UNIDO official says African nations should harness innovations to accelerate industrial growth


(MENAFN) African nations should harness innovations and emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), to accelerate industrial growth and address key challenges like poverty, unemployment, and inequality, according to a United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) official. On Tuesday, Tally Einav, UNIDO’s representative to Kenya, Eritrea, South Sudan, Seychelles, and Comoros, emphasized the need for African countries to embrace local innovations, foster knowledge exchange, and invest in skills development to sustain their industrialization journey.

Speaking at a pre-event forum for the upcoming African Industrialization Week, scheduled to take place in Kampala, Uganda, from November 25 to 29, Einav noted that Africa stands at the brink of significant industrial progress. This anticipated growth promises to increase prosperity across the continent, boost the competitiveness of domestically manufactured goods, and create employment opportunities for millions.

Industrialization, Einav stressed, is essential for addressing Africa’s social and economic challenges, including issues of poverty, joblessness, and social inequality. She highlighted that sustainable industrialization should be central to Africa’s strategies for achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and fulfilling the long-term objectives of the African Union’s Agenda 2063, which envisions an integrated, prosperous, and peaceful Africa by 2063.

This year’s Africa Industrialization Week will be themed “Leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Green Industrialization to Accelerate Africa's Structural Transformation.” Einav mentioned that multilateral organizations have thrown their support behind Africa’s industrialization goals, which focus on enhancing value addition, boosting exports, and strengthening supply chains—crucial steps for a thriving and self-sufficient continent.

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