The African Union Commission is pleased to announce the 2024 Africa Industrialization Week and the 3rd African Women in Processing Summit, scheduled to take place from November 28th October to 1st November in Kampala, Uganda. As part of this prestigious event, stakeholders are invited to organize side events during the Africa Industrialization week.

The Africa Industrialization Week serves as a platform for showcasing industrialization opportunities across the continent, fostering collaboration among key stakeholders, and promoting sustainable development. This year’s theme ‘Leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Green Industrialization to Accelerate Africa’s Structural Transformation,’ which focuses on harnessing emerging technologies like AI and innovations in green manufacturing to accelerate Africa’s industrialization in a sustainable manner. The event aims to building stronger policy advocacy; harnessing the power of AI in reviving Africa’s industrial sectors; improving efficiency; boosting productivity; fostering innovation in Africa’s industrialization agenda. In conjunction with the 2024 Africa Industrialization Week, we are also organizing the 3rd  African Women in Processing Summit (3rd AWIP)   that  seeks to address the gender gaps in these sectors by providing a forum for African women to exchange experiences, access new opportunities, and establish partnerships.  

The event will feature insightful panel discussions, interactive workshops, and networking opportunities, providing a platform for mainstreaming AI in Africa’s Industrial Sector; incentivizing investments in Green Manufacturing; building technical skills and capabilities for green industrialization; creating enabling policies and regulations for sustainable industrial growth; exhibiting transformative AI and green technologies with potential applications in industrial development and collaboration which are critical issues related to Africa’s industrial development.

Organizing a side event at the 2024 Edition of Africa Industrialization Week presents a unique opportunity for stakeholders to showcase their initiatives, share knowledge and best practices, and engage with a diverse audience such as the African Ministers responsible for Industry, Trade, Mining and Investment and other relevant ministries; Heads of regional and international development institutions including the UN agencies; Chief Executives of Regional Economic Communities; Regional and International Development Finance Institutions; representatives of the private sector, civil society, Youth start-Ups, women producers and other stakeholders involved in the industrialization agenda in the continent.. By hosting a side event, participants can contribute to the dialogue on industrialization and play a role in shaping the future of Africa’s economic landscape.

Stakeholders interested in organizing a side event are encouraged to submit their proposals to the AIW2024@africa-union.org  for consideration BY 15th August 2024. This is the chance to be part of the transformative event that will shape the future of Africa’s industrial journey.. For more information on the submission process and guidelines, please contact Mr. Robine Okello at robineo@africa-union.org.

Join us at the 2024 Edition of the Africa Industrialization Week 2and the 3rd AWIP Summit in Kampala, Uganda, to discuss practical ways through which Al and green industrialization can be integrated into Africa’s industrial development strategy as we work together to accelerate industrialization for Africa’s economic transformation.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Union (AU).

It is with profound sadness that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Tourism announces the passing of the Seychelles Honorary Consul in the Republic of Slovenia, Mr. Marko Smole.

Since his appointment in December 1995, he served Seychelles with dedication and unwavering commitment.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Tourism extends to his family its deepest condolences during this difficult time.

Mr. Smole’s absence will be greatly felt at the Ministry’s upcoming biennial Honorary Consuls Conference this October.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Tourism – Foreign Affairs Department, Republic of Seychelles.

Local communities in Western Equatoria State’s conflict-prone Tambura County recently celebrated the handover of the newly constructed Yubu bridge funded by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) to local authority. Its strategic location means that it is hoped to promote and facilitate the voluntary return and reintegration of both internally displaced persons and refugees.

This new piece of vital infrastructure is expected to connect people, strengthen social cohesion, and improve access to health services, schools, and markets. It is also hoped to make the task of protecting civilians less difficult.

“For many years the lack of a proper bridge has been killing us. If someone died at the hospital, there was to get the body to the burial site, and if someone became sick, it was difficult to transport the person to the hospital,” said BBC Albert, a citizen of Tambura, hinting at the nifty multidirectional feature of the structure.

With the project set to benefit both the living and the dead, Benina Mbiko, a mother of five, believes that the bridge will increase trade and hence boost the economy as well.

“For us in the village it is always difficult to come to town during the rainy season because when the water level is high, we can’t cross to the river. This bridge is very good, thanks to those who came to build it for us,” she said.

For many, new infrastructure benefitting whole communities is a sign of development taking place.

“This bridge is going to help farmers transporting their goods to the market, facilitate the movement of sick people from the villages to town, and improve the security of our communities, said Mboribamo Renzi, Paramount chief of Tambura.

Anthony Moudie, an UNMISS Protection, Transition and Reintegration Officer, stressed the latter impact of the project. positive impact the completed project could have on peacebuilding, social harmony and the return of refugees and internally displaced persons.

“It will make protecting civilians less difficult and the access of humanitarians and anyone else a lot easier. Everyone benefits from that,” he said.

The UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan will continue to fund a select number of small-scale projects deemed to have the potential to significantly improve the quality of life of the local communities where they are implemented.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed into law legislation that aims to create a single framework that regulates public procurement, including preferential procurement, by all organs of state, with the necessary efficiency, cost-effectiveness and integrity.

The President has assented to the Public Procurement Bill which complies with the stipulation in Section 217 of the Constitution that contracting of goods and services by organs of state in all spheres of government must occur in accordance with a system which is fair, equitable, transparent, competitive and cost-effective; and that national legislation must prescribe a framework within which a procurement policy must be implemented.

As enacted by the President, the Public Procurement Act addresses weaknesses in the procurement of goods and services by organs of state that have in the past enabled various degrees of corruption, including state capture.

The Act also responds to the acknowledgment that legislation regulating procurement by organs of state is fragmented and constrains justified advancement of persons or categories of persons who could provide goods or services.

The Act establishes a single framework that regulates public procurement, including preferential procurement, by all organs of state and promotes the use of technology for efficiency and effectiveness.

The law seeks to enhance transparency and integrity, among others, to combat corruption, ensure efficient, effective and economic use of public resources and advance transformation and broadened economic participation.

The Act foresees that economic development will be stimulated through the procurement of goods that are produced and services that are provided in South Africa, as well as procurement that is developmental in nature.

The Public Procurement Act, which will be administered by the Minister of Finance, applies to departments, constitutional institutions, municipalities, municipal entities, and public entities.

There are also a limited number of clauses which apply to Parliament and provincial legislatures.

The Act applies to all procurement carried out by a procurement institution (including procurement through donor or grant funding), any person who submits a bid or has been awarded a bid; and all procurement carried out by any person on behalf of a procuring institution.

Among its wide-ranging provisions, the Act lists persons who may not submit bids including a public office bearer, employees of Parliament or provincial legislatures, and officials or employees of, among others, public entities, constitutional institutions, municipalities and municipal entities.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Presidency of the Republic of South Africa.