By BUUMBA CHIMBULUCOVID-19 opens up new opportunities and a greater sense of urgency to build up Africa’s manufacturing capacity and critically needed industrial value chains.These however must be supported by enabling infrastructure and policies, says the re-elected African Development Bank (AfDB) president, Akinwumi Adesina.Dr Adesina said special attention would be given to regional industrial value chains and strengthening of financial markets.This, he said, would expand intra-regional trade and competitiveness and boost the Africa Continental Free Trade Area.“We will build on the great successes we have had in agriculture, by scaling up technologies to reach tens of millions of farmers and supporting Africa to build competitive agricultural value chains.“We will add value to what we produce in Africa, and provide creative and high-tech opportunities for massive youth engagement in agriculture and agribusiness,” he said in a statement.As Covid-19 shocks began, the Board of Directors approved a US$10 billion pandemic response facility to address immediate and project investments for countries, […]
Covid-19 has offered new economic window – AfDB
