KIGALI, July 16, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Photo taken on July 16, 2016, shows a view of the 35th New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee meeting, in Kigali, capital of Rwanda. African governments expect that the upcoming G20 meeting under the chairmanship of China will usher in a new industrial take-off in the continent, Senegalese President Macky Sall said on Saturday. (Xinhua/Pan Siwei)
By Peter Mutai
KIGALI, July 16 (Xinhua) -- African governments expect that the upcoming G20 meeting under the chairmanship of China will usher in a new industrial take-off in the continent, Senegalese President Macky Sall said on Saturday.
Sall said with the latest industrial initiatives in the continent, Africa now is ready than ever before for an industrial revolution and awaits the September 2016 meeting of the G20 countries.
"Our harmonization of country and regional level industrialization policies to ensure synergies with continental policy creates a conducive environment for partnership that is geared at improving lives of populations in Africa," Sall said at the opening of 35th New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee meeting at the 27th African Union Summit in Kigali, Rwanda.
He said that the chairmanship of China is a new opportunity given the partnership between the Asian country and Africa in infrastructural development.
"The resolution is expected to propel Africa's industrialization process through capacity enhancement in science, technology, innovation and entrepreneurship," he added.
Sall cautioned African governments to be wary of falling in the trap of over engaging in renewable energy at the expense of fossil fuel.
"We need to balance the mix in developing clean energy and at the same time use fossil fuel since Africa's contribution to climate change is minimal," Sall said.
He called for the introduction of a mechanism that favours technological transfer to Africa to meet the need of people.
African countries have established an industrial development index, a move that is expected to change the business in the continent.
Sall observed that through the adoption of fiber optic that includes information, communication and technology, and the renewed engagement of women and the youths in agriculture, the continent is expected to foresee an increased development.
Twenty heads of state that make up the membership of NEPAD Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee are attending the meeting.
AU Commission Chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said that NEPAD is expected to strengthen the implementation of agriculture, agro-processing, infrastructure, science and technology and industrialization programs that are under AU Agenda 2063.
"Our Industrialization strategy must be at the core of the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) and Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP) as we wait to achieve infrastructure development program," she noted.
She called on governments to engage in a paradigm shift, cultural revolution and change the education systems, mindsets and interconnect with key forces of change.
