To discuss sub regional value chain, the Meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee of Senior Officials and Experts (ICSOE) by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) Sub-Regional Offices for Central and Eastern Africa opens today in Bujumbura, Burundi.
The ICSOE brought together representatives from 7 Central African countries and 14 Eastern African countries. From Central Africa: Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and Sao Tome and Principe. From Eastern Africa: Burundi, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Madagascar, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, South Sudan, Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania.
In his opening remark Prime Minister of Burundi, Gervais Ndirakobuka indicated that the war in COVID-19 and Ukraine crisis have impacted African economy including affecting tourism, increasing fuel and food prices among others.
He stated that developing regional value chain requires a combination of effort between and among the countries to harmonize policies and strategies so that our national resources benefit the people brining sustainable development.
This year’s meeting is themed, “Establishing Central and Eastern Africa as sources of quality products and investment destinations of choice to accelerate industrialization and economic diversification, and to strengthen food security”.
Commenting about the theme of the year “…This will be an opportunity for the region to reduce poverty and enhance the livelihoods and standard of living of the people in the region,” said Dr. Hanan Morsy, Deputy Executive Secretary and Chief Economist at UNECA. She also noted that it will help the region to build resilience, take opportunity in the global value chain…Africa accelerated transformation is a must. Our priority must be to harness…She also stated the need for Africa to produce more what it consumes and consume more what it produces.
According to Mama Keita, ECA Director in Eastern Africa, over the coming four days the Bujumbura meeting will discuss food insecurity because climate change, high food prices, and supply chain disruptions cause hunger and malnutrition for millions in Central and East Africa . Mama Keita says that the meeting will look at the barriers to food security and the potential of digital food platforms, which can help producers, consumers, and traders exchange food products and information more easily and cheaply.
Jean Luc Mastaki, Director of ECA in Central Africa said that the ICSOE meeting will also tackle one of the main challenges facing Eastern and Central African countries which is how to boost industrial and agricultural production with quality and environmental standards. He added that the Bujumbura ICSOE will discuss the current and future economic prospects of the Central and Eastern Africa regions, which are facing multiple economic and social challenges in the wake of the recent global “triple crises facing “.
“The COVID-19 pandemic, impacts of climate change and supply constraints due to Ukrainian war that soared inflation and tightened monetary and financial conditions have exacerbated the existing vulnerabilities of the many people in our regions”, said Mastaki.
The ICSOE is expected to propose policies, strategies and options for implementing a “quality culture” and promoting intra-African trade in order to increase the quantity and quality of production in the region so as to strengthen food security, promote economic diversification and attract more investment.