La priorité des autorités devrait concerné la lutte contre la pauvreté et l'instauration d'un programme de développement durable et équitable.
Le printemps arabe ne fait que confirmé ce fait. Il est opportun de se tourner vers la microfinance comme un des moyen de réalisations de cet objectif, il faut revoir les législations s'y référant et adopter une stratégie incitative

Dereje Kefayalew has indeed touched upon the critical chord of human development and capital formation towards poverty reduction. The role of youth and women can never be overstated and bears repetition ad infinitum. Is this indictment coming out from the hard kernel of self-interest demonstrated by the high decibel promises of the Ethiopia Commodity Exchange (ECX) or the escalating ‘land grab” incidents? It is now an open secret that such local capture at the agent level and collusions and connivance at the top principle level not only created wide fissures within the decision making system but seriously jeopardized livelihood security options available to the poor people. In the final analysis it should be clearly stated that Ethiopia or any other African economy cannot leapfrog into high growth trajectory by increasing vulnerabilities of the poor and usurping their livelihood security options.

The human development and capital issue for Africa is of pivotal factor in its endevour to poverty reduction and rectifying development deterents like climate change. Not only the skill and knowledge componenet of human capital and development should be flared decisive but the inherent belief and committment to reverse situations, the ability to see deep into the cytall ball and punching tendencies of corrput short cuts amongst others need to be underscored. Where not trivial part of the world is turmnoiled of economic and political crisis, Africa won't be immune of that unless responsible organs: governments at large, the private sector and the public do something crucial. The youth from schools to streets, from farm lands to city corners, all africans women, employed , unemployed need to see glimmer of hope what politicians do rather than promise and talk.

Green growth and structural transformation must necessarily be based on the firm foundation of sustained improvements in the livelihood security options. Given the backdrop, agriculture must top the agenda. Here three elements are critical, namely, technology, human resources and financing. If Africa follows a CAP-centric or new deal a la US farm bill models the deterioration and regression is an assured outcome. Take any development model of the recent past or even older, for instance, EBA, un-sustainability and increased vulnerabilities could not be avoided. Hence the transformation trajectories must be selected after an exhaustive analytical exercise and due diligence suiting the African nations felt needs rather meeting some commercial norms of the donor or international development financing institutions. Indeed the new and emerging economies with their tailor made offerings have enhanced choices for critical strategic economic management of the transformation process.

So many meetings are done about climate change, irradiation of hunger and poverty and many more, African people need now, leaders who are objectives in solving their containers of problems. What will come out of this big meeting again? We wait... and for how many years again?

From the decade of independence to-date, development strategies in Africa have swang from one extreme to the other about the role of the state in development. From the 'big state to the small state'.

The fact that the state has remained part of the debate underlies its importance. Public Sector/Service Reforms in Africa needs to be given a careful examination. Piece-meal sectoral reforms in search of 'quick-wins' is not sustainable.

The state/ the government machinery needs to be looked at in totality- tinkering or patch work will not work. Development must and needs to be driven by an efficient and effective government, and issues such as 'inefficiency, rampant corruption, lack-of capacity, nepotism just to mention a few should not be used a reasons to 'side-step' the public sector- or reasons for looking for other sectors where we can get - 'easy- "demonstrable, quantifiable results' those same reasons should in fact inspire more work and attension in the public sector.

The private sector, may not have the capacity and authority to act in manner public sector is expected to act in steering development-

I therefore strongly think- that despite many disappointments with public sector reforms, it still holds the key for growth in Africa.

Nous sommes maintenant à la sixième édition de la conférence. Dans les éditions précédentes, nous avons déjà évoqué plusieurs solutions aux problèmes économiques de l'Afrique, que ce soit dans le domaine de la croissance, la pauvreté, le financement du développement, ....
A mon avis, l'heure est maintenant à la mise en œuvre que de perdre le peu de temps qui nous reste avant dans le cadre de l'atteinte des OMD fixé en 2015.

Pour cette année, je crois que le thème est le bienvenu, car avec le menace du changement climatique, il est grand temps de vraiment cogiter sur les questions environnementales

Nigeria concern is power problem, which is major hindrance to the largest black nation, industrialization can be achieved before 2015

Nous souhaitons organiser des activités... Pour poussez les dirigeants Africains à faire vite,et surtout les secouer,les rappeler que plus de 3 ans seulement qui nous reste pour arriver à la date butoir de 2015...
Syndicalistes des OMD...

Poverty Reduction and unemployment Issues in Africa

The most viable option for Africa to achieve poverty and unemployment reduction is to promote the growth and sustainability of the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). This assertion is informed by the fact that historically, SMEs have played an important role in social and economic development in both developed and developing countries. They boost productivity, help in employment creation and revitalise communities, SMEs are the lifeblood of most world economies and their importance cannot be over-emphasised. For example, in the Asia Pacific Economic Corporation (APEC) group, SMEs account for around 90 percent of all businesses and employ as much as 60 percent of the work force in the region . Likewise in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) region, SMEs account for over 95 percent of firms and 60 to 70 percent of employment and generate a large share of new jobs in these economies.

However, despite their importance in economic development, SMEs growth and survival is challenged with severe barriers, some of which include: regulatory barriers, lack of infrastructure provisions, lack of proper training and lack of access to finance. Streams of empirical evidence show that lack of financing and access to finance and credit is one of the major barriers to the growth and survival of the SME sector. For operating SMEs emphasis is placed on the shortage of working capital as the most needed type of funding. In Africa the challenge is exacerbated by the fact that most financial institutions are set up to support big corporate because SMEs are perceived as a risky sector to finance. The institutions that are SME focused either have limited capital base or apply stringent requirements which impede their relevance to this sector. For example, their loan application lead-time may not be supportive of the sector in both start-up phase as well as operating SME’s looking for working capital. SMEs looking for start-up funding or working capital require a responsive financial institution with quick turn around times. Furthermore, the funding instruments in both start-up phase or for working capital is debt with strict repayment terms ranging from 12 months to 60 months and in most cases with minimal or without a grace period. This approach has proven to be problematic for start-up business and the problem is further compounded by the harsh measures traditional banks take once an entrepreneur default. These measures are taken without considering possible solutions to support the small enterprise out of its often uneven cash flow predicament usually caused by external factors in the market or in the economy such as currency fluctuations and inflation, among others.
As Africans, we need to start asking questions as to whether our institutions be it development banks or commercial banks are geared up to truly support this important sector. Are our financial institutions focusing on short term profitability thereby neglecting the long term benefits of supporting a sector which can uplift Africa’s citizenry, which in term would broaden the future customer base of the same financial institutions. Or should we perhaps be looking at new funding models which for example could encourage our financial institutions take more risk through funding SMEs. Can we not perhaps utilise part of development aid money destined for Africa towards setting up loan guarantee funds with an objective to reduce commercial banks SME risk through guarantee provision.
Africa with its immense intellectual power needs to innovate in order to arrest the unemployment and poverty dilemma.

Il est temps que l'energie soit consideree reellemnt comme un determinant a part entiere et principale du developpement. Les ressources minieres et autres resssources agricoles n'ont jamais developpe a eux seuls directement un pays, mais devraient juste etre un levier pour atteindre un taux d'electrification acceptable et une securite de la fourniture. A cet effet les ressources qui en decoulent devraient aller "subventionner" le developpement des infrastructures electriques, qui a leur tour vont permettrent une mecanisation de l'agriculture et un developpement des industries de transformation et ainsi de suite. De la NRECA (National Rural Electric Cooperatives Association) des USA en passant par les agences europeennes , toutes ont beneficie de subventions a un moment ou un autre.
Les energies renouvelables ne sont pas un choix possible, mais une fatalite, en cela que c'est l'energie de demain! L'afrique doit donc s'y preparer, mais d'une maniere structuree. En effet, il s'agit pour la plupart de technologies encore couteuses, peu rentable en comparaison, nouvelles donc pas souvent eprouvees, et necessitant de s'appuyer sur une plateforme de professionels bien formes et experimentes.Dans le meme ordre d'idee, le mecanisme pour beneficier des credits carbone devra etre allege, et plus de professionels formes.
Il faudra donc se mettre inexorablement sur le chemin, mais il n'en demeure pas moins que les problemes actuels de deficit de production que connaissent plusieurs pays du sud du sahara, doivent etre rapidement combles et par tous les moyens de production possibles. Malheureusement, le nucleaire, qui aurait pu etre vu comme une energie de transition, ne sera plus a l'ordre du jour au moins pour les 3 prochaines annees.Il faut un investissement massif de base pour la rehabilitation des moyens de production, ainsi que le developpement d'aurtres sources de production conventionnelles.
C'est le schema par lequel l'Afrique pourra rentrer sereinement dans l'ere du renouvelable!
A defaut, nous pourrions nous retrouver dans quelques annees, a gerer des cimetieres de centrales solaires thermiques a concentration.

Partenariat public privé et coopération régionale.
Les difficultés de mobilisation des ressources en particulier dans le contexte très fragile de la crise de la dette des pays développés accentuent les risques de financement à long terme des économies africaines en particuliers ceux au sud du Sahara. Dans ce contexte, les PPP apparaissent comme une alternative au financement du développement. Il s'agit simplement d'identifier les secteurs porteurs en particulier ceux qui sont à forts potentiels et capable d'avoir un effet d'entrainement sur les autres. A cet égard, il ne serait pas superflu de fédérer les énergies, sous la houlette et le leadership de la BAD, afin de mettre en place les mécanismes appropriés d'un cadre de PPP opérationnel et inclusif.

Poverty Reduction and Unemployment Issues in Africa.....
the type of africans allow theirself to do for paychecks just so they can support the families hasn't been translated back home to encourage the youth to start from the bottom and build up.... all the industries are there in Africa too, from services to finances. with a little more attention and push, local jobs can be created right from our backyard, we just have to see it, imagine it, then let it manifest in reality...