For information only - not an official document
UNIS/OUS/056
19 November 2010
UNIDO, AU Commission, UNECA issue statement on Africa Industrialization Day
VIENNA, 19 November (UN Information Service) - The heads of the African Union Commission, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and UNIDO issued a joint statement today to mark Africa Industrialization Day.
Jean Ping, the Chairperson of the Africa Union Commission; Abdoulie Janneh, the Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Africa; and Kandeh K. Yumkella, UNIDO Director-General, urged for the "creation of competitive industries, as a way for promoting Africa's development".
In 1989, the UN General Assembly proclaimed 20 November Africa Industrialization Day. African countries can reflect on this Day on the progress made towards achieving strategic and sustainable industrial development.
The statement notes that "In recent years, many African countries have undertaken comprehensive policy reforms, aimed at creating conducive policy environment for industrialization and the development process in general. Though prudent policies are a sine qua non for development, they on their own do not present sufficient condition for stimulating a strategic and sustainable development process. Instead, a multitude of other conditions must also be met".
"Industrial transformation, notably, is a complex and long-lasting process, which apart from conducive policy environment, requires skillful mobilization and wise deployment of financial resources, as well as diverse non-financial resources into productive sectors," says the statement.
UNIDO, UNECA and other partners have provided support to the African Union Commission in designing an action plan for the accelerated industrial development of Africa. The statement calls on all development partners, governments, international organizations and the private sector to join together in implementing the action plan.
The full statement is available at www.unido.org
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For more information, please contact:
Mikhail
Evstafyev
UNIDO Advocacy and Communication Coordinator
Telephone: (+43-1) 26026-5021
Mobile: (+43-699) 1459-7329
Email:
M.Evstafyev@unido.org
