africa

Yale Center for the Study of Globalization
Successes in improving policy coordination for transformation can be found across
Africa. In South Africa, for example, a national accreditation system supports industrial
policy organizations in dealing with the changing needs of industry, with an
emphasis on capacity building (ECA and AUC, 2014). In Tunisia, a major strength
of industrial policy organizations is post-intervention monitoring, with notably tight
coordination between technical centers and the Ministry of Industry.
Lessons for other African countries can be drawn from these industrial policy systems.
The common underlying theme is that state support is vital to addressing market
failures and to institutionalizing industrial policy at the highest levels of government
so that it becomes part and parcel of regular decision-making and monitoring
mechanisms. Successful experiences underscore the role of long-term development
visions and plans in fostering industrialization through improved policy coordination
and efficient allocation of resources.
22.5 Conclusion
This is an exciting time of great potential for Africa. High growth, large returns on
investment, increasing global trade and investment ties, governance reforms, and
human development improvements have been the headlines for years now. This
positive story can continue, if African governments now start focusing on long-term
transformative and inclusive growth as well as job creation for the benefit of their
growing populations.
Africa has a real opportunity to utilize natural resource endowments to foster structural
transformation by adding value to its raw commodities and improving capacities and
inputs for new competitive and productive sectors. Sources of growth have been
diversifying, and countries can take advantage of growing domestic consumption,
diversifying trade, increasing regional integration, and other positive trends. Proactive
policies are needed to harness these assets in order to help propel Africa’s economies
higher along regional and global value chains, moving away from the primary
commodity production and export that has characterized the region in the past.
There is broader agreement than ever before among Africans on what needs to be
done to build on achievements thus far and to propel the continent forward as a
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