MEDIA ADVISORY
AFRICAN INDUSTRIALIZATION Week (AIW 2020)

Theme: “Inclusive and sustainable Industrialisation in the AfCFTA era”

What: The 2020 Africa Industrialization Week celebrations (Aiw2020) from the 16th to 20th November 2020. Under the Theme “Inclusive and sustainable Industrialisation in the AfCFTA era”. It will be held virtually on Zoom.

When: 16-20 November 2020

Events:

• Day 1: NEXUS between Industrialization and AFCFTA: November 16, 2020 12:30 – 14:30 (GMT+3)
• Day 1: RECs Meeting on Leveraging Regional Industrialisation strategies and Plans towards continent strategic policy framework: November 16, 2020. 17:00 – 18:45 (GMT+3)
• Day 2: SME development in Africa’s industrial sector - Opportunities and Challenges: November 17, 2020 15:00 – 16:30 (GMT+3)
• Day 3: The Contribution of Sustainable Blue Economy Development for Africa’s Industrialisation: Maximizing the potential for an inclusive and resilient future: November 18, 2020. 15:00 – 16:30 (GMT+3)
• Day 4: Partnerships Coordination for Africa’s Industrialisation: November 19,2020. November 17, 2020. 15:00 – 16:30 (GMT+3)
• Where: Zoom virtual Platform:
• Main Sessions: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_SB5rMTQXTeyfOWteaI13SQ
• Parallel Sessions: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_VVYZR_yERxO5CXY18I5sXA

Who: AUDA-NEPAD Industrialization Division with the AUC, UNIDO, UNECA and the AfroChampions Initiative.

Objectives of AIW:

• Raise awareness on Africa’s Industrialisation agenda, and thus rejuvenate high-level political advocacy on the urgency to deliver renewed commitment towards Africa’s structural transformation aspirations. This, in the context of changed development needs of the continent and emerging global trends, to deliver a sustainable human development pathway in Africa.
• Guide development of a responsive and dynamic pan-African Industrialisation framework informed by the lessons from the past, and current programmes, to anchor the prospects for inclusive, and sustainable Industrialisation for the continent.
• Provide a platform for dialogue and knowledge sharing on key thematic subjects on Industrialisation, whilst leveraging a diverse multi-stakeholder base.

Participants:
The Africa Industrialization Week 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, research community, youth, women and other stakeholders engaged in industrialization issues of the continent.

Notes to Editors:
Given the importance of industrialization for structural transformation and for operationalization of the AfCFTA, 20th November was set aside annually as Africa Industrialization Day (AID). The day was adopted by the assembly of heads of state and government of the organization of African Unity at its Twenty-fifth Ordinary Session held on 26 July, 1989 Addis Ababa, Resolution AHG/res. 180 (XXV), which was followed by the UN General Assembly “UNGA” Resolution 44/237 of 22 December 1989. The AID provides an opportunity to key stakeholders to reflect on Africa’s industrialization by looking at how the continent can change its current status quo. Since 2018, the Africa Industrialization Day has been successfully commemorated with weeklong events, an innovation marking a departure from the one day set-up tradition to afford more time given its significance to Africa’s cause for delivering structural transformation, as an entry point towards meeting the objectives of Agenda 2063, and SDGs, 2030.

Given the need to drive advocacy on Africa’s structural transformation and building on the current momentum, the Africa Union Commission is hosting the 2020 Africa Industrialization Week celebrations (AIW2020) from the 16th to 20th November 2020. Under the Theme “Inclusive and sustainable Industrialisation in the AfCFTA and COVID-19 era”. Given the changed circumstances on account of the Covid-19 pandemic that have seized the global economy since early 2020.

Media Enquiry:
Ms.Buhle Hlatshwayo, Communications Officer, AUDA-NEPAD.
E-mail: buhleh@nepad.org