English - EMRC

The magazine for the developing world
UNLOCKING
AFRICA’S
INVESTMENT
POTENTIAL
■ Interview with Jorge Rocha de Matos
President of AIP - p.3
■ Infoterra and PROGIS: Using spatial information
systems to aid Food Security - p.4-5
■ EMRC AFIF 2007: Goals, achievements and
perspectives - p.6-7
■ Global Fund and UNAIDS prove fighting diseases
spurs development - p.8-9
■ EMRC AgriBusiness 2008 at the FAO headquarters:
programme - p.11
Published quarterly by
Economic missions achieved
in Israel and Spain - p.10

Editorial
The man in the mirror
2008 started on the wrong foot for the African continent –“As always”, pessimists might say… Sadly,
everlasting crisis in Darfur (Sudan), instability in Ituri (East DRCongo), and recent violence in Kenya
still generate a common feeling of insecurity towards the African continent as a whole. “As usual”,
millions of refugees will add their misery to the number of overpopulated urban metropolis; peasants
will abandon their land in search for a brighter future; and children will suffer from curable diseases,
due to the lack of vaccines… These are the sad “clichés” about Africa the world receives frequently
through the eyes of the international media.
Philippe van Maldeghem
Editor-in-Chief
Reality is often distant from the “published” truth, as news come and go, but sometimes leaving
deep prejudice behind. Fortunately, some visionaries are still taking up the challenge, regardless of
the country’s image. The consequence of such bad press can be disastrous for the regions in focus:
foreign investors will be driven out of a region qualified as “unstable”, preventing therefore investments
which are vital for future development. Examples of countries still suffering from the negative
press coming from past conflicts are numerous: Angola, Sierra Leone or Mozambique, to name a few.
Nonetheless, Africa’s countries are vast, and rich in diversity. This perception ought to be taken into
account by foreigners willing to set up businesses in these untamed “Eldorados”. Africa’s development
can only succeed through overcoming stereotypes and establishing private partnerships between
businessmen from Northern and Southern hemispheres. To that extent, members of EMRC realize
how much dialogue is a key factor of success, since it enables business agreements and networking.
Parallel to those private initiatives, let’s hope the upcoming French presidency of the EU will tackle
the issues around the new series of economic partnership agreements with ACP countries, which
were due to be in place by the start of the year. A successful Africa should aim at increasing Trade
over Aid. More than ever, the EU has to be ready to give the developing world control over its own
development. This process passes precisely through shared business ideas becoming reality, using the
know-how, contacts and expertise from the developed countries.
To the question: “Who will stand up to give Africa a chance?” The answer starts with the
(business)man in the mirror…
Upcoming projects this year:
■ Economic mission to Israel: 13 to 17 April 2008
■ EMRC Agribusiness Forum at FAO headquarters, Rome, Italy: 18 to 20 June 2008
■ Economic mission to Bié, Angola: third quarter of 2008
■ European Development Days, Strasbourg, France: 15 to 17 November 2008
■ Africa Finance and Investment Forum (AFIF): end of 2008
The next issue of Dialogues Magazine will feature a special focus on Zimbabwe
The magazine for the
developing world
Published quarterly
by
Publisher: Idit Miller
Editor-in-Chief:
Philippe van Maldeghem
Main contributors:
Jeanne McCaul,
Hans Gössl, Pierre Coetzer
Designer: Bird
ADVERTISING INQUIRIES
Communication Officer:
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Tel: +32 (0)2 626 15 17
Fax: +32 (0)2 626 15 16
Email: hg@emrc.be or
dialogues@emrc.be
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Av. Louise, 283 – bte 22
Brussels 1050, Belgium
Tel: +32 (0)2 626 15 15
Fax: +32 (0)2 626 15 16
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The views expressed in this issue of Dialogues are the private views of individuals and are not necessarily those of EMRC International, its executive committee, or members of its business
network. Reproduction in whole or in part is permitted, providing that any such reproductions, whether in whole or in part, are not sold, unless they are incorporated in other works.
- DIALOGUES - EMRC

I nterview
Jorge Rocha de Matos
President of AIP
(Portuguese Industrial Association)
Lisbon, December 2007
■ Dialogues: : In your opinion, what were
the main results of the EU-Africa Business
Summit?
Rocha de Matos: : The EU-Africa Business
Summit was an important moment for the settlement
of a new dynamism in the relations
with Africa. This dynamism considers the regional
agreements of economic partnerships
as well as the promotion of an effective integration
of African countries in the
global and regional economy.
The EU-Africa Business Summit
represented an opportunity for
the African and European business
leaders to develop approaching
mechanisms and to debate on
“thematic round table” subjects
such as commerce, investment and
development of resources and infrastructures.
The event was also
important for the reinforcement of
reliable relations at political, institutional
and business level.
■ Dialogues: Throughout the last
decade EMRC has organised numerous
international initiatives to expand
business linkages between Europe and Africa.
How do you see these initiatives?
RdM: AIP–CE considers it very important
to promote this type of initiative by organisations
that represent the civil society and
particularly the business sector. These organisations
play a fundamental role in the promotion
of relations between the two continents.
It is at the level of decentralized cooperation
between companies that it is possible to establish
durable relations and to share common
interests.
■ Dialogues: What actions can be taken in
order to strengthen the relations between
Africa and Europe?
RdM: At a political level, the European Union
has developed a strong cooperation process
with the private sector through working
José Amaro Tati, Governor of the Angolan Province of Bié, discussing business
opportunities with Portuguese entrepreneurs at the AFIF Forum.
meetings and action instruments that have
taken place throughout almost one decade:
to start, the first historical EU-Africa Summit
in 2000 in Cairo under the Portuguese Presidency
that gave origin to the Declaration and
the Cairo Plan of Action; then the launching
in 2001, of the New Partnership for Africa’s
Development (NEPAD); in 2002, the creation
of the African Union (AU) and; in 2005, the
European Commission adopted its communication
on “Strategy of the EU for Africa”,
which was approved by the European Parliament
and Council. It’s consensual that it is
really important to deepen this framework
of cooperation and common action. Europe
can have a very important role in the field of
education, training, R&D and countries like
Portugal with long and strong relations with
Africa can and should be important partners
of this Continent, in order to minimize the
constraints to its development. I believe that
the European Union will benefit politically,
economically and strategically if it gives
more attention to Africa and if it knows how
to find the right instruments for cooperation.
I am sure that the business community of both
continents is an active and very interested
part of this partnership for the development
and the competitive affirmation of Africa in
the global economy.
Jorge Rocha de Matos and Idit Miller
■ Dialogues: As President of the AIP, do
you see the promotion of relations between
the Members of your Association with Africa
– mainly the PALOPs (African Portuguese
Speaking Countries) as a priority?
RdM: We have strong relations with Africa,
and in first place with PALOPs.
The conferences, the training
courses at the public and private
level, the business missions in different
sectors and the approach to
associative structures similar to
ours are some of the many initiatives
that AIP-CE has developed
with the African continent. Although
PALOPs are the main partners
of the AIP-CE in Sub-Saharan
Africa, our collaboration is not
restricted to these countries.
For example, we have the case of
South Africa, where we have one
of the biggest Portuguese emigrant
communities, and which is also
one of our priorities. We also develop initiatives
with other North Africa countries. ■
About AIP-CE
Counting more than 75.000 direct and indirect
associated members, Portuguese Industrial Association/Entrepreneurial
Confederation has
consistently worked towards the improvement of
the Portuguese economy’s competitiveness, with
special focus on organisational and technological
modernisation of its SMEs. Aiming to represent
and defend the Portuguese entrepreneurs’
interests, AIP-CE is known for its unique position
in the associative movement in Portugal. It
is active in providing a wide range of services
for its members, for instance by organising international
trade fairs and conferences or promoting
international expansion.
Quarterly - Spring 2008 -

Mapping Africa to unlock wealth
Infoterra is a leading provider of geo-information products and services, which have become
vital for managing the world’s environment, development and security. The Infoterra Group has
approximately 300 employees in the UK, France, Germany and Hungary and an extensive network
of partners covering all five continents.
”
What we are looking to achieve
using geospatial mapping, is
to unlock Africa’s wealth”,
says Simon Ashby, Principal
Consultant with Infoterra. He goes on to explain
that security of land ownership is key
to development, while reliable mapping is a
prerequisite to land and property registration
and ownership.
The total landmass of Africa is 30.3 million
square kilometers while, by contrast,
Argentina, India, China, Western Europe
and the USA, together make up 28.8 million
square kilometers. Meanwhile, the
maps of Africa are completely out of
date, going back to Colonial times. For
instance, the massive urbanisation, which
has taken place in recent decades, has remained
essentially unrecorded.
Geospatial mapping, a digital technology,
which provides detailed and reliable spatial
data, is the 21st century’s answer to
those old fashioned, hand drawn maps to
be found in antique shops.
Raw data, such as accurate land statistics and
infrastructure, is transformed into business
information for the benefit of both the public
and private sectors. The examples of areas of
application of this technology are impressive:
improved land, water and forest management,
biodiversity and conservation,
determining crop prospects and desertification
risks, alerts on natural disasters,
communication network planning
(roads, railways, electricity, telecom…),
establishing accurate topology such as
building heights, etc.
The technology of geospatial mapping
is already being considered and implemented
in a number of developing
countries in Eastern Europe, such as Bulgaria,
Romania, the Balkans, Macedonia and Kosovo
– in particular to settle land ownership issues
exacerbated by the fact that many records
of ownership were lost or destroyed during recent
conflicts.
Today national spatial frameworks can be
created and constantly modified to reflect
changed circumstances on the ground, such as
urbanisation. Britain has had a national mapping
agency since 1791 and, following a comprehensive
digitisation programme, resulting
in the release of Ordinance Survey’s MasterMap®
in 2001, now has one of the most
sophisticated national geographic frameworks
in the developed world.
Infoterra’s online spatial application supporting a
Land Administration business process
The MasterMap® references over 440 million
natural and manmade landscape features
to which 5,000 changes are made daily. This
is an example of what is technically possible,
provided the political will is there and the finances
allocated.
The technology of
geospatial mapping is
already being considered and
implemented in a number
of developing countries in
Eastern Europe
“The challenge we face is implementation”,
says Ashby. In 2006 the Africa Land Policy
workshop in Kampala recognised that implementation
was far from straight forward.
A policy document has been drawn up, but it
must be translated into a comprehensive programme
of land sector reform. “Governments
need to give the concessions to implement the
available technology and investment banks
should provide the funding”, says Ashby.
Population drift to the cities increases informal
land tenure systems, which in turn, increase
slums. Approximately 70% of African
land is managed informally, with profound
consequences on sanitation, water and access.
Such un-formalised rural, peri-urban and urban
tenures affect the poorest people.
Since they do not formally own the
land, they have no rights on it nor incentives
to develop it.
Currently countries that have recognised
the importance of land administration
are trying to develop individual
approaches, but this is not cost
effective. Therefore, the Land Administration
Retreat hosted in November
2007 by the World Bank in Washington
and attended by several UN agencies,
recommended the establishment
of universal principles and standards.
It was also recommended that the importance
of technology for good governance
should be recognised and that
countries should be identified for case studies.
Subsequently, the Land Registrars Expert
Group Meeting in Nairobi, highlighted the
value of communicating with Land Registrars.
These a-political civil servants are responsible
for registering land tenure.
“Typically, registration of property will
take 400 days in, for instance, Nigeria.
Reducing this procedure to a tenth of
this, for instance by establishing a state
data-base to support registrations, would
be an enormous incentive for development.
Once people have secure ownership
of their land, they will then feel
safe to perhaps purchase their neighbor’s
land, allowing the neighbor to pursue
another profession or trade, to which they are
perhaps better suited” says Ashby. “Needless
to say, such a data-base would also be of great
help in land feuds and in preventing corruption.
The African Union is very interested in
the potential of geospatial systems and, fortunately,
some African countries are moving in
the right direction”. ■
- DIALOGUES - EMRC

Upstream or downstream,
we all drink from the same
source…
Walter Mayer, CEO of Progis
Walter Mayer, CEO of PROGIS GmbH,
a respected GIS-software supplier and
consulting company, is emphatic: “There is
no reason at all for farmers, consumers and
environmentalists to be enemies. After all, we
all have the same concerns. When the river is
polluted upstream, everyone downstream suffers.
The future has to be not either food or
water and environment, but both, for all of us.
It follows that it is in everybody’s interest to
respect our valuable resources - such as water
- and invest in managing them well. And by
the way, this challenge is the same in developed
as well as developing countries!”
PROGIS has been focusing for several years
on the development of the appropriate technical
applications for efficient management
of agriculture, forestry, ecology and general
land-use. The company advocates an integrated,
holistic approach, encompassing the
needs of farmers and affiliated industries and
authorities. Many large industries and organisations
are already benefitting from this expertise
and can serve as examples and references.
Mayer goes on to explain that the basic
management model is similar for individual
farmers, groups of farmers, or large co-operatives.
The challenge is to use the model integrating
agriculture, and/or forestry as well as
environmental tasks. (In this context the FAO
actually poses the question in its recent annual
publication: should farmers be paid to protect
the environment?) There is also a real need
for politicians everywhere to understand how
technology can be of help.
The World Bank has been asking how information
technology can contribute to the
well-being of communities. “We have the answers,”
says Mayer. “Environment problems
can be solved by information technology. For
example, instead of guessing as farmers did
in the past, technology allows us to make accurate
calculations as well as evaluations. We
can calculate the optimum use of fertiliser and
we can evaluate the quality of the water (levels
of nitrogen) and monitor the processes on
an everyday basis.”
The topic of “rural area management” is inseparably
connected with the sustainability
of a healthy environment. The cultivation of
fields, pastures or forests has direct effect, not
only on food, feed and bio-energy, but also on
the earth’s atmosphere, land, water, and biological
resources.
To meet all these challenges, multi-class collaborations,
supported by an increased use of
advanced ICT-technologies and tools, are essential.
“Together with ‘SaRAM’, a specific
education and training programme, we recently
launched a product range, called ‘AGROffice
complete’. With ‘one-stop-shop’ all the
needs on rural area ICT can be met”, says
Mayer. SaRAM itself informs on situations,
expectations, chances and risks in rural areas,
trains software users and helps stakeholders to
get ready for this rapid and dynamic market
development. It assists participants and supports
them by implementing agro-projects in
countries or regions.
PROGIS works in close collaboration with
Infoterra (see previous page) ■
Netafim: household name for
irrigation technologies
Netafim describes itself as a “growing solutions”
company and is the world’s largest
low volume irrigation company. In fact, Netafim
has become a household name in the business
of irrigation. The company has 45 years of experience
in 110 countries on 5 continents via 35
subsidiaries, as well as additional, independent,
Netafim trained representatives worldwide.
Manufacturing facilities have also been established
in 11 countries and there are over 2200
employees.
“Today everybody is concerned with issues
regarding the environment. But the subject is
far from new; it is just that awareness has increased
on every level of society, also with the
general public. However, we have been dealing
with the subject of environment for over 4
decades, always with the aim to increase crop
yield, while preserving water resources and the
environment. Over the years we have developed
tailor-made solutions for many different
needs and conditions. These include irrigation
technologies and crop management (open field
crops, orchards and greenhouses), desalination
and purification, industrial waste water treatment,
solutions for bio-fuel energy, etc.” says
Natan Barak, Netafim’s Commercial Director
for Europe, Middle East and Africa.
The company’s clients include governments,
communities and private entrepreneurs. But
Barak describes the company’s approach and
philosophy as fundamentally “farmer to farmer”.
Indeed: the company originated in an Israeli
Kibbutz (co-operative farm) and at the present
time 3 Kibbutzim own the majority shares of
the company with 50% of the owners still active
members of these Kibbutzim.
Netafim is well-known for its flexibility and
creativity in finding solutions to sometimes very
difficult local circumstances, for instance in developing
countries faced with limited financial
resources.
“We take into account the existing strengths and
energies in each situation and can ensure good
returns and profits on average within 3 years,
even with minimum financial investment. The
problems facing the world today concern us all.
Population growth is a global reality. Inevitably,
we will have to increase food production
and yields and, more and more, we will need to
achieve this using less and less water, because
water resources are not only limited, they are
shrinking, “ says Barak. ■
Barak: “Netafim’s solution for family-sized farming: an excellent application that enables
families to produce their own food with minimal resources.”
Quarterly - Spring 2008 -

Africa Finance &
Investment Forum 2007:
Success stories in Africa’s
private sector development
Africa
FORUM
2007
Finance& Investment
How to unlock Africa’s investment potential? Representatives
from four continents and 25 countries gathered at the EMRC
Africa Finance & Investment Forum 2007 on 5-7 December in
Lisbon to discuss and showcase the investment potential of
Africa’s diverse private sectors.
18-99-99-9 14-50-100-0 9-19-94-0
The EMRC Forum was organised
within the bigger framework of the
first EU-Africa Summit in seven
years, which took place at the same location
one day after the private sector event. Held
under the high patronage of the Portuguese
Presidency of the Council of the European
Union, the event thus complemented the
discussions of the political Summit with its
specific focus on Africa’s private sector development.
Showcasing practical
business solutions
Idit Miller, Managing Director at EMRC International,
defined the added value of
Kingsley Moghalu, Head of Global Partnerships
at The Global Fund: “The three pandemics - HIV/
AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria (...) are described
as diseases of poverty because, compared to
wealthy parts of the world, their impact in developing
countries is devastating.”
the EMRC Forum in its emphasis on practical
business solutions and direct exchange
possibilities with major decision makers.
According to her, “this Forum gives a unique
exchange opportunity for private investors
across Africa and Europe to drive the economy
in Africa.”
In its three-day programme the Africa Finance
& Investment Forum presented a wide
range of successful business initiatives in
Africa’s private sector. High-rank speakers
showcased funding opportunities as well as
first-hand analysis of Africa’s financial markets
and enabling environment for sustainable
investment. Special sessions on Public-Private-Partnership
programmes on agriculture
and rural development, health and spatial
data infrastructure completed the exchange of
success stories and best practices. Throughout
these intensive discussions, participants
were given additional possibilities to meet
in targeted one-to-one business meetings
and explore concrete business projects and
partnerships.
A concluding key moment took place at the
event’s Gala Evening with the announcement
of the EMRC Awards. These prestigious
Awards honoured selected achievers,
heads of commercial and national financial
institutions in Africa for their leadership
and achievements in Africa’s economic
development.
The joint organisation with the EU-Africa
Business Summit on the EMRC Forum’s
last day gave participants additional contact
opportunities with key-note speakers,
such as José Sócrates, President of the
Council of the European Union and José
Barroso, President of the European Commission
as well as with government officials,
business leaders and development experts
like Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Managing Director
of the World Bank and Louis Michel, EU
Commissioner for Development.
Gideon Gono, Governor of The Reserve Bank of
Zimbabwe and Philippe van Maldeghem
Identifying Investors and
project owners
Ibrahim Mallam Aliyu, Chairman of Urban
Shelter Limited, one of the representatives of
the Nigerian private sector said his attendance
at the EMRC Forum has been rewarding.
“I have unlocked my potentials and those of
Nigeria at the event. My presence has led to
an acquaintance of investors willing to come
to Nigeria – open a shopping mall and a hotel.
The investment summit is a gathering of
potential investors and those who need the
resources.”
“It is our aim to gather the best heads in this
platform” explained Idit Miller, “and we do
not leave it with this. Following our EMRC
Forums we organise targeted Economic Missions,
tailored events and advise participants
with our business development services to
follow-up the valuable contacts and expertise
gained from the event.”
Africa is not only about business potential, but
also about business success. EMRC’s Africa
Finance & Investment Forum has shown concrete
examples of the continent’s private sector
contribution to sustainable development. ■
- DIALOGUES - EMRC

A programme of the ACP group and the
European Commission for the promotion
of investment
Starting in July this year, the upcoming
French presidency of the European Union
should tackle the issue of EU-ACP economic
partnership agreements. In line with it,
Pro€Invest is a programme undertaken by the
European Commission to promote and facilitate
the inward flow of investment, technology,
know-how and management skills to the
ACP States. It is financed under the 8th European
Development Fund and managed by
an autonomous unit within the Centre for the
Development of Enterprise (CDE) under the
supervision of EUROPEAID, the Cooperation
Office of the European Commission. The
strategy of the Centre for the Development of
Enterprise is based on three principles, “sector
+network+partnership”, where wider sectorial
projects will be implemented through a complete
range of services offered to small and
medium enterprises.
Microfinance: Bright
prospects in Cameroon
The ACP Group of States and the European
Commission are in the process of signing the
prolongation of the programme until the end
of March 2011. While the underlying objectives
of the Pro€Invest programme remain
valid, the emphasis of the programme will be
increasingly put on institutional strengthening
among ACP Intermediary Organisations (IOs).
The final scope is the public-private dialogue
between IOs and governments. Therefore, direct
assistance to small and medium enterprises
will decrease: these are expected to benefit
indirectly from the strengthened capacity of
IOs. The programme will also include interventions
with Regional Organisations and
support of IOs through the Pro€Invest Information
Community (PIC).
The PIC will aim to ensure co-ordination,
cross-fertilisation and the avoidance of duplication
of effort between all EC-funded programmes.
It may refer applicants to other programmes
for interventions which are sound
but otherwise ineligible for funding under
Pro€invest. The programme consists of unblocking
€110 million over 7 years. ■
“Microfinance is emerging as a major driving force of the
economy in Cameroon”, says Mr Michel Nyami, the Deputy
Director General of Crédit Communautaire d’Afrique, or CCA
Microfinance.
CCA is a leading provider of microfinance
in the CEMAC monetary area, and is involved
in numerous economic development
projects. “We focus on people with no access
to the formal banking system, providing them
with the capacity to raise finance for microprojects”.
Indeed, over 70 % of CCA’s client
base falls in this category. In 2007, CCA
attracted savings of 27 million euros, and
financed projects to the tune of 15 million
euros, mostly out of current account deposits.
“We offer individuals an original way of
building up savings based on a system of joint
surety given by for periods of between three to
six months. In this way loans can be raised by
people who would not have been able to do so
individually”. This approach is proving very
popular: So far, over 31,000 loans have been
granted by CCA, a threefold increase since
2005. And Nyami is keen to emphasise CCA’s
commitment to its customers: “We are looking
to create a bond of trust with marginalised
parts of the population. For instance, we
helped setting up a cooperative of 300 small
farmers in the field of medicinal plants under
the wing of AFRIMED”. Furthermore, the
authorities in Cameroon have clearly realised
the importance of microcredit institutions.
Michel Nyami receiving the EMRC Award, on
behalf of Albert Nkemla from CCA, Cameroon.
CCA’s aim is to find reliable partners prepared
to offer long term credit facilities. This would
allow it to respond to the rising demand for
the financing of medium to long term projects.
“We are faced with two types of challenges:
First, we handle almost exclusively current
account cash deposits, which are not suited
to any time-related commitments. Secondly,
local microfinance institutions fundamentally
lack refinancing and compensation mechanisms”.
The successful establishments of partnerships
will be important to secure CCA’s projects for
the coming five years. ■
EMRC Awards 2007
A key moment of the event was the Gala Evening, where individuals were honoured for their leadership
and achievements in Africa’s economic development. This year’s EMRC Awardees were: Albert
Nkemla of Crédit Communautaire d’Afrique, Cameroon, Martin Djedjes of BIAO (Banque Internationale
pour l’Afrique Occidentale), Ivory Coast, Dablé Grah, Roche Internationale, Ivory Coast,
Théophile Gogui Zegre, SOGEPIE, Ivory Coast, Gideon Gono, Governor of The Reserve Bank of
Zimbabwe and Adriano Pascoal, President of the Banco de Comércio e Indústria de Angola.
Babs Adenaike, Programme Manager at Pro€Invest (right),
presenting the Award to Martin Djedjes of BIAO, Ivory Coast (left)
Quarterly - Spring 2008 -

I nterview
Michel Lavollay
Senior consultant for UNAIDS
Brussels January 2008
Michel Lavollay was practicing medicine in
Paris when AIDS was discovered. He got involved
with this disease in the 1980’s, and cooperated
with French and international institutions
to find responses to deal with the issue.
This led him as far as the WHO in Geneva, the
UNDP as well as at the UN Secretariat in New
York, private foundations, and at the French
Embassy in Washington. He then spent four
years in the early creation of the Global Fund
to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, where he
pushed for the establishment of a public/private
strategy and funding mechanisms.
Considering this heavy experience, he works
now in Brussels as senior consultant for a variety
of organisations and, more recently, UN-
AIDS, where he aims at reinforcing the discussions
on health, HIV, diseases linked to poverty
and partnerships with the private sector.
■ Dialogues: How would you define
UNAIDS’ priorities regarding the poverty
situation in developing countries, since
health problems are often linked to poverty
and impede development?
ML: UNAIDS’ experience is critical, because
a lot of what is being discussed for the moment
on health, partnerships, or mechanisms for delivery
of services in the poorest countries, is
very much related to what was achieved in
responding to HIV. The participation of
UNAIDS as well as other institutions -
like the WHO or the Global Fund, the
World Bank, and the UNDP, is essential
to maintain a discussion on these health
topics and the broader discussions on
development objectives. UNAIDS’ role
is also important in creating partnerships
with the European institutions, governments,
and the civil society. We aim to help the
dialogue between civil society organisations
and local institutions. Actually, just talking
about the problems is not enough! Solutions
and practical mechanisms to bring additional
resources and capacities, in order to improve
the efficiency of delivery of development aid
must be found, and that is a real challenge.
DG DEV (Directorate for Development of the
European Commission) has an important and
clear role in strengthening partnerships.
■ Dialogues: Big organisations created by
the UN or the EU suffer criticism because of
their complexity and delay before action is
implemented. In your opinion, what could be
done for these organisations to acquire a better
knowledge on the matter and to improve
the public/private partnerships?
ML: There is an interesting parallel to draw
between the transitions at the UN in the past
twenty years, and what can happen with the
EU, in the sense that the EU must go through
transitions and transformations that take time
in order to integrate fully civil society in its
work. This is not about theory but reality and
how partnerships can actually exist. The reality
is that private corporations are developing
programmes and partnerships on the ground
with local authorities, NGOs, and are actually
transforming the reality in these particular
regions through these partnerships. It is this
sort of action that needs to be valued and promoted.
T he various institutions, the interested
stakeholders and groups like EMRC, who
have a critical role to play in bringing the people
together like you did it in Lisbon, have to
be supported in establishing a dialogue and to
gradually bring the stakeholders to a common
understanding that there is value and a benefit
in these discussions, not just for the institutions,
but also for the private sector. What is
The problem is not the
lack of resources, because
governments are receiving large
amounts of money. It is more a
question of dialogue
and understanding.
striking in Brussels is that everyone, politically
and in various parts of the EU process,
is convinced that nothing can be done without
public/private partnerships. This takes time
and requires a confidence-building process.
The potential partners must feel confident
that what they bring to the various partnerships
will not be modified or be deviated from
their original purpose because companies get
involved to do business! We have to stay away
from substitution and philanthropy!
I have participated with other institutions and
bilateral entities in developing an approach
that we call co-investment, a simple mechanism
in which partners negotiate the terms of
their partnerships in order for them to achieve
common goals. These co-investments in areas
such as HIV or malaria are being implemented
in Africa. There are even projects now that
benefit not only the partnerships, but also the
eco-systems. For example, in some coastal areas
in East-Africa, the regression of malaria
allowed to promote tourism and other secondary
benefits that are far beyond public health
and have a direct impact on the local economies.
Potentially, this is a constructive way to
look at development.
■ Dialogues: A healthy environment creates
and promotes development. In your opinion,
what could be done to help governments focus
on social issues, allowing therefore private
companies to focus on business issues?
ML: Today it is basically a question of necessity.
If you analyse what public, private and
local NGOs can achieve at a local level, the
political variable is out of the equation. There
is a lot less evaporation of funds nowadays and
we can clearly see what these organisations
can do together. The problem is not the lack
of resources, because governments are receiving
large amounts of money. It is more a
question of dialogue, and understanding.
Discussions are needed, because business
objectives can be compatible with
social objectives. Furthermore, there is a
need to define and promote the kinds of
mechanisms by which the objectives are
not lost. The business community needs
to be confident that its contributions
are respected, that the lines of responsibility
are well identified and that the monitoring is
shared in order to reach common objectives.
The analysis of what actually happens in practice
shows us that common objectives can be
found, that there are methodologies defined
between the parties involved. But at the institutional
level, there is always a tendency
to interpret and mistrust. So the discussions
should be focused on what is happening in
concrete terms. All these elements from real
- DIALOGUES - EMRC

“Health is Wealth”
The Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis
and Malaria is headquartered in
Geneva, Switzerland. It was set up in 2002
at the initiative of the then Secretary General
of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, to
mobilise, manage and disburse large sums
of money, initially to combat the spread of
HIV/AIDS in developing countries. Mr Annan
put his money where his mouth was by
time situations can be included in models that
will be used to create partnerships and share
experiences.
■ Dialogues: Considering that a company’s
experience can stimulate other companies
to follow its footsteps, could you give us an
example that proves that the system works,
where partnerships are actually taking
place?
ML : The Malawi project, is a very important
project that was introduced four to five
years ago, that I helped negotiate, where
the Ministry of Health received one of the
first rounds of grants from the Global Fund
($ 200 Million) on HIV treatment. The proposal
was considered a very sound one but,
not unexpectedly, within a year the government
started to have some problems executing
and implementing. The process at the Global
Fund is results-based and if a recipient can’t
deliver, then, either solutions are found, either
the grant is lost. For the Malawi situation, we
argued that there was a structured coalition of
businesses involved in HIV. It included more
than thirty companies, working together on
the disease with clinics and trained personnel.
After two years, the coalition negotiated the
terms of delivery of a large part of the grant,
which enabled the government to actually
keep the grant. This shows that you can create
large scale partnerships using the capacity,
additional financial and technical resources.
This example has become a very interesting
and useful model for future projects.
There are also very interesting initiatives regarding
Malaria, like MOZAL, in South-Africa
and Mozambique, developed for three
years now. Joint programmes between local
governments, the Global Fund and NGOs
have been implemented to distribute medicine
and treatments for malaria, which has brought
very significant and rapid results, on the workforce,
as well as on their families and the local
communities. Also, the eco-system has benefited
from these joint programmes and as a
result, tourism has grown. ■
making a personal donation of USD100,000
to what he called the “war chest”.
Today, five years later, the Fund’s assets total
USD 21 billion, of which 10 billion have
been committed to health programmes already
approved by the fund in 136 countries on 5
continents. Moreover: today the Fund’s programmes
target not only HIV/ AIDS, but also
the two other major poverty-related pandemics:
malaria and tuberculosis. At the present
time, the Fund’s money accounts for 65% of
available international resources in the fight
against tuberculosis, 65% for malaria and 25%
for HIV/AIDS. Within the Fund’s investment
portfolio in developing countries, spending is
almost evenly spread with 60% allocated to
HIV/AIDS and 40% to malaria and tuberculosis
combined. Contributors to the Fund include
governments, institutions, foundations
and private individuals. A donation from the
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation totalled
USD650 million.
‘The three pandemics are
closely related and often occur
together, with the same
devastating consequences,
in particular for developing
countries in Africa, Asia,
Latin America and the Caribbean
and also Eastern Europe.
Of course these diseases
exist globally. However: they
are described as diseases of
poverty because, compared
to wealthy parts of the world,
their impact in developing
countries is devastating. Not
only is there a lack of money for healthcare
itself, but the extent of the diseases in poor
countries poses a fundamental threat to development,
claiming 6 million lives every year.
Clearly, social and economic development is
impossible where populations are decimated
by disease. Health is wealth. Therefore, the
situation needs to be met by what I consider
to be a new approach to international health
financing”, says Kinsley Moghalu, a former
corporate lawyer who is Head of Global Partnerships
of the Global Fund. This approach
aims to address health treatment not merely
by distributing medications, but on the multiple
levels of prevention, treatment and care.
Never prescriptive, the Global Fund is managed
on a basis of a public partnership between
so-called developed and developing
countries. The policy is “bottom-up” to enable
each country to take full ownership. Mechanisms
for co-operation and co-ordination are
in place for every individual project. Inputs
are received from local governments, civil society,
NGO’s, associations and so forth. The
Economic development starts with the
eradication of “diseases of poverty”
needs are assessed locally, and before implementation,
all programme proposals submitted
for financing are carefully evaluated from
technical, quality and potential impact points
of view by an independent panel of technical
experts retained by the Global Fund. The
process of making funding decisions is a rigorous
one: roughly half of all proposals are
successful. Results are also evaluated, making
it possible to confirm that almost 2 million
lives were saved since the establishment
of the Fund. Results have been especially encouraging
in Ruanda, Tanzania and Sri Lanka,
among others.
“With regard to HIV/AIDS, one of the greatest
challenges is to tackle issues of cultural
stereotypes. An example often quoted is the
belief in some countries that this disease can
be cured by having sex with a virgin! But there
are many other pre-conceived ideas and superstitions,
based on traditional
cultural and social systems,
or simply due to lack of education.
In short, education
is key”, says Moghalu, “especially
because, as yet, no
cure has been found for this
disease.”
“As for malaria, it needs to
be arrested at the source.
A strategic, environmental
approach should include a
combination of general sanitation,
draining of swamps
where mosquitoes breed, use
of long lasting insecticide
treated bed nets and approved pesticides in rural
and urban areas and, needless to add, and
as with HIV/AIDS, universal access to medication
and treatment.”
Until recently, it seemed that tuberculosis had
been all but eradicated in developed countries.
Its recurrence in the form of dangerous new
strains has become a global concern, requiring
global strategies. Overall, having successfully
mobilized USD21 billion over the past
six years, another strategic challenge confronting
the Global Fund is that developing
countries need to scale up effective demand
for the Fund’s money for more ambitious
prevention, treatment and care programmes.
“Yes, the Fund has made an impact, but we
are not resting on our ears. Defeating these
pandemics requires much more work on the
part of developing countries and their international
partners, such as the Global Fund”, says
Moghalu. The Global Fund’s new approach to
health financing proposes a multilevel philosophy
and quality of partnership that offers hope
for the future.■
Quarterly - Spring 2008 -

EMRC’s Economic Missions:
Establishing new partnerships
between Africa and Israel
Africa’s recent economic development
emphasises the continent’s potential for
sustainable business partnerships. EMRC takes
concrete actions to build new bridges between
business leaders from the North and South. In
2007, EMRC has led two Senior Management
Economic Missions for African business leaders
and government representatives to Israel.
Several partnerships as result of these missions
have prompted EMRC to organise a third Senior
Management Economic Mission Africa-Israel
in 2008.
Scheduled to take place from 13 to 17
April 2008, the third Economic Mission
Africa-Israel will provide participants
with intensive exchange possibilities on
latest business developments and technologies
in agro-industry and agriculture. Israel
is a worldwide leader in agricultural innovation.
Due to a long experience in these sectors,
the country plays a major role in the worldwide
supply of innovative water and environmental
technologies. Consequently, the most advanced
irrigation, solar and water generating electricity
technologies as well as the world’s biggest desalinisation
centre can be found in the country.
A concrete initiative as outcome of one of EM-
RC’s Economic Missions to Israel has already
been established in the Province of Katanga
in DRC. Following the visit to Israel, H.E. Mr
Katumbi, Governor of Katanga, invited EMRC
to led a delegation of agricultural experts and
business leaders from Israel to Katanga. This
working visit enabled an in-depth analysis of
EMRC’s upcoming Economic
Mission Africa-Israel will
aim to create further successful
partnerships in the field of agriculture
and agro-industry
business opportunities as well as personal contacts
to high-rank officials and private sector
business leaders. In a follow-up visit of officials
and entrepreneurs from Katanga to Israel, the
Israeli government decided to finance and execute
feasibility studies in Katanga’s fishing and
farming sectors. EMRC manages, accompanies
and coordinates the
project development for the involved partners.
EMRC’s upcoming Economic Mission Africa-Israel
will aim to create further successful
partnerships in the field of agriculture and agroindustry.
The five day programme represents an
excellent opportunity for African business leaders
to expand their business network and to gain
direct insight in latest agribusiness technology
developments.
EMRC will guide participants to targeted
one-to-one business meetings as well as
to field visits to greenhouses, drip-irrigation
systems, solar energy plants, dairy
and poultry farms as well as aquaculture
sites and biotechnology applications in
agriculture. A concluding visit will be dedicated
to the Holy Sites in Jerusalem and Bethlehem.
Africa’s private sector not only shows potential,
but also offers concrete business opportunities.
EMRC’s targeted Economic Missions help to
transform these opportunities in sustainable
success stories. ■
”
EMRC’s Business Development Services:
Opening up new business opportunities
have clearly discovered new business opportunities
for my producers in the Eu-
I
ropean market”, says Mamadou Dijte, CEO
of the Senegalese fruits and vegetable trader
Agral-Export.
During a five-day trip to Spain, he has met major
fruits and vegetable trading companies in
Barcelona and Valencia. In pre-arranged business
meetings, Djite gained first-hand insight
in the European market conditions for Senegalese
fruit and vegetables. “Even though I
have only spoken to trading companies based
in Spain”, explains Djite, “their international
outreach can also allow me to enter the Central
and Eastern European market.” And the
prospects for getting into business are good:
Senegalese fruits and vegetables are an ideal
bridge during the season gap between the European
and South American production.
EMRC has been the driving force behind these
business match-makings. As part of its Business
Development Services for EMRC members,
the EMRC team analysed European fruits
and vegetable markets in order to identify the
best partners for Agral-Export to take a firm
step into the European market. In a second
stage, EMRC organised and guided the fiveday
trip to Spain to enable a personal exchange
between Agral-Export and Spanish traders. The
success of these meetings can be measured by
several received partnership proposals. “To be
honest”, Djite confirms. “I have received too
many proposals to be able to keep up with all
of them.”
EMRC accompanies the development of these
partnership proposals and advices Agral-Export
on market access regulations and certification
procedures for its fruits and vegetables.
EMRC’s specific Business Development Services
(BDS) provide members of the EMRC
network with networking activities, market
access analysis as well as lobbying, project
funding and public relations consultancy.
Agral-Export’s expanded business contacts
François Kacen from EMRC (centre), co-ordinating the
encounter with Mamadou Djite and Spanish traders
are one practical result of EMRC’s mission to
promote economic relations between business
leaders from Africa and the North.
“We will have to change some of our processes
and produced varieties”, concludes Djite
after his discovery of business opportunities
in Europe’s fruits and vegetable market. “But
I can now see a big potential for my Senegalese
producers in the European market.” ■
10 - DIALOGUES - EMRC

PRELIMINARY
Programme
Agri
FORUM
2008
Business
The Agro-Food Industry
as Engine for Growth and
Wealth in Africa
18 - 20 June 2008 * FAO
Headquarters * Rome, Italy
1ST DAY – WEDNESDAY 18TH JUNE 2008
■ Workshop: Innovation Strategy and Regional Innovation Systems. Presentation of Participants
■ Official Opening Session of the AgriBusiness Forum 2008
Pierre Mathijsen, President EMRC, former Director General at the European Commission
Top Management Representative of the FAO, Italy
Key Note Speaker: Dr Franz Fischler, EU Commissioner for Agriculture & Rural Development from 1995 to 2004 and Chairman
of the Ecosocial Forum Europe
■ Projects Incubator: Innovative Agro-Industry Projects from Africa. The best project will be rewarded with the EMRC Award
■ Networking place: One-to-One Sectoral Business Meetings
2ND DAY – THURSDAY 19TH JUNE 2008
■ Session I: PPP in Agriculture as a Platform for Growth and Wealth
Doyle Baker, Chief of Agricultural Management, Marketing & Financial Service - FAO, Italy
Ayisi Makatiani, Managing Director – AMSCO (African Management Services Co.), South Africa
Rustom Masalawala, Associate Director - The Earth Institute at Columbia University, USA
Nick Railston-Brown, Country Director - TechnoServe, Ghana
■ Session II: Investing and Financing African Agro-Food Industry
■ Part I: Responsible financing solutions to boost the agro-food industry in view of sustainable growth
Oscar Chemerinski, Director Agribusiness Department – IFC (Int’l Finance Corporation), USA
Bart-Jan Krouwel, Managing Director – CSR, Rabobank, The Netherlands
Daniel Kalabassou, General Director – Credit du Sahel, Cameroon
■ Part II: How can donors contribute to strengthen the agro-food sector?
Kevin Cleaver, Assistant President Prog. Mngmt Dev. – IFAD (Int’l Fund for Agric. Dev.), Italy
Maurits de Koning, Royal Tropical Institute – KIT, The Netherlands
Christoph Langenkamp, Task Leader Agriculture & Rural Policy - GDPRD (Global Donor Platform for Rural Dev.) and Ministry
of Economic Cooperation & Development, Germany
■ Parallel workshops: Innovative projects to boost the Agribusiness
■ Workshop I: Practical Research and Innovation for a sustainable growth in agriculture: practices and experiences learnt
Monty Jones, Executive Secretary – FARA (Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa), Ghana
Mark Holderness, Executive Secretary – GFAR (Global Forum on Agricultural Research), Italy
Suresh K. Raina, Programme Leader – ICIPE (African Insect Science for Food & Health), Kenya
Ides De Willebois, Director Eastern & Southern Africa – IFAD, Italy
■ Workshop II: Enabling Rural Economy - using ICT and spatial data resources to build self-sustaining rural communities
Simon Ashby, Principal Consultant – Infoterra, UK
Walter Mayer, CEO – Progis Software, Austria
■ Session III: Adding value to the Agriculture
■ Part I: Making use of local raw material to replace imports and promote production of finished products in Africa – the Heineken case
Henk Knipscheer, Sr Managing Director – Global Operations, Winrock International, USA
Thomas de Man, President, Heineken Africa and the ME, The Netherlands
John Mbonu, General Manager, SLBL (Sierra Leone Brewery Ltd) – Heineken, Sierra Leone
■ Part II: Creating wealth and ensuring food security at the roots of the AgriBusiness sector in Africa - the Olam International case
Moochikal D. Ramesh, President & Regional Head S&E Africa – Olam International, South Africa
Chris Brett, Senior VP & Head of C.S.R. - Olam International, South Africa
■ Networking place: Gala Evening. Presentation of the EMRC AGRIBUSINESS AWARDS 2008
3RD DAY – FRIDAY 20TH JUNE 2008
■ Food Safeties, Health and Nutrition
■ Part I: Standards and certification for a better sanitary and food safety
Nigel Garbutt, Chairman - GlobalGAP, Germany
■ Part II: Fighting major health problems in the community through programmes led by food producers, which involve the local
farmers and international agencies
Michel Lavollay, Senior Advisor on Health (HIV-Malaria-TB), Belgium
Quarterly - Spring 2008 - 11

Agri
FORUM
2008
Business
Initiated and organised by:
In collaboration with:
Agro-Food Industry
as Engine for Growth and Wealth
18-20 June, FAO Headquarters, Rome, Italy
Finding Successful Partnerships.
Agribusiness is the key sector for Africa’s private
sector development. And the continent’s agriculture
and food industry clearly have potential. But how to
turn potential into sustainable growth and wealth?
The EMRC AgriBusiness Forum 2008 will discuss
latest trends, new technologies, best practises and
practical solutions. The event will be opened by
Franz Fischler, EU Commissioner for Agriculture and
Rural Development 1995-2004, and offers:
• Top-level participants from four continents and
more than 25 countries
• Plenary sessions, workshops and targeted one-toone
business meetings
• AgriBusiness Awards 2008 for outstanding leadership
and business successes
Making Business Development Work.
Aimed at direct exchange and practical business
solutions, the three day programme will facilitate
North-South partnerships and identify latest business
opportunities. To follow up discussed case studies
and valuable contacts, EMRC offers participants
targeted Economic Missions and tailor-made Business
Development Services after the event.
You enter the Forum
and we build your business bridge.
For detailed programme & registration,
please contact Caterina Giuliano:
agribusiness2008@emrc.be
or cg@emrc.be
Tel: +32 (0) 26 26 15 15
or visit www.emrc.be
Sponsors: