United Nations
Office for South-South Cooperation
Message of Dima Al-Khatib
Director of the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation
8th Africa Business Forum: From Potential to Prosperity
Activating Africa’s Regional Value Chains
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
17 February 2025
H.E Dr. Monique Nsanzabaganwa, Deputy Chairperson, African Union Commission;
H.E. Albert Muchanga, Commissioner for Economic Development, Tourism, Trade, Industry and Mining, African Union Commission;
Mr. Claver Gatete, Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary, Economic Commission for Africa;
Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General, World Trade Organization (WTO); Excellencies,
Distinguished Delegates;
Ladies, and gentlemen;
At the outset, allow me to thank the UN Economic Commission for Africa for inviting the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation to the 8th Africa Business Forum.
With a combined GDP of more than $2 trillion, expected growth of more than 3.5% in 2025, and an opportunity to shape the global agenda through South Africa’s G-20 presidency, Africa has unprecedented opportunities for development.
However, with only five years to Agenda 2030, only 17 percent of the SDGs are on track with Africa’s SDG progress being less than 10 percent.
This is despite progress in some SDGs like SDG 6, where Northern and Southern African regions have reached the global averages.
This denotes the need for accelerated, intensified and collaborative efforts.
More than half of the Sustainable Development Goals relate to the areas of focus today: agro-industrial, livestock, and pharmaceutical regional value chains. This includes Goals 1 and 2 which have been flagged as needing intensified efforts in Africa, and SDG 13 on climate action which also requires urgent action to reverse current negative trends on the continent.
This vital Forum, bringing together representatives from the Governments, private sector, development partners, financial institutions and civil societies from across the continent to explore solutions in agro-industrial, livestock, and pharmaceutical regional value chains, therefore, comes at a pivotal time.
Despite current challenges, ongoing regional integration efforts under the African ConJnental Free Trade Area are contributing to Africa’s positive economic outlook – and the expected growth of more than 3.5% in 2025.
In the spirit of solidarity, collaboration and shared purpose among developing nations, South-South cooperation stands as a powerful development cooperation modality and catalyst for progress for Africa and the rest of the Global South.
African countries are increasingly engaging in South-South partnerships with UN support.
UNDP, for example, reported 54 country-to-country exchanges and 64 regional and interregional collaboration related to South-South and triangular cooperation in Africa in 2023.
FAO is also supporting a highly successful Uganda-China South-South cooperation project to enhance agro-industrial development in Uganda.
To dive deeper, Africa's low participation in global and regional value chains — where only 14% of exports are value-added and 88% of inputs are imported — presents a compelling opportunity to leverage South-South cooperation tools and resources to transform these dynamics.
Through Intra-African and cross-regional South-South cooperation, within the African ConJnental Free Trade Area framework, countries can effectively foster regional production networks and leverage comparative advantages.
The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation, within its mandate of promoting South-South cooperation – and in support of African Member States – works closely with regional commissions, including UNECA, United Nations Development Coordination Offices, Resident Coordinators, the UN Secretary-General's Office of the Special Adviser on Africa, and the African Union Commission and its agencies, to enhance awareness and increase capacity to harness South-South cooperation.
Our South-South Galaxy platform, featuring over 960 Global South solutions (450 involving countries in Africa), exemplifies these efforts, providing access to valuable resources. For example, the Islamic Development Bank’s publication on enhancing value chains for smallholder farmers is featured on Galaxy.
Additionally, catalytic funding from South-South and triangular cooperation trust funds managed by UNOSSC is helping turn national priorities into reality.
About 37 percent of all the Trust Funds’ allocations have been towards support for African countries.
For example, through the IBSA Fund – supported by India, Brazil and South Africa – a $1.7 million IFAD project is boosting rural soya production in Zambia.
Similarly, the UNOSSC-WFP China Africa Rice Value Chain Development pilot initiative has strengthened the local rice value chain in West African countries through mutual learning and technology transfer for post-harvest loss management.
Cross-regional exchanges offer further avenues for growth.
As an example, ASEAN+3’s experiences (involving ASEAN, China, Japan, and South Korea) on strengthening regional value chains through strong private-sector engagement can be leveraged by African countries through cross-regional South-South cooperation for enhanced private-sector engagement in these efforts.
UNOSSC remains steadfast in its commitment to supporting Africa’s regional value chain development efforts within the African Continental Free Trade Area framework.
We will continue facilitating partnerships, building capacities, and working with Member States, Regional Economic Commissions and other stakeholders to harness the full potential of South-South and triangular cooperation.
Together, we can forge pathways to a more resilient, inclusive, and prosperous Africa. Thank you.
(END)