(Lire la version française) Observations and contribution of the Mandela Institute “The crisis is not just about health. It is economic and social, especially for the weakest among us. We will see if our societies are still capable of solidarity. Economic globalization exists, just like that of communication. We have not yet started that of […]
Asia
Les flux financiers Illicites et l’Afrique
INVITÉ BBC AFRIQUE du Lundi 17 juin 2013, Journal du soir Journal de l’économie Mariama Thiam, Journaliste BBC Afrique Dakar, Sénégal : mariamathiam79@yahoo.fr Interviewé : Dr Yves Ekoué AMAÏZO, Directeur Afrocentricity Think Tank, Groupe de réflexion et d’influence : yeamaizo@afrocentricity.info Thème : Les flux financiers Illicites et l’Afrique 1. MT : Peut-on estimer les montants illicites en circulation dans le monde et […]
Africa’s Alternative Response to the Global Financial Crisis
The Coalition for Dialogue on Africa (CoDA) offers an alternative perspective on the responses to the consequences of the 2008 financial crisis in Africa. The paradigm of economic and financial dependency can no longer adequately explain the complexity of a systemic crisis facing African Nations. The under-mentioned prerequisites must be met: break with the palliative economy, reject the conception of Africa as the variable adjustment for post-industrial economies, be ever alert to the trap embedded in the “poverty reduction” concept which is by no means synonymous with shared wealth creation, neutralize straight-jacket solutions considered as “universal solutions”, etc.
CRISE FINANCIERE : ALTERNATIVES FINANCIERES AFRICAINES
Absente comme continent à Bretton Woods I, l’Afrique est en train d’être marginalisée de Bretton Woods II qui se propose de refonder le libéralisme économique. Le dogme néo-libéral fondé sur la non-intervention de l’Etat comme régulateur s’est effondré et un capitalisme d’Etat sélectif, reposant toujours sur l’impunité d’acteurs éthiques, a pris le relais….
UNION MONETAIRE ET CONVERGENCE
Le faible niveau des échanges intrarégionaux africains, les frais de transactions bancaires non compétitifs et la petite corruption sur les axes de communication font, entre autres, augmenter l’écart entre les déclarations et les actes des autorités politiques et monétaires africaines. Les monnaies nationales africaines, fragmentées dans des espaces monétaires parcellaires, deviennent des contraintes à la libre circulation des biens, des services, des hommes et du capital.
Is ACP economic sovereignty just “virtual reality”?
The OECD-led proposal for a Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI) has run into difficulties because of disagreements among some of the key negotiating parties. The author of this article, who is responsible for special programmes at the Vienna-based United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), offers a sharp critique of the proposals (in their present form) from a developing country perspective.
OMC : Solidarité par défaut ou accalmie trompeuse
Après les échecs éprouvants de l’OMC à Seattle et à Cancun[1], la stratégie du “no surprise” de Pascal Lamy semble avoir payé. Adopté en novembre 2001 à Doha au Qatar lors de la 4e conférence ministérielle de l’Organisation mondiale pour le Commerce (OMC), le programme de Doha, qui comporte 21 dossiers visant à éliminer les obstacles au commerce.
COMMISSION FOR AFRICA : Produce now, Pay later : Towards a real Marshall Plan for Africa
While attending the launching of the report of the Commission for Africa (CfA) titled “our common interest” in the impressive building of the British Museum in London on the 11th March 2005, I felt that something historical is taking place here with Tony Blair and Gordon Brown in the driving seats. One should be clear. The report is on Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). North Africa is not eligible.
Global Value Chains and Production Networks : Promoting Capability formation in South Africa
This paper is an attempt to “operationalize” suggested UNIDO policy instruments to benchmark countries’ competitive industrial performance, taking South Africa as an example. It draws from the experience of the African Productive Capacity Initiative adopted by the African Ministers of Industry. The Initiative would become the national pillars of the respective sub-regional and national programmes in Africa on productive capacity and should help to identify the comparative advantages of regions, countries, products in Africa, using the global and local value chains approach as well as South-South Cooperation. Competition, innovation and productivity growth should take into consideration objectives such as the reduction of poverty contained in the Millennium Development Goals and social cohesion.
The poor’s fragmented network : Setting up a decentralised cohesion fund
The fragmentation of communication infrastructures in Africa – for example the railways – has left the continent with a largely incomplete network of interconnections. This makes it virtually impossible to achieve the objective of space integration. Fragmented networks were implemented as means to control trade and ensure the export of raw materials leading to today’s extraverted economy. This intangible communication infrastructure needs to be properly interlinked, especially in rural areas, but has never really received adequate funding.