Pretoria, 23/05/11. On the eve of Africa Day, the NEPAD Agency in collaboration with South Africa’s Department of International Relations Cooperation (DIRCO) participated in a discussion forum on ‘Africa’s Economic Emergence’.  

Speaking on behalf of the NEPAD Agency, Prof. Richard Mkandawire (second from the right in the above photo) who heads the Partnerships, Resource Mobilisation and Communications Directorate at the Agency revealed that news of Africa’s sustained economic growth is spreading despite residual concerns about the challenges of security, poverty and disease.

The discussants who included Cheryl Carolus, the Chairwoman of the SAA board (extreme left in the above photo) unpacked the 2010 McKinsey Report which attributed Africa’s economic expansion to rising commodity prices, greater political stability aided by a reduction in violent conflicts, improved macroeconomic performance and market-friendly economic reforms.

The discussions attempted to place the debates on Africa’s economic emergence in the context of economic diplomacy as a cornerstone of South Africa’s foreign policy with a particular focus on Africa. Some recommendations were then also made to DIRCO in areas such as regional integration, infrastructure development, assisting South African business to maximise African opportunities for the mutual benefit of African partnersships, as well as how South Africa can leverage its membership of BRICS as a gateway for trade and investment in Africa.

The audience included the diplomatic corps, academia, students, members of the private sector and representatives from Government.