Strategies of the Commissions: The Commission of Trade and Investment A. Fostering trade, investment, economic growth and sustainable development Generating economic growth is central to the NEPAD’s goal of mobilizing resources for poverty reduction and development. A comprehensive effort is required to stimulate economic activity in all productive sectors while paying particular attention to sustainability and social costs and to the role of the private sector as the engine for economic growth. In this context, the particular importance of infrastructure has been emphasized by our African partners – including as a domain for public-private investment partnerships, and as a key component of regional integration and development. In order to achieve adequate growth rates, Africa must have broader access to markets. The launch of multilateral trade negotiations by World Trade Organization (WTO) members in Doha, which placed the needs and interests of developing countries at the heart of the negotiations, will help create a framework for the integration of African countries into the world trading system and the global economy, thus creating increased opportunities for trade-based growth. Africa Governments are committed to the Doha development agenda and to implementing fully the WTO work program, as well as to providing increased trade-related technical assistance to help African countries participate effectively in these negotiations. With these considerations in mind, we commit to: B. Helping Africa attract investment, both from within Africa and from abroad, and implement policies conducive to economic growth by: - Supporting African initiatives aimed at improving the investment climate, including sound economic policies and efforts to improve the security of goods and transactions, consolidate property rights, modernize customs, institute needed legal and judicial reforms, and help mitigate risks for investors; - Facilitating the financing of private investment through increased use of development finance institutions and export credit and risk-guarantee agencies and by strengthening equivalent institutions in Africa; - Supporting African initiatives aimed at fostering efficient and sustainable regional financial markets and domestic savings and financing structures, including micro-credit schemes – while giving particular attention to seeing that credit and business support services meet the needs of poor women and men; - Enhancing international cooperation to promote greater private investment and growth in Africa, including through public-private partnerships; and, - Supporting the efforts of African governments to obtain sovereign credit ratings and gain access to private capital markets, including on a regional basis. - Facilitating capacity-building and the transfer of expertise for the development of infrastructure projects, with particular attention to regional initiatives. C. Improving the quality of support for trade-related technical assistance and capacity-building in Africa by: - Supporting the establishment and expansion of trade-related technical assistance programmes in Africa; - Supporting the establishment of sub-regional market and trade information offices to support trade-related technical assistance and capacity-building in Africa; - Assisting regional organizations in their efforts to integrate trade policy into member country development plans; - Working to increase African participation in identifying WTO-related technical assistance needs, and providing technical assistance to African countries to implement international agreements, such as the WTO agreement; - Assisting African producers in meeting product and health standards in export markets; and, - Providing technical assistance to help African countries engage in international negotiations, and in standard-setting systems. <<<  back to "NC Commissions"