ADDIS ABABA, July 3 (Xinhua) -- The UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) on Wednesday urged African policymakers and businesses to tackle poverty and promote technological advancements by applying new technologies in the digital era.
"African policymakers and businesses need to reduce poverty and catch up with the rest of the world in line with African countries' need to adapt to and innovate within the new digital climate," the ECA said in a statement issued on Wednesday.
According to the ECA, although the fourth industrial revolution presents challenges for countries in Africa, it also "offers an opportunity for boosting competitiveness and industrial leapfrogging, which cannot be missed."
"The digital economy is transforming value chains, skills development, production and trade globally. Although the fourth industrial revolution may not yet be in immediate sight for Africa, these changes will have major implications for competitiveness and industrialization efforts across Africa," the ECA said.
The ECA also stressed that advancements in digital technology offer tools for African countries to leapfrog in traditional industries such as manufacturing, but also other sectors and activities that are crucial to industrial development such as logistics, agriculture, communications, services, green growth and smart cities.
"Without investments and capacity-building in these new technologies, however, many countries in Africa may fall further behind the technology frontier," the ECA said.
The ECA further argued that the fourth industrial revolution "must be responded to with new policies."
"Both national and continental level strategies for industrial development will need to adapt to the new digital reality in order to position countries in Africa to innovate and to catch up with the digital era in a manner that is consistent with the principle of leaving no one behind," the ECA said.
According to the ECA, positioning countries will require the development of comprehensive digital industrialization strategies, investments in digital infrastructure and skills, innovation and technology transfer initiatives, and appropriate regulatory frameworks for the digital economy.
It also stressed that the imminent African Continental Free Trade Agreement "offers a platform for African governments to establish institutional arrangements for cooperation on the digital economy, and provisions to support digital capacities and industrialization and connect African businesses."
Noting the crucial importance of the African free trade pact, the ECA also disclosed that it is working in partnership with the African Union (AU) in promoting the establishment of a common African technical standard for digital identification platforms so that the benefits of the digital economy are accessible in different African countries and regions.
The ECA made the call ahead of the upcoming meeting of African ministers of finance, planning and economic development, who are set to meet in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa next month on the future of Africa's industrialization and digital economy.
The high-level continental meeting among African ministers of finance, planning and economic development, slated from March 18 to 24, will be held under the theme "The future of Africa: Industrialization in the Digital Era," the ECA revealed.
The ministerial meeting, among other issues, "recognizes the continent's desire to industrialize and create jobs for the millions of its populace, in particular the youth," the statement read.
The ministers are also expected to discuss on how African policymakers can position themselves to effectively assess both the opportunities and challenges that the digital economy presents, to enable nations to industrialize and prosper in the digital era, it was noted.
"The meeting will help raise awareness among African ministers of the need to ensure that digitalization strategies are integrated into policy and planning frameworks for industrialization," the ECA said.
