Monthly Highlights from ECDPM's Talking Points Blog, GREAT insights, Volume 3, Issue 2 (February 2014)

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    Economic transformation in Africa: What is the role for business-to- business in the mining sector? Talking Points, Sebastian Grosse-Puppendahl, 31 January 2014
    So that African countries can continue the path of economic transformation, the role of the mining sector needs to be enhanced. Besides pure mining activities, there is vast potential to create spatial and economic spillover effects, using the businesses and services opportunities that operate around mining activities. While large business activities have been quite successful in connecting to mining value chains, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) often lack the capacities or technology to tap the full potential out of such activities. (...)

    Economic Partnership Agreements: West Africa seals a deal at the 11th hour. Talking Points, Isabelle Ramdoo and San Bilal, 27 January 2014
    After 10 years of tough negotiations, on 24th January 2014, West African and Euro- pean Commission (EC) negotiators reached a major breakthrough on what now will be the first regional economic partnership agreement (EPA) since 2007. This is no small achievement. Given the disparity of situations among West African countries, some needing an EPA to preserve their preferential market access to the EU, (Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana), while others were not dependent on it. Failure to reach a regional agreement with the EU would have strained, and potentially threatened to disrupt, the integration process of West Africa.(...) 

    10 reasons why 2014 is the year for family farming. Talking Points, Hanne Knaepen, 24 January 2014
    Family farming is a central piece of the agenda for African transformation. Decla- red the United Nations (UN) Year of Family Farming and the African Union (AU) Year of Food Security, 2014 will be particularly interesting, with key challenges for family farming in terms of policy directions, international processes and efforts on the ground (...)

    African Minerals Development Centre – launch of a milestone for ma- king good use of minerals for Africa’s development? Talking Points, Sebastian Grosse-Puppendahl, 20 December 2013
    The 3rd Ordinary Session of the African Union Conference of African Ministers Responsible for Mineral Resources Development between 13-17 December 2013 in Maputo, Mozambique, under the title Leveraging the Africa Mining Vision for Africa’s Renaissance Towards Broader Ownership, intended to address important issues related to the development of mineral resources on the

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