Pointe Aux Piments — The Economic Commission for Africa's Sub-regional Office for Southern Africa will continue to push for the region's structural transformation through inclusive industrialization that is aimed at sustainable economic growth and reducing poverty and inequality, says Director Said Adejumobi.
Speaking at the end of the 24th meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts of Southern Africa (ICE) that was held in Pointe aux Piments in Mauritius, Mr. Adejumobi said; "We hope to enhance the capacity of member States and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) in southern Africa to promote and develop industrialization policies, national and regional plans and appropriate institutional frameworks in achieving development."
He said what was more important was for the region to have leaders strong enough to implement agreed programmes that would take the region and the continent to the next level.
"SADC and ECA Southern Africa have worked together for a long time in their quest to ensure there is development in the southern Africa region and for us to succeed we also need good leadership with the political will to implement agreed programmes for the economic development not only the region but the continent as well," said Mr. Adejumobi.
He said through its work, the ECA in southern Africa hopes to strengthen the capacity of member States, RECs and inter-governmental organizations in the region to implement sub-regional development priority initiatives.
For his part, Anil Kumar Kokil, a Director in the Finance and Economic Ministry said the focus of this year's meeting; Blue Economy, Inclusive Industrialization and Economic Development in Southern Africa, provided all stakeholders a common platform to brainstorm and conjugate efforts together to address challenges posed by these crucial concepts in pursuit of structural transformation, sustainable economic growth and enduring progress of all member States.
"I am fully confident that as a team, we shall overcome all the challenges facing our continent, and will, no doubt, move the social development agenda of Africa forward," he said, adding member States should commit themselves to taking appropriate measures to promote the dynamic diversification of African economies by developing new industries in order to create opportunities to foster economic growth, create more jobs and alleviate poverty.
Member States, he added, should also commit to implement recommendations from such meetings.
"If we want Africa to benefit and move to the next level of development, we must have leaders willing to implement the things that we agree on. Implementation is very crucial if we are to eradicate poverty and all the other challenges that face us daily," said Mr. Kokil.
Participants agreed that the Blue Economy was a powerful instrument that can be used to spearhead the economic development of the continent through several potential areas such as renewable energy, fishing, aquaculture, coastal tourism and marine biotechnology.
During the ICE delegates also discussed the role of small to medium scale enterprises (SMEs) in Southern Africa's industrialization process.
Senior policy makers from the region, leading practitioners and experts, private sector operators, civil society, regional and international development agencies, including development financial institutions are attending the meeting. Four Mauritian ministers also attended and participated in the high level discussions.
