The Africa Industrialization Week 2024 Side Event in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia focused on the theme “Scaling Agro-Industrialization through the Common African Agro-Parks (CAAPs): Advancing Africa’s Green Industrialization Agenda.” The session was facilitated by Retouch Africa International Ltd and organized by the CAAPs Secretariat (FARA) in collaboration with Afreximbank and UNIDO.
Purpose of the Event
The side event spotlighted Common African Agro-Parks (CAAPs) as key drivers of sustainable growth, resilience, and green industrialization in Africa. In particular, discussions addressed the mobilization of green finance, governance models for sustainable agro-parks, and strategies for engaging African governments, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), and private sector partners.
Key Issues and Discussions
Delegates explored innovative financing tools such as climate bonds and carbon credits. Moreover, they emphasized the strategic importance of cross-sector collaboration to unlock long-term investment in agro-industrialization.
The vision of CAAPs includes developing agro-industrial parks powered by green technologies and infrastructure. As a result, these parks are expected to reduce food loss, tackle youth unemployment, and improve value chain efficiency across the continent.
Expert Contributions
The event featured a distinguished panel, including:
Dr. Janet Edeme (African Union)
Mr. Christian Ndikumagenge (Afreximbank)
Dr. Dejene Tezera (UNIDO)
Mrs. Providence Mavubi (COMESA)
Mr. Anselme Vodounhessi (CAAPs Secretariat)
Dr. Douglas Ouma of Retouch Africa Consulting (RAI) moderated the discussion, guiding the panelists through innovative solutions and policy directions.
Next Steps
Key action points identified during the session include the mobilization of resources, adoption of innovative financing strategies, and targeted partner convenings. One such convening will take place in Kampala, Uganda, in January 2025.
Moving Forward
The Africa Industrialization Week 2024 Side Event in Addis Ababa laid the groundwork for collective action toward a greener, more inclusive, and industrialized Africa. Going forward, CAAPs will serve as an important platform for accelerating Africa’s transformation through sustainable agro-industrialization.
