Workshop:

  • Preparatory summary
  • Participants
  • Minutes of the workshop

Context and problem:

An essentially subsistence African economy marked by low-profit margins for the population is a key denominator of Africa’s chronic poverty, despite the abundance of natural resources. Certainly, African countries have been experiencing growth for over a decade now without however attaining their full industrial potential; as they do not create significant number of jobs to overcome massive unemployment and the precariousness to which most of them are confronted. Africa should therefore handle the current growth dynamic to enable it resist external shocks that are translated into desired economic and social outcomes and that lead to true development.

It has furthermore been established that, liberal-oriented industrialization models have failed in Africa because they undermine the foundations of an authentic development profitable to the people. Consequently, the challenge for Africa is to succeed its industrialization through taking original paths to ensure success and guarantee sustainability.

In this regard, the place and functioning of the public sector needs to be redefined in the rebuilding of the African economy to enable African businesses to get connected to worldwide value chains, ensure significant creation and wealth redistribution based on equity and respect the rights of future generations. Very many complex challenges are at the core of the economic governance.

Proposition 7: Promoting clean and promising industrialization in the service of humanity

Issues for discussion

  • What vision and code of conduct for industry and enterprise in Africa in a sustainable development perspective?

  • What values and contributions for African industry and enterprise in a globalized world?

  • Should African states reallocate part of the national revenue, particularly rents taken from natural resources, for the funding of technological knowledge and the acquisition of know-how needed for structural transformation of the African industrial sector?

  • What regulation and management modes for Africa industry and enterprise in a sustainable development perspective?

  • What strategies and rules for African industry and enterprise insertion into worldwide globalized economy?

  • What commercial strategy to adopt that is supportive of industrialization in a world dominated by WTO liberal regulation policies?

  • How to reconcile the irreplaceable role of the place of the public sector and the private sectors in the definition of the new enterprise governance for Africa?

  • How to make natural resources and raw materials transformation into finished products the key axis of African industrial development (the made in Africa label)?

  • What lessons to be learned by Africa from Asian industrial experience such as Special Economic Zones to enlighten its industrialization policy ?

Proposition 8: Promoting a management and business culture adapted to the needs and realities of Africa

Issues for discussion

  • How to encourage the implementation and consolidation of a skilled class of entrepreneurs who have the ability to play an important role in national wealth creation and international competition?

  • What mobilization and human resources valorization strategy for the continent?

  • What role can small and medium size businesses creation play in stimulating all over the continent a sustainable industrial development profitable for all?

  • What type of African management and business model adapted to African needs and realities?

  • What strategy for the development of business initiative spirit in Africa?

Proposition 9: Renew rules on partnership with foreign companies?

Issues for discussion

  • What partnership rules for the intervention of foreign companies that could enable endogenous growth and African development?

  • What lessons to be learn from the North-South industrial companionship experienced during the last decade in the African continent? Did it help African enterprises make stronger their positions in markets, allow them to improve their functioning and develop their activities?

  • How to convert foreign companies presence into true opportunity for Africa to obtain technological knowledge, know-how, capital and needed international commercial outlets?

  • Is there a specific path in African partnerships with foreign companies that privileges national businesses?