Bilan AfroChampions 2020, une année décisive

AFRICA NEWS AGENCY

AfroChampions Review 2020, A DECISIVE YEAR

AfCFTA Trillion Dollar Framework Session, Accra - Photo credit AfroChampions Initiative -RR

As part of its advocacy mission between the private sector and pan-African institutions, the AfroChampions Initiative, which has been committed to the implementation of the AfCFTA since the beginning of the process, has launched a series of projects to strengthen the continent’s resilience in the context of the economic crisis following the COVID-19 pandemic.

February 2020 African Union Heads of State formally support the $1 trillion AfCFTA Investment Framework

Le cadre d’investissement de 1000 mThe $1 trillion investment framework in support of the AfCFTA was developed by the AfroChampions Initiative, in collaboration with the African Union’s Department of Trade and Industry, and based on strategic brainstorming sessions with project developers, fi nancial institutions, including banks, pension funds, and sovereign wealth funds, and public authorities from across the continent. The objective is to support the deployment of high-impact projects, particularly in infrastructure and industry, so that the African common market can soon become a reality. Energy, transport, connectivity and agriculture are among the priorities identifi ed. The method: a rigorous project selection and monitoring process, combined with an investment vehicle that brings together African and foreign investors and a mechanism for monitoring public policies to implement the AfCFTA, are essential to creating a good investment climate on the continent. In February 2020, the Trillion Dollar Investment Framework received the offi cial support and endorsement of the African Union Heads of State.

May 2020 – Offi cial call to keep the AfCFTA on track

In an open letter to the continent’s political leaders released in May 2020, representatives of the African business community explain why a complete postponement of AfCFTA due to the COVID pandemic would be a mistake and how some aspects can be rescheduled. Africa needs AfCFTA both to defeat COVID-19 and to accelerate post-COVID economic recovery - that was the core message of this call, issued by the AfroChampions Initiative. “ AfCFTA Zero Year Report ”

This report is a fi rst in that it provides an assessment of African governments’ readiness for and engagement in the AfCFTA trade process, in the specifi c context of COVID-19

This assessment, which was conducted prior to the emergence of COVID-19, showed that, despite the euphoria, African governments’ level of readiness for and commitment to the implementation of the AfCFTA is surprisingly below 50 percent. Yet the AfCFTA can be one of the weapons for defeating COVID-19 and accelerating post-COVID economic recovery.

May 2020 - The AfroChampions ranking aimed to answer two questions:

• Which countries are most engaged in the AfCFTA implementation process?

• Which countries are best prepared for implementation in terms of trade infrastructure, customs effi ciency, and access to credit?

The most engaged country in the AfCFTA implementation process is Rwanda, which scores 83.93% on the engagement scale, and the least engaged country is Eritrea, with a score of 0.85%.

The most prepared country is South Africa, with a score of 68% on the implementation readiness scale. South Sudan has the lowest readiness score. The continent’s overall average level of commitment to AfCFTA is 44.48%; and its overall level of implementation readiness is 49.15%.

Some of the most committed countries (such as Ghana, Mali, Togo, and Uganda) are not necessarily the most prepared in terms of trade infrastructure, customs effi ciency, and access to credit for industry. Conversely, some of the less committed countries (such as Botswana, Namibia, and Tanzania) have done very well in terms of implementation readiness.

The AfCFTA Year Zero benchmarking process is intended to be repeated annually and is the policy monitoring component of the AfroChampions Initiative’s $1 trillion investment framework.

Note on indicators used:

Commitment to the free trade agreement/treaty (signing and ratifi cation of AfCFTA and publicly available national AfCFTA implementation strategy).

Commitment to free movement (signing and ratifying the protocol on free movement of people and opening the country’s visas)

Readiness for trade facilitation (quality of trade - infrastructure and customs effi ciency).

Access to credit (ease of access to credit and cost of credit).

May-December 2020 – African Union’s COVID-19 Response Fund

The African Union and the African Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) have launched a COVID-19 response fund to raise more than $150 million to support the continental response and purchase needed medical supplies. The AfroChampions Initiative is an offi cial partner in this project and is supporting private sector advocacy efforts on this issue.

Funds are being provided by a coalition of African banks, including Ecobank, Standard Bank, and Equity Bank, several private equity fi rms, and healthcare companies.

To date, $70 million have been raised.

July 2020 - Nefertiti: promoting creativity made in Africa

Launched on the ‘Boma of Africa’ virtual festival in July 2020 to celebrate the fi rst ever African Integration Day, the Nefertiti Prize encourages African creativity.

Designers and artists were invited to participate in a competition to explore and celebrate Africa’s journey into the future, through a wide range of artistic mediums. Entries explored themes such as unity, science, the future and globalization.

In a virtual ceremony held at the Boma of Africa, H.E. Olusegun Obasanjo, Patron of the AfroChampions Initiative, presented the $50,000 Nefertiti Prize for African Creativity to Vincent Kolo of Nigeria for his compelling and exciting work on «The Cords of Yesterday». The winning work asked the illuminating question of what binds us to the internal and external forces that restrict our march toward progress. Beyond the awarding of the prize, the program will continue through the establishment of a platform to promote and encourage the creative potential of the continent.

August 2020 - AVRIVA - African Virtual Resilient-Integration for a Vibrant Africa

As a public-private partnership between the African Union Commission and more than 24 leading African multinational companies and panAfrican institutions operating under the umbrella of the AfroChampions initiative, the AVRIVA program aims to use technology to further the AfCFTA process.

This includes the creation of a pan-African platform that allows citizens of African countries to travel across borders, combining technologies from Koldchain BioCordon, the DABBIT protocol project and its

reference archetype, PanaBIOS), as well as the digitization of the biosurveillance and bioscreening protocols of the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

Focus AfroChampions :

TO PROMOTE THE EMERGENCE OF AFRICAN ECONOMIC CHAMPIONS

The AfroChampions Initiative is a publicprivate partnership designed to galvanize African resources and institutions to drive Africa’s economic integration - notably through the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). As a consequence, we support the emergence and success of African economic champions, which have a critical role in integrating African markets and accelerating the transformation of the continent and its global competitiveness.

The AfroChampions Initiative is based in Accra, Ghana, as a non-profi t organization, the AfroChampions Organization. Under the high patronage of H.E. Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, H.E. Thabo Mbeki, Former President of the Republic of South Africa, H.E. Hailemariam Dessalegn, Former Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, and Mr. Gervais Djondo, Founder of Ecobank and Asky Airlines, it works with various partners - companies, fi nancing institutions, governments - in Africa and beyond. Four priorities have been defi ned:

• Sensitization - To contribute to the elaboration of public policies in favor of African integration and inclusive development.

• Mobilization of African champions - To create networks and partnerships of African champions from the private and public sectors to collaborate on projects and initiatives to transform Africa.

• Investment facilitation - To encourage investment in game-changing projects on the continent that accelerate integration and transformation, particularly on industrial and infrastructure deployment issues.

• Emergence of future champions - To build and promote the next generation of African institutions, innovative minds, and leaders.