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Africa: Ban Ki-moon Recommends Replication of Success Stories
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The Post (Buea)
5 May 2008
Posted to the web 5 May 2008
Leocadia Bongben
Accra
One of the propositions during a meeting on Trade and Development for Africa's Prosperity, Actions and Directions, presided by UN Secretary General, Ban ki-Moon, is that African countries have to emulate other succeeding countries.
Though many countries are falling behind in the MDGs, "sub-Saharan Africa is most at risk. Here, not a single country is on track to meet all the MDGs by 2015," said Moon.
He, however, seemed to be consoled by individual progress. He cited countries like Ghana that have made strides in school enrolment, Senegal scaling up water shortages and Niger, Togo and Zambia making progress in malaria control through bed net distribution.
Moon maintained that these need to be scaled up and across Africa with effective support from the international community. He said Africa has made strides at the macro-economic level, insisting that the benefits of globalisation-increased trade as some of the surest diversities of long term growth and development.
The scribe said a rapid breakthrough in the Doha Round to incorporate a development component, encourage South-South exchanges, increase direct investment; enterprise development and infrastructural advances facilitated through Aid for Trade can spur progress.
He urged African governments benefiting from current boom in commodity prices to increase spending on MDGs and promote development with the support of international donors in increasing Official Development Assistance.
Moon said the MDG challenge is complicated by the alarming rise in food prices which necessitate investment in agriculture. Following food riots in some parts of Africa, he said "feeding women and children is a priority."
Cooperation
In his presentation, the President of Brazil, Lula Da Silva, expressed the Brazil's readiness as it has started with some 19 African countries to contribute to growth and dynamism through increased allocation of resources, adopt innovation and financing mechanisms.
Brazil is cooperating with West African countries in the development of agriculture, cotton production and is ready to contribute in the development of bio-fuels and agro-fuels.
He debunked allegations that the production of bio-fuels especially ethanol is responsible for current food crisis, stating that large production could solve the food crisis.
He said for the success of the Doha Rounds, the elimination of subsidies by developed countries and adopting measures for effective creation of trade is unavoidable.He argued that the priority of Aid for Trade should be in strengthening developing countries priority incentives.
He insisted on the role of UNCTAD in bringing together stakeholders for strategic investment in infrastructure and for a balanced and fair development for the benefit of African countries.
Ghanaian President, John Agyekum Kufuor, one of the panellists, maintained that African countries need to collaborate on the South-South basis given that the North-South paradigm has failed.
He opted for a partnership of shared goals in which Africa is assisted in capacity building through improved transportation, diversity in energy and preferential treatment in agreements to render Africa competitive.
He called for a regional integration and maintained that a strong united Africa would be a better trading partner.Another panellist, Tarja Halonen of Finland, argued that increased and diversified trade flows increase prosperity as is the case in his country, without which it would be difficult to create a strong and sustainable economy.
He posited that intra-African trade would be more beneficial and expressed the need for support in infrastructure and institutional capacity promoting a sound business environment and good governance.
Tarja said developed countries should support African economies to integrate at the global level with development assistance to facilitate imports from Africa and remove obstacles for markets access of African goods.
He pointed out that this would ensure greater volume and commercial contacts, shifting away from excessive reliance on few basic commodities typical for African trade.Tarja also emphasized that trade and investment should promote employment and decent work, cautioning that it requires conscious policies and governmental actions.
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He highlighted areas of success in Finland in the development of human resources and continuous education as the spark plug of success. He explained that the education system is based on the principle of equal learning opportunities for everyone regardless of place, gender, financial standing or cultural background.
"Education in Finland is a public service provide free of charge from primary schools to universities," said Tarja.Though the above propositions are interesting, the question of aid trickling down to the beneficiaries remains a major problem.
Equally, how long would it take for countries to replicate success stories given their peculiar context complicated by the socio-political background is another issue.
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