African Union experts have opened a historic joint session of two Specialized Technical Committees in Abidjan to develop practical proposals aimed at accelerating Africa’s industrial transformation.
The three-day meeting brings together senior officials, member states and international partners under the theme Financing Africa’s Industrialization for Sustainable Development.
Discussions will focus on strengthening industrial financing, mobilizing domestic resources, combating illicit financial flows, improving debt sustainability and developing regional economic corridors ahead of a ministerial meeting scheduled to begin on July 23.
Opening the session, Ivorian officials noted that although Africa accounts for about 18 percent of the world’s population, it contributes only around 2 percent of global manufacturing output, with exports still dominated by raw commodities.
They urged participants to produce realistic and bankable proposals to support regional value chains and maximize opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Host country Côte d’Ivoire highlighted its own economic progress, citing average GDP growth of 6.5 percent between 2021 and 2025 and an ambitious National Development Plan that aims to drive industrialization through strong private sector investment.
