Africa Industrialization Day 20 November - Southernoxford

Industrialization for Development

Industry can enhance productivity, increase the capabilities of the workforce, and generate employment, by introducing new equipment and new techniques. Industrialization, with strong linkages to domestic economies, will help African countries to achieve high growth rates, diversify their economies and reduce their exposure to external shocks. This will substantially contribute to poverty eradication through employment and wealth creation.

The success of Africa’s industrialization programme will require the creation of enabling environment that enhances domestic capacity in respect of physical and social infrastructure, human capital, financial systems, research and development (R&D), technology, and governance.

Fostering Trade and Accelerating Industrialization

In 2008, the African Union adopted an "Action Plan for Accelerated Industrial Development of Africa," collaborating with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).

In 2015, African countries signed up to two important development agendas: the global 2030 Agenda with 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which aim to leave no one behind as countries develop, and Agenda 2063 of the African Union, which sets out a blueprint for "the Africa we want."

On 22 March 2018, 44 member States of the African Union signed the Agreement Establishing an African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), thus creating a single African market for goods and services.

About the Observance

Within the framework of the Second Industrial Development Decade for Africa (1991-2000), the United Nations General Assembly, in 1989, proclaimed 20 November “Africa Industrialization Day”. Since then, the United Nations System has held events on that day throughout the world to raise awareness about the importance of Africa’s industrialization and the challenges faced by the continent.

This year, the celebration of the African Industrialization Day, "Positioning African Industry to supply the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) Market," will raise awareness in the international community on the challenges and opportunities for Africa's industrialization within the framework of the newly created African Continental Free Trade Area.

A number of events, organized to celebrate the Day, are taking place within the framework of the Third Industrial Development Decade for Africa, proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in its resolution A/RES/70/293, adopted on 25 July 2016.