Africa Industrialization Week 2022

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The African Union (AU) Extraordinary Summit on Industrialization and Economic Diversification and  AU Extraordinary Session on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) will take place in Niamey, Niger, from 20 - 25 November 2022. The  theme of the Summit is: “Industrializing Africa: Renewed Commitment towards Inclusive and Sustainable Industrialization and Economic Diversification”. Prior to the Summit, a number of statutory meetings related to the AU Assembly took place in early November, including meetings of senior officials and Ministers in charge of industrialization, economic diversification and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Objectives and Expected Outcomes of the Summit

1. The African Union Summit on Africa’s 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.

2. In light of the key and strategic interdependencies between industrialization and the AfCFTA Agreement, the Summit aims to rally desired political momentum, resources, partnerships and alliances towards an Africa-Industrialization 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 tradable services.

3. The Summit is anticipated to unlock the evolution of a vibrant Pan-African enterprise and capital base that will unleash an inclusive and sustainable industrialization pathway that carries along 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 dictate the urgent and imperative need for bold actions to drive transformative change in key economic pillars such as Industrialization.

1. Decide on a renewed continental policy framework on Africa’s industrialization aimed at rallying the continent’s resolve and commitment to a bold set of policy and investment actions to accelerate the continent’s industrialization 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.

3. Provide high-level political support to drive a globally competitive Africa-Industrialization Programme through public-private alliances, at the national, regional, continental level, and aligned global policy coherence, coordination and linkages, and 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.

1. Renewed high-level political resolve and commitment to accelerate Africa’s Industrialization alongside advances on the AfCFTA provisions.

2. Policy decision for an AU-led broad-based, cross-sector consultation to develop an up-to-date, implementable and results-based Africa-Industrialization Policy Framework, embracing gains and lessons from the continent’s experiences, taking cognizance of current and emerging global trends, with special attention to the continent’s inclusive social and economic development priorities. 

3. 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-Industrialization, to boost prospects for the AfCFTA implementation.

  • Summit Theme and Sub-theme
  • Who will attend
  • Lead Organizing Institutions
  • Contact Information
  • Theme: Industrializing Africa: Renewed commitment towards inclusive and sustainable industrialization and economic diversification.

    Sub-Themes:

    Industrialization and the AfCFTA – realizing the inter-dependencies

    Industrialization, government fiscus and creating jobs

    Technological innovations, organizational capacity in driving enhanced and competitive industrial performance

    Regional industrial value chains

    Partnerships and alliances to deliver on Africa Industrialization

    Africa industrialization – multi-/cross-sectoral approaches as a key condition for success

    Youth- and women-led MSMEs in driving success in Africa industrialization

    Resource governance and leveraging financial and non-financial resources into Africa industrialization

  • The Summit is expected to draw the participation of: African Heads of State; 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.

  • 1. The Assembly Decision designates the African Union, United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and Afro- Champions as collaborators in the organization of the African Union Summit on Industrialization and Economic Diversification. Niger, as host of the Summit, will also be closely involved in the organization of the Summit.

     2. AUC will work with the AUDA-NEPAD and development partners to mobilise technical assistance for the effective hosting of this strategic Summit. Given the cross-cutting nature of the Industrialisation Pillar in the programme frame of other key partners with a foothold on the continent, it will be deemed prudent to enlist the participation of other strategic partners beyond those cited in the AU Ho/SG 33rd Ordinary Summit Resolution, to include but not limited to the following institutions; African Development Bank; African Export Import Bank, the Islamic International Finance Corporation, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), International Trade Centre (ITC)…

  • Mr. Victor C. Djemba, 

    Chief

    Regional Coordination Bureau, Africa 

    Email 

    Ms. Matilda Muweme, 

    Senior Programme Officer, IDDA III Secretariat

    Regional Coordination Bureau, Africa

    Email


UNIDO's Participation

­DATE

MEETING/EVENT

3-4 November

Joint Meeting of the AU Senior Officials in charge of Industrialization, Economic Diversification and AfCFTA

UNIDO Managing Director, Directorate of Global Partnerships and External Relations (GLO) and Director General's Special Representative for Africa, Fatou Haidara delivered the opening remarks.

7 November

Joint Meeting of the AU Ministers in charge of Industrialization, Economic Diversification and AfCFTA

Opening Session 09:30 - 10:30 (CET)

UNIDO Managing Director, Directorate of Global Partnerships and External Relations (GLO) and Director General's Special Representative for Africa, Fatou Haidara delivered the opening remarks on behalf of DG Gerd Müller.

Watch the livestream of the opening session

Read the report of the event

20 November

Commemoration of Africa Industrialization Day and kick-off of Africa Industrialization Week 2022

Register here

21-24 November

UNIDO-led side events

For the complete list of events, see the table below

25 November

17th Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union of Heads of State and Government on Industrialization, Economic Diversification and the AfCFTA

Register here

UNIDO-led Side Events