clean industralization - African Think Tank Network (ATTN)2024-03-29T07:58:52Zhttp://africathinktanks.org/think-tanks/ethiopian-development-research-institute/blogs/feed/tag/clean+industralizationClean industrialization critical for Africa to ‘leapfrog’ outdated technologieshttp://africathinktanks.org/think-tanks/ethiopian-development-research-institute/blogs/clean-industrialization-critical-for-africa-to-leapfrog-outdated-2015-11-04T15:32:51.000Z2015-11-04T15:32:51.000ZFasil Yilmahttp://africathinktanks.org/members/FasilYilma<div><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2250978?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p>20 November 2014 – Africa needs a green, clean industrialization that leapfrogs outdated, polluting processes and platforms and benefits from new technologies, United Nations <a href="http://www.un.org/sg/">Secretary-General</a> Ban Ki-moon said today as the world body marked Africa Industrialization Day.</p>
<p>In a <a href="http://www.unido.org/fileadmin/user_media_upgrade/Worldwide/Offices/AFRICA/Africa_Industrialization_message_English_PDF.pdf">statement</a> on the Day, Mr. Ban explained this that year's theme <em>Inclusive and Sustainable Industrial Development: Agro Industrial Development for Food Security</em> focuses on the links between agriculture and development.</p>
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<p>“Agriculture still accounts for the major share of rural household income and employs over 60 percent of Africa's labour force, particularly women,” the UN chief said.</p>
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<p>Low agricultural productivity continues to threaten food security in Africa as a whole. And while many African economies have shown impressive growth rates in recent years, increased prosperity does not always translated into inclusive wealth creation.</p>
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<p>“Far too often, economic development depends on the extraction of natural resources and on low-skilled labour, which has resulted in a weak manufacturing base and uneven distribution of wealth,” the Secretary-General said.</p>
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<p>Inclusive and sustainable industrialization is a “key stepping stone” towards sustained economic growth, food security and poverty eradication in Africa, he added.</p>
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<p>“I reaffirm the commitment of the United Nations to promote Africa's inclusive and sustainable industrial development to help ensure an economically prosperous and socially integrated continent,” he pledged.</p>
<p>In his <a href="http://www.un.org/pga/201114_statement-africa-industrialization-day/">remarks</a> on the Day, President of the General Assembly Sam Kutesa, a native of Uganda, explained today that accelerating industrialization in Africa goes hand-in-hand with improving productivity and addressing infrastructure deficits, namely in energy, roads, ports and air connectivity.</p>
<p>“While remarkable progress has been made in production…a lot of the surplus is often wasted due to lack of processing capacity and marketing,” Mr. Kutesa said.</p>
<p>In recent years, throughout the continent, agriculture has moved to the forefront of the development agenda at both the regional and national levels. The Africa Union Agenda 2063 lays out a 50-year transformative plan for the modernization of agriculture and agro-business through scaled-up value addition and productivity.</p>
<p>Mr. Kutesa underscored that investments in agriculture must go beyond improvements of on-farm productivity. He emphasized that inventions with the private sector are essential in designing and creating industries, jobs and increasing incomes.</p>
<p>Enhancing cooperation and integration among stakeholders is also essential, as it facilitates better mobilization of resources for infrastructure development, he added.</p>
<p>Within the framework of the Second Industrial Development Decade for Africa (1991-2000), the UN General Assembly, in 1989, proclaimed 20 November Africa Industrialization Day (resolution 44/237).</p>
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<p>Commemorating the <a href="http://www.un.org/en/events/africaday/index.shtml">Day</a>, the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) will host a symposium in Vienna on 24 November to showcase relevant actions and success stories that promote Africa's industrial development.</p>
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<p>The event will bring together representatives from the diplomatic corps, the private sector, non-governmental organizations and other relevant stakeholders.</p>
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