The 14th International Economic Forum on Africa of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has resulted in the signing of an agreement between the OECD and the African Union Commission (AUC) on dialogue on a pan-African agenda of integration and transformation.
The Forum also saw the launch of the OECD Development Centre's ‘Africa Action Plan' on partnerships and activities with member countries and institutions in the region.
The annual event was organized for the first time jointly by the OECD Development Centre and the AUC.
7 October 2014: The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and African Union Commission (AUC) signed an agreement on dialogue on a pan-African agenda of integration and transformation. The signing took place at the 14th International Economic Forum on Africa, which was organized for the first time jointly by the OECD Development Centre and the AUC. The Forum also saw the launch of the OECD Development Centre’s ‘Africa Action Plan’ on partnerships and activities with member countries and institutions in the region.
Taking place on 6 October 2014, in Paris, France, under the theme ‘By Africa, for Africa? Industrialisation and Integration for Inclusive Growth,’ the Forum focused on economic and social transformation in the region, taking stock of progress on these agendas in the context of global trade, demographics and the recent Ebola crisis. The discussions built on the conclusions of the African Economic Outlook 2014, published by the African Development Bank (AfDB), the OECD Development Centre and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in May 2014.
OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría and AUC Chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on sustaining high-level dialogue on a pan-African agenda of integration and transformation. The MoU establishes a framework for deeper collaboration between the two organizations on tax revenue statistics, natural resource-based development and global value chains, among other issues.
Gurría stressed that “countries can and should learn one from another,” as “there is no copyright on good policies.” He outlined three steps for strengthening Africa’s role in global value chains: improving the facilitation of trade, including within the region; deepening efforts to reform public institutions; and fully seizing opportunities offered by new technologies, such as renewable energy, driven by green growth.
The Africa Action Plan, launched at the event, comprises actions at the global and country levels. At the global level, it focuses on: developing policy dialogue platforms with the AUC; assessing national experiences in promotion of industrial policies and productive transformation together with the UN Economic Commissions for Africa (UNECA) and Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), AfDB, and UNDP; and strengthening the African Economic Outlook project.
At the national level, the Action Plan will: support national development strategies through multi-sectoral country reviews; and generate analyses on sustainable social protection systems, youth policies, employment skills development, and economic implications of migration. [OECD Event Website] [OECD Press Release] [OECD Secretary-General Remarks] [African Economic Outlook Website]