges and poverty alleviation. In addition, the IDDA III should be flexible enough to consider Africa’s industrialization within the context of uncertainties such as the global COVID-19 pandemic. Going forward, Africa’s industrialization agenda must unequivocally incorporate industries that prove to be resilient in the face of uncertainties and recovery-ready within the shortest possible time when industries are hard hit.

4. INDUSTRIALIZATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA.

Industrialization should not be perceived as a single pathway for sustainable development in Africa. Rather, Industrialization, with strong multisectoral and multi-directional linkages to domestic economies, will help African countries to achieve higher economic growth rates and economic diversification. Success in Industrialisation will be at the core of Africa’s efforts to address key structural economic growth and development weaknesses and fragilities, some of which COVID-19 has exposed – from poverty and inequality through to inadequately developed education, health, housing and sanitation services. Seeing beyond the current challenges requires policymakers to tackle head-on other supply-side structural bottlenecks and barriers such as energy and infrastructure for enhanced enterprise competitiveness. This also places due pressure on policymakers to improve business and regulatory regimes to enhance private capital flows, absorption and adaptation of technology, ICTs, artificial intelligence, and skills transfer to unleash private sector growth.

Furthermore, sustainable success on the Africa-Industrialisation front will only be achieved with deliberate efforts to integrate and systemically address Africa’s underlying development features, such as the micro-small-medium enterprises and informal economy, the urban-rural transition, socio-economic diversity across the 55 AU member states, as well as linkages between education-skills development and industry. Cross-cutting issues such as gender, climate change, energy security, youthful population and growing unemployment, to facilitate the evolution of a sustainable and inclusive industrialisation pathway for the continent.

Africa has a lot to learn from her own experiences on Industrialisation over the last 4-5 decades as well as from other continents. However, what is abundantly clear is that Industrialisation successes in Europe and the Americas and more recently in Asia cannot be replicated in Africa. Apart from just that, Africa has its own unique circumstances, and many of the factors that propelled industrial success in other continents no longer exist. This is why advancing Africa-Industrialisation has also to take deliberate consideration of what can and should work for Africa while ensuing interdependences with the rest of the world in those areas that can amplify the continent’s benefits. 

5. SUB-THEMES: SEVERAL AREAS OF DISCUSSIONS WILL FEATURE AT THE SUMMIT.
6. Industrialisation and the AfCFTA – realizing the inter-dependencies: How to practically bring Africa-Industrialisation (manufacturing and tradeable services) and the AfCFTA (markets and trade) mutually reinforcing each other
7. Industrialisation, government fiscal capacity and creating jobs: Africa-Industrialisation – in expanding the continent’s fiscal capacity (i.e. contribution to GDP) as well as creating jobs and entrepreneurship opportunities for Africa’s youthful populations
8. Technological innovations, organizational capacity in driving enhanced and competitive Industrial performance: Africa’s Industrial capabilities (Industry 4.0 readiness, organisational efficiency, skills) in Africa’s economic sectors – Mining, Tourism, ICT, and Financial Services, Arts and Culture, Agro-Industry, Fisheries, Aquaculture and Marine Industries.
9. Regional industrial value chains: Leveraging Regional Value Chains to optimise the continent’s industrial capability along AfCFTA implementation
10. Partnerships and Alliances to deliver on Africa Industrialisation: Rallying Domestic and International Public-Private partnerships for enhanced planning and Implementation capabilities for accelerated-expanded industrial growth in Africa.
11. Africa Industrialisation – multi-/cross-sectorial approaches as key condition for success: Aligning key cross sector conditions and policies for success: Energy Security, Institutions, Polities and legislation, Human capital – skills and intellectual capacity, Environmental resilience and Climate change (Green Industries)
12. Youth and Women-led MSMEs in driving success in Africa Industrialisation: Africa-Industrialisation and special cross-cutting drivers for sustainable success: Youth, Micro-, Small Medium Enterprises, Women, Competitiveness, urban-rural transitions,
13. Resource governance and leveraging financial and non-financial resources into Africa-Industrialisation: De-risking Africa-Industrialisation, catalysing domestic and international investments, technology transfer and local innovations to leapfrog Africa’s industrial growth
14. Indigenous knowledge and Africa’s Industrialization: Protecting African indigenous knowledge with Intellectual Property Rights to integrate into Africa’s industrialisation
15. Medical product industries in post COVID-19 area: with a special focus on Pharmaceutical industries.

The African Union Summit on Industrialization and Economic Diversification aims to highlight Africa’s renewed determination and commitment to Industrialization as one of the central pillars in attaining the continent’s economic growth and development goals as articulated in Agenda 2063 and Agenda 2030. In light of the key and strategic interdependences between Industrialisation and the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA), the Summit aims to rally desired political momentum, resources, partnerships and alliances towards an Africa-Industrialisation drive. This is along the continent’s resolve to drive structural transformation, built around leveraging Africa’s rich and diverse natural resources while at the same time embracing current advances in technologies, continental and global geo socio-political trends and emergence of tradeable services.

The Summit is anticipated to unlock the evolution of a vibrant Pan-African enterprise and capital base that will unleash an inclusive and sustainable industrialisation pathway that carries along with the participation of all economic agents, including SMEs, youth, and women in the generation of national wealth and creation of jobs as well as expansion of entrepreneurship opportunities for Africa’s populations. The impacts of the novel coronavirus pandemic continue to drive the urgent and imperative need for bold actions to drive transformative change in key economic pillars such as Industrialisation.

The specific objectives of the African Union Industrialization and Economic Diversification Summit are:

1. Decide on a renewed continental policy framework on Africa’s industrialisation aimed at rallying the continent’s resolve and commitment to a bold set of policy and investment actions to accelerate the continent’s industrialisation drive
2. Reinforce the development of regional industrial value chains to clearly articulate Africa’s quest to industrialize, create jobs and entrepreneurship opportunities for Africa’s MSMEs, youth and women within the context of current and emerging continental and global socio-economic trends.

• Provide high-level political support to drive a globally competitive Africa-Industrialisation programme through public-private alliances, at the national, regional, continental level, and aligned global policy coherence, coordination and linkages, investment financing. This should take full cognizance of current and emerging key cross-sector needs including energy and water, education and training, Science-Technology and Innovation, climate change, environmental resilience and crisis management.

Upon the conclusion of the Summit, there will be a Declaration by Heads of State and Government. The Summit will also be an opportunity for;

• Renewed high level political resolve and commitment to accelerate Africa’s Industrialisation alongside advances on the AfCFTA provisions
• Policy decision for an AU-led broad-based, cross-sector consultation to develop an up-to-date, implementable and results-based Africa-Industrialisation Policy Framework, embracing gains and lessons from the continent’s experiences, taking cognizance of current and emerging global trends, with particular attention to the continent’s inclusive social and economic development priorities; and
• Agreement on a Compact between governments and Africa’s private sector, academia and the civil society to bring about desired and aligned policy decisions, investment financing, institutional and human capital dedicated towards Africa-Industrialisation, to boost prospects for the AfCFTA implementation.

The Summit on Africa’s Industrialization and Economic Diversification will bring together the African Union Commission and the organs; Heads of State and Government; African Ministers responsible for industry, trade, mining and investment and other relevant ministries; Heads of international development institutions including the UN agencies; Chief Executives of Regional Economic Communities; Regional and International Development Finance Institutions; representatives of the private sector, civil society, youth, women and other stakeholders involved in the industrialization of the continent.

Click here to Register. Information Note is also available

The side-events will be taking place throughout the African Industrialization Week 20-25 November 2022— either in-person, fully online or in a hybrid format. The duration of a side event slot is 90 to 120 minutes maximum. Side-events will include High-level events/panels, Seminars/Workshops, Signature Ceremonies, B2B, B2G, Showcases and Exhibitions.

Side events will focus on key thematic areas including on Agribusiness; Regional value chains; Private sector; investments and financing for industrial development, industrial infrastructure and SEZ development, Energy access and green transition, Human capital, Industry 4.0, Trade capacity building, Health industry & local pharmaceutical production, Youth and Women Entrepreneurship, Partnerships, Industrial policy, etc.

Access the calendar of the Side Events here.

Our youth should inspire the way we think and act, and they shape the society we live in. As an African youth, what kind of industrialization should be prioritized to maximize the synergies with Africa’s development agenda towards the overarching objective of achieving sustainable development and prosperity for all? In doing so, how can our African leaders best pursue the envisaged industrialization pathway?

The essay contest is organized in an effort to harness the energy, creativity, and initiative of the African youth in promoting a culture of sustainable development in Africa, with a particular focus on industrialization and innovation in Africa. It also aims to inspire African society to learn from the young minds and to think about how each of them can make a difference in our continent’s future.

The essay contest will serve to open up dynamic conversations and spur reflection and action by leaders on addressing issues on Industrialisation from the perspective of young people and push for much-needed reforms. The essay contest is organized by the African Union Commission as an activity within the preparation for the upcoming African Union Summit on Industrialization and Economic Diversification, scheduled to be held in Niger, in November 2022.

See the terms of reference  here 

Deadline- The Essay opens on the 31^st August 2022. All essays must be sent to AIW2022@africa-union.org by the 30th of September 2022 at 23:59 pm EAT. 

All authors must sign and submit the Attestation of Authorization form. Download the form here.

There will be scheduled press briefings and opportunities for one-on-one interviews. The opening and closing sessions will be livestreamed from the African Union platforms. There will be coverage on social media platforms. ONLINE REGISTRATION FOR JOURNALISTS IS NOW OPEN. Journalists are advised to register through the following link: https://accreditation.au.int/en/media-accreditation/2021/summit-africa-i... Deadline for media registration is 10 November 2022.

The media are required to register for accreditation.

• Agenda and Programme.
• Africa Industrialization Policy Brief
• Regional Value Chains Mapping Study
• Summit Action Plan.
• Accelerated Industrial Development for Africa (AIDA Terms of Reference
• Inception Report on Africa’s Industrialization Agenda

• Statute of the African Minerals Development Centre
• Africa Mining Vision.
• Report of the Specialized Technical Committee On Trade, Industry And Minerals, 2019
• An Overview of the Report of the International Study Group on Africa’s Mineral Regimes.
• Declaration and report of the 3rd STC on Finance, Monetary Affairs, Economic Planning and Integration
• Domestic Resource Mobilization: a Fight against Corruption and Illicit Financial Flows
• How Africa loses US$50 billion to Illicit Financial Flows
• African Union Assembly Special Declaration On Illicit Financial Flows-
• African Continental Free Trade Area
• 2021 Africa Development Dynamics Report
• 2019 Africa Development Dynamics Report
• 2020 Africa Multidimensional Regional Integration Index (AMRII)
• African Integration Booklet
• African Integration and Development Review
• Publication of the PAN-African Financial Institutions
• The Futures Report: Making the AfCFTA Work for Women and Youth
• 11th African Private Sector Forum Declaration 2019

Watch the following films on various thematic areas (available in different languages).

• African Union Continental Free Trade Area on- https://youtu.be/zIhe6DN0hGE
• African Union Free Movement of Persons and Goods - https://youtu.be/vxUr_6-DxUc
• The African Union Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) - https://youtu.be/kYcr7ouiUuY
• The African Union Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP)- https://youtu.be/H946IsYMrHQ
• African Union Infrastructure and Energy - https://youtu.be/sVvvWTlhRrs
• African Commodities Strategy - https://youtu.be/7yVn4JcXCDg
• The African Union Pan African Veterinary Vaccine Centre (AU-PANVAC)- https://youtu.be/VfUUegqzjVQ
• African Union – Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR)- https://youtu.be/_o1M6YT2mCk
• What is Agenda 2063- https://youtu.be/T_-YcUVdP7w