The Africa Commission Commission on Effective Development Cooperation with Africa

1. The Africa CommissionCommission on Effective Development Cooperation with Africa

2. Vocational Training • From 1990-2001 Denmark used 1,3 billion DKK on Vocational Training in 23 different countries • Negative: Not poverty oriented, use of Danish experts, not focused enough on need and possibilities • Positive: In some countries improved options substantially, strengthened industrial development • Same strategies led to very different results In 1798 the Danish Society for the Education of Young Craftsmen annonced a price equal to 100 Rigsdalere (DKK) for the best answer to the question: ”How can a theoretical and practical institute for young craftsmen be established so that it at the least cost has the largest possible utility?” } • Demand driven – analysis-based. • Poverty oriented – gender aspects • Reforms instead of specific institutions • Involve NGOs and the private sector Source: Danida (2002): Evaluation of Danish Support to Vocational Education and training

3. Focus • Youth and Employment • Education • Women’s economic empowerment • Climate change • Economic Growth

4. Youth and Employment in Africa Youth (15-24 yrs) unemployment • 190 million Africans are between 15 and 24 years. • There is a need for 10-15 million new jobs in Africa every year Source: ILO (2006) Global employment trends for youth, Geneva.

5. Organisation • 18 Commissioners • Three meetings of the Commission Copenhagen 16/4 2008Addis Ababa 20/11 2008 Copenhagen 7/5 2009 • Thematic conferences in Africa with representatives from civil society, private sector, trade unions and universities:The Educational Challenge in Africa: Ouagadougou, 16 JuneWomen and Employment in Africa: Maputo, 15 AugustThe African Youth and Employment: Accra, 5 SeptemberThe Challenge of ClimateChange: Nairobi, 18 SeptemberCreating Economic Growth in Africa: Kampala, 30 October • A report with recommendations

6. Members

7. Civil society input

8. Access to investment finance for small and medium sized enterprises (SME’s) • Introduce new ways of promoting access to longer-term finance, including risk capital and loan capital, for investments of SME, including in agriculture, by further developing African financial markets. • Develop new financial products, financial institutions, and facilitate advisory services to SMEs. It will for instance support investments in Information and Communications Technologies (ICT).

9. The value chain approach to private sector development • Bring public and private stakeholders, including labour market organisations, together at different levels to identify and agree overall actions for private sector led growth and job creation. • Support analysis of bottlenecks in high potential industries and value chains and establish costs and benefits in addressing these constraints. • Support to deliver public goods, including infrastructure, vocational training and education, trade facilitation such as effective customs procedures, research, certification of goods for export and advisory services to businesses. • Focus on agro-based businesses and initiatives aimed at promoting trade, including south-south trade.

10. Promote post-primary education and research. • Explore possibilities for expanding vocational and technical training and education through a fast track, which could provide financial support to country programs. The feasibility of using a regional approach will be further investigated. • Develop capacities of universities in prioritized areas (science, agriculture, ICT, business, engineering etc.). It would support upgrading of undergraduate and graduate studies and research based on private sector demand.

11. Promotion of initiatives which supports young entrepreneurs. • Support young female and male entrepreneurs, including in agriculture, who have promising ideas for business. • Facilitation of access to basic infrastructure, risk capital and mentoring in public private partnerships, e.g. establishment of incubators.

12. Provide access to sustainable energy • Help Africa leap frog in energy solutions by facilitating advocacy for effective energy market regulations, e.g. to make it easier for small and medium size energy suppliers, especially in rural areas to operate. • Look into how to innovate climate friendly and competitive energy solutions (sun, wind, water, geothermal, bio-fuel) and foster Africa-based production of climate friendly energy solutions, based on existing technologies, easier access to technology transfer, and African best-practice examples.

13. Create benchmarks for African competitiveness • Assess the feasibility of promoting and developing a global competitiveness index to benchmark African countries • Spur debate and action on concrete measures that African countries should take to ensure private sector-led growth. Source: World Bank (2008) Doing Business, Country Profils, http://www.doingbusiness.org/

14. Will the Africa Commission make a difference? • A very strong commission with a number of very distinguished Africans and members from a number of key international institutions • Strong ownership – more than 500 people have participated – many more will • Very concrete recommendations – will be followed up by action plans for implementation • A political commitment from Denmark • …….because of your input and engagement