12 junho 2017

The Makings of an African Century - Where African and European Ambitions Meet


A strong, stable and prosperous Africa is not only vital for Africans, it is essential for Europe. Cooperation between the two continents is hardly new and a lot of progress has been made, but Africa and Europe can and must go much further together.

Too much of the African continent is still plagued by a lack of decent basic infrastructures, slow growth, extreme poverty, pandemics, droughts, civil wars, terrorism and poor governance.

But Africa also has abundant resources – its most precious being its young, rapidly-growing population. Hand in hand with Africa’s youth, African and EU leaders must develop transformative joint solutions to make the most of their partnership and adapt it to today’s realities.

Uruguai - Síntese País [AICEP]


Electrifying Africa: how to make Europe’s contribution count

Executive summary

Electrification is one of sub-Saharan Africa’s most pressing socio-economic challenges. Less than a third of the sub-Saharan population has access to electricity, and around 600,000 premature deaths are caused each year by household air pollution resulting from the use of polluting fuels for cooking and lighting.


Solving this issue is a fundamental prerequisite for unleashing sub-Saharan Africa’s economic potential. Given the magnitude of the challenge, only a joint effort involving sub-Saharan African countries and international public and private parties would pave the way to a solution.

Sub-Saharan African countries should be the first to move. They should reform the governance of their energy sectors, in particular by reforming their generally inefficient state-owned electricity utilities, and by phasing-out market-distorting energy subsidies. Without such reforms, international investment will never scale-up across sub-Saharan Africa.

International public and private parties must play a key role in facilitating sub-Saharan Africa’s energy transformation, particularly the electrification of rural areas, where three-fifths of the sub-Saharan African population lives. International public support is particularly important to crowd-in international private investors, most notably through innovative public-private partnerships.

China and the United States are already engaged in electrification in sub-Saharan Africa. China has substantially invested in large-scale electricity projects, while the US has put in place a comprehensive initiative – Power Africa – to scale-up electrification, particularly in rural areas, through public-private partnerships.

Europe has, instead, created a myriad of fragmented initiatives to promote electrification in sub-Saharan Africa, limiting their potential leverage in crowding-in private investment and in stimulating energy sector reforms in sub-Saharan African countries. This sub-optimal situation should be changed by coordinating the initiatives of European institutions and EU countries through a unique platform. We propose such a platform: the EU Electrify Africa Hotspot.

http://bruegel.org/reader/Electrifying_Africa?utm_source=Bruegel+Updates&utm_campaign=899f319a12-PUBLICATION+ALERT+%7C+Electrifying+Africa&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_eb026b984a-899f319a12-278058649&mc_cid=899f319a12&mc_eid=602461abd0#

20 maio 2017

Trabalhos 2016/2017

Sofia Margarida Rodrigues dos Santos Angola
Decleusia Lukene Domingos da Silva Brasil [Entregue versão papel]
Marcos André Silva Coelho Ferreira Califórnia
Edsany Sandrine Dos Santos Pereira Costa do Marfim
Baunor Abreu Mendes Vieira Guiné Bissau
Ruth da Conceição Garcia da Silva Guiné Equatorial
Maria Massano Gomes Massachusets
Nuno Miguel Oliveira Figueira Portugal [Apresentado 13 jul 2017]
Fábio Alexandre Nascimento Matias São Tomé e Príncipe
Olga Tulba Uruguai
Elizabeth Contreiras CamposIlhas Maurícias
Vander Manuel Sequeira Mesquita China
Filipina Germano Alberto da Silva -
Luís António Tambá Nhaquê -

The Africa Competitiveness Report 2017: Addressing Africa’s Demographic Dividend

A careful and thorough analysis of economic indicators and latest trends, this report - published every two years - highlights some significant progress made on a number of crucial competitiveness dimensions over the past decade. The authors provide some specific policy recommendations to speed up job creation for the ever increasing young population entering the job market.

«The 2017 edition of The Africa Competitiveness Report comes out at a challenging time for the continent. In recent years, growth in several African countries has been subdued after more than a decade of solid expansion. The slowdown is largely due to the protracted low commodity prices as well as the reduced growth in emerging markets such as China, and in advanced economies. However, this situation has also given impetus to reforms and economic diversification. The strong economic performance of a number of African countries demonstrates Africa’s resilience and brings optimism about Africa’s future growth prospects.» [Preface]

http://ecdpm.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f3098f0aa17cc73cc4c42bc9b&id=0a679ab234&e=5adf557c89

16 janeiro 2017

Matching means to priorities: Challenges for EU-Africa relations in 2017

The year 2017 opens up new opportunities for EU-Africa relations, whose ‘strategic importance’ has been recently reiterated by HR/VP Federica Mogherini. In 2016, ongoing challenges such as financial difficulties, migration and terrorism have marked a shift in the way the two continents relate to one another.

The 2017 edition or our Challenges Paper explores some of the political challenges for the year 2017, adopting issues of financing for development and EU-Africa cooperation as a guideline, and exploring ways to match means to emerging priorities.

Ahead of the 2017 Challenges Paper, MEP Judith Sargentini, Lars-Erik Lundin from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute and Uzo Madu from ‘What’s in it for Africa’ shared their views on critical debates and challenges in 2017.

http://ecdpm.org/publications/matching-means-to-priorities/

11 setembro 2016

AfDB’s High 5s: A game changer in Africa’s development discourse

In his inaugural address on September 1, 2015, the eighth elected President of the African Development Bank Group, Akinwumi Adesina, set down a new agenda for the Bank Group, building on its existing 2013-2022 Strategy. In his speech, he outlined the five development priorities for the institution.

The High 5s are to: Light up and Power Africa; Feed Africa; Industrialize Africa; Integrate Africa; and Improve the Quality of Life for the People of Africa. These focus areas are essential in transforming the lives of the African people and therefore consistent with the United Nations agenda on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In 2013, the African Development Bank’s Board approved a Ten Year Strategy covering the period 2013-2022, entitled At the Center of Africa’s Transformation (TYS). The overarching twin objectives of the TYS are the achievement of inclusive growth and the transition to green growth through five operational priorities: infrastructure development, regional economic integration, private sector development, governance and accountability, and skills and technology. In addition, the TYS highlights three areas of special emphasis: gender, fragile states, and agriculture and food security.

Ver: http://www.afdb.org/en/the-high-5/

11 junho 2016

África

External financial flows and tax revenues for Africa, African Economic Outlook 2016

Despite falling commodity prices, Africa’s external financial flows have remained stable overall. This chapter analyses trends in those flows; from foreign direct investment and portfolio equity which fell, to remittances and official development assistance which are increasing. It also studies Africa’s tax revenue collection that has dropped because of lower resource revenues. The chapter looks at the policy challenges and opportunities related to attracting financial inflows ranging from the need to stabilise foreign inflows and implementing medium- to long-term structural policies as part of the African Union’s Agenda 2063 to step up the continent’s development.

The estimated 208.3 billion USD of external finance – foreign investment, trade, aid, remittances and other sources that Africa attracted in 2015 – was 1.8% lower than the previous year. The total sum is projected to rise again to USD 226.5 billion in 2016. Falling commodity prices, particularly for oil and metals, were one of the key causes for the 2015 fall. Portfolio equity and commercial bank credit flows dried up, reflecting tightening global liquidity and a market sentiment wary of risks. Rising remittances and increased official development assistance largely kept the figure up. African governments have to stabilise financial inflows in the short term and use them for sustained economic diversification for the longer term. Falling resource revenues mean governments must also find ways to broaden the tax base away from oil and commodities.


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Mais informação importante (JANUS 2010):

Apoio Danilson

Ajuda Pública ao Desenvolvimento (APD) é um conceito que tem sido alvo de debate nas últimas décadas e nem sempre consensual, no que diz respeito à abrangência e delimitação. De acordo com o Comité de Ajuda ao Desenvolvimento (CAD) da OCDE, a APD é o conjunto de recursos – sejam créditos, donativos ou transações de capital – disponibilizados pelos chamados Países Doadores ou Organizações Internacionais aos Países e Territórios em Desenvolvimento, através de organismos públicos, a nível local, central ou agências, com o objetivo de promover o desenvolvimento desses países. Esta definição geral está traduzida em regras que delimitam o que pode ser contabilizado como APD e que excluem, por exemplo alguns tipos de Ajuda Militar ou parte considerável das despesas das operações de manutenção de Paz. Também as atividades culturais que tenham como objetivo promover a imagem dos Países Doadores não são elegíveis, o que tem levado o CAD a questionar a contabilização do Fundo de Apoio à Língua Portuguesa na APD nacional.

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Consultar também:

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Instrumentos financeiros porquê?

A Engenharia Financeira é um processo de utilização combinada, desagregada e/ou inovadora de instrumentos financeiros existentes, por forma a criar novos produtos, melhor adaptados às necessidades e expectativas específicas dos utilizadores, dos financiadores ou de ambos.
A sua utilização no quadro de financiamento de investimentos e Sistemas de Incentivos Públicos tem
vindo a assumir um interesse crescente na UE, sendo apontada, no atual contexto económico e
orçamental, como uma via capaz de contribuir para aumentar a eficiência das políticas públicas e
comunitárias pós 2013.
A utilização dos instrumentos financeiros, analisados neste trabalho, no quadro das políticas públicas de apoio ao desenvolvimento rural, visa, potencialmente, quatro tipos de objetivos:
  • Melhorar o acesso das empresas ao crédito e aos mercados financeiros, suprindo, neste
    âmbito, falhas de mercado identificadas (Microcrédito, Fundos de empréstimo e Fundos de
    garantia mútua);
  • Permitir o reforço da estrutura de capitais das empresas através da captação de capitais junto
    de investidores financeiros (capital de risco e capital semente);
  • Apoiar a inovação e a assunção de riscos por parte dos empreendedores (Fundo de
    estabilização de rendimentos, capital de risco e capital semente);
  • Otimizar a gestão e alocação de recursos públicos face a objetivos políticos definidos (Fundos
    de gestão de riscos, Fundos de dinamização empresarial e Fundos de apoio à
    internacionalização).
Os instrumentos de engenharia financeira permitem, em geral, aumentar a alavancagem e melhorar a
qualidade e eficiência dos financiamentos públicos, conferindo-lhes, sustentabilidade, também pela
possibilidade de reciclagem de recursos financeiros no médio ou longo prazo.
Para além disso e genericamente, para além dessas, são identificadas como principais vantagens
comuns a todos os instrumentos financeiros, as seguintes:
  • Efeito multiplicador dos recursos públicos, atraindo outras fontes de financiamento para as
    políticas e investimentos públicos;
  • Melhor desempenho e eficiência dos financiamentos públicos pela mobilização de novas
    fontes de conhecimento e competências;
  • Efeito catalisador do trabalho em rede, parcerias e cooperação;
  • Promoção da integração das empresas nos mecanismos de economia formal e nos mercados
    financeiros;
  • Adaptabilidade a necessidades próprias de parceiros, territórios ou setores específicos;
  • Reciclagem dos fundos públicos no médio e longo prazo e melhor objetivação da sua
    utilização;
  • Efeito disciplinador do investimento e mitigação do risco de sobre investimento.
Como veremos mais à frente, cada instrumento apresenta vantagens e desvantagens inerentes às suas
características específicas. No entanto, todos apresentam também alguns riscos e desvantagens
potenciais, quando comparados com outros sistemas de concessão de incentivos, que importa
acautelar, nomeadamente:
  • Possibilidade de apropriação, pelos intermediários financeiros, de parte dos incentivos;
  • Risco de sobreposição de critérios privados ao interesse público na gestão operacional dos
    fundos;
  • Dispersão e sobredotação de fundos;
  • Insuficiência de disposições em matéria de alavancagem e renovação de fundos;
  • Controlo da elegibilidade da aplicação dos fundos.
in Instrumentos de engenharia financeira na PAC pós 2013, http://www.gpp.pt/gestao_risco/Relatorio_Final_Julho_2013.pdf

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Guinea-Bissau, African Economic Outlook 2016                                                        
Authors : Francis Jony Andrianarison, Yannis Arvanitis, Inacio Ie         
  • Despite 4.8% growth estimated for 2015, and 5.7% projected for 2016 and 6.2% for 2017, the outlook remains fragile because the economy is highly dependent on the social and political climate, the performance of the cashew-nut subsector and on continuation of reforms.
  • There has been significant progress in reforms thanks to better consideration of the country’s development priorities, but the state’s capacity to continue and reinforce its management of public finances will be critical for recovery in the medium term.
  • The city of Bissau is the country’s main economic magnet, but for inclusive growth, public policies must energise secondary towns as well as work for the economic and social development of rural areas.

09 junho 2016

Trabalhos 2015/2016

Daniela - Senegal
Rita Almeida - Guiné Equatorial / Colômbia
Francisco Carneiro - Marrocos
Elizabete Manuel - S. Tomé e Príncipe
Danilsson Moniz - Guiné-Bissau
Angelina - Moçambique
Rui - Gabão
Vítor Santos - Nigéria
Filipina - Angola

Datas - Apresentação oral dos Trabalhos de Investigação

7 de julho (terça-feira) 20h30 - Ruben 21h15 - Valéria 22h00 - Adelino 16 de julho  (quinta-feira) 20h30 - Adriana 21h15 - Maria Matos 22h00...