Strengthening the Creative Industries for Development in ... - unctad

PART 5. CONCLUSIONS 59
5.2.6 BOOK SECTOR
The book publishing sector just as the performing arts sector may have not a high potential target for
increased exports. It seems to have most potential for responding to the growth of demand at the
national level and in other lusophone countries. A distinction should also be made between policies
oriented towards educational books and printed material, and those relating to literary production.
5.3 COMMUNICATION, NETWORKING AND STRATEGIC ALLIANCES
Three different aspects should be considered in this area.
First, a communication strategy to create and improve awareness of the creative industries within
Mozambique seems essential. A first step could be to present and discuss the findings and proposals
put forward in this project document with high-level government officials, to allow for a policy
dialogue that could take the form of a workshop. The event could be participatory and also involve the
representatives of all creative sectors and relevant institutions, including the media.
Second, enabling arts professionals to network abroad, attend fairs and build alliances is crucial for
opening up markets.
Third, the creation of festivals and large events can be extremely beneficial to the development of the
creative sectors. Creating an area of specialization in a particular sector attracts people and expertise,
and it fosters exchange and learning within that sector. Thus, projects like the documentary film
festival should be encouraged, as well as the planned roots music festival. Such initiatives are part of a
long-term strategy given that the benefits are often not immediately visible. Finally, events such as the
EU-ACP festival, the EU-ACP Cultural Colloquium held in Brussels in April 2009 and other similar
events not only in Europe but also in other developing countries could be used as an international
platform to increase visibility, interest and business opportunities for the creative industries, while
contributing to enhance North–South and South–South cooperation in the area of the creative sectors.
5.4 TOWARD A COMPREHENSIVE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES POLICY
With the objective of working toward a comprehensive policy not only to strengthen the creative
industries, but also to put in place the basis for a solid and sustainable strategy for the creative
economy, the ACP/EC/ILO/UNCTAD/UNESCO project recommendations have been structured
around three components that span the two phases of the project:
(a) Reinforcing the institutional structures and policy framework;
(b) Capacity-building activities and technical assistance;
(c) A communications strategy and awareness building on the creative industries
In phase one of the project, UNCTAD activities were centred on research analysis and policy advice.
In phase two, UNCTAD plans to focus on institution-building and capacity-building for government
officials, including the skills to articulate cross-cutting actions that are crucial to putting in place
concerted multi-disciplinary policies to enhance the development dimensions of the creative economy.
This activity would include the areas covered under section 3 in this report, in particular the interface
between investments, digital technologies, enterprise and trade. ILO will focus on labour issues and
training activities on creative entrepreneurship and managerial business skill, while UNESCO will
provide technical assistance to targeted institutions to reinforce cultural associations and the regulatory
framework around the creative sector.
A priority action must be seen in the mobilization of the pertinent government ministries to agree and
implement a policy in favour of a long-term strategy for the creative economy as a whole. It is
important to optimize existing mechanisms to facilitate inter-ministerial regular consultations to ensure
that the different ministries are aware of policies and projects pertaining to the creative sectors within