IN MESSAGE MARKING AFRICA INDUSTRIALIZATION DAY, SECRETARY-GENERAL CALLS

FOR SUSTAINED DRIVE TO EXPAND, DIVERSIFY CONTINENT’S ECONOMIC BASE

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s message on Africa Industrialization Day, to be observed on 20 November:

The theme of this year’s observance of Africa Industrialization Day, “Reducing Poverty through Sustainable Industrial Development”, highlights the role that industrial development can and must play in achieving the Millennium Development Goals and promoting socio-economic advancement in Africa.

Sustainable industrial development remains elusive in Africa.  The continent lags behind all other regions in industrial growth and employment creation.  Over the past 15 years, Africa’s share of world industrial output has remained stagnant, at 1 per cent.

Still, prospects for significant improvements in the continent’s social and economic conditions are becoming brighter.  Economic growth has improved in many low-income countries, raising the possibility that a significant number of people could be lifted out of absolute poverty.  While some countries have experienced falling growth rates and have not met their targets for poverty reduction, many others are on course to meet the goal of halving poverty by 2015.

Despite these gains, much more needs to be done, and not only in countries experiencing low or negative growth.  Even in those places that have made advances, a strong and sustained drive to expand and diversify the African economic base through sustainable industrial development, trade and regional market integration will be critical to ensuring the continuation of these results.  This is particularly urgent in those sectors that support the majority of the continent’s poor, such as agro-industries and other small and medium-sized industries.

The African Union has recognized the importance of sustainable industrial development for Africa’s future.  In particular, the AU has endorsed the African Productive Capacity Initiative, which was jointly launched by the continent’s ministers of industry and the UN Industrial Development Organization, as the sustainable industrialization component of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development.  The AU is also devoting its 2007 summit to the theme of African industrialization.

On this Africa Industrialization Day, let us reaffirm our commitment to supporting these efforts and creating a more prosperous future for all Africans.

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