On Tuesday 3 March 2015, a working meeting took place in Luxembourg in the premises of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, in the presence of His Excellency Mr Zeng Xianqi, Ambassador to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, between UNIDO (the United Nations Industrial Development Organization), FICA (the International Federation of African Consular Chambers) and the UFP Group (United Financial Partners Ltd).
Photo credit/ FICA: from left to right Mr Christophe YVETOT, UNIDO Representative at the European Commission; Mr LI Yong, General Manager of ONUDI; Mrs Virginie TICHA, President of FICA; H.E. Mr ZENG XIANQI, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg; Mr Yves BAYLE (CEO of the UFP Group)
The objective of this high level meeting organized by FICA was the promotion and support of investment in industrial development projects in Africa. For Virginie Ticha, President of FICA “the emergence of the African continent is taking place above all through its industrialisation, including at a fundamental level. In order for this policy of economic emergence to succeed, it is necessary to indentify the key sectors for the countries concerned and their development potential. It is also indispensable to put in place appropriate financial models that support the various partners involved in the projects”.
The UFP Group presented its vision and strategic orientation in support of pragmatic solutions for facilitating investments in Africa. It has thus developed an original financial model which enables financial partners and industrial groups to be secured, while at the same time guaranteeing for African States full financial autonomy and governance of their projects.
The UFP Group focuses on several regions of Africa where private participants and public institutions can engage in mutually beneficial relationships, in fields such as the development of infrastructures, manufacturing industry, agri-food, energy, technological skills transfer, and the reinforcement of capacities in the field of technical training
The General Manager of UNIDO, Mr. LI Yong stressed the necessary implementation of an inclusive and sustainable industrial development, particularly in Africa. He offered a modern vision of industrial development which benefits the whole of society while preserving the environment and natural resources: “In order to accelerate the process of economic transformation in Africa and to take action on a larger scale, partnerships need to be secured with all those involved in development, including international financial institutions and private investors.” Therefore in November Mr LI Yong launched a Country Partnerships Programme, in the presence of the Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr Ban Ki-Moon, the European Union, international financial institutions, and representatives of public and private sectors from all over the world. This programme aims, in particular:
• To co-ordinate activities relating to the industrial development of the different development partners, including international financial institutions and private investors.
• To facilitate the implementation of partnership programmes for supplying industrial development technical services to African States, in consultation with international financial institutions and private investors.
• To carry out strategic evaluations of industrial sub-sectors and assist with preparing, constructing or evaluating investment strategies, partnership programmes or projects in partner countries, with international financial institutions and other benchmark development partners.