The concept of ‘South-South’ cooperation refers to burgeoning processes of bilateral and multilateral cooperation between developing countries across the world. Burkina Faso and or Ivory Coast will thus create economic partnerships or enter into trade agreements Tunisia, or Morocco, or China. South-South cooperation however does not preclude traditional North-South cooperation. In fact, a triangular dimension is often added to such initiatives when countries from the North joins the equation and contributes to such economic and development ventures: thus, the concept of North-South-South cooperation.
Anis Jaziri, a co-founder of the Tunisia-Africa Business Council (TABC) asserts, in Le Point, that: “75% of exchanges are with Europe. We must consolidate our relations with our traditional partners (France, Germany, Italy, Spain …), but we must also diversify, find other avenues. The European market has matured for Tunisian companies. The margin of progression is limited, so we need space to breath.” Cooperating with Canada, in such context, offers timely avenues for diversification, and offers broader space to breath.
Agricultural industrialisation is repeatedly singled out by developmental initiatives, but convincingly effective reforms ought to adopt a holistic approach to infrastructures, frameworks overhaul. Akinwumi A. Adesina, President of the African Development Bank notes that “The slowdown in Africa’s industrial production is at the heart of massive youth unemployment. That’s why, only 3 million young people get jobs amongst the 11 million who enter the labor market every year. To create more jobs – I mean high-quality, well-paying jobs – Africa needs to accelerate its industrialization. ”
North-South-South cooperation is highly pertinent to the implementation and the success of such industrialization processes. While Swiss or Germans parliamentarians discuss with those in Burundi or Gabon, the European Investment Bank is increasingly becoming an important development actor in Africa, with 2.2 billion euros spent annually on the Continent.
What role can Canadian enterprises and institutions play in the continent? Let’s discuss this further on the 15th and 16th October of 2018 at the International Forum on African Digital Potential in Montreal.