UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT

Trade and Development Board
Seventieth session

 (19 – 28 June 2023)

EU statement (check against delivery)

Agenda Item 6: Activities undertaken by UNCTAD in support of Africa

Dear President, Secretary General, Excellencies, distinguished Delegates,

On behalf of the European Union and its Member States, I would like to thank the Secretariat for this year’s report on UNCTAD’s broad range of activities in support of Africa. We note with appreciation UNCTAD’s multi-faceted work consisting of research, policy analysis and recommendation, intergovernmental consensus-building and technical assistance, across a wide variety of topics pertaining to UNCTAD’s mandate.

The continuous demand for UNCTAD activities by the African countries, as well as evaluations of the several UNCTAD operations the Team Europe finances in Africa, incites us with confidence regarding the value of these activities. In this sense, we will be eagerly listening to the feedback expressed today by our African partner countries.

Linked to the Agenda Item 7 of this Board session, namely on the Productive Capacities Index, we would be interested to hear how these different activities are complementary and coherent with gaps that might have been identified through the PCI. Such a strategic approach can surely benefit national development plans of African countries.

Similarly to last year, we note that the share of UNCTAD’s expenditure on projects in support of Africa continues to fall, now standing at below a third of the total project expenditure. Given the level of needs in Africa, we are somewhat preoccupied with this continued trend observed since 2017 and would encourage the secretariat to address it.

Europe and Africa are bound together by a strong partnership of equals, renewed at the 6^th EU-AU Summit last year. As the largest donor, as well as the biggest trading and investment partner for many African countries, the EU and its Member States are a major supporter of the African countries, be it institutionally, policy wise, or in terms of trade and investment.

Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) between the EU and countries in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific are our joint tools to strengthen competitiveness, expand industrialisation, improve export performance and enhance the investment climate. As a very recent example, the EU-Kenya EPA that was formally concluded just this week, is one of the most ambitious deals the EU has concluded with an African country in terms of environment, climate protection, labour rights and gender equality.

The Team Europe Global Gateway Investment Package for Africa, aims to mobilise at least EUR 150 billion in investments, boosting the green and digital transitions, as well as strengthening human capital. With the overall objective to increase Africa’s resilience and strategic autonomy, in line with Africa’s Agenda 2063 and contribute to SDGs.

Our Global Gateway package is already delivering on various fronts in many African countries, be it on promoting digital transformation by investing in regional fibre optic connectivity, facilitating green transition by leveraging investments in sustainable energy production and smart grids, building resilience by making vaccines production in Africa a reality, and accelerating works along the 11 Africa’s strategic corridors to untap the potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area.

Africa is our neighbour and close partner. And we count on UNCTAD to support our shared 2030 Agenda efforts in African countries.  

Thank you.