2030: Smart engagement with business – Volume 5, Issue 5 (October/November 2016)

Download GREAT Insights Editorial Dr. San Bilal, Head of Economic Transformation and Trade Programme, ECDPM Engaging the private sector has become a common motto for the development community. This, in itself, is a major evolution, as private forces have too long been dismissed, when not chastised, by many development actors! It is now well recognised that the vast majority of employment is provided by the private sector, which plays critical roles in production, investment, innovation, technology, services and finance provision. It can also be a major social actor, which can contribute to accelerate sustainable development and prosperity for all. Features Mobilising the private sector for sustainable industrialisation LI Yong, Director General, UNIDO Inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and the private sector must be a high policy priority. The European External Investment Plan: An innovative new chapter Federica Mogherini, EU High Representative and Vice-President, European Commission; Neven Mimica, EU Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development With the External Investment Plan, the EU is taking its development policy to the next level. As it steps up its financial commitment to sustainable development, it also needs the private sector to get on board. Together with its partners in Africa and its Neighbourhood, they can help their young generations achieve their full potential. Agro-industrial parks key for Ethiopia's industrial policy Mebrahtu Meles, Ethiopian State Minister for Industry Ethiopia is one of the few African countries with an industrial policy. Several industrial parks have been created all over the country, and the government is now going one step further with the development of integrated agro-industrial parks, which will be at the centre of the first agro-industrial forum held this October in Addis Ababa in collaboration with UNIDO. SDGs changing the way we engage with the private sector Grete Faremo, Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director, UNOPS UNOPS can help lead the way towards smart collective solutions on infrastructure and investment for sustainable development. Support and mobilisation Promoting private sector development by development partners Kaori Miyamoto and Emilio Chiofalo, Policy Analysts, OECD Development partners are increasingly promoting private sector development, especially by supporting the private sector directly. In doing so, it is necessary to ensure that financing private companies delivers the development outcomes expected. Mobilising private capital for sustainable development: Emerging trends and lessons Anja Koenig, Founder and Director Social Impact Markets, and Edward Jackson, President of E.T. Jackson and Associates Ltd. For there to be any possibility of achieving the ambitious SDGs by 2030, as much as US$2.5 trillion in private financing for related physical and social infrastructure alone is required per annum in emerging countries. How can development agencies and philanthropic funders effectively mobilise private capital for both financial returns and development impact? Supporting private sector with development funds: Putting the cart before the horse? Paola Simonetti, Coordinator Development Policy and Trade Union Development Cooperation Network, ITUC This article highlights some of the most controversial issues relating to the role of private sector in development as recipient of development assistance resources. The analysis revolves around the effective use of aid funds, according to the development effectiveneshttp://ecdpm.org/great-insights/2030-smart-engagement-business/supporting-private-sector-development-funds-putting-cart-horsess principles and commitments of ‘country ownership’, ‘accountability’ and ‘development results’. Diaspora contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals Chinedu Madichie, Senior Adviser and Board Member, African Diaspora Network Europe The role played by diaspora in the development, poverty reduction, reconstruction and growth of countries of origin has enabled tremendous change in local communities. Yet diaspora are side-lined development agents. Diaspora expertise and contributions must be better leveraged to deliver on the 2030 Agenda. Inclusivity and sustainability SME's competitiveness for sustainable value chains Marion Jansen, Chief Economist, International Trade Centre SMEs represent the missing link to inclusive development. On average less productive than large firms, they pay lower wages and offer less favourable labour conditions. Addressing the ‘productivity gap’ is crucial for inclusive growth. Trade can play a role in this. Working with partners to upscale sustainable agriculture Herbert Lust, Vice-President and Managing Director Europe, Conservation International Europe To translate corporate decisions into sustainable production processes, we need new tools for measuring what Earth gives us and how we value it. We need innovations in how we measure the impact of our choices on what we consume, in how we conduct business and how we structure policy. Women and entrepreneurship in Africa Rose Sakala, 2015 winner of the Future African Leaders Awards Women entrepreneurship has the potential to transform Africa, reducing poverty and foster sustainable development. But my experience is that this requires active reforms and support mechanisms to overcome numerous hurdles and unleash this potential. Sustainability principles for public-private partnerships Sebastian Grosse- Puppendahl, Policy Officer, ECDPM Because of the diversity of partnerships, it is difficult to identify sustainability criteria that can be universally applied across the range of PPPs, contributing to the challenge of monitoring and enforcement of such criteria. Donor approaches to PPPs should also take account of political realities to allow adaptation to interests and incentives. A territorial approach to multi-stakeholder partnerships Karim Karaki and Alfonso Medinilla, Policy Officers, ECDPM If multi-stakeholder partnerships and especially CSO-business partnerships are such an appealing way to engage the private sector in development, donor agencies need to rethink the way they promote and support them to realise their full (developmental and sustainable) potential. e-Africa Africa's growing tech hubs and smart cities Yaw Owusu, Founder and Managing Director, Gateway Innovations Ltd., Ghana As Africa’s youthful population become more innovation-savvy and the race to develop Africa’s technology infrastructure heats up, we look at how tech hubs and smart cities will impact the development of African innovations and the evolution of the region’s economy. Fast-tracking connectivity solutions through private-public partnerships in Africa Christine Leurquin, Vice-President Institutional Relations and Communications, SES Techcom Services Over the last ten years connectivity in Africa has increased, but the level of accessibility remains very imbalanced. Good coverage is provided by fibre optics along coastal areas but there is limited coverage in the centre of the continent. Add to this the relatively slow deployment of 3G mobile services, the lack of infrastructure in some areas, and the strict regulations around Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) and it is clear there is still more work to do. Regulars Talking Points Blog highlights In addition to structural support by ECDPM’s institutional partners The Netherlands, Belgium, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Austria and Denmark, this particular issue also benefits from funding from the Department of International Development (DFID), United Kingdom. Read GREAT Insights volume 5, issue 5: [gview file="http://ecdpm.org/wp-content/uploads/Great-Insights-Vol5-Issue5-October-November-2016.pdf" save="1"]