BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:unctad.org BEGIN:VEVENT UID:6af8be9e74df1 DTSTART:20211208T100000Z SEQUENCE:0 TRANSP:OPAQUE DTEND:20211208T113000Z LOCATION:Online\, SUMMARY:Book launch and discussion on transforming southern Africa: Harness ing regional value chains and industrial policy for development CLASS:PUBLIC DESCRIPTION:Developing economies are looking with increasing interest to re gional and South-South markets that can help generate economies of scale\, with the goal of creating employment\, fostering diversification\, and up grading productive capacity. East Asian economies\, for example\, have lon g recognized the importance of the East Asian regional production network. \n\nThe African continent is facing up to this challenge. One year ago\, 4 4 out of the 55 African countries signed the continental free trade agreem ent (CFTA) in Kigali\, completing the negotiations that had begun in 2015. In the southern part of the continent most of the countries participating in the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)\, the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SA DC) have already ratified the Tripartite Free Trade Agreement. Recognizing the importance of regional production and trade integration in southern A frica\, during the last five years UNCTAD has worked closely with the coun tries of the region to consolidate and develop regional value chains (RVCs ) and to sustain the SADC industrialization strategy\, among other things through the strengthening of industrial policy capacity and coordination.\ n\nSome of the studies that informed UNCTAD'\;s work have been recentl y collected in a volume that brings together contributions from leading ec onomists and policy practitioners on the challenges and opportunities face d by southern African countries in their attempt to strengthen trade and p roductive integration through regional value chains (RVCs).\n \n\nPurpose of this event\n\nTaking a clue from the regional integration vision embod ied in the volume\, the purpose of this event is to discuss the instrument al role that regional integration in southern Africa can play to accelerat e the structural transformation and economic development.\n\nThe industria l policy framework needed\, both at the national and regional level\, to o vercome the multiple constraints faced by the economies of the region in t he current difficult global context will also be discussed by the panelist s. The case studies examined in the volume will serve as an anchor for the more general debate.\n \n\nKey objectives:\n\n\nDiscuss the key insights from the volume and extrapolate more general lessons on the type of indus trial policy (and industrial policy coordination) needed to sustain region al trade and productive integration in different economic\, political and social circumstances.\n \nDiscuss the experiences of the different countr ies from southern Africa and their vision on the most promising opportunit ies to strengthen cooperation and integration.\n \nSupport developing cou ntries in updating their national and regional policy frameworks in a stra tegic way\, in terms of industries\, typology of policy measures\, partner ships and financing for production development.\n \n\n\nParticipants and targeted audience:\n\nThe webinar will bring together policymakers\, inter national civil servants\, and academics in an attempt to expose the policy experience of southern African economies in the current scenario and\, mo re generally\, the benefits of regional integration.\n\nThe event targets policymakers in southern African and other developing countries\, as well as academics and other stakeholders such as civil society organizations\, activists and young scholars.\n \n\nProgramme:\n\n \n\n\n\n\n\n11:00–10 :10\n\n\nWelcome and introduction\n\n\nRichard Kozul-Wright (UNCTAD)\n\n\n \n\n\n11:10–11:40\n\n\n\nFiona Tregenna (University of Johannesburg)\nAn tonio Andreoni (University College of London)\n\n\n\n\n\n11:40–12:10\n\n \nPanel discussion II: A policy perspective from southern Africa\n\n\nCarl os Alberto Fortes Mesquita\, Minister of Industry and Commerce (Mozambique )\nRob Davies\, former Minister of Trade and Industry (South Africa)\n\n\n \n\n\n12:10–12:30\n\n\nPanel discussion I: Key insights from the volume\ n\n\n\n\n\n\nWatch event recording\nhttps://youtu.be/fMrv0W4jKao"\; ta rget="\;_blank"\; title="\;Open the webinar registration\n\nVi ew meeting on unctad.org\nhttps://unctad.org/meeting/book-launch-and-discu ssion-transforming-southern-africa-harnessing-regional-value-chains DTSTAMP:20261114T200342Z END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR