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The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) has called for increased private sector participation in the implementation of Special Economic Zone for Southern African countries to achieve sustained growth.
UNECA Sub Regional Office for Southern Africa (SRO-SA) Economic Affairs Officer Oliver Maponga said private sector participation was critical in accelerating the development of the Special Economic Zones.
He said this during a webinar organised by UNECA SRO-SA to promote the implementation of regional and national industrialisation policies for accelerated inclusive and sustainable development in Southern Africa on Wednesday.
The webinar was held under the theme harnessing the potential of Special Economic Zones for private sector development and inclusive industrialisation in Southern Africa.
Maponga emphasized the role of the private sector in industrial development and the importance of the collaboration between the private sector and governments.
“We strongly believe the private sector in our case are expected both foriegn and local investors and specifically the role of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises they play in supporting development,” he said.
According to UNECA concept paper, stakeholders across Africa are devising strategies and implementing master plans to promote industrial growth and accelerate structural transformation using a broad range of policy instruments and mechanisms to facilitate industrial development.
Zambia is among the African countries in the Southern African region implementing the Special Economic Zone.
Maponga indicated that harnessing the potential of Special Economic Zones would drive socio-economic transformation and provide opportunities for active participation of MSMEs in value chain.
“We can entice the private sector to contribute to industrialisation and we believe the private sector plays an important role hence its up to governments to create that environment,” he said.
The meeting was attended by representative of regional member states, the private sector, Civil Society Organisation, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, academia and women business organisations, Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), UNIDO, the African Development Bank and UNECA.
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