TRADE AND INVESTMENT FOR MORE AND BETTER JOBS IN EASTERN AND SOUTHERN AFRICAN COUNTRIES

Eastern and Southern Africa are vast, geographically diverse regions with rapidly growing populations. The region is one of the richest in the world in natural resources. To create more and better jobs in the region, trade and investment can be a powerful tool, by increasing economic growth, attracting foreign direct investment, reducing trade barriers, and promoting regional trade integration, these countries can unlock their full potential and achieve greater prosperity.

In this context, the International Training Centre of the ILO (ITCILO) is organizing a Knowledge-sharing forum which provides a platform for policy-makers, constituents, investors and entrepreneurs to engage in guided discussions on the potential of the Eastern and Southern African countries to create more and better jobs through trade and investment.

This knowledge-sharing forum will provide an overview of the trade and investment policies in the region and Highlight the benefits of trade and investment as labour market drivers in creating productive employment opportunities and decent jobs in this region.

The Knowledge-Sharing forum aims to:

• Gain sound understanding on how do trade and investment policies in eastern and south African region impact job creation
• Raise awareness on the significant role of trade and investment in creating more and better jobs in the eastern and southern African countries
• Share knowledge on most promising sectors for trade and foreign investment in eastern and southern African countries

The Knowledge-Sharing Workshop is open to the following participants:

• Policy-makers and Government Officials
• Workers’ and Employers’ Organizations
• Practitioners, Experts from regional and national organizations, research institutes, and think tanks, will be invited to share their knowledge at this forum.

The knowledge sharing forum is structured in three learning modules. In each day, participants will attend a two-hour online webinar where guest speakers will share their knowledge and experiences. Participants will be able to interact with their peers and share feedback.

Day 1: 5 December

Day 1 will set the scene of the Forum. The first session will provide a general overview of trade and investment policies in the eastern and southern African region and the ways in which these policies could impact job creation. The session will also explore the challenges faced by south and east African countries in implementing trade and investment policies.

Day 2: 6 December

Day 2 will focus on the benefits of trade and investment for small and medium-sized enterprises and also in creating productive and decent work in the region. Sectorial and good practices will be shared and discussed among participants.

Day3 : 7 December

Day 3 will shed the light on the capacity of the eastern and southern African countries in attracting foreign investment in promising sectors and to what extent it is related to the implementation of investment policies and decent work. The discussion will also focus on the numerous opportunities in terms of trade and investment that the region offers, which could unlock its potential and achieve greater prosperity.