2024 Africa Industrialization Week Billed for Dec 9-13 in Addis Ababa

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The African Union is set to host the 2024 Africa Industrialisation Week (AIW) under the theme: Leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI), Green Industrialization, and Intellectual Property for Africa’s Transformation” from December 9 to 13 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The theme for AIW2024 is in line with the AU’s 2024 theme i.e “Educate an African fit for the 21^st Century,” which underscores the imperative for innovative and technologically-driven industrialization, in alignment with the Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA 2016-2025). To this end, this year’s event seeks to build stronger policy advocacy and harness AI’s power to revive industrial sectors, improve efficiency, boost productivity, and foster innovation.

The AU believes by integrating AI, green technologies, and IP rights, Africa can leapfrog traditional industrial stages, fast-track sustainable development, and enhance global competitiveness, driven by initiatives like the Niamey Decisions to establish the African Manufacturing Institute (AMI). “Africa’s future prosperity depends on its ability to harness science, technology, and innovation. Strategic partnerships and capacity-building programs will ensure inclusive and resilient growth.”

Against this backdrop, AIW2024 seeks to build synergies between policymaking, investments and innovation. It will also feature capacity-building sessions on effectively leveraging AI and green solutions for inclusive and sustainable industrial development in Africa as well as foster stronger policy advocacy around leveraging AI, green industrialization, African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and effective Intellectual Property (IP) protection for innovative growth.

Relatedly, the 3rd African Women in Processing (AWIP) Summit will take place on the sidelines of AIW2024 under the theme: “Taking advantage of opportunities under the AfCFTA—A Path to Prosperity.” The 2024 AWIP Summit seeks to empower and mainstream women in Africa’s industrialization drive as well as help them capitalize on the opportunities presented by the integrated African market under the AfCFTA. “This gathering will not only rally additional stakeholders to bolster women engaged in processing Africa’s raw materials into semi-finished and finished goods but to significantly enhance value addition,” according to the AU.

The 2024 AWIP Summit provides a platform for sharing best practices, showcasing successful women entrepreneurs as well as capacity-building workshops on diverse themes from market access and financing to technology adoption and value addition as well as leveraging opportunities offered by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) market.

“AWIP is aimed at inclusive and sustainable socio-economic development hence it addresses structural norms towards establishing a new policy framework that empowers women to benefit from the AfCFTA. As a driver of intra-African trade, the AfCFTA offers immense potential for advancing women’s economic independence and financial inclusion, particularly through e-commerce and other digital initiatives. Moreover, the AfCFTA creates opportunities for women to engage in trade and business within critical sectors such as agro-processing, the fashion value chain, and the services sector,” said the AU.

Recall the 17th Extraordinary Summit of the African Union Assembly on Industrialization and Economic Diversification had called on the AU Commission to host the African Women in Processing (AWIP) summit alongside the Africa Industrialization Week (AIW). The AU Assembly also underscored the necessity of implementing imperative measures to create a conducive environment for economic progress.

The five-day high-level event will be attended by African Heads of State; African ministers responsible for industry, trade, mining and investment, among other relevant ministries; CEOs of Regional Economic Communities (RECs), heads of UN and other regional institutions; Development Finance Institutions (DFIs); representatives of the private sector, civil society, youth start-ups, and other stakeholders relevant to industrialization agenda.