MEDIA ADVISORY WORKSHOP ON SERVICES SECTOR DEVELOPMENT INVITATION TO REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MEDIA

When: 1st October 2016 Where: Medium Conference Hall - AU Headquarters, Addis-Ababa, Ethiopia Who: Organised by the Department of Trade and Industry Format: The three-day workshop will be divided into various sessions. During each session, participants will have the opportunity to exchange views and share experiences. Objective: The Objectives of the Meeting are to: Review and Enrich the draft Services Sector Development Programme (SSDP); Develop Capacity building for Member States and RECs in Tailoring the SSDP to their respective jurisdictions; Provide an Overview of the Services Negotiations under the CFTA; Participants: The meeting shall be attended by Member States of the African Union, RECs and Partners. Background: There is consensus between, researchers, policy makers and private sector that economic transformation cannot be achieved with a lagging services sector. The evidence produced has changed the traditional growth trajectory where Services came at the latter part of the economic development. The value of trade in services, when taken from a value added perspective, may be approaching half of world trade exports (45% OECD) and half of African exports (UNECA 2015) and that reduction in supply chain barriers like Customs Administration, Transport, Communication infrastructure and services could increase world GDP over 6 times more than the removal of all tariffs (WEF-WB) 2013. Services industries continue to drive FDI growth and LDCs remain key services investment destinations despite of fall in other sectors like manufacturing. Specifically for Africa we know that for example in 2012, services accounted for 70% of FDI projects in 2012 (up from 45% in 2007(EY), limited manufacturing base has given rise to the movement of workers in Africa into services from Agriculture (World Bank 2014) and services employ an average 47 per cent of the workforce in the 12 African countries. The Share of services in overall output rose by 3.2% between period 2001–2004 to the period 2009–2012 and this was highest among exporters of manufactured goods (UNCTAD 2015). This evidence points to the fact that services are key determinant of competitiveness of manufacturing exports and crucial for the industrial and manufacturing development of African countries, as well as in boosting agricultural productivity. Journalists are invited to cover the Official Session of the Capacity Building Session on on 1st October 2016. Media Contacts: Mr. Patient Atcho, Department of Trade and Industry of the AUC, Tel: +251 911335250, Email: atchop@africa-union.org Mrs. Esther Azaa Tankou, Ag. Director of Information and Communication of the AUC, via E-mail: YambouE@africa-union.org / esthertankou@yahoo.com For further information: Directorate of Information and Communication | African Union Commission I E-mail: DIC@african-union.org I Website: www.au.int I Addis Ababa | Ethiopia Follow us Face book: https://www.facebook.com/AfricanUnionCommission Twitter: https://twitter.com/_AfricanUnion YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/AUCommission Learn more at: http://www.au.int