"Participation Builds Unity"
"MADE IN AFRICA - FOR AFRICA"
"Participation Builds Unity"
"MADE IN AFRICA - FOR AFRICA"
PRESENTS
NEPAD BUSINESS GROUP - TUKUR
AS AT 12 December 2003
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The NEPAD BUSINESS GROUP, headed by chairman Alhaji Bamanga Tukur (Nigeria) was 'established' in April 2002.
The Foundation for the Development of Africa vehemently objected to the way this process took place – the following email was circulated on 24 June 2002, only days before the AFRICAN UNION BUSINESS SUMMIT in Durban, South Africa:
The last few weeks have been quite hectic with, amongst other tasks, coordinating the South African Department of Trade and Industry initiative, the AFRICAN UNION BUSINESS SUMMIT, planned for 1 - 3 July 2002 in Durban.
The following email was circulated on 05 July 2002 - two days after the AFRICAN UNION BUSINESS SUMMIT in Durban, South Africa:
AFRICAN UNION BUSINESS SUMMIT
Commitment and Focus
1. Business Knowledge
2. Local Support
3. An International Forum
WHO INITIATED NEPAD?
ABR - Africa Business Roundtable
ICC - International Chamber of Commerce
CBC - Commonwealth Business Council
Forum Francophone Des Affaires
Business Humanitarian Forum
CIAN - Conseil Francais des Investisseurs en Africa
CCA - Corporate Council on Africa
BABA - British Africa Business Association
IBLF - International Business Forum
BCEAM - Business Council Europe Africa Mediteranean
PEC - Pan African Employers Confederation
Canadian Council on Africa
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It may be worthwhile mentioning that as at 12 December 2003 only two of these “so-called” NEPAD BUSINESS GROUP (TUKUR) associates (as listed above) make mention of the NEPAD process.
Some 21 months later, after endless deliberations, the ABR (African Business Roundtable – Tukur) released the following press statement - see:
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Finding solutions that would integrate business with NEPAD was the main objective of this summit.
However it is now evident that this objective had been finalised and the "process" is called the NEPAD BUSINESS GROUP.
We were unaware of this process!
This move reiterates the press rumour that NEPAD is "elitist and pandering western markets" as reported in the Sunday Times this weekend.
NEPAD have clearly indicated their position for organisations "not to reinvent the wheel" but to "take hands" in achieving common goals - we have been pleading for this!
The establishment of this exclusive NEPAD BUSINESS GROUP has regrettably caught the FDA off guard and I have raised a number of questions regarding this nepotism.
Our members may recall that the FOUNDATION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF AFRICA was instructed not to "reinvent the wheel" when we approached NEPAD, in February 2002, seeking ways of interacting and staying abreast with information on NEPAD activities.
I recently objected to the formation of the Nepad Business Group, established without the participation of African Business! My objection was met with two conflicting statements from ABR (African Business Round Table) and NEPAD regarding this Nepad Business Group.
The plot thickens!
On the last day and during the last session of the AU Business Summit the delegates were presented with a "second" and may I add very well structured, business organisation called "Nepad Business Council" - initiated by Mr. Reuel Khoza.
More concerning was the fact that the South African Department of Trade and Industry, the hosts of this AU Business Summit, and NEPAD were aware of this "Council". This "Council" formed during the World Economic Forum held recently in Durban and endorsed by more than 180 businesses during the WEF.
Why was this "Business Council" not presented to the delegates at the start of the AU Business Summit? - surely it would have impacted on the intentions and objectives of the Summit!
Needles to say that I was shocked speechless!
We need to see this NEPAD process as "a game that must be played as a team - understanding - that this game will produce no winners only participants!"
A full report on the AU Business Summit will be made available and accessible from our website as soon as we receive the outcomes document.
What is NEPAD Business Group
NEPAD Business Group comprises leading business organisations who have a broad constituency - both inside and outside Africa - and are committed to helping the continent realise its full economic potential. The group will act as a medium between NEPAD and private companies who support its aims. The group will share information on trade and investment opportunities in Africa and encourage private sector involvement in sustainable development projects.
NEPAD Business Group was established to help realise NEPAD's objectives by providing:
We will provide a wealth of business expertise. This is, afterall, our great strength. The development of a "Business and NEPAD Road Map" is already underway, designed to overcome impediments to trade and investment in Africa. The road map will feed into, and take lessons from, the UN Conference on Financing for Development, Monterrey (March 2002), the G8 Summit in Kananaskis (June 2002) and the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg (September, 2002).
Many of our member companies have operations on the ground across Africa and hence have valuable firsthand experience not only of the challenges of working in Africa, but also the best strategies to overcome them.
We will organise a series of conferences where solutions will be sought to the most pressing challenges facing NEPAD. The first of these will be the 3rd ICC African Regional Meeting in Cameroon in October 2002. This will be a high-level gathering of key political and business leaders and will focus exclusively on the role of business in NEPAD
The following information was extracted from a brochure "NEPAD BUSINESS GROUP"
http://www.abrnet.org (Website not available)
http://www.iccwbo.org
http://www.cbcglobelink.org/
http://www.ffa-i.org
http://www.bhforum.ch
(No web detail)
http://www.africacncl.org
(The East Africa Association)
(The Southern Africa Business Association)
http://www.saba.co.uk
(The West Africa Business Association)
http://www.waba.co.uk
http://www.iblf.org
http://www.bceam.org
(No web detail)
http://www.ccafrica.ca
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