UN launches ninth Cluster on Industry, Trade and Market Access in support of AU and NEPAD

Addis Ababa, 7 May 2007 (ECA) -UN agencies on 3 May in Vienna launched a ninth Cluster on Industry, Trade and Market Access (ITMA) in support of the African Union and its New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) vision.

The launch and inaugural meeting of the Cluster were co-organized by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and presided over by the Executive Secretary of ECA, Mr. Abdoulie Janneh, the Director General of UNIDO, Mr. Kandeh Yumkella and the head of NEPAD, Prof. Firmino Mucavele

The Cluster, which was first mooted at the UN Regional Consultation Meeting in 2006, will build greater synergy in the industrial, trade and market access programmes and activities of the UN system and key stakeholders in Africa in support of the African Union and its NEPAD initiative.

It will also undertake joint programmes and activities; joint studies and publications; joint seminars and workshops among other activities. The Cluster Convener will be UNIDO, while the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) will serve as Vice Convener.

Other Cluster members are the African Union Commission, the NEPAD Secretariat, ECA, International Atomic Energy Agency, International Trade Centre, UN Development Programme, UN Education, Scintific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), World Intellectual Property Organization, World Trade Organization, the African Organization for Standardization (ARSO), Investment Climate Facility, African Futures Institute and African Regional Economic Communities (ECOWAS, EAC, UEMOA, ECCAS)

In an opening remark, Mr. Janneh reaffirmed ECA's strong commitment to making a significant contribution to the successful implementation of the AU/NEPAD programme in industrial development, trade and market access.

He said that the formation of the ninth Cluster was a "clear translation of the firm commitment of the UN system-wide to scale up its support to the African Union and to NEPAD".

UNIDO's head, Mr. Yumkella, stressed the need for "an action-oriented cluster so dynamic that there is joint activities and joint action in response to emerging challenges in the area of industry and trade". He also proposed development of an advocacy and communication strategy for the cluster to promote the implementation of NEPAD.

Prof. Mucavele, said the new Cluster was an important vehicle to enable coherence in UN response to NEPAD's emerging challenges. He said it was important for African countries to develop industrial development strategies in order to take advantage of the global markets and reduce poverty.

During the two-day meeting, participants adopted the Cluster's terms of reference and discussed its structure, processes and areas of focus.

They also deliberated on a wide range of issues, including industrial development, supply-side constraints, assisting African countries in building trade capacity, securing access to markets and mainstreaming industrial policy and trade into national development strategies.

The meeting also touched upon issues such as institutional policy reform, customs administration and regulatory matters, private sector participation, and mainstreaming trade in national development strategies.

"As the newest Cluster, ITMA Cluster will undoubtedly serve as model for the other eight Clusters of the Regional Consultation Mechanism. It has support from the top, its formation has been widely consultative and its work plan is demand-driven" said Mr. Emmanuel Nnadozie, Chief, NEPAD Support at ECA who also presented the outcomes of the 7 th Regional Consultations Meeting held in Addis Ababa in November 2006.