ADDIS ABABA, Nov. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Executive Director of International Trade Center (ITC), Arancha Gonzalez, has hailed foreign investments in Africa, including by Chinese companies in manufacturing and value additions which has contributed to the economic growth and prosperity on the continent.
Indicating that millions of young people enter the labor market every year, the Executive Director said a lot remains to be done on the continent, by creating conducive business environment to lure investments that help African countries develop its economy, thereby creating and absorbing more jobs on the continent.
Gonzalez made the remarks at the official opening of the Africa Industrialization Week (AIW) being held at the headquarters of the African Union (AU) in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa from 18 to 22 Nov. under the theme, "Positioning African Industry to Supply the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Market."
She said local and foreign investments including from China in manufacturing and value additions are contributing to making "the continent that we want. There are examples of big companies, examples of small and medium enterprises; there are examples of valued added that has been created in Africa for the jobs that have been generated."
Speaking exclusively to Xinhua, the Executive Director said China is an important trade and investment partner for Africa, with its investment in infrastructure and manufacturing among others.
Africa is pushing its economic integration, which is creating opportunities for the Chinese investors that may be engaged in different sectors in the continent, she said.
"China has focused on a lot of its efforts in investing in the continent; the first way of investment was very focused on infrastructure and now it is moving more into light manufacturing, agro-processing. At the origin, it was more investment by big Chinese state companies, now with more private companies that are moving into Africa because they see in this continent a future promise," she said.
"Of course, this continent is integrating economically, it is moving towards creating a single economic space with the Africa continental free trade agreement, and this is a good news for Chinese investors in that they have in this large continent much greater ability to leverage their investment and their trade," she added.
In her remarks at the opening of the AIW 2019, investing in the digital economy is one of the areas that African countries should focus on for economic growth and prosperity on the continent.
" In this continent the level of connectivity is still very low; so, the first part of investment has to be making sure, citizens, businesses are connected, brought by connectivity. The second part has to do with fostering digital entrepreneurship, making sure that there is an ability for the young startups in this continent to thrive in the digital economy," she said.
"Big opportunity for the Chinese investors in these two spaces; big digital infrastructure but also the digital entrepreneurship," Gonzalez has noted.
The ITC is working to connect Chinese investors, mid-size companies in the Chinese market that are interested to come to the African continent, especially four countries, Ethiopia is an important one; Kenya, Mozambique and Zambia is part of an initiative, partnership for investment and growth in Africa that is financed by the United Kingdom, and seeks to work with China and ITC to bring Chinese investors into the continent, she said.
She has also noted that China's growing engagement and interest in Africa's existing and emerging potential areas driving the continent's industrialization.
