Connect with us

Business

African leaders call for faster industrialization during African Union Summit

Published

4 years ago

on

Bazoum

Bazoum called on African countries to entrench the rule of law to catalyze the emergence of the African private sector

NIAMEY, Niger, December 1, 2022/APO Group/ — 

African leaders reviewed the continent’s progress in industrialization, economic diversification, and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in the context of global shocks, debt vulnerabilities, climate change, and security concerns.

Twenty heads of state and government as well as their representatives attended the African Union Extraordinary Summit on Industrialization, Economic Diversification, and the AfCFTA in Niamey.

“Not so long ago, the juxtaposition of the words industrialization and Africa might have seemed incongruous. Today, the question it raises is mainly one of ways and means,” said Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum, the summit’s host. “This in itself is proof that we are on the right track. A Nigerien proverb says, ” You cannot stop a river,” he added.

Bazoum called on African countries to entrench the rule of law to catalyze the emergence of the African private sector, unleash the energies of African entrepreneurs, and simplify the business environment.

“Inclusive, coherent, and sequenced industrialization that we want cannot be imposed and can only be achieved by creating synergies between the private and public sectors to empower small and medium sized enterprises and create quality jobs. .”

Bazoum added: “the youthfulness of the population and its growth, which are a challenge, can constitute an asset, provided the demographic transition is well-managed.”

His Nigerian counterpart, President Muhammadu Buhari. echoed the sentiment.  He said, “The African continent is blessed with a large youth population that can meet our labor shortages. Therefore, we need to tap into this abundant human resource by providing our youth with quality education that is relevant to their goals and meets the requirements of the labor market.”

For President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, the way forward on industrialization entails investment in energy and infrastructure.

We need to invest more of our national budgets in industrial policy, and significantly increase energy and infrastructure capacity

“The pace of industrialization in Africa is still too slow to achieve Africa’s development goals under Agenda 2063,” said Kagame. “We need to invest more of our national budgets in industrial policy, and significantly increase energy and infrastructure capacity.”

In a speech read on his behalf, African Development Bank President Akinwumi Adesina noted that free trade areas had brought prosperity worldwide not by trading low-value products, but by industrial production. “It is, therefore, clear that Africa’s prosperity must no longer depend on exports of raw materials but on value-added finished products,” he said.  Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade,  African Development Bank acting vice president for Regional Development, Integration and Service Delivery, represented Dr. Adesina and delivered the speech on his behalf.

“Across Africa, we need to turn cocoa beans into chocolate, cotton into textiles and garments, coffee beans into brewed coffee,” Adesina said. He said the Bank was investing $25 billion to transform the continent’s agricultural sector and unlock the agribusiness market, which is expected to reach $1 trillion in value by 2030.

The Bank chief also detailed efforts to develop spheres that will boost Africa’s industrialization and economic diversification, including the energy, health, natural resources, and pharmaceutical sectors.

“Africa has an abundance of natural resources, oil, gas, minerals and metals, as well as a vast blue economy that needs to be rapidly industrialized,” Adesina said. “The future of electric cars in the world depends on Africa, given its vast deposits of rare mineral resources, including lithium-ion, cobalt, nickel and copper. The size of the electric vehicle market has been estimated at $7 trillion by 2030 and $46 trillion by 2050. Building precursor facilities for lithium-ion batteries in Africa will cost three times less than in other parts of the world,” he said.

During the summit, the African Development Bank, the African Union, and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization launched (https://bit.ly/3Ul8mBC) the inaugural Africa Industrial Index.  The joint report showed that 37 out of 52 African countries have industrialized over the past 11 years. The study provides a country-level assessment of the progress made by the 52 African countries based on 19 key indicators.

The 19 indicators in the index cover manufacturing performance, capital, labor, business environment, infrastructure, and macroeconomic stability. The index also ranks the level of industrialization of African countries along various dimensions such as capital, labor endowments, , institutions, infrastructure, and macroeconomic stability, amongst others.

South Africa has maintained a very high ranking throughout the 2010-2021 period, followed closely by Morocco, which is in second place in 2022. Egypt, Tunisia, Mauritius and Eswatini complete the top six over the period.

The report will help African governments to identify benchmark countries to better assess their own industrial performance and adopt best practices more effectively.

During the summit, heads of state also reviewed the pace of operationalization of the African Continental Free Trade Area, which came into force in January 2021 as well as its linkages to industrialization.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Advertisement

Business

Africa Launches the First Pan-African Pact for Insurance Inclusion

Published

18 hours ago

on

June 23, 2026

By

400 decision-makers gathered in Cotonou to accelerate access to insurance and contribute to doubling insurance penetration by 2040

DAKAR, Senegal, June 23, 2026/APO Group/ –Faced with a major paradox representing nearly 19% of the world’s population while accounting for less than 1% of global insurance premiums African insurance stakeholders are mobilizing.

 

From July 6 to 8, 2026, the Federation of African National Insurance Companies (FANAF) will organize the General Assembly on Insurance for All at the Sofitel Hotel in Cotonou, Benin, a major pan-African gathering dedicated to inclusive insurance.

The event will bring together nearly 400 African decision-makers from governments, regulatory and supervisory authorities, insurance and reinsurance companies, financial institutions, development banks, technical and financial partners, as well as professional organizations from across the continent.

The ambition is clear: to foster a shared vision and concrete commitments aimed at accelerating access to insurance for African populations while strengthening the sector’s contribution to the continent’s economic and social development priorities.

The discussions will culminate in the adoption of the Pan-African Pact for Insurance Inclusion and a 2026–2030 Strategic Action Plan, designed to structure collective action around an ambitious objective: contributing to the doubling of insurance penetration across the FANAF region by 2040.

An Economic, Social and Development Imperative

Within the CIMA zone, insurance penetration remains below 1% of GDP, compared to more than 6% globally.

As a result, millions of households, farmers, entrepreneurs, SMEs and informal sector actors remain deprived of essential protection mechanisms against health, climate, economic and social risks.

For FANAF, this reality now constitutes a major development challenge.

Africa cannot build sustainable growth without strengthening protection mechanisms for its populations, businesses and investments

“Africa cannot build sustainable growth without strengthening protection mechanisms for its populations, businesses and investments. The Cotonou General Assembly must mark the starting point of a new continental ambition for African insurance and its role in the continent’s economic transformation,” said Mamadou Koné, President of FANAF.

Beyond Insurance: A Driver of Continental Transformation

For FANAF, insurance is no longer merely a risk coverage mechanism. It is also a strategic lever for economic resilience, savings mobilization, investment security, SME financing, support for climate transitions and the strengthening of financial inclusion.

Through this General Assembly, FANAF seeks to reposition insurance as a key stakeholder in Africa’s economic, social and financial transformation.

A Pact to Accelerate Action

The conclusions of the General Assembly will lead to the adoption of the Pan-African Pact for Insurance Inclusion, a reference framework intended to mobilize governments, regulators, market players, financial institutions and development partners around shared objectives.

The Pact will be accompanied by a 2026–2030 Strategic Action Plan defining priority intervention areas, coordination mechanisms and monitoring arrangements for the commitments undertaken.

A broad mobilization of public, private and financial partners will support its implementation in order to translate commitments into tangible results for African populations and economies.

Cotonou 2026: Building a Shared Vision

Beyond the insurance sector, the General Assembly aims to create an unprecedented platform for dialogue between governments, regulators, investors, financial institutions, technical partners and market actors in order to identify the levers needed to accelerate insurance inclusion across the continent.

Holding this event in Benin reflects the country’s broader economic and financial transformation momentum and illustrates the collective determination of African stakeholders to develop solutions tailored to the continent’s realities.

Through this initiative, FANAF intends to make Cotonou 2026 a defining moment for the future of African insurance and the starting point of a lasting continental mobilization in favor of insurance inclusion.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Fédération des Sociétés d’Assurances de Droit National Africaines (FANAF).

 

Continue Reading

Business

Flat6Labs and International Finance Corporation (IFC) Launch StartAlgeria, a Capacity-Building Program Designed to Empower the Organizations Progressing Algeria’s Startup Ecosystem

Published

18 hours ago

on

June 23, 2026

By

StartAlgeria comes at a key moment for Algeria’s entrepreneurship landscape, shifting the focus toward improving how the ESOs operate by providing them with international best practices

ALGIERS, Algeria, June 23, 2026/APO Group/ –Flat6Labs (www.Flat6Labs.com) and IFC in collaboration with the Ministry of Knowledge Economy, Startups and Micro-Enterprises are launching StartAlgeria, a capacity-building program that puts Entrepreneur Support Organizations (ESOs) at the forefront of Algeria’s ecosystem future. The program is designed to equip Algerian ESOs reinforcing pre-seed and seed-stage startups with the expertise, frameworks, and networks needed to contribute to a stronger, more competitive entrepreneurship ecosystem in Algeria and expand into global markets.

 

StartAlgeria comes at a key moment for Algeria’s entrepreneurship landscape, shifting the focus toward improving how the ESOs operate by providing them with international best practices adapted to each organization’s needs, a community-driven approach that focuses on peer learning, and facilitating connections with investors, policymakers, and key stakeholders.

Algeria’s entrepreneurial community is among the most dynamic and vibrant in the region, and the potential is not just real, it is ready to scale

StartAlgeria will pilot a first cohort focusing on incubators in the capital, Algiers. Following a call for application, the selected ESOs will go through a structured program comprising workshops and masterclasses covering key areas such as startup selection, program design and delivery, and investment readiness. In addition to the core program, participating ESOs will benefit from 6months of post-program mentorship, focusing on areas such as fundraising strategy, partnership development, financial sustainability, and program improvement. This sustained engagement’s goal is to provide a lasting impact in how Algerian ESOs operate and what they’re able to offer the startups they champion.

Yehia Houry, CEO of Flat6Labs, shares “Algeria’s startup ecosystem is demonstrating remarkable potential and a rapidly growing level of maturity, driven by an ambitious new generation of founders, increasing institutional support, and a strong national commitment to innovation and entrepreneurship. The opportunity today lies in further empowering entrepreneurship support organizations to match this momentum by strengthening their ability to identify and nurture high-potential startups, deliver impactful and results-driven programs, and create stronger connections between entrepreneurs and sources of capital. With the right support structures in place, Algeria is well positioned to become one of the leading innovation hubs in the region.”

“Algeria’s entrepreneurial community is among the most dynamic and vibrant in the region, and the potential is not just real, it is ready to scale. Through StartAlgeria, we are committed to ensuring that the organizations standing behind founders are equipped with the tools, frameworks, and expertise to take them from early ideas to investment-ready ventures. This program is a direct expression of IFC’s long-term confidence in Algeria’s private sector and in the ecosystem’s capacity to produce the next generation of high-impact companies.” underscored Cemile Hacibeyoglu Ceren, WBG Resident Representative in Algeria.

“The launch of StartAlgeria marks an important step in reinforcing Algeria’s startup support ecosystem. By strengthening the capabilities of Entrepreneur Support Organizations, we are investing in the long-term growth, resilience, and international competitiveness of Algerian startups. This initiative reflects our shared ambition to build a dynamic innovation-driven economy and create new opportunities for entrepreneurs across the country,” said H.E Mr. Noureddine Ouadah, Minister of Knowledge Economy, Startups and Micro-Enterprises.

This IFC program is implemented in partnership with the Government of the Netherlands.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Flat6Labs.

Continue Reading

Business

Hong Kong unlocks new opportunities with Central Asia

Published

19 hours ago

on

June 23, 2026

By

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 23 June 2026 – Led by Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), John Lee, a high-level delegation visit to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan (May 31 – June 5) is already paying dividends, forging fresh opportunities to deepen ties between Central Asia, Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland.

The business delegation comprised over 70 representatives from Hong Kong and Mainland enterprises of various sectors.

During the visit, 96 bilateral memoranda of understanding and agreements were reached, including a total of 15 co-operation documents at the government level between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan respectively.

“The examples of agreements and co-operation are just so abundant that they range from the service sector to heavy industries such as mining and infrastructure development,” Mr Lee said. “I think the sky is the limit.”

The multiple outcomes achieved during the trip demonstrate Hong Kong’s role as a functional platform for the Belt and Road (B&R) Initiative, as the city actively plays its roles as a “super connector” and “super value-adder” to promote broader and deeper co-operation between the two places and establish a hub-to-hub co-operation model.

“Kazakhstan is an important commercial and logistics hub connecting China and Europe. It is also the place where the Belt and Road Initiative was first proposed, and is Hong Kong’s largest trading partner in Central Asia. There are broad prospects for further co-operation,” Mr Lee said, adding that a lot of B&R projects are also being pursued in Uzbekistan.

“For example, Uzbekistan sits in the heart of the corridor of Asia and Europe, so logistical development, railway development, and also how we can complement and supplement each other in cargo handling will be an area for a very wide range of co-operation.”

The Chief Executive also encouraged companies in Central Asia to leverage Hong Kong’s advantages under the “one country, two systems” principle.

“Under this unique principle, Hong Kong has its own economic, social, legal, legislative and judicial systems. We are the only common law jurisdiction in China. We have our own currency, with no capital or foreign exchange controls. We are, as well, a separate customs territory,” Mr Lee said.

Building on the positive outcomes from the delegation’s mission to Central Asia, Mr Lee welcomed the Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, Kanat Bozumbayev, to Hong Kong (June 10) and they both attended the Alatau City Investment Round Table (June 11).

Speaking at the event, Mr Lee said Hong Kong could contribute to the future success of Kazakhstan’s innovative, high-tech Alatau City in three concrete ways: as a gateway to global capital; a gateway to the Chinese Mainland and the Greater Bay Area; and as a partner in talent and technology.

“We share a development vision with Alatau City and Kazakhstan,” Mr Lee said, “Today, right here, right now, is a golden opportunity to bring our two economies closer together.”

He looked forward to Hong Kong and Kazakhstan achieving complementary advantages and co-ordinated development across different sectors and welcomed enterprises in Kazakhstan to make good use of Hong Kong’s premier financial and innovation and technology platforms, as well as its world-leading professional services, to explore more business opportunities.

 

 

Continue Reading

Trending

Exit mobile version