The Africa Commission

Commission on Effective Development Cooperation with Africa

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?”

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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

Focus

Youth and Employment

Education

Women’s economic empowerment

Climate change

Economic Growth

Youth and Employment in Africa

Country Year %

Botswana 2001 39.7

Ethiopia 2004 35,0

Ghana 2000 15.9

Lesotho 1997 47.4

Mauritius 2004 24.9

Namibia 2001 44.8

South Africa 2003 60.1

St. Helena 1998 23.8

Swaziland 1997 55.2

Zambia 1990 20.9

Zimbabwe 1999 14,0

Algeria 2004 43.4

Egypt 2002 27.1

Morocco 2003 17,0Source: ILO (2006) Global employment trends for youth, Geneva.

190 million Africans are between 15 and 24 years.

There is a need for 10-15 million new jobs in Africa every year

Youth (15-24 yrs) unemployment

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 Climate Change: Nairobi, 18 SeptemberCreating Economic Growth in Africa: Kampala, 30 October

A report with recommendations

Mr. Anders Fogh Rasmussen(Denmark), Prime Minister

Mr. Koen Vervaeke(Belgium), EU Special Representative and Head of the EC Delegation to the AU

Mr. Jean Ping(Gabon), Chairperson of the Commissionof the African Union

Dr. Asha-Rose Migiro(Tanzania), Deputy Secretary-General ofthe United Nations

Ms. Ellen Margrethe Løj (Denmark). Special Representative for the UN Secretary General to Liberia

Dr. Mo Ibrahim(Sudan), Chairman of Celtel and memberof the Board of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation

Ms. Luísa Dias Diogo(Mozambique), Prime minister of the Republic of Mozambique

Mr. Robert Calderisi(Canada), Economic consultant and writer

Dr. Christian Friis Bach(Denmark), International Director,DanChurchAid

Ms. Ulla Tørnæs(Denmark), Minister for Development Cooperation

Dr. Greg Mills(South Africa), Director of the BrenthurstFoundation

Ms. Betty Maina(Kenya). Executive Director of the KenyaAssociation of Manufacturers.

President Jakaya Kikwete(Tanzania), President of the United Republic of Tanzania

Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala(Nigeria), Managing Director of the World Bank

Dr. Donald Kaberuka(Rwanda), President of the African Development Bank

Dr. Lauritz Holm-Nielsen(Denmark), Rector of the University of Aarhus

Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas (Ghana), President of ECOWAS

Mr. Klaus Aagaard Bustrup (Denmark), Chairman of the Danish Board for International Development Cooperation

Members

Civil society input

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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Source: World Bank (2008) Doing Business, Country Profils, http://www.doingbusiness.org/

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