Abdelmonem Fawzi
The conflict in Ukraine can permanently restructure the global order, given the turbulence and instability the world will suffer for a period of time because of this conflict.
We will most probably see the end of the era of US preponderance. However, important questions arise.
We do not know how long this restructure will take to happen, how effective or devastating the US-led resistance will be, or what will replace this US preponderance?
The fact is that we face one crisis on top of another. These crises are turning our lives and economies upside down.
These inherent challenges and an increasingly fragmented world that is fuelling protectionism and playing into nationalist narratives put more strains on the systems that sustain livelihoods across Africa.
This is why African governments should reassess their roles in the international system and rewrite the rules of engagement with external partners.
Those challenges should open our eyes and encourage us to think big on digital development.
The reason is that digital technologies offer a chance to disrupt this trajectory, unlocking new pathways for rapid economic growth, innovation, job creation and access to services, which would have been unimaginable only a decade ago. These technologies are also an essential resource for economic growth, competitiveness, innovation, job creation and societal progress.
They are needed in almost every sector. Their application ranges from supporting small scale farmers to increasing productivity, modeling and tracing the spread of pandemics, such as Covid-19, and improving basic services, such as healthcare, water, and the electricity supply chain.
To address these challenges, the African Union Development Agency NEPAD (AUDA-NEPAD) and Microsoft Africa recently re-launched the 100,000 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Academy training platform.
This is a free online platform dedicated to African realities and African entrepreneurs, available in English, French, Hausa, Igbo, Amharic, and Yoruba. It offers more than 200 courses in various topics, from digital literacy and business compliance, to Microsoft packages to business presentation skills.
The platform also establishes networks for support and incubation to bolster their success.
This marks another milestone in the partnership between the two groups supporting the domestic African private sector.
The academy is part of a comprehensive effort to address some of the most pressing issues the owners of African micro, small and medium businesses face, including access to suitable financing and markets, along with opportunities for gaining additional skills.
This initiative will become a central, one-stop-shop for MSMEs to access tailored support intuitively and seamlessly in their business journey.
Ola Williams, Microsoft’s country manager for Nigeria and Ghana, said Africa is ideally placed to take hold of the incredible prospects presented by this rapid (digital) transformation.
“But we must deliver the digital skills needed to seize the opportunity before us,” she said at the academy’s launch event.
She added that Microsoft shares AUDA-NEPAD’s goal of contributing towards decent employment for Africa’s youth by supporting sustainable youth-owned MSMEs.
“Together, we provide access to digital content that helps micro, small and medium enterprises transform their businesses for greater growth,” she said.
The good news is that this initiative contributes to the ‘100 000 MSMEs Initiative’ which results from multilateral, cross-sector, and country partnerships and accelerates a coordinated and tangible set of responses to the challenge of job creation on the continent.
Speaking at the academy’s launch, Fati N’zi-Hassane, head of AUDA-NEPAD’s Human Capital and Institutional Development Division, highlighted AUDA-NEPAD’s commitment to the initiative.
She specifically confirmed support in developing content for the MSME Academy.
“The heart of economic activity and prospects for meaningful opportunity on the continent is driven by MSMEs,” N’zi-Hassane said. “The AUDA-NEPAD is deeply convinced that Africa’s structural transformation will be driven by youth and women-led businesses and innovations.”
So far through this platform, she said, we have been able to officially launch this Initiative in 13 member states, reaching out to more than 3 million participants.
“We look forward to celebrating the participants who will successfully go through these training programmes,” N’zi-Hassane said.
The MSME Academy, jointly built by the AUDA-NEPAD and Microsoft, has made great strides and aims to address four binding constraints:
First, empower MSMEs with access to critical capabilities that increase their access to growth and finance through capacity and training.
Second, facilitate access to the MSME Market.
Third, build the MSME finance system that will create partnerships to provide diversified, adapted, and direct finance to MSMEs and risk mitigation options.
We face a $750-billion financing gap for MSMEs on the continent.
Forth, collect quantitative and qualitative data from MSMEs across all the member states of the AU by working alongside platform members and partners.
This information helps build more insightful and collective intelligence and translate it into a policy advisory for member states.
We notably see more excellent knowledge on public procurement and investment use, the harmonisation of policy frameworks across the region, and insights on targeted education and social policy innovations.
Financing infrastructure projects still remains a big challenge, particularly in the area of electricity and energy.
After all, infrastructure is a key driver of economic development.
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