Marrakech, November 19, 2021 (ECA) - The ECA Office in North Africa will hold on 24-25 November 2021 an expert group meeting under the theme: “Unlocking the Potential of Regional Value Chains in North Africa: Focus on the Pharmaceutical and Digital Finance Sectors.”
Over the last two years, the COVID-19 pandemic has devastated global health systems and disrupted global value chains (70% of international trade) as well as North Africa's connection to them. At the same time, the pandemic brought about new opportunities and accelerated several megatrends, such as digitalization including the rise of e-commerce.
This crisis has revealed the strategic dimension of pharmaceutical industries, financial services and digital finance for the protection of populations and the acceleration of the post COVID-19 economic recovery.
North Africa is well placed to seize opportunities for structural transformation offered by the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement. It is home to some best special economic zones globally and characterized by structural factors that are favorable to synergies and integration in sectors such as pharmaceutical industries, digital finance, agri-food industries, fisheries, energy and chemicals industries, manufacturing industries and electrical component production.
North Africa's ability to bring into play its economic complementarities by strengthening regional value chains can play a decisive role in its ability to navigate the post COVID-19 economic environment, facilitate commercial partner diversification, and increase trade with the rest of Africa.
The expert group meeting on “Unlocking the Potential of Regional Value Chains in North Africa” will take place in a hybrid format. This event will provide an opportunity to assess existing opportunities for the setting up of North African value chains in the pharmaceutical industry and digital finance sectors, analyze their potential for development, map out value chain opportunities in both sectors, and develop a joint action framework to facilitate their realization.
This work will be consolidated with by the publication of a report for the benefit of national administrations in North African countries (Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Sudan and Tunisia), private sector representatives, the Arab Maghreb Union General Secretariat, the Maghreb Union of Employers as well as external partners working on the themes of regional integration and trade.
Event: "Unlocking the potential of Regional Value Chains in North Africa: Focus on the pharmaceutical sectors and digital finance".
Date: November 24-25, 2021
Location: Online, and face-to-face (Marrakech, Morocco). Journalists wishing to take part in this online meeting are kindly requested to register here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_bxVteKEHTemo6aoPhtc6Cg
Working languages: Interpreting will be provided in French, English and Arabic.
Please send an email to: filali-ansary@un.org or a WhatsApp message to +212 (0) 673 734 462 if you would like to request an interview with an ECA expert or confirm your in-person participation.