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Conference of African Ministers of Industry (CAMI 17) looks at the industrial challenge facing Africa in the global trading system
The 17th Conference of the African Ministers of Industry (CAMI) took place in Cairo, Egypt on 19-21 June 2006, hosted by the Government of Egypt. The theme of the three-day conference; Productive Capacity: Africa's Challenge to Global Trade drew representatives from fifty of UNIDO’s member states. Among the 250 participants (see list: English versionFrench version) were a number of special guests (English version) (French version), and representatives from regional, sub-regional and inter-governmental organizations. A large UNIDO Delegation led by UNIDO Director-General Kandeh K. Yumkella also participated. WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy joined the ministerial debate by video link on June 21.
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Discussions centred around the CAMI 17 paper The industrial Challenge Facing Africa in The Global Trading System.
The Conference issued a Declaration (English and French) in which inter-alia strong support was given to UNIDO and its mandate, demonstrated by the decision that the 2007 African Union Heads of State and Government Summit will be devoted to the question of industrialization of the continent.
Among the nine recommendations contained in the CAMI 17 Report (English versionFrench version) is the call to development partners to assist in the strengthening of the productive capacities of the private sector and Africa’s standardization and conformity assessment infrastructure.
The increasing awareness of the international development community of the importance these play in economic growth and poverty alleviation, is evidenced in current initiatives such as Aid for Trade.
As ISO Secretary – General Alan Bryden said after the conference “Standards and conformity assessment, and their international dimension, are increasingly recognized as key components for the quality infrastructure, enabling access to world markets, as well as the transfer of technology and good business practices. Emphasizing the urgent need to develop the capacities of the productive sector as the sustainable option for wealth creation, income generation, diversification of employment and poverty alleviation, the declaration and the recommendations of the CAMI 17 Report adopted by the Ministers will become key enablers to the industrialization of Africa and its impact on internal and external African trade."
During the ministerial segment of the Conference, the African Union and UNIDO signed a new Agreement, to intensify the already close cooperation between the two organizations.
CAMI 17 was organized by UNIDO in cooperation with the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).
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