- To further foster the implementation of the Third Industrial Development Decade for Africa (IDDA III), a high level event will be organized on 26 September 2018 in New York to discuss "Enhancing global partnerships for IDDA III - Key for successful implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)".
Interactive discussions are expected on how inclusive and sustainable industrial development and the IDDA III initiative can support the implementation of AfCFTA. In particular, the high-level event will discuss the opportunities presented by IDDA III and its implementation to expand intra-African trade through enhanced competitiveness at the industry and enterprise level. The high-level event will also seek to rally additional support from the international community, while providing a platform to discuss complementary implementation tools.
To be held on the margins the 73rd General Assembly, the high-level event is expected to bring together more than 100 high-level stakeholders, including Heads of States and high-level government representatives, representatives of the Regional Economic Communities (RECs), development financing institutions, UN agencies, bilateral partners, private sector, NGOs and academia.
The high-level event is organized by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) together with the African Union Commission (AUC), the African Development Bank (AfDB), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).