Table des matières - Performances Group

Transcription

Semaine 21 – du 23 au 29 mai 2011
N°175
Table des matières

Présidence de la Commission de l‘Uemoa : Le Sénégalais Abdou Sakho en pole position --- 2

Compétitivité des entreprises dans la zone Uemoa : La certification pour percer le marché
international -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2

South Africa: Walmart and Massmart Maintain Conditions Are Not Necessary, Propose
Commitments to Demonstrate Goodwill ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3

L'Inde va prêter 5 milliards de dollars à l'Afrique sur trois ans ------------------------------------------------- 4

Billionaire Burman‘s Dabur Sees Africa as Growth ‗Epicenter‘ ----------------------------------------------- 5

Angola seeks private investment with new laws, growth ------------------------------------------------------- 6

‗African countries get tips on AGOA market‘ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6

Sh750m shot in the arm for health firm ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7

Export processing zones to add value on economy -------------------------------------------------------------- 7

Massmart offer - It‘s win-win as Wal-Mart puts its money where its mouth is --------------------------- 9

Economic growth triples Africa‘s middle class in 30 years – ADB ----------------------------------------- 10

Procter & Gamble boss rides on top brands to spur growth ------------------------------------------------ 11

Qui sont ces nouveaux DG ? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13

Foreign investors eye African consumers ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14

India in Africa Long timid in international affairs, India is starting to make waves ---------------- 16

Regional integration important for trade, says CCA ------------------------------------------------------------ 17

EAC unveils plan to boost growth with Sh9.3bn budget ------------------------------------------------------ 17
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 Présidence de la Commission de l‘Uemoa : Le Sénégalais Abdou Sakho en pole position
Le Sénégalais El Hadj Abdou Sakho est annoncé à la présidence de la Commission de l‘Union économique et monétaire ouest-africaine (Uemoa).Il devrait remplacer le Malien Soumaïla Cissé.
Le Sénégalais El Hadj Abdou Sakho pourrait être le successeur du Malien Soumaila Cissé à la tête de la Commission de l‘Union économique et monétaire ouestafricaine (Uemoa), selon une information de l‘hebdomadaire Jeune Afrique. Les
chefs d‘Etat de l‘Uemoa vont statuer sur la question, le 30 mai prochain à Lomé,
au Togo. Cette désignation avait déjà fait l‘objet d‘un report lors du 15e sommet
tenu à Bamako, en janvier dernier. Selon J.A, M. Sakho, commissaire du département des politiques
économiques et de la fiscalité intérieure de l‘Uemoa, a été préféré par les présidents sénégalais Abdoulaye Wade et ivoirien, Alassane Ouattara à deux autres prétendants sénégalais à ce poste, Abdou
Aziz Sow et Hadjibou Soumaré.
Cependant, l‘ancien Premier ministre de Wade, Hadjibou Soumaré, avait laissé entendre lors d‘un entretien sur la Radio Futurs Medias (Rfm) qu‘il n‘a jamais été demandeur. Lors d‘une précédente édition,
nos confrères soutenaient que Sow, Délégué général du dernier Festival mondial des arts nègres de
Dakar (Fesman), était soutenu par Syndiély Wade, la fille du président Wade. Tandis que Soumaré bénéficiait, lui, du soutien de son successeur à la Primature, Souleymane Ndéné Ndiaye.
Quant au favori sénégalais, Sakho, il a les faveurs du ministre des Affaires étrangères, Madické Niang.Le
Bissau-Guinéen Paolo Gomes, ancien administrateur de la Banque mondiale et le Nigérien Malam Annou, ancien ministre nigérien des Finances, sont, eux aussi, en lice.
Auteur de ‗L‘intégration économique en Afrique de l‘Ouest : analyses et perspectives‘, un ouvrage publié en février dernier, El Hadj Abdou Sakho, entré en 2004 dans la Commission de l‘Uemoa, a occupé
les fonctions de commissaire du Département des politiques fiscales, douanières et commerciales
(2004-2006). Avec 93,6 millions de ressortissants, l‘Uemoa (Bénin, Burkina Faso, Côte d‘Ivoire, GuinéeBissau, Mali, Niger, Sénégal et Togo) présente un Pib de 32.637,2 milliards de francs.
Walfadjri
 Compétitivité des entreprises dans la zone Uemoa : La
certification pour percer le marché international
Garantie de la qualité pour le consommateur, la certification peut également
permettre aux produits de l’Uemoa de mieux percer le marché mondial.
Les produits africains peinent à percer sur le marché mondial à cause principalement de l‘absence de normes exigées par les marchés des pays occidentaux.
Pour inverser cette tendance, le programme Qualité Afrique de l‘Ouest – Composante Uemoa – Phase 2, financé par l‘Union européenne à hauteur de 14,5
millions d‘euros et exécuté par l‘Onudi, a prévu la mise en place d‘un système
régional de certification-produit de l‘Uemoa. Et c‘est dans ce cadre qu‘il a entrepris, depuis hier, de former l‘Association sénégalaise de la normalisation (Ans)
à la norme de certification régionale. Cela, aux fins de renforcer la compétitivité des entreprises et assurer la conformité aux règles internationales du commerce et aux règlements techniques, en particulier les accords de l‘Organisation mondiale du commerce (Omc) sur les Obstacles techniques au
commerce (Otc) et les mesures sanitaires et phytosanitaires (Sps) à travers l‘établissement. Il vise également le renforcement d‘infrastructures nationales et régionales d‘appui en matière de qualité et la
fourniture de services de normalisation, d‘évaluation de la conformité et d‘accréditation, conformes
aux standards internationaux.
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Ayant déjà mis en place un système de certification de produits depuis 2009, la partie sénégalaise profitera de cet atelier pour se renforcer et prendre connaissance du guide Iso Cei 65 pour pouvoir faire la
certification par rapport à la marque Uemoa de conformité aux normes.
Mieux, correctement mis en œuvre, ce programme devra également contribuer à une intégration
graduelle de la région ouest africaine à l‘économie mondiale en renforçant l‘intégration économique
régionale et le commerce à travers un appui à la Commission de la Cedeao, la Commission de
l‘Uemoa, les Etats ouest africains y compris la Mauritanie, ainsi que les acteurs non gouvernementaux.
‗Pour les industriels, la marque de conformité constitue un argument de vente. Parce que cela permettra au consommateur averti de savoir que le produit a subi des analyses et obéit à des cahiers de
charges spécifiés d‘un organisme certificateur‘, déclare Barama Sarr, directeur général de l‘Asn. En effet, poursuit-il, ‗dans un contexte de mondialisation, il y a beaucoup de compétition au niveau des
produits sur le marché mondial. Et les produits qui font l‘objet d‘une certification avec une marque visible sur l‘emballage du produit permettent à un consommateur de faire très rapidement le choix‘.
Rappelons qu‘au niveau régional, un traité de la Communauté des Etats de l‘Afrique de l‘Ouest (Cedeao) préconise l‘harmonisation des normes et mesures. Les Etats s‘y étaient engagés à adopter des
normes communes et des systèmes de contrôle de qualité adéquats. Mais, aucune disposition régionale n‘est encore mise en œuvre à ce jour.
Walfadjri
 South Africa: Walmart and Massmart Maintain Conditions Are Not Necessary, Propose Commitments to Demonstrate Goodwill
In today's closing arguments before the Competition Tribunal, merging parties Massmart and Walmart
maintained that no conditions were necessary but to demonstrate goodwill, they made commitments
to the various stakeholders in this transaction. The merged parties indicated to the Tribunal that it may
impose these commitments as conditions on the merger. Among these commitments, Walmart and
Massmart proposed to establish a R100 million supplier development fund if the proposed merger between the two companies is approved by the Competition Tribunal.
Walmart International CEO Doug McMillon commented: "We continue to believe theproposed merger
will increase competition and benefit the stakeholders related to this transaction. In an effort to increase the comfort of those involved, we feel that these proposed commitments demonstrate our
good faith and will allow us to collectively serve customers in South Africa and help them save money
and live a better life".
This supplier programme will be funded in a fixed amount of R100 million to be contributed by the merged entity and expended within three years from the effective date of the proposed transaction. It will
be administered by the merged entity, advised by a committee established by it and on which representatives of the unions, business and the Government will be invited to serve, reporting back to the
Competition Commission annually about its progress. The merged entity would also establish a programme to train local South African suppliers on how to do business with the merged entity and with
Walmart globally.
Whilst specific details are not yet finalised, the programme is intended to develop the capabilities of
emerging small- and medium-sized farmers and manufacturers to supply product to the merged entity.
In this respect, envisaged initiatives will broadly be alignedto the Enterprise Development objectives of
Black Economic Empowerment, focusing initially on the development of emerging black farmers and as
part of Walmart's commitment to maintain Massmart's BEE leadership position among large retailers.
Doug McMillon added: "Our emphasis on localisation means that we work to be a contributing partner
everywhere we operate. Around the world, our stores typically source a majority of products locally. By
establishing this supplier development fund, we are creating a situation where we will grow our existing
local supplier base, create jobs, and ultimately, benefit customers by offering better products at better
prices".
Massmart CEO Grant Pattison said: "We anticipate that Walmart will enable Massmart to accelerate the
implementation of our new fresh food offering which will require a network of reliable local suppliers; we
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are therefore likely to place priority on the development of local farmers. In this way the merger will assist in delivering the dual benefits of increasing competition amongst national food retailers whilst also
growing the local producer base".
Pattison continued: "Walmart will also bring real improvements to South Africa's supply chain, to the benefit of the South African consumer and the broader community. These supply chain improvements,
such as logistics expertise, inventory management, and better forecasting models will help South African suppliers, as they will be able to compete better in the global marketplace, and will also help lower
the price of goods for South Africans. The proposed imposition of any conditions stipulating targets or
quotas for local procurement will undermine these efficiency gains".
Jared C. Benedict
Walmart store in Laredo, Texas.
In further undertakings, the merged entity also proposed a
commitment to ensure that there are no retrenchments, based
on the merged entity's operational requirements in South Africa, resulting from the merger for a period of two years from the
effective date of the proposed transaction. Finally, Massmart
and Walmart have proposed to guarantee continued recognition of the South African Commercial Catering and Allied Workers Union (SACCAWU).
McMillon concluded: "We have become a company with a strong local focus in our operations, sourcing, hiring and community involvement. Walmart is known globally for growth in jobs and stores. We
are a company that enjoys strong relationships with communities, governments and consumers.
Being a responsible global citizen begins with being a responsible local citizen. Walmart looks forward to
earning our credentials as a responsible and productive citizen of South Africa".
 L'Inde va prêter 5 milliards de dollars à l'Afrique sur trois
ans
LEMONDE.FR avec AFP
Le premier ministre indien Manmohan Singh, le 22
mai 2012 à New Dehli.AP/Gurinder Osan
L'Inde va prêter cinq milliards de dollars (environ
3,55 milliards d'euros) à l'Afrique au cours des trois
prochaines années, a annoncé mardi 24 mai son
premier ministre Manmohan Singh au premier jour
d'un sommet entre les deux partenaires, organisé
à Addis Abeba.
"Nous allons offrir 5 milliards de dollars de prêts
pour les trois prochaines années. Nous offrirons 700
millions de dollars supplémentaires [environ 497 millions d'euros] pour établir de nouvelles institutions et
des programmes de formation", a déclaré M. Singh lors de ce sommet prévu jusqu'à mercredi au siège
de l'Union africaine.
LE GHANA ET LE BURUNDI PARMI LES BÉNÉFICIAIRES DU PRÊT
Lors du premier sommet de ce genre, en avril 2008, l'Inde avait déjà promis à l'Afrique 5,4 milliards de
dollars de prêts sur cinq ans, dont près de 2 milliards ont été engagés depuis, selon un décompte annoncé lundi par le ministre des affaires étrangères indien S.M. Krishna.
Parmi les institutions qui doivent être fondées au titre du partenariat Inde-Afrique figurent un institut des
technologies de l'information prévu au Ghana, un institut de planification de l'éducation au Burundi, un
institut du commerce extérieur en Ouganda et un institut du diamant au Botswana, pour lesquels des
accords-cadre ont d'ores et déjà été signés, a annoncé de son côté l'Union africaine mardi dans un
communiqué.
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 Billionaire Burman‘s Dabur Sees Africa as Growth ‗Epicenter‘
By Malavika Sharma and Subramaniam Sharma
Dabur India Ltd. (DABUR), a maker of packaged honey, traditional medicine and hair oil, plans to set
up two new factories and introduce more products in Africa as part of a goal to almost double profit in
three years.
The factories in Johannesburg and Nairobi will start production by June next year, Chief Executive Officer Sunil Duggal said in an interview. Expanding overseas may help Dabur boost profit to 10 billion rupees ($221 million) by March 2014, he said in Ghaziabad near New Delhi, where the company is based.
Dabur, controlled by billionaire Anand Burman, also plans to add a factory in Sri Lanka to make beverages as it seeks to pare reliance on India, where inflation and competition from Unilever Plc (ULVR) and
Procter & Gamble Co. (PG) are squeezing profits. The maker of Vatika shampoo aims to increase the
share of overseas sales to 28 percent in three years from the current 22 percent.
―It makes sense to move, spring out to other emerging markets, because competition these days is very
hard in India,‖ Taina Erajuuri, a Helsinki-based fund manager with FIM Asset Management Ltd. said. ―It‘s
easier for Dabur to go to emerging markets than developed markets because there you have Unilever,
Procter & Gamble and L‘Oreal.‖
Dabur rose 0.1 percent to 103.7 rupees at the close of trading in Mumbai today. The stock has risen 3.4
percent this year, compared with a 12 percent drop in the benchmark Sensitive Index of the Bombay
Stock Exchange.
Profitable Growth
―The Africa market is the epicenter of our growth prospects for the future,‖ Duggal said May 13. ―The
upsides in some of these markets are as much, if not bigger than India. I‘m talking about not just revenue growth, but profitable growth.‖
Dabur‘s profit for the year ended in March gained 13 percent to 5.7 billion rupees, after rising an average 21 percent in the previous three years, according to Bloomberg data. Sales may expand 71 percent to reach 70 billion rupees by March 2014, Duggal said. He didn‘t disclose the value of the company‘s investments in the new factories.
Consumer spending in Africa may double to as much as $1.8 trillion by 2020 as infrastructure improves
and farm output increases, McKinsey & Co. said in a report last year. The continent‘s gross domestic
product, which expanded 4.9 percent a year from 2000 to 2008, will rise to $2.6 trillion by 2020 from $1.6
trillion in 2008, according to the report.
Still, inadequate infrastructure in many African nations may pose challenges to consumer product makers, said Naveen Kulkarni, a Mumbai-based analyst with MF Global Sify Securities Pvt., who has a ―sell‖
rating on Dabur.
‗Difficult to Distribute‘
―There are markets where for another 20 years there may not be a significant growth,‖ Kulkarni said.
―You‘d find it very difficult to distribute products.‖
To tap the demand in Africa, Dabur has built two factories in Egypt and one in Nigeria that make products such as hair oil and toothpaste. Last year, the company acquired Turkey‘s Hobi Kozmetik Group,
which makes skincare and hair care products, and U.S.-based Namaste Laboratories LLC, a maker of
hair products.
As much as a third of Namaste‘s sales come from Africa, Byas Anand, a company spokesman, said.
Dabur also sells bath gels, shampoos and skin creams in the continent under the Hobby brand, which
came with the purchase of Hobi Kozmetik.
Marico Ltd. (MRCO) and Godrej Consumer Products Ltd. (GCPL), Indian competitors of Dabur, are also
expanding in Africa through acquisitions. Marico has purchased the consumer division of Durban-based
Enaleni Pharmaceuticals Ltd. and South African health-care brand Ingwe. Godrej bought a hair-color
company in South Africa and a soap and body-lotion maker in Nigeria.
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―Growth in Africa may not be driven by acquisitions in Africa,‖ Duggal said. ―We‘ll have to do things the
hard way. We‘ll have to buy companies outside Africa and then seed the markets with those products
or develop our own products.‖
To contact the reporters on this story: Malavika Sharma in New Delhi at [email protected];
Subramaniam Sharma in New Delhi at [email protected]
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Hari Govind at [email protected]
 Angola seeks private investment with new laws, growth
LISBON (Reuters) - New legislation on private investment will help Angola attract
overseas investors, with a return to growth this year ensuring the economy has left its
payment problems behind, the head of the country's investment agency said on
Friday.
Oil-exporter Angola announced last August that it owed $6.8 billion -- twice what
was previously estimated -- to foreign firms involved in the southern African country's
post-war reconstruction.
"Angola cannot face its huge economic challenges on its own. We have to bring in
private, foreign capital, so we have just approved new laws which will come into
force next week," Aguinaldo Jaime, head of the Anip investment agency told reporters on the sidelines of a conference in Lisbon.
He said the new private investment code will provide incentives such as tax breaks, reduced red tape
and giving his agency more authority to approve the incentives.
The law would also help tap huge interest in investment opportunities in a country where the primary infrastructure was mostly destroyed during a 27-year civil war that ended in 2002, Jaime said.
Angola, which rivals Nigeria as Africa's biggest oil producer and is the world's fifth biggest diamond exporter, had double-digit growth between 2004 and 2008, but has slowed sharply in the last two years
due to a slump in oil and diamond prices.
Jaime said that the crisis had depleted the country's foreign reserves and led to the payment problems,
but added that a return to growth this year will ensure they are not repeated.
"Fortunately we are overcoming the effects of the crisis and international financial institutions forecast
Angola to grow around 6 percent this year," he said.
"This means that Angola will return to the robust growth path it had before the crisis and will honor its
commitments," he added.
 ‗African countries get tips on AGOA market‘
By Business Reporter
AFRICAN countries have been advised to improve their productivity for commodities intended for export to the United States of American (USA) to maximise on the market and trade preferences provided
by the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
According to recommendations by the experts and senior officials from the AGOA eligible countries in
Sub-Saharan Africa, countries in the region need to raise their productive capability and improve their
production base if they are to reap from AGOA.
The report from the just-ended AGOA mid-term review meeting in Lusaka states that with the help of
the USA, the African countries needed to overcome a number of challenges which included infrastructure development to help diversify the commodities exported to that country under AGOA.
―In order to enhance market access with the support of the US, AGOA eligible countries should improve
their productivity capability, as well as diversify and expand their production base, including that of infrastructure development,‖ the report states.
This comes in the wake of most African companies facing the problem of accessing the huge US market due to lack of capacity to produce enough eligible products to consistently meet the demand.
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The technocrats recommended that the USA should help African countries build on the capacity by investing in Africa to boost sectors in which the products are catered for under AGOA.
The report also calls on Africa to push for the AGOA treaty to relax the rules of origin clause for fisheries
so that the fish and fish products from islands like Mauritius could have effective access to the US market.
On fears that AGOA may not be extended beyond 2015, the United National Economic commission for
Africa (UNECA) and the Africa Union (AU) have been commissioned to carry out a study on the possible
options of the post-2015 AGOA scenario.
―There is need for specific case studies on the impact of AGOA withdrawal on countries which were
once beneficiaries,‖ says the report.
 Sh750m shot in the arm for health firm
CEO AAR Holdings Jagi Gakunju. Photo/FILE
By NATION CORRESPONDENT
A local healthcare provider has received Sh750
million from Netherlands to expand its operations in
East Africa.
AAR chief executive Jagi Gakunju said the funds
from Investment Fund for Health in Africa (IFHA) had
strengthened their capital base and bolstered their
capacity to deliver services.
―The funds will help us expand our services in providing not only quality but affordable medical healthcare in the region.
―We plan to extend the reach of our healthcare centres throughout East Africa so that we can bring
services closer to our members,‖ said Mr Gakunju.
The chief executive spoke in Eldoret when he officially launched the town‘s clinic at Saito centre.
He urged residents to pay attention to their personal health to keep their medical costs at the lowest
possible level.
AAR was started as a rescue company in 1984 and has grown to a fully fledged health care company
in East Africa.
It currently has 140,000 members across the 22 branches in the region.
 Export processing zones to add value on economy
By MASATO MASATO
NO wonder African countries are ferociously competing to win the attention of potential investors in the
Free Trade Zones (FTZs). Within the zones, which are steadily becoming suitable option for industrial development, there seem to be prospects of job creation, poverty eradication and wealth creation.
While investors who have for years been subjected to the pains of delays and red tape in African countries embrace FTZs as proven policy tool that governments can use to ease the business environment,
African countries perceive the schemes as their road maps to achieving Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs).
―The (Free Zone) concept puts in place all necessary machinery to accelerate economic growth
through poverty alleviation, job creation and revenue generation...these are the key indicators of the
Millennium Development Goals,‖ Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda told the second African Free Zones Association (AFZA) 2011 convention in Dar es Salaam last week.
FTZs or simply Free Zones means an enclosed area with supervised entry and exit points where certain
economic or fiscal advantages—import duties and taxes relief, exemption from trade restrictions and
formalities as well as relief from rules on minimum wages, social charges and labour conditions are
granted to facilitate world market trade.
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International trade and domestic resources are expected to contribute an increasing share of development financing as African economies grow and integrate into the global economy. And, provided
that a country implements active policies and comprehensive strategies for increased competitiveness,
FTZ schemes have huge potential to accelerate international business.
Experts have through researches concluded that FTZs have great potential of addressing transport
woes, unreliable power supply, communication hitches, water and sanitation problems as well as other
infrastructure services that impinge on economic growth, trade and poverty eradication across Africa.
FTZs were the viable strategy for promotion of international trade and regional development and many
African countries, including Tanzania, have widely embraced the schemes as credible means of attracting new foreign direct investments and fighting poverty. And, investors, particularly Chinese are more
than willing to invest in African FTZs, provided that the host countries embark on concerted efforts to redress the business hurdles in the continent.
Speaking at the AFZA conference, the Chinese cited erratic water and power supply as well as poor
transport infrastructure and stinging government bureaucracies as some of the issues that frustrate investors in Africa.
―The (Free Trade) Zones have proved great potential of contributing to industrial development and job
creation but the critical challenges that delay implementation of the projects have to be addressed,‖
Mr Ding Yong Hua whose firm is investing heavily in Nigeria told the conference.
He asked African governments to put in place straight forward investment policies and speak with one
voice: ―An investor wants to hear one voice from the government, but when two contradicting statements come from one government, they create unnecessary confusion to investors.‖ Mr Hua was referring to cases of governments offering special incentives to investors, which however are sometimes denied by agencies of same government.
Even though erratic supply of water and power, inadequate funding and poor infrastructure in terms of
serviced land, factory buildings, roads, ports and railways are always perceived as hurdles that impede
investments, they could sometimes offer immense opportunities for investment. AFZA Secretary General
Chris Ndibe told the three-day conference that, ―The poor roads, lack of factory buildings and inadequate water and power supplies are
in themselves opportunities for investments.‖
He challenged potential investors to explore investment opportunities in infrastructure development
through the public private partnership. Recent studies by the World Bank, UN Industrial Development
Organisation and the World Trade Organisation have shown substantial growth in the number of FTZs,
with increased prominence of private sector developed and operated zones and use of public-private
partnership for development of zones.
But experts warn that free zones were not a panacea to African development problems, arguing that
the zones were bound to fail unless respective host countries introduced effective policy and legislative
measures to free up economic development within the zones.
An international trade expert with the World Bank, Mr Thomas Farole, cited Korea, Malaysia, China, Costa Rica and Mauritius for high profile zone successes but reminded of existing failures too: ―We have to
understand the performance and factors that contribute to sustainable success.‖
He said free zones have huge potential of addressing key problems of unemployment and favourable
investment climate in the African continent, but noted that African zones were yet to deliver on their
potential due to limited investment. Mr Farole said most African countries were not well positioned to be
global export platforms for labour-intensive assembly, challenging them to consider re-orienting to better exploit comparative advantage and regional markets.
―This will mean re-focusing on zones as spatial industrial strategy – promoting clusters and value chains,‖
he argued, noting that African countries have to improve strategic planning and have in place a
transparent, robust legal and regulatory framework to attract and retain investors.
Transparency, well developed structure and policy stability are all that investors look for to have flourishing investments in the region—efficiency in service provision is thus the best that African governments
can guarantee to attract and retain serious investors in their respective countries.
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 Massmart offer - It‘s win-win as Wal-Mart puts its money
where its mouth is
Wal-Mart may have extensive emerging-market experience, even its logistics experts will be able to
learn a trick or two from Massmart.
CHRIS GILMOUR
IF ANYONE still questions whether Africa really is the next big investment play, at least one seriously big
hitter, the world‘s largest retailer, has no such doubts. Wal-Mart‘s $2,3bn offer for 51% of SA-based
Massmart is the Arkansas- based company‘s second biggest investment in more than a decade. In that
time, Wal-Mart has grown its non-US revenue from virtually zero to a quarter of its annual 400bn turnover.
The significance of this investment — and let‘s not forget Wal-Mart was prepared to stump up double
the amount for all of Massmart — has not been lost on audiences in SA or elsewhere. Recently, for instance, the Daily Record newspaper reported that farmers in far-off Uganda were likely to benefit from
the deal. It predicted Wal- Mart would "extend its experience in connecting farmers with the supermarket‘s global supply chain, boosting farmer incomes, and (helping) them improve the quality of their
produce".
Quite how and when all of this will come to pass is not entirely clear: Massmart has just one outlet in
Uganda — a Game shop in Kampala — and even in Massmart‘s home market no one seriously expects
that the Wal-Mart acquisition will result in an overnight explosion of new stores. (Massmart has, of
course, put on record its plan to add another 150 to 160 stores in SA and Africa, a more-than-50% increase, which, it has indicated, will take several years to roll out.)
All indications so far are that Wal- Mart is in no particular hurry to suddenly throw up what the Americans
call "super centres" across the length and breadth of Africa (Andy Bond, the executive responsible for
Wal-Mart‘s acquisition, has said he is more than happy that Massmart is appropriately aggressive about
expansion.) What is quite clear, however, is that Wal-Mart has bought into the growing belief that Africa
is undergoing economic and social change for the better.
By putting 2,3bn where its mouth is, Wal-Mart has signalled a massive vote of confidence in the future of
SA and of the rest of the continent, a belief in Africa‘s future that is, regrettably, not that common in our
own country.
The modern African economy is about much more than just resources. These account for 24% of African
gross domestic product, while the so-called consumer-facing sectors, of which retail is an important
component, represent 30%- 40% of the continental economy. Africa has a combined population of 1billion and it is not inconceivable that within the space of a generation its number of consumers could
surpass China‘s.
Greater political stability and more equitable, rational economic policies, combined with rapid urbanisation, will see the number of Africans living middle-class lives rising from 35% now to more than half in
only a decade.
For these urban consumers, the kind of modern retail experience a Massmart can offer them comes as
manna from heaven. They are used to small neighbourhood corner shops and general-dealer type
stores. The big, spacious, modern stores that Massmart and SA‘s other retailers bring to their cities chime
precisely with the kind of lifestyles these people always envisaged for themselves and their families.
In the wake of the Wal-Mart/Massmart announcement, Bloomberg tracked down one of this new type
of shopper, Richard Twesigye, a 61-year- old businessman who does his shopping at the Kampala
Game precisely because it gives him such a retail experience.
"Some things may appear expensive but considering their superior quality, prices remain good," Twesigye told a Bloomberg correspondent. "At such a big store, one can avoid the hazards of human jam,
which tends to come with pickpockets." Just as appealing to shoppers such as Twesigye is the previously unimagined variety of merchandise available.
And, of course, the prices. This is where the Wal-Mart clout is going to have a major effect. The US discounter‘s experience in sourcing stock at the lowest possible prices is legendary and it bears mentioning that this experience is not restricted to the US market. In the past decade, Wal- Mart has learnt a
great deal about operating in emerging markets where, as Bond said recently, they understand the
challenges of satisfying a market that has small homes, small refrigerators and few cars.
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Wal-Mart‘s purchasing clout will help Massmart source electronics and homeware at prices that will
appeal to Twesigye and millions of shoppers like him. In SA, one can expect the old debate about WalMart‘s effect on small local business to resurface, but what is undeniable is that the Americans‘ entry will
mean lower prices for consumers — particularly those of the lower living standard measures.
With Massmart moving more into fresh produce, the competition, in the words of Pick n Pay founder
Raymond Ackerman, will really have to pull up their socks.
Also, in time — as the Daily Record predicts, small local farmers in Uganda, SA and elsewhere (at least
those who are able to meet the strictures of a very demanding buyer) will find new and growing markets for their fresh produce. For Wal-Mart/Massmart it is politically and commercially important that they
are seen to be encouraging local producers but, as the business expands its footprint on the continent,
it will inevitably become increasingly integrated with the local economies in which it operates. One
Wal-Mart operation with which I am particularly familiar is that of Asda in the UK — an operation Bond
headed up until recently. There is simply no comparing Asda before and after Wal-Mart. Today‘s Asdas
are spotless, spacious, the staff are on their toes, the quality is very good and the prices exceptional.
Most significantly for Massmart, the Asda demographic is one that will help Wal-Mart quickly come to
grips with the emerging consumer in Africa.
In the typical Asda store today, only about 10% of total floor space is devoted to storage. That‘s a testimony to the sophistication of its just-in-time logistics operations. In SA, the percentage of space given
over to stock is more like 40%- 50%, but that has a lot to do with the much larger distances delivery
trucks have to cover in SA.
In the rest of Africa, the challenges and the cost of getting goods into stores are of a much greater
magnitude than in SA (although these costs are compensated for, to some extent, by higher margins)
and, while Wal-Mart may have extensive emerging-market experience, even its logistics experts will be
able to learn a trick or two from Massmart. CEO Grant Pattison and his team are very good at logistics;
in the discounting game they have to be good at driving costs out of the supply chain if they are to remain competitive.
The Wal-Mart/Massmart deal, one has to conclude, is a partnership, if not of equals, then at least of
strength.
- Gilmour is an investment analyst at Absa Investments.
 Economic growth triples Africa‘s middle class in 30 years
– ADB
By Babajide Komolafe
Strong economic growth and a move towards a stable, salaried job culture and away from traditional
agricultural activities have cause the number of middle class Africans to triple over the last 30 years to
313 million people says African Development Bank (AfDB)
The Bank Group in a report ‗The Middle of the Pyramid: Dynamics of the Middle Class in Africa‘, however, warns that despite this phenomenon income inequality in Africa remains very high, and that the
overall middle class figure includes large numbers of a ‗floating class‘ whose hold on status is insecure.
In a statement announcing the report, the Bank said, ―Over the decades, the numbers have steadily risen from approximately 111 million or 26% of the population in 1980 to around 151.4 million (27%) in 1990.
The 2010 figure, however, shows a significant surge of 60% from the 2000 figure of 196 million or 27.2% of
total population.
―The report defines middle class largely in terms of higher income relative to the average. That average
is of course lower in Africa than in the west. The report notes: ―the middle class is usually defined as individuals with annual income exceeding USD3,900 in purchasing power parity terms‘.
―However, the report acknowledges that other factors come into play when defining who is middle
class, saying: ‗other variables such as education, professions, aspirations, and lifestyle are also important
features that help establish who is in the middle class‘.
―Overall, it is economic growth that determines the rise of the middle class, but economic growth is in
turn driven by social and economic factors. The report notes: ‗Africa‘s middle class is strongest in countries that have a robust and growing private sector as many middle class individuals tend to be local
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entrepreneurs. In a number of African countries, a new middle class has emerged due to opportunities
offered by the private sector‘.
―Other determining factors include the establishment of stable, secure, well-paid jobs, and higher levels
of tertiary education.
―Geographically, middle class levels vary a great deal across African countries. North Africa has the
highest. Tunisia has the highest concentration at almost 90%, followed by Morocco at almost 85% and
Egypt with almost 80%. But a significant number of these belong to the ‗floating‘ category with a strong
danger of falling into poverty due to economic shocks.
―Other countries with high percentages of the middle class include Gabon, Botswana, Namibia, Ghana, Cape Verde, Kenya and South Africa. Countries at the bottom end include Mozambique, Madagascar, Malawi, Rwanda, Burundi and Liberia.
―The report maintains the growth in the middle class is good news for the future prosperity of Africa, but
also points out the continued high levels of income inequality on the continent. The continent has a extremely rich elite: ‗About 100,000 Africans had a net worth of USD800 billion in 2008, or about 60% of
Africa‘s GDP or 80% of sub-Saharan Africa‘s‘.‖
 Procter & Gamble boss rides on top brands to spur
growth
Procter & Gamble Services managing director Adema Sangale is leading the firm‘s drive to increase its
market share in the East African region. Photo/DENNIS
OKEYO
It‘s a Monday, which means Adema Sangole is in her
office.
For many other Kenyan CEOs, this is an unremarkable
occurrence. For the 34-year-old mother of two, however, it is the exception rather than the norm.
Every three weeks, her job calls for her to travel to the other regional offices she oversees, putting her
out of her home base in Nairobi for a month each time.
On the cusp of such a trip, the unassuming slight figure standing in the corridor waiting to usher me into
her offices at Proctor and Gamble‘s (P&G) Nairobi headquarters does not bring to mind the image of
your typical female corporate executive.
Wrapped in a flowing sweater, hair dressed in almost schoolgirl like braids and wearing flats in the place
of the power stilettos you would expect, Ms Sangole gives the air of a colleague rather than the lady in
charge of four East African countries, 54 distributors and 30 direct reports.
It is only on close examination, upon listening to her quiet yet confident voice, that you realise that
there is more to the diminutive CEO than meets the eye.
Sh240 billion
But then, that appears to be Ms Sangole‘s modus operandi. With a quiet determination, she has pulled
herself from being a graduate recruit at the firm to regional managing director of a Sh240 billon company.
An alumnus of USIU and later Oxford University, she joined Procter and Gamble as a result of a university
recruitment programme.
Her interests led her to the heart of any P&G operation anywhere in the world — its marketing department.
Having served as a brand manager for Always and Pampers in Kenya, Nigeria and Poland, P&G decided to elevate her to the position of associate director of external relations for Africa, based on her
passionate yet subtle management style.
Unlike many of her peers, she has only had one employer throughout her career – P&G.
―It‘s never been a job for me, it‘s a lifestyle. I am a P&G citizen,‖ she says.
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You get the sense that she is not just spewing the company line when she relates a harrowing schedule
sees her board a plane every seven days or so.
As she settles into a 20-minute personalised power point presentation (rarely, if ever, performed for journalists by CEOs in this country) that becomes more apparent.
Indeed, as Ms Sangole decides to give an impromptu demonstration of the effectiveness of a new
Pampers product, she frowns disapprovingly at the wet stain left on the wooden conference table by
the forlorn nappy used to demonstrate the efficacy of Pampers.
―You see what our mothers had to deal with?‖ she asks, vigorously mopping up water used for the test.
Motherhood appears to hover at the edge of Ms Sangole‘s consciousness throughout the interview, as
it must with her jobs frequent travel and unreliable hours.
She mentions her family more than 20 times, tellingly more times she talks about the Pampers brand.
You get the feeling that this operation does not take kindly to leaks.
They tend to attack them with the liquid sucking materials and weave cotton that make up their two
most popular products in this market; the Always line of sanitary pads and Pampers diapers.
Outside as a relentless sun brings to mind the drought that is currently ravaging much of Kenya, in the
cool air-conditioned boardroom at P&G, the quest is to drive away wetness in any form — that is unless
the moisture is being used to lather up Ariel, the fighter brand the firm launched last September as part
of its strategy to launch an assault on the East African detergents market. Soap has always been an integral part of P&G‘s interests.
The company was founded in the 1800s when its two founders — William Procter and James Gamble —
merged their candle and soap businesses to form the company.
The firm‘s first successful product was Ivory, a bar soap that continues to drive more revenues for the
firm than our mobile companies make combined.
Ivory is so central to P&G‘s business that its headquarters are dubbed Ivorydale, and staff at its headquarters in Cincinnati, US, are informally known as Ivorians.
But P&G, like many businesses whose core markets are based in developed economies like the US,
faces a new challenge as it enters its 174th year of business — how to counter serious challenges such
as high commodity costs and weak demand in the US, its home market.
This week, Chief Financial Officer Jon Moeller said underlying growth rates in developed markets, which
account for the bulk of P&G‘s sales, have been essentially flat.
If that sluggishness persists, it could be more difficult for P&G to meet the high end of its four to six per
cent sales growth target this fiscal year, she says.
Emerging economies such as the East African bloc are now seen as the salvation for the company, and
although P&G has not been as fast as some of its competitors like Colgate-Palmolive to seize upon
these emerging markets, it now sees lots of room for growth in places like Brazil and India.
Emerging economies
Analysts paint an especially rosy view for the household care market, where soap and detergent
players have been seen scrubbing up on their knowledge of Africa to take advantage of the market
growth rates of seven to 15 per cent predicted for the region in 2011.
The trend toward emerging markets has been growing for some time in the soap and detergent markets.
For example, in 2009, 45 per cent of US consumer products group Colgate-Palmolive‘s sales were in
greater Asia, Africa and Latin America, according to the company‘s website.
At an investor briefing mid last year, P&G signalled its intention to capitalise on the growth opportunity
by launching a fighter brand in the detergents segment — Ariel.
―We introduced Ariel in Kenya during September as part of our strategy to dramatically increase our
presence in East Africa,‖ says Ms Sangole.
The decision is based on the fact that in most developing markets, fabric care shipments are experiencing double digit growth, with most of the gains being made in Africa.
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Ariel is not new to the Kenyan market, and the company needed to instigate a shift from its formally elitist position when it was launched in the 1990s in order to launch a strong offensive against its rivals, namely Toss, Omo and Sunlight.
―We invested in pricing corrections to reduce gaps versus competition and have streamlined our distribution model so that it is more readily available on the shelves,‖ said Ms Sangole.
Alongside Pampers and Always, the other products the Nairobi office is responsible for, Ariel rounds out
the company‘s strategic focus for the region; to provide affordable sanitary and household products to
the mass market.
With more than 300 brands varying from the Olay skincare range to the Pringles crisps line, Ms Sangole
remains coy about any new additions to the stable, but is confident that there will be more in days to
come.
 Qui sont ces nouveaux DG ?
Après les changements intervenus au gouvernement et dans l‘armée,
c‘est au tour des ministères, institutions et sociétés étatiques du Burkina
Faso de connaitre une vague de nominations. Un bouleversement qui est
loin de déplaire à l‘opinion publique. Voici succinctement quelques éléments de biographie sur les nouveaux arrivants.
Sur les fora des différents sites d‘information, les internautes laissent éclater
leur joie. « Ainsi donc ce directeur était aussi amovible ! », s‘exclame un
internaute. « Beh oui ! il est amovible ! De même IC a fait les frais du renouvellement de certaines têtes
dans les grosses boîtes ! », lui répond-t-on en citant d‘autres structures où il faudra faire le ménage. Mais
la palme de l‘humour revient sans doute à ce communicateur, qui estime qu‘il faudrait du Carbonne
14 pour déterminer la date à laquelle certains responsables de sociétés d‘Etat ont été nommés.
Il est vrai que les directions de toutes les grandes sociétés de l‘Etat, ou presque, ont senti le vent du
changement. Plus un conseil des ministres sans son lot de nominations. C‘est ainsi que depuis le 11 mai
dernier, la Société nationale d‘électricité (Sonabel) et la Loterie nationale du Burkina (Lonab) ont leurs
nouveaux directeurs. Pour conduire la nationale de l‘électricité, le gouvernement n‘est pas allé chercher bien loin. C‘est à Siengui Apollinaire Ki, un ingénieur électromécanicien, que les rênes de la maison ont été confiées. Jusqu‘à sa nomination, il était directeur de la Production et du Transport de la Sonabel. Un habitué des couloirs et des dossiers de la maison donc.
Par contre, c‘est dans les effectifs du ministère en charge du Commerce que Luc Adolphe Tiao est allé
chercher la nouvelle directrice pour remplacer Zambendé Théodore Sawadogo, nommé à la tête de
l‘institution le 20 décembre 2000. Amélie Tamboura/ Sawadogo, puisque c‘est d‘elle qu‘il s‘agit, est
conseiller des Affaires économiques. Elle a, entre autres, occupé les fonctions de conseiller technique
au ministère du Commerce. C‘est désormais un cadre de banque, qui préside aux destinées de la Société nationale des postes (Sonapost). Paul Gueswendyam Balma, qui a dirigé la commission nationale
de privatisation, préside également le conseil d‘administration de l‘Office nationale des télécommunications (Onatel).
Le jeu des nominations s‘est poursuivi ce mercredi 18 mai 2011, consacrant l‘arrivée de Paul Marie
Compaoré à la tête de la Société nationale d‘hydrocarbures (Sonabhy) et de Somkinda Traoré/ Ouédraogo, à la tête de la Caisse nationale de sécurité sociale (CNSS). Le nouveau DG de la Sonabhy a
un solide background. Secrétaire général du Premier ministère depuis le 3 juillet 2008, Paul Marie Compaoré est un conseiller des Affaires économiques formé à Caen et au Havre en France. Originaire de la
province du Bazèga, il a fait l‘essentiel de sa carrière au ministère des Finances.
Il a aussi occupé les postes d‘Administrateur de la Banque ouest africaine pour le développement
(BOAD) pour le Burkina et il a présidé les Conseils d‘administration de l‘Ecole nationale des régies financières, de l‘Union des assurances du Burkina et de la Lonab. Il remplace Jean Hubert Yaméogo, qui a
totalisé 17 ans à la tête de la Sonabhy.
Quant à Somkinda Traoré/ Ouédraogo, c‘est une magistrate qui a siégé au Conseil d‘Etat, la juridiction
suprême de l‘ordre administratif, en qualité de commissaire adjoint du gouvernement. Elle prend la direction de la CNSS, mais n‘arrive pas en parfaite inconnue, puisqu‘elle débarque du secrétariat général de ministère en charge du Travail et de la Sécurité sociale, le département de tutelle de la CNSS.
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La vague de nomination (ou de départs, c‘est selon) a aussi touché l‘Office nationale d‘identification,
qui « échappe » des mains du colonel Abdou Diallo, pour passer sous le « contrôle » d‘un commissaire
de police, Jean-Baptiste Ouédraogo. La présidence de l‘université de Ouagadougou, « laissée » par le
Pr Jean Kouldiaty, nouveau ministre de l‘Environnement, a été "attribuée" à Gustave B. Kabré, professeur titulaire en parasitologie, jusque-là vice-président chargé des enseignements et des innovations
pédagogiques.
Desire T Sawadogo
Fasozine
 Foreign investors eye African consumers
André-Michel Essoungou
When the world's biggest retail company, the US-based Walmart, announced in September 2010 a plan
to buy South African retailer Massmart for a staggering US$4.2-billion, eyebrows were raised. Foreign investors in Africa have tended to put their money in the riches that lie beneath its soil, where the profits
are higher.
In fact, the steady growth of foreign direct investment (FDI) flows to the continent during most of the
past decade has mostly been concentrated in extractive sectors, especially oil (see Africa Renewal,
January 2005).
Yet, much like Walmart, a growing number of major investors are now betting on the continent's ultimate wealth, Africans themselves, according to the World Investment Report 2010 by the UN Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad).
And for all the shock that Walmart's foray into Africa initially prompted, when it announced in December that it was seeking to acquire only 51 percent of Massmart's shares for $2.5-billion, the transaction
was still second to the continent's biggest business deal unrelated to natural resources. Late in March
2010, a record $10.7-billion transaction took place as Kuwait's telecommunication company Zain sold its
African assets to Bharti, an Indian competitor.
Investors eye new sectors
Overall, the Unctad report notes, amidst a recent slump in FDI flows to Africa (see graph): "The services
sector, led by the telecommunications industry, became the dominant FDI recipient."
Across the continent, new deals involving major foreign corporations are becoming a common occurrence in sectors previously considered unattractive to investment heavyweights. Nestlé, a Swiss food
company, announced plans to spend $1-billion by 2013 for acquisitions in various African countries, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria and Angola. Less than two years ago, Nestlé's
main competitor, France's Danone, bought the yoghurt and desserts division of Clover, South Africa's
leader in fresh cultured dairy products.
Such developments call "for reassessment of FDI in Africa, as a different picture emerges," the Unctad
report argues. Potentially, development experts note, an increase in FDI flows to infrastructure, services
and retail sales could have a far more positive impact on African economies. Unlike investments in the
extractive industries, investments in consumer-oriented sectors often lead to the creation of many more
jobs and stimulate consumer spending.
Rise of the African middle class
Africa's booming middle class, with its recently acquired purchasing power, is the main reason behind
the new FDI trend on the continent. Various researches suggest that the number of Africans who can
afford to buy more than the necessities of daily life is rising rapidly.
A much-talked-about report by McKinsey, a US-headquartered multinational consulting firm, estimates
that the continent is home to around 50-million middle-class households (defined as those with incomes
of at least $20 000), as many as in India. (The report, entitled "Lions on the Move: The Progress and Potential of African Economies", was published in June 2010.)
One in every 10 Africans, says a different study by a French aid agency, is already a "solvent consumer"
– one who can afford the latest smartphones, the newest computers and dinners at trendy restaurants.
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The rise of this middle class is linked to the strong economic performances recorded in many African
countries since the end of the 1990s. Average economic growth has been around 5 percent a year,
while the average inflation rate fell to 8 percent from an earlier high of 22 percent.
From 2000 to 2010, six of the world's 10 fastest-growing economies were in sub-Saharan Africa, reports
The Economist, an authoritative London weekly. In fact, the publication argues that Africa is the site of
"the surprising success story of the past decade," high praise from a magazine that is generally not very
enthusiastic about the continent.
Strong and sustained growth rates – and not only in the oil-rich countries that benefited from booming
demand from emerging economies – provided a platform from which numerous households moved
upwards in income.
And while growth in oil-producing countries usually did not result in massive job creation, growth in other
countries did create some employment, in turn boosting domestic consumption. In South Africa, Tunisia,
Egypt and Morocco, Africa's four most advanced and diversified economies, domestic consumption
became the largest contributor to growth in recent years, says the McKinsey report.
Policies, peace and governance
Africa's improved economic performances are also a result of good economic policies and improved
political contexts, maintained the World Bank in its report Africa Development Indicators 2007. In Ghana, Uganda and Tanzania, for example, business-friendly policies opened new markets to investors. Angola and Rwanda became fast-growing economies after long civil wars.
Some also argue that a continental development plan has helped as well. The New Partnership for Africa's Development (Nepad), adopted by African leaders in 2001, "did help shape a new, more positive
perception of Africa," argues Patrick Osakwe, an economist with the UN Economic Commission for Africa and co-author of a study on FDI to Africa.
By emphasising the importance of good governance, Osakwe told Africa Renewal, the plan illustrated
a momentous shift in the way Africans seek to interact with the rest of the world.
Expanding prosperity
For a continent so long regarded by outside observers as "hopeless," the coming years will bring more
good news, various analysts say. Africa weathered the global recession better than most regions of the
world, and its recent economic performance is second only to that of Asia, according to several international institutions. Over the next five years, The Economist recently projected, "The average African
economy will outpace its Asian counterpart."
Such promising prospects are central to Walmart's expansion plans in Africa. Other major Western investors are likely to follow the US giant, analysts say. One reason is that the continent's combined consumer
spending is forecast to reach $1.4-trillion by 2020, up from $860-billion in 2008. Companies from emerging economies such as China, India and Brazil are already strengthening their positions in the region.
As foreign investors rush to benefit from the rise of the new categories of African consumers, prosperity
still remains elusive for too many other Africans. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation,
250-million people in Africa are undernourished.
"To expand prosperity, African leaders need to invest in infrastructure and education, to diversify their
economies, so that many more people can benefit from growth," argues Osakwe.
Others note that improving the standard of living of the poor not only makes business sense, but is also a
political necessity, as suggested by the recent waves of protests across North Africa. Not addressing
people's economic rights, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay pointedly remarked this
January, causes grievances "to fester and eventually erupt on a large scale."
This article was first published in Africa Renewal – produced by the Africa Section of the United Nations Department of Public Information, Africa Renewal provides up-to-date information and analysis of
the major economic and development challenges facing Africa today.
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 India in Africa Long timid in international affairs, India is
starting to make waves
FOR all its elephantine weight, India has long shown mouselike diplomatic
clout. Historically, its diplomacy was constrained by poverty at home,
fraught relations with neighbours, notably Pakistan and China, and an anxiety to avoid taking sides in the cold war. Even today, its foreign service
remains woefully understaffed: both New Zealand and Singapore have
more serving diplomats. Now India is trying harder to get noticed.
About time. India‘s growing economy and population need far more
energy than can easily be produced at home, requiring eyes to be raised
to distant horizons. Already the world‘s fourth-biggest oil consumer, within
15 years India will import nearly all its oil. India is set on diversifying supply
away from the Middle East. Increasingly, it expects to get supplies from
Central Asia and Africa.
As it happens, India‘s prime minister, Manmohan Singh, has just spent six
days in Africa, along with hordes of Indian ministers and businessmen. An
Afro-India summit, the second in three years, with leaders of 15 African
countries, produced a surge of shared goodwill. Mr Singh had admirable
deeds to point to. India is the third-biggest contributor of UN peacekeepers to the continent, helping
clamp down on civil wars in Sudan and Congo. India‘s navy chases Somali pirates. And, the prime minister reminded listeners, India‘s record of speaking out against apartheid in South Africa was an honourable one.
More striking, Mr Singh promised $5 billion of loans on easy terms over the next three years for Africans
willing to trade with India, plus another $1 billion to pay for education, railways and peacekeeping. It is
a steep rise in aid and assistance—last year India gave a mere $25m to Africa—and marks a striking
shift, especially since India itself is still a big recipient of aid. But Mr Singh wants something in return: African backing for another round of long-stalled efforts to reform the UN Security Council. India craves a
permanent seat, and will back an African permanent one, too, probably for South Africa.
Booming two-way trade, likely to pass $50 billion this year, is the backdrop to all this goodwill. Oil exports
account for much of the trade, thanks in part to a rash of investments by Indian oil firms in eight producing countries. Minerals matter too. India‘s large jewellery industry gobbles up South African diamonds
and gold. Mozambique‘s coal fuels power stations. India wants uranium from Malawi and Niger for nuclear power.
Mr Singh talks cheerily of all this helping Africa to prosper. For now, however, rival China plays the bigger
role. The value of its trade is three times India‘s. Whereas China‘s African embassies are large and well
staffed, the handful of Indian diplomats in Mozambique struggle to speak Portuguese. Bids by Chinese
state-owned firms for African oil concessions routinely knock Indian ones aside. It helps that Chinesebuilt infrastructure projects have already charmed governments.
For all that, India‘s African activity may one day prove to be at least as rewarding as China‘s. Whereas
the state led the Chinese charge into Africa, Indian forays are mostly guided by private firms. Tata, an
industrial conglomerate, Bharti Airtel, a mobile-phone company, and a batch of generic-drug producers have invested heavily on the continent. Accustomed already to dealing with hundreds of millions
of poor Indian consumers, they know what to expect in Africa. As their host economies grow at the fastest rate in decades, Indian firms stand to prosper. All the more reason, then, for India‘s diplomats to
look a good deal keener, too.
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 Regional integration important for trade, says CCA
By Business Reporter
THE Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) has said regional integration is an important tool that can be
used to further integrate goods and services and increase trade in the Africa Growth and opportunity
Act (AGOA) Forum.
CCA vice-president in charge of business development Timothy McCoy said for the American private
sector, regional integration was important because it could be used as a foundation to determine the
level of goods being traded in the region and internationally.
―A number of companies have taken keen interest in the progress of regional integration because if
those regions further integrate that will make it easier for those companies‘ goods and services to flow
across borders,‖ he said.
Mr McCoy said the council was working closely with Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa
(COMESA) and other regional groupings that would be serving as panelists at the summit in Lusaka next
month.
―Speakers will be speaking further on how we can make Africa a more business-friendly place,‖ Mr
McCoy said.
The CCA is an American non-profit association of more than 160 companies that collectively work to
encourage more American companies to do business in Africa.
Beginning with the very first AGOA Forum in 2001, CCA has played a central role in planning the AGOA
Forum private sector session, which takes place on the margins of the ministerial meetings of the annual
AGOA Forum.
This year, CCA has again been designated by the United States and the Zambian governments as US
coordinator for the private sector/civil society session and the international trade exhibition, which will
take place at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka next month.
AGOA is part of the Trade and Development Act of 2000, and it provides beneficiary countries in subSaharan Africa that do not already have a free trade agreement with the United States liberal access
to US markets.
It reinforces African reform efforts, provides improved access to US credit and technical expertise, and
establishes a high-level dialogue on trade and investment in the form of the annual US-Sub-Saharan
Africa Trade and Economic Forum.
 EAC unveils plan to boost growth with Sh9.3bn budget
Tourists at the Maasai Mara Game Reserve. East Africa plans to promote tourism and other development projects to boost growth and trade. File
By ALLAN ODHIAMBO (email
the author)
Posted Sunday, May 22 2011 at 16:20
The East African Community trade bloc plans to increase spending by 41 per cent in the fiscal year to
boost growth in infrastructure, tourism and trade, budgetary estimates showed.
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The chairman of the council of ministers, Hafsa Mosi, said the bloc proposes to spend Sh9.3 billion
($109.68 million) from July compared to Sh6.6 billion ($77.66 million) that was allocated for the current
expenditure window.
According to estimates tabled last week, development expenditure would take up 67 per cent of the
total budget for next year.
Some Sh3.5 billion ($42 million) would finance sustainable use of environment and natural resources,
tourism and wildlife conservation while Sh850 million ($10.27 million) would be used to implement the
common market protocol that was signed by the EAC heads of state in 2009 to boosting commerce.
Regional trade
Promotion of regional trade and infrastructure is planned to take up Sh1 billion ($12.5 million).
―While tremendous achievements have been made, we also recognise that there will be challenges in
the period ahead to which we must apply ourselves in taking the regional integration forward,‖ Ms Mosi
said.
She added: ―The stage is therefore set for the full operations of a vibrant single market and investment
area in East Africa.‖ Members of the EAC plan to jointly manage and share revenue from their tourism
facilities as part of efforts to boost earnings from the key sector. Officials said EAC would also step up
focus on the smooth implementation of the common market to allow the free movement of goods, services, people and capital within the bloc. This would make region easier to market to foreign investors.
The realisation of this dream has, however, run into hitches amid mistrust by some partner states that
fear their economies would be compromised by dominant partners under such an arrangement.
―Our pressing call is to consolidate the gains of the customs union and maximise its benefits. During the
year, we intensified efforts to address the problem of non-tariff barriers,‖ Ms Mosi said.
The EAC will also be looking to improve its road and energy infrastructure in 2011/12 fiscal year amid
projections of higher inflows of investment. Foreign direct investment in the five-nation trade bloc rose
to $1.72 billion in 2009 from $910 million in 2005.
But even as the EAC looked up to bigger spending, focus is expected to shift to the individual member
countries over their budgetary contributions to the bloc‘s activities. Most members in the past few years
delayed in fulfilling their statutory obligations to finance‘s the bloc‘s operations.
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Performances Veille
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