{"disclaimer":"Automatically generated transcript — may contain errors. Not an official United Nations record.","video":{"id":"k14/k14rnhfpjr","kaltura_id":"1_4rnhfpjr","title":"Opening of the ministerial segment - 58th session of the Economic Commission for Africa: Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (Tangier, Morocco)","clean_title":"Opening of the ministerial segment - 58th session of the Economic Commission for Africa: Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (Tangier, Morocco)","url":"https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k14/k14rnhfpjr","date":"2026-04-02T00:00:00.000Z","scheduled_time":"2026-04-02T08:30:00.000Z","status":"finished","duration":"01:08:08","category":"Economic and Social Council","body":"Economic and Social Council","event_code":null,"event_type":null,"session_number":"58th session","pv_symbol":null,"pv_part":null,"slug":"asset/k14/k14rnhfpjr"},"metadata":{"summary":"Theme: Growth through innovation: harnessing data and frontier technologies for the economic transformation of Africa","description":"Opening of the ministerial segment (agenda item 1) National anthem Moderator: former news anchor, British Broadcasting Corporation, Anne-Marie Dias Borges Remarks by the Chair of the outgoing Bureau, Minister of Economy and Finance, Morocco, Nadia Fettah  Remarks by the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mahamoud Ali Youssouf  Video: remarks by the Director General of the World Trade Organization, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (special guest) Pre-recorded video: remarks by the President of the General Assembly, Annalena Baerbock  Remarks by the Executive Secretary of ECA, Claver Gatete Official address on behalf of the Head of Government of Morocco by the Minister of Economy and Finance, Morocco, Nadia Fettah The fifty-eighth session of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), including the annual meeting of the Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, will be held from 28 March to 3 April 2026 in Tangier, in the Kingdom of Morocco, on the theme \"Growth through innovation: harnessing data and frontier technologies for the economic transformation of Africa\".","categories":["Meetings & Events","Economic and Social Council","Subsidiary Bodies","Regional Commissions","Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)"],"geographic_subject":[],"subject_topical":[],"corporate_name":[],"speaker_affiliation":[],"related_documents":[]},"transcript":{"transcript_id":"gemini-23e9c783-e65a-4b30-b1b8-953c30d132d2","language":"en","data":[{"statement_number":1,"paragraphs":[{"sentences":[{"text":"Excellencies, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, let's all rise for the national 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throughout the week, we have reframed our challenges as opportunities.","start":56.236,"end":65.45,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"So","start":56.236,"end":57.073},{"text":"throughout","start":57.073,"end":57.911},{"text":"the","start":57.911,"end":58.749},{"text":"week,","start":58.749,"end":59.586},{"text":"we","start":59.586,"end":60.424},{"text":"have","start":60.424,"end":61.262},{"text":"reframed","start":61.262,"end":62.099},{"text":"our","start":62.099,"end":62.937},{"text":"challenges","start":62.937,"end":63.775},{"text":"as","start":63.775,"end":64.613},{"text":"opportunities.","start":64.613,"end":65.45}]},{"text":"Our theme, growth through innovation, harnessing data and frontier technologies is the heartbeat of our discussions here in 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the past five days, we have engaged in a rich and highly productive program of discussion, beginning with the Committee of Experts and extending through a wide range of side events, including yesterday the important launch of the Invest in Health 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now to officially open our ministerial session, let's all welcome our esteemed speakers.","start":137.492,"end":149.22,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"And","start":137.492,"end":138.33},{"text":"now","start":138.33,"end":139.168},{"text":"to","start":139.168,"end":140.005},{"text":"officially","start":140.005,"end":140.843},{"text":"open","start":140.843,"end":141.681},{"text":"our","start":141.681,"end":142.518},{"text":"ministerial","start":142.518,"end":143.356},{"text":"session,","start":143.356,"end":144.194},{"text":"let's","start":144.194,"end":145.031},{"text":"all","start":145.031,"end":145.869},{"text":"welcome","start":145.869,"end":146.707},{"text":"our","start":146.707,"end":147.545},{"text":"esteemed","start":147.545,"end":148.382},{"text":"speakers.","start":148.382,"end":149.22}]},{"text":"First, the outgoing bureau chair, so please let's all welcome the Minister of Economy and Finance of the Kingdom of Morocco, Her Excellency Nadia Fettah 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Dias Borges","affiliation":"ECA","affiliation_full":"ECA","group":null,"function":"Moderator"}},{"statement_number":2,"paragraphs":[{"sentences":[{"text":"Excellencies, honorable ministers, Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission of Africa and Under-Secretary-General of United Nations, Mr. Claver Gatete, Mr. President of the African Union, distinguished delegates, ladies and 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is my great honor as chair of the outgoing bureau to welcome you to the 56th session of the Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development and to welcome you to 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begin by expressing our deep gratitude to His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist him, whose vision for African cooperation and shared prosperity has made this gathering 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we meet at a moment of profound global transformation.","start":272.728,"end":278.541,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"Excellencies,","start":272.728,"end":273.309},{"text":"we","start":273.309,"end":273.89},{"text":"meet","start":273.89,"end":274.472},{"text":"at","start":274.472,"end":275.053},{"text":"a","start":275.053,"end":275.634},{"text":"moment","start":275.634,"end":276.215},{"text":"of","start":276.215,"end":276.797},{"text":"profound","start":276.797,"end":277.378},{"text":"global","start":277.378,"end":277.959},{"text":"transformation.","start":277.959,"end":278.541}]},{"text":"The convergence of rapid technological change, the rise of artificial intelligence, and the reconfiguration of global value chains are reshaping the foundation of economic competitiveness and development.","start":278.541,"end":294.236,"topics":[{"key":"trade-competitiveness-supply-chains","label":"Trade Competitiveness & Supply Chains","description":"Responding to global trade disruptions by reducing 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geopolitical fragmentation and recent global shocks remind us how fragile our development path can be.","start":294.236,"end":303.537,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"Simultaneously,","start":294.236,"end":294.817},{"text":"geopolitical","start":294.817,"end":295.398},{"text":"fragmentation","start":295.398,"end":295.98},{"text":"and","start":295.98,"end":296.561},{"text":"recent","start":296.561,"end":297.142},{"text":"global","start":297.142,"end":297.724},{"text":"shocks","start":297.724,"end":298.305},{"text":"remind","start":298.305,"end":298.886},{"text":"us","start":298.886,"end":299.467},{"text":"how","start":299.467,"end":300.049},{"text":"fragile","start":300.049,"end":300.63},{"text":"our","start":300.63,"end":301.211},{"text":"development","start":301.211,"end":301.793},{"text":"path","start":301.793,"end":302.374},{"text":"can","start":302.374,"end":302.955},{"text":"be.","start":302.955,"end":303.537}]},{"text":"For Africa, this moment presents a dual 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Includes active participation in global rule-making to avoid widening the technology divide."}],"words":[{"text":"Second,","start":458.744,"end":459.325},{"text":"we","start":459.325,"end":459.907},{"text":"must","start":459.907,"end":460.488},{"text":"ensure","start":460.488,"end":461.069},{"text":"that","start":461.069,"end":461.65},{"text":"Africa","start":461.65,"end":462.232},{"text":"has","start":462.232,"end":462.813},{"text":"a","start":462.813,"end":463.394},{"text":"strong","start":463.394,"end":463.976},{"text":"voice","start":463.976,"end":464.557},{"text":"in","start":464.557,"end":465.138},{"text":"the","start":465.138,"end":465.72},{"text":"emerging","start":465.72,"end":466.301},{"text":"global","start":466.301,"end":466.882},{"text":"governance","start":466.882,"end":467.463},{"text":"of","start":467.463,"end":468.045},{"text":"data","start":468.045,"end":468.626},{"text":"and","start":468.626,"end":469.207},{"text":"artificial","start":469.207,"end":469.789},{"text":"intelligence.","start":469.789,"end":470.37}]},{"text":"The rules for the digital economy are being written now.","start":470.37,"end":476.183,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"The","start":470.37,"end":470.951},{"text":"rules","start":470.951,"end":471.533},{"text":"for","start":471.533,"end":472.114},{"text":"the","start":472.114,"end":472.695},{"text":"digital","start":472.695,"end":473.276},{"text":"economy","start":473.276,"end":473.858},{"text":"are","start":473.858,"end":474.439},{"text":"being","start":474.439,"end":475.02},{"text":"written","start":475.02,"end":475.602},{"text":"now.","start":475.602,"end":476.183}]},{"text":"If we are absent from the table, we will inherit a system that widens the technology divide.","start":476.183,"end":486.065,"topics":[{"key":"data-governance-sovereignty","label":"Data Governance & Digital Sovereignty","description":"Establishing regulatory frameworks and regional coordination to protect data, shape AI and digital standards, and ensure Africa captures value from its data and platforms. 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the past year, under Morocco's chairmanship of the bureau, we have worked closely with the Economic Commission for Africa to advance dialogue on these issues and to strengthen collaboration among our member 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we conclude our mandate, I would like to express my deep gratitude to all member states.","start":677.28,"end":686.097,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"As","start":677.28,"end":677.799},{"text":"we","start":677.799,"end":678.317},{"text":"conclude","start":678.317,"end":678.836},{"text":"our","start":678.836,"end":679.354},{"text":"mandate,","start":679.354,"end":679.873},{"text":"I","start":679.873,"end":680.392},{"text":"would","start":680.392,"end":680.91},{"text":"like","start":680.91,"end":681.429},{"text":"to","start":681.429,"end":681.948},{"text":"express","start":681.948,"end":682.466},{"text":"my","start":682.466,"end":682.985},{"text":"deep","start":682.985,"end":683.504},{"text":"gratitude","start":683.504,"end":684.022},{"text":"to","start":684.022,"end":684.541},{"text":"all","start":684.541,"end":685.06},{"text":"member","start":685.06,"end":685.578},{"text":"states.","start":685.578,"end":686.097}]},{"text":"I would also like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the Executive Secretary for his support, his willingness to assist, and his commitment to the cause of Africa's 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thanks also go to the members of the bureau and the entire ECA team, as well as to our partners for their dedication and 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am confident that the discussions over the coming days will help us chart a bold and forward-looking path for Africa's economic transformation.","start":714.623,"end":726.552,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"I","start":714.623,"end":715.142},{"text":"am","start":715.142,"end":715.66},{"text":"confident","start":715.66,"end":716.179},{"text":"that","start":716.179,"end":716.698},{"text":"the","start":716.698,"end":717.216},{"text":"discussions","start":717.216,"end":717.735},{"text":"over","start":717.735,"end":718.254},{"text":"the","start":718.254,"end":718.772},{"text":"coming","start":718.772,"end":719.291},{"text":"days","start":719.291,"end":719.81},{"text":"will","start":719.81,"end":720.328},{"text":"help","start":720.328,"end":720.847},{"text":"us","start":720.847,"end":721.366},{"text":"chart","start":721.366,"end":721.884},{"text":"a","start":721.884,"end":722.403},{"text":"bold","start":722.403,"end":722.922},{"text":"and","start":722.922,"end":723.44},{"text":"forward-looking","start":723.44,"end":723.959},{"text":"path","start":723.959,"end":724.478},{"text":"for","start":724.478,"end":724.996},{"text":"Africa's","start":724.996,"end":725.515},{"text":"economic","start":725.515,"end":726.034},{"text":"transformation.","start":726.034,"end":726.552}]},{"text":"Let us seize this moment to ensure that Africa does not simply adapt to global technological change but actively helps shape it.","start":726.552,"end":737.963,"topics":[{"key":"data-governance-sovereignty","label":"Data Governance & Digital Sovereignty","description":"Establishing regulatory frameworks and regional coordination to protect data, shape AI and digital standards, and ensure Africa captures value from its data and platforms. 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ar-Rahim.","start":750,"end":751.44,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"Bismillah","start":750,"end":750.48},{"text":"ar-Rahman","start":750.48,"end":750.96},{"text":"ar-Rahim.","start":750.96,"end":751.44}]},{"text":"Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, in the name of God, the Almighty, the Merciful.","start":751.44,"end":757.678,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"Excellencies,","start":751.44,"end":751.92},{"text":"ladies","start":751.92,"end":752.399},{"text":"and","start":752.399,"end":752.879},{"text":"gentlemen,","start":752.879,"end":753.359},{"text":"in","start":753.359,"end":753.839},{"text":"the","start":753.839,"end":754.319},{"text":"name","start":754.319,"end":754.799},{"text":"of","start":754.799,"end":755.279},{"text":"God,","start":755.279,"end":755.759},{"text":"the","start":755.759,"end":756.239},{"text":"Almighty,","start":756.239,"end":756.718},{"text":"the","start":756.718,"end":757.198},{"text":"Merciful.","start":757.198,"end":757.678}]},{"text":"Honorable ministers, honorable secretary, executive secretary of ECA, honorable ladies and gentlemen from central banks, very dear partners in attendance with us, official Moroccan authorities, senior officials, ladies and 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year, our theme of the ECA is articulated around innovation and frontier technologies at the service of the development of our 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is no doubt that we are living in the digital age and DNA, and all facets of life are invaded by these frontier 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at the service of the development of our continent.","start":795.11,"end":799.909,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"Technologies","start":795.11,"end":795.59},{"text":"at","start":795.59,"end":796.07},{"text":"the","start":796.07,"end":796.55},{"text":"service","start":796.55,"end":797.029},{"text":"of","start":797.029,"end":797.509},{"text":"the","start":797.509,"end":797.989},{"text":"development","start":797.989,"end":798.469},{"text":"of","start":798.469,"end":798.949},{"text":"our","start":798.949,"end":799.429},{"text":"continent.","start":799.429,"end":799.909}]},{"text":"There is no doubt that we are living in the digital age and DNA, and all facets of life are invaded by these technologies.","start":799.909,"end":811.426,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"There","start":799.909,"end":800.389},{"text":"is","start":800.389,"end":800.869},{"text":"no","start":800.869,"end":801.349},{"text":"doubt","start":801.349,"end":801.828},{"text":"that","start":801.828,"end":802.308},{"text":"we","start":802.308,"end":802.788},{"text":"are","start":802.788,"end":803.268},{"text":"living","start":803.268,"end":803.748},{"text":"in","start":803.748,"end":804.228},{"text":"the","start":804.228,"end":804.708},{"text":"digital","start":804.708,"end":805.188},{"text":"age","start":805.188,"end":805.668},{"text":"and","start":805.668,"end":806.147},{"text":"DNA,","start":806.147,"end":806.627},{"text":"and","start":806.627,"end":807.107},{"text":"all","start":807.107,"end":807.587},{"text":"facets","start":807.587,"end":808.067},{"text":"of","start":808.067,"end":808.547},{"text":"life","start":808.547,"end":809.027},{"text":"are","start":809.027,"end":809.507},{"text":"invaded","start":809.507,"end":809.987},{"text":"by","start":809.987,"end":810.466},{"text":"these","start":810.466,"end":810.946},{"text":"technologies.","start":810.946,"end":811.426}]},{"text":"So now the question that really is worrying us and concerning us is how to actually bridge this huge gap that is increasing in our 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no need to say that we are lagging behind on the continent in this sector.","start":823.903,"end":831.582,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"There's","start":823.903,"end":824.383},{"text":"no","start":824.383,"end":824.863},{"text":"need","start":824.863,"end":825.343},{"text":"to","start":825.343,"end":825.823},{"text":"say","start":825.823,"end":826.303},{"text":"that","start":826.303,"end":826.783},{"text":"we","start":826.783,"end":827.263},{"text":"are","start":827.263,"end":827.743},{"text":"lagging","start":827.743,"end":828.223},{"text":"behind","start":828.223,"end":828.702},{"text":"on","start":828.702,"end":829.182},{"text":"the","start":829.182,"end":829.662},{"text":"continent","start":829.662,"end":830.142},{"text":"in","start":830.142,"end":830.622},{"text":"this","start":830.622,"end":831.102},{"text":"sector.","start":831.102,"end":831.582}]},{"text":"Make no mistake, we are lagging behind in our continent.","start":831.582,"end":836.381,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"Make","start":831.582,"end":832.062},{"text":"no","start":832.062,"end":832.542},{"text":"mistake,","start":832.542,"end":833.021},{"text":"we","start":833.021,"end":833.501},{"text":"are","start":833.501,"end":833.981},{"text":"lagging","start":833.981,"end":834.461},{"text":"behind","start":834.461,"end":834.941},{"text":"in","start":834.941,"end":835.421},{"text":"our","start":835.421,"end":835.901},{"text":"continent.","start":835.901,"end":836.381}]},{"text":"So the digital and internet, 3G and 4G, is stuck in a bottleneck, financial services and transportation services.","start":836.381,"end":845.019,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"So","start":836.381,"end":836.861},{"text":"the","start":836.861,"end":837.34},{"text":"digital","start":837.34,"end":837.82},{"text":"and","start":837.82,"end":838.3},{"text":"internet,","start":838.3,"end":838.78},{"text":"3G","start":838.78,"end":839.26},{"text":"and","start":839.26,"end":839.74},{"text":"4G,","start":839.74,"end":840.22},{"text":"is","start":840.22,"end":840.7},{"text":"stuck","start":840.7,"end":841.18},{"text":"in","start":841.18,"end":841.66},{"text":"a","start":841.66,"end":842.139},{"text":"bottleneck,","start":842.139,"end":842.619},{"text":"financial","start":842.619,"end":843.099},{"text":"services","start":843.099,"end":843.579},{"text":"and","start":843.579,"end":844.059},{"text":"transportation","start":844.059,"end":844.539},{"text":"services.","start":844.539,"end":845.019}]},{"text":"This is why our continent has decided to equip itself with PIDA, the infrastructure development project.","start":845.019,"end":852.697,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"This","start":845.019,"end":845.499},{"text":"is","start":845.499,"end":845.979},{"text":"why","start":845.979,"end":846.458},{"text":"our","start":846.458,"end":846.938},{"text":"continent","start":846.938,"end":847.418},{"text":"has","start":847.418,"end":847.898},{"text":"decided","start":847.898,"end":848.378},{"text":"to","start":848.378,"end":848.858},{"text":"equip","start":848.858,"end":849.338},{"text":"itself","start":849.338,"end":849.818},{"text":"with","start":849.818,"end":850.298},{"text":"PIDA,","start":850.298,"end":850.777},{"text":"the","start":850.777,"end":851.257},{"text":"infrastructure","start":851.257,"end":851.737},{"text":"development","start":851.737,"end":852.217},{"text":"project.","start":852.217,"end":852.697}]},{"text":"If we decide to act on the digital divide, we need to work on those prerequisites in Africa.","start":852.697,"end":861.335,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"If","start":852.697,"end":853.177},{"text":"we","start":853.177,"end":853.657},{"text":"decide","start":853.657,"end":854.137},{"text":"to","start":854.137,"end":854.617},{"text":"act","start":854.617,"end":855.097},{"text":"on","start":855.097,"end":855.576},{"text":"the","start":855.576,"end":856.056},{"text":"digital","start":856.056,"end":856.536},{"text":"divide,","start":856.536,"end":857.016},{"text":"we","start":857.016,"end":857.496},{"text":"need","start":857.496,"end":857.976},{"text":"to","start":857.976,"end":858.456},{"text":"work","start":858.456,"end":858.936},{"text":"on","start":858.936,"end":859.416},{"text":"those","start":859.416,"end":859.895},{"text":"prerequisites","start":859.895,"end":860.375},{"text":"in","start":860.375,"end":860.855},{"text":"Africa.","start":860.855,"end":861.335}]},{"text":"As you all know, 600 million of our citizens, fellow citizens, have no access to electricity.","start":861.335,"end":869.013,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"As","start":861.335,"end":861.815},{"text":"you","start":861.815,"end":862.295},{"text":"all","start":862.295,"end":862.775},{"text":"know,","start":862.775,"end":863.255},{"text":"600","start":863.255,"end":863.735},{"text":"million","start":863.735,"end":864.214},{"text":"of","start":864.214,"end":864.694},{"text":"our","start":864.694,"end":865.174},{"text":"citizens,","start":865.174,"end":865.654},{"text":"fellow","start":865.654,"end":866.134},{"text":"citizens,","start":866.134,"end":866.614},{"text":"have","start":866.614,"end":867.094},{"text":"no","start":867.094,"end":867.574},{"text":"access","start":867.574,"end":868.054},{"text":"to","start":868.054,"end":868.534},{"text":"electricity.","start":868.534,"end":869.013}]},{"text":"780 million of our fellow citizens do not have access to 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infrastructure.","start":881.971,"end":892.528,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"This","start":881.971,"end":882.45},{"text":"is","start":882.45,"end":882.93},{"text":"why","start":882.93,"end":883.41},{"text":"we","start":883.41,"end":883.89},{"text":"need","start":883.89,"end":884.37},{"text":"first","start":884.37,"end":884.85},{"text":"and","start":884.85,"end":885.33},{"text":"foremost","start":885.33,"end":885.81},{"text":"to","start":885.81,"end":886.29},{"text":"overcome","start":886.29,"end":886.769},{"text":"the","start":886.769,"end":887.249},{"text":"resource","start":887.249,"end":887.729},{"text":"shortcomings","start":887.729,"end":888.209},{"text":"and","start":888.209,"end":888.689},{"text":"improve","start":888.689,"end":889.169},{"text":"electricity","start":889.169,"end":889.649},{"text":"transportation,","start":889.649,"end":890.129},{"text":"road","start":890.129,"end":890.609},{"text":"transportation,","start":890.609,"end":891.088},{"text":"and","start":891.088,"end":891.568},{"text":"large","start":891.568,"end":892.048},{"text":"infrastructure.","start":892.048,"end":892.528}]},{"text":"This is why, ladies and gentlemen, fintech, data centers, and AI require heavy and colossal investments.","start":892.528,"end":900.206,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"This","start":892.528,"end":893.008},{"text":"is","start":893.008,"end":893.488},{"text":"why,","start":893.488,"end":893.968},{"text":"ladies","start":893.968,"end":894.448},{"text":"and","start":894.448,"end":894.928},{"text":"gentlemen,","start":894.928,"end":895.408},{"text":"fintech,","start":895.408,"end":895.887},{"text":"data","start":895.887,"end":896.367},{"text":"centers,","start":896.367,"end":896.847},{"text":"and","start":896.847,"end":897.327},{"text":"AI","start":897.327,"end":897.807},{"text":"require","start":897.807,"end":898.287},{"text":"heavy","start":898.287,"end":898.767},{"text":"and","start":898.767,"end":899.247},{"text":"colossal","start":899.247,"end":899.727},{"text":"investments.","start":899.727,"end":900.206}]},{"text":"North America, the United States, Canada, and China invest hundreds of billions of dollars every year in artificial intelligence.","start":900.206,"end":909.324,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"North","start":900.206,"end":900.686},{"text":"America,","start":900.686,"end":901.166},{"text":"the","start":901.166,"end":901.646},{"text":"United","start":901.646,"end":902.126},{"text":"States,","start":902.126,"end":902.606},{"text":"Canada,","start":902.606,"end":903.086},{"text":"and","start":903.086,"end":903.566},{"text":"China","start":903.566,"end":904.046},{"text":"invest","start":904.046,"end":904.525},{"text":"hundreds","start":904.525,"end":905.005},{"text":"of","start":905.005,"end":905.485},{"text":"billions","start":905.485,"end":905.965},{"text":"of","start":905.965,"end":906.445},{"text":"dollars","start":906.445,"end":906.925},{"text":"every","start":906.925,"end":907.405},{"text":"year","start":907.405,"end":907.885},{"text":"in","start":907.885,"end":908.365},{"text":"artificial","start":908.365,"end":908.845},{"text":"intelligence.","start":908.845,"end":909.324}]},{"text":"What about us?","start":909.324,"end":910.764,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"What","start":909.324,"end":909.804},{"text":"about","start":909.804,"end":910.284},{"text":"us?","start":910.284,"end":910.764}]},{"text":"What are the amounts of these investments in our continent?","start":910.764,"end":915.563,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"What","start":910.764,"end":911.244},{"text":"are","start":911.244,"end":911.724},{"text":"the","start":911.724,"end":912.204},{"text":"amounts","start":912.204,"end":912.684},{"text":"of","start":912.684,"end":913.164},{"text":"these","start":913.164,"end":913.643},{"text":"investments","start":913.643,"end":914.123},{"text":"in","start":914.123,"end":914.603},{"text":"our","start":914.603,"end":915.083},{"text":"continent?","start":915.083,"end":915.563}]},{"text":"It is not the actual financial investment and resources that are lacking in our continent, but let's be honest between ourselves.","start":915.563,"end":925.641,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"It","start":915.563,"end":916.043},{"text":"is","start":916.043,"end":916.523},{"text":"not","start":916.523,"end":917.003},{"text":"the","start":917.003,"end":917.483},{"text":"actual","start":917.483,"end":917.962},{"text":"financial","start":917.962,"end":918.442},{"text":"investment","start":918.442,"end":918.922},{"text":"and","start":918.922,"end":919.402},{"text":"resources","start":919.402,"end":919.882},{"text":"that","start":919.882,"end":920.362},{"text":"are","start":920.362,"end":920.842},{"text":"lacking","start":920.842,"end":921.322},{"text":"in","start":921.322,"end":921.802},{"text":"our","start":921.802,"end":922.282},{"text":"continent,","start":922.282,"end":922.761},{"text":"but","start":922.761,"end":923.241},{"text":"let's","start":923.241,"end":923.721},{"text":"be","start":923.721,"end":924.201},{"text":"honest","start":924.201,"end":924.681},{"text":"between","start":924.681,"end":925.161},{"text":"ourselves.","start":925.161,"end":925.641}]},{"text":"We prefer to invest this money on other markets considered more secure, more stable, and maybe more profitable.","start":925.641,"end":934.279,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"We","start":925.641,"end":926.121},{"text":"prefer","start":926.121,"end":926.601},{"text":"to","start":926.601,"end":927.08},{"text":"invest","start":927.08,"end":927.56},{"text":"this","start":927.56,"end":928.04},{"text":"money","start":928.04,"end":928.52},{"text":"on","start":928.52,"end":929},{"text":"other","start":929,"end":929.48},{"text":"markets","start":929.48,"end":929.96},{"text":"considered","start":929.96,"end":930.44},{"text":"more","start":930.44,"end":930.92},{"text":"secure,","start":930.92,"end":931.399},{"text":"more","start":931.399,"end":931.879},{"text":"stable,","start":931.879,"end":932.359},{"text":"and","start":932.359,"end":932.839},{"text":"maybe","start":932.839,"end":933.319},{"text":"more","start":933.319,"end":933.799},{"text":"profitable.","start":933.799,"end":934.279}]},{"text":"By way of example, there are various trillions of dollars in the African pension funds, but all this money is somewhere 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is not on the continent.","start":944.836,"end":947.716,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"It","start":944.836,"end":945.316},{"text":"is","start":945.316,"end":945.796},{"text":"not","start":945.796,"end":946.276},{"text":"on","start":946.276,"end":946.756},{"text":"the","start":946.756,"end":947.236},{"text":"continent.","start":947.236,"end":947.716}]},{"text":"Ladies and gentlemen, excellencies, in light of those exogenous shocks, the inconsistencies of international geopolitics, and the actual national and international financing that are endless, we need to actually rely on ourselves, rely on the mobilization of our domestic resources, because those financial resources are not 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you very much for your kind attention.","start":1104.161,"end":1108,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"Thank","start":1104.161,"end":1104.641},{"text":"you","start":1104.641,"end":1105.121},{"text":"very","start":1105.121,"end":1105.601},{"text":"much","start":1105.601,"end":1106.08},{"text":"for","start":1106.08,"end":1106.56},{"text":"your","start":1106.56,"end":1107.04},{"text":"kind","start":1107.04,"end":1107.52},{"text":"attention.","start":1107.52,"end":1108}]}]}],"speaker":{"name":"Mahmoud Ali Youssouf","affiliation":"DJI","affiliation_full":"Djibouti","group":"Africa Group","function":"Chairperson of the AU Commission"}},{"statement_number":5,"paragraphs":[{"sentences":[{"text":"Merci, Excellence.","start":1108,"end":1109.167,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"Merci,","start":1108,"end":1108.583},{"text":"Excellence.","start":1108.583,"end":1109.167}]},{"text":"Thank you very much, Excellency.","start":1109.167,"end":1112.083,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"Thank","start":1109.167,"end":1109.75},{"text":"you","start":1109.75,"end":1110.333},{"text":"very","start":1110.333,"end":1110.917},{"text":"much,","start":1110.917,"end":1111.5},{"text":"Excellency.","start":1111.5,"end":1112.083}]},{"text":"Let's now welcome our special guest joining us virtually, the World Trade Organization's Director-General, Mrs. Ngozi 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us?","start":1137,"end":1139.5,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"Can","start":1137,"end":1137.625},{"text":"you","start":1137.625,"end":1138.25},{"text":"hear","start":1138.25,"end":1138.875},{"text":"us?","start":1138.875,"end":1139.5}]},{"text":"Thank you very much.","start":1139.5,"end":1142,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"Thank","start":1139.5,"end":1140.125},{"text":"you","start":1140.125,"end":1140.75},{"text":"very","start":1140.75,"end":1141.375},{"text":"much.","start":1141.375,"end":1142}]}]},{"sentences":[{"text":"Thank you so much.","start":1142,"end":1144.09,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"Thank","start":1142,"end":1142.523},{"text":"you","start":1142.523,"end":1143.045},{"text":"so","start":1143.045,"end":1143.568},{"text":"much.","start":1143.568,"end":1144.09}]},{"text":"Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, I'm honored and delighted to have this opportunity to exchange views with you.","start":1144.09,"end":1152.973,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"Excellencies,","start":1144.09,"end":1144.613},{"text":"ladies","start":1144.613,"end":1145.135},{"text":"and","start":1145.135,"end":1145.658},{"text":"gentlemen,","start":1145.658,"end":1146.18},{"text":"I'm","start":1146.18,"end":1146.703},{"text":"honored","start":1146.703,"end":1147.225},{"text":"and","start":1147.225,"end":1147.748},{"text":"delighted","start":1147.748,"end":1148.27},{"text":"to","start":1148.27,"end":1148.793},{"text":"have","start":1148.793,"end":1149.315},{"text":"this","start":1149.315,"end":1149.838},{"text":"opportunity","start":1149.838,"end":1150.36},{"text":"to","start":1150.36,"end":1150.883},{"text":"exchange","start":1150.883,"end":1151.405},{"text":"views","start":1151.405,"end":1151.928},{"text":"with","start":1151.928,"end":1152.45},{"text":"you.","start":1152.45,"end":1152.973}]},{"text":"I think it's good to meet with finance ministers after having just spent some time with trade ministers.","start":1152.973,"end":1162.378,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"I","start":1152.973,"end":1153.495},{"text":"think","start":1153.495,"end":1154.018},{"text":"it's","start":1154.018,"end":1154.541},{"text":"good","start":1154.541,"end":1155.063},{"text":"to","start":1155.063,"end":1155.586},{"text":"meet","start":1155.586,"end":1156.108},{"text":"with","start":1156.108,"end":1156.631},{"text":"finance","start":1156.631,"end":1157.153},{"text":"ministers","start":1157.153,"end":1157.676},{"text":"after","start":1157.676,"end":1158.198},{"text":"having","start":1158.198,"end":1158.721},{"text":"just","start":1158.721,"end":1159.243},{"text":"spent","start":1159.243,"end":1159.766},{"text":"some","start":1159.766,"end":1160.288},{"text":"time","start":1160.288,"end":1160.811},{"text":"with","start":1160.811,"end":1161.333},{"text":"trade","start":1161.333,"end":1161.856},{"text":"ministers.","start":1161.856,"end":1162.378}]},{"text":"The global trading system has been experiencing the worst disruption it has had in 80 years, and I was asked to speak to you about the risks and opportunities for Africa in global trade and why finance ministers should pay attention to this.","start":1162.378,"end":1184.847,"topics":[{"key":"trade-competitiveness-supply-chains","label":"Trade Competitiveness & Supply Chains","description":"Responding to global trade disruptions by reducing trade costs, using WTO instruments, and positioning Africa within diversified, resilient supply chains. Focuses on value addition, industrial upgrading, and mitigation of geopolitical shocks."}],"words":[{"text":"The","start":1162.378,"end":1162.901},{"text":"global","start":1162.901,"end":1163.423},{"text":"trading","start":1163.423,"end":1163.946},{"text":"system","start":1163.946,"end":1164.468},{"text":"has","start":1164.468,"end":1164.991},{"text":"been","start":1164.991,"end":1165.514},{"text":"experiencing","start":1165.514,"end":1166.036},{"text":"the","start":1166.036,"end":1166.559},{"text":"worst","start":1166.559,"end":1167.081},{"text":"disruption","start":1167.081,"end":1167.604},{"text":"it","start":1167.604,"end":1168.126},{"text":"has","start":1168.126,"end":1168.649},{"text":"had","start":1168.649,"end":1169.171},{"text":"in","start":1169.171,"end":1169.694},{"text":"80","start":1169.694,"end":1170.216},{"text":"years,","start":1170.216,"end":1170.739},{"text":"and","start":1170.739,"end":1171.261},{"text":"I","start":1171.261,"end":1171.784},{"text":"was","start":1171.784,"end":1172.306},{"text":"asked","start":1172.306,"end":1172.829},{"text":"to","start":1172.829,"end":1173.351},{"text":"speak","start":1173.351,"end":1173.874},{"text":"to","start":1173.874,"end":1174.396},{"text":"you","start":1174.396,"end":1174.919},{"text":"about","start":1174.919,"end":1175.441},{"text":"the","start":1175.441,"end":1175.964},{"text":"risks","start":1175.964,"end":1176.486},{"text":"and","start":1176.486,"end":1177.009},{"text":"opportunities","start":1177.009,"end":1177.532},{"text":"for","start":1177.532,"end":1178.054},{"text":"Africa","start":1178.054,"end":1178.577},{"text":"in","start":1178.577,"end":1179.099},{"text":"global","start":1179.099,"end":1179.622},{"text":"trade","start":1179.622,"end":1180.144},{"text":"and","start":1180.144,"end":1180.667},{"text":"why","start":1180.667,"end":1181.189},{"text":"finance","start":1181.189,"end":1181.712},{"text":"ministers","start":1181.712,"end":1182.234},{"text":"should","start":1182.234,"end":1182.757},{"text":"pay","start":1182.757,"end":1183.279},{"text":"attention","start":1183.279,"end":1183.802},{"text":"to","start":1183.802,"end":1184.324},{"text":"this.","start":1184.324,"end":1184.847}]},{"text":"So I hope you will bear with me.","start":1184.847,"end":1189.027,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"So","start":1184.847,"end":1185.369},{"text":"I","start":1185.369,"end":1185.892},{"text":"hope","start":1185.892,"end":1186.414},{"text":"you","start":1186.414,"end":1186.937},{"text":"will","start":1186.937,"end":1187.459},{"text":"bear","start":1187.459,"end":1187.982},{"text":"with","start":1187.982,"end":1188.505},{"text":"me.","start":1188.505,"end":1189.027}]},{"text":"My address will be about 15 minutes.","start":1189.027,"end":1192.685,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"My","start":1189.027,"end":1189.55},{"text":"address","start":1189.55,"end":1190.072},{"text":"will","start":1190.072,"end":1190.595},{"text":"be","start":1190.595,"end":1191.117},{"text":"about","start":1191.117,"end":1191.64},{"text":"15","start":1191.64,"end":1192.162},{"text":"minutes.","start":1192.162,"end":1192.685}]},{"text":"So as I said, the global trading system has been experiencing deep, deep disruption.","start":1192.685,"end":1200,"topics":[{"key":"trade-competitiveness-supply-chains","label":"Trade Competitiveness & Supply Chains","description":"Responding to global trade disruptions by reducing trade costs, using WTO instruments, and positioning Africa within diversified, resilient supply chains. Focuses on value addition, industrial upgrading, and mitigation of geopolitical shocks."}],"words":[{"text":"So","start":1192.685,"end":1193.207},{"text":"as","start":1193.207,"end":1193.73},{"text":"I","start":1193.73,"end":1194.252},{"text":"said,","start":1194.252,"end":1194.775},{"text":"the","start":1194.775,"end":1195.297},{"text":"global","start":1195.297,"end":1195.82},{"text":"trading","start":1195.82,"end":1196.342},{"text":"system","start":1196.342,"end":1196.865},{"text":"has","start":1196.865,"end":1197.387},{"text":"been","start":1197.387,"end":1197.91},{"text":"experiencing","start":1197.91,"end":1198.432},{"text":"deep,","start":1198.432,"end":1198.955},{"text":"deep","start":1198.955,"end":1199.477},{"text":"disruption.","start":1199.477,"end":1200}]}]}],"speaker":{"name":"Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala","affiliation":"WTO","affiliation_full":"WTO","group":null,"function":"Director-General"}},{"statement_number":7,"paragraphs":[{"sentences":[{"text":"On top of unilateral tariffs, 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that was before the Iran war destabilized energy, fertilizer, and tech flows crucial to semiconductor production and other key 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reason we're experiencing these disruptions is because some believe the global trading system is no longer delivering the benefits to them that they were used 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US in particular is skeptical of that opinion and blames WTO for not being agile enough to address unfair competition from some other members in other parts of the 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it's indisputable that trade has been a major factor in increasing independence and reducing poverty.","start":1245.837,"end":1253.17,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"Yet,","start":1245.837,"end":1246.295},{"text":"it's","start":1246.295,"end":1246.753},{"text":"indisputable","start":1246.753,"end":1247.212},{"text":"that","start":1247.212,"end":1247.67},{"text":"trade","start":1247.67,"end":1248.128},{"text":"has","start":1248.128,"end":1248.587},{"text":"been","start":1248.587,"end":1249.045},{"text":"a","start":1249.045,"end":1249.503},{"text":"major","start":1249.503,"end":1249.962},{"text":"factor","start":1249.962,"end":1250.42},{"text":"in","start":1250.42,"end":1250.879},{"text":"increasing","start":1250.879,"end":1251.337},{"text":"independence","start":1251.337,"end":1251.795},{"text":"and","start":1251.795,"end":1252.254},{"text":"reducing","start":1252.254,"end":1252.712},{"text":"poverty.","start":1252.712,"end":1253.17}]},{"text":"The volume of global trade today is more 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one very good thing came out of the meeting, that is that ministers have agreed on this package of reforms, and as soon as we can close on the e-commerce moratorium in Geneva, we will be able to release the results of the reforms and to start work on 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so that the window is still open, and I think it's very, very important for us in Africa and for developing countries as a whole that we push these reforms because that will allow us to get more benefits to developing countries in global trade.","start":1484.186,"end":1505.271,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"Now,","start":1484.186,"end":1484.645},{"text":"so","start":1484.645,"end":1485.103},{"text":"that","start":1485.103,"end":1485.561},{"text":"the","start":1485.561,"end":1486.02},{"text":"window","start":1486.02,"end":1486.478},{"text":"is","start":1486.478,"end":1486.937},{"text":"still","start":1486.937,"end":1487.395},{"text":"open,","start":1487.395,"end":1487.853},{"text":"and","start":1487.853,"end":1488.312},{"text":"I","start":1488.312,"end":1488.77},{"text":"think","start":1488.77,"end":1489.228},{"text":"it's","start":1489.228,"end":1489.687},{"text":"very,","start":1489.687,"end":1490.145},{"text":"very","start":1490.145,"end":1490.604},{"text":"important","start":1490.604,"end":1491.062},{"text":"for","start":1491.062,"end":1491.52},{"text":"us","start":1491.52,"end":1491.979},{"text":"in","start":1491.979,"end":1492.437},{"text":"Africa","start":1492.437,"end":1492.895},{"text":"and","start":1492.895,"end":1493.354},{"text":"for","start":1493.354,"end":1493.812},{"text":"developing","start":1493.812,"end":1494.27},{"text":"countries","start":1494.27,"end":1494.729},{"text":"as","start":1494.729,"end":1495.187},{"text":"a","start":1495.187,"end":1495.646},{"text":"whole","start":1495.646,"end":1496.104},{"text":"that","start":1496.104,"end":1496.562},{"text":"we","start":1496.562,"end":1497.021},{"text":"push","start":1497.021,"end":1497.479},{"text":"these","start":1497.479,"end":1497.937},{"text":"reforms","start":1497.937,"end":1498.396},{"text":"because","start":1498.396,"end":1498.854},{"text":"that","start":1498.854,"end":1499.312},{"text":"will","start":1499.312,"end":1499.771},{"text":"allow","start":1499.771,"end":1500.229},{"text":"us","start":1500.229,"end":1500.688},{"text":"to","start":1500.688,"end":1501.146},{"text":"get","start":1501.146,"end":1501.604},{"text":"more","start":1501.604,"end":1502.063},{"text":"benefits","start":1502.063,"end":1502.521},{"text":"to","start":1502.521,"end":1502.979},{"text":"developing","start":1502.979,"end":1503.438},{"text":"countries","start":1503.438,"end":1503.896},{"text":"in","start":1503.896,"end":1504.354},{"text":"global","start":1504.354,"end":1504.813},{"text":"trade.","start":1504.813,"end":1505.271}]},{"text":"Taking a step back, one of the remarkable things we've seen with respect to the global trading system is its resilience in the face of the ongoing 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share of global goods trade that is conducted on core WTO most-favored-nation tariff terms remains around 72%.","start":1518.105,"end":1526.356,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"The","start":1518.105,"end":1518.564},{"text":"share","start":1518.564,"end":1519.022},{"text":"of","start":1519.022,"end":1519.481},{"text":"global","start":1519.481,"end":1519.939},{"text":"goods","start":1519.939,"end":1520.397},{"text":"trade","start":1520.397,"end":1520.856},{"text":"that","start":1520.856,"end":1521.314},{"text":"is","start":1521.314,"end":1521.772},{"text":"conducted","start":1521.772,"end":1522.231},{"text":"on","start":1522.231,"end":1522.689},{"text":"core","start":1522.689,"end":1523.147},{"text":"WTO","start":1523.147,"end":1523.606},{"text":"most-favored-nation","start":1523.606,"end":1524.064},{"text":"tariff","start":1524.064,"end":1524.523},{"text":"terms","start":1524.523,"end":1524.981},{"text":"remains","start":1524.981,"end":1525.439},{"text":"around","start":1525.439,"end":1525.898},{"text":"72%.","start":1525.898,"end":1526.356}]},{"text":"WTO rules for health and safety standards, technical regulations, customs valuations, and intellectual property continue to provide the shared software for cross-border trade.","start":1526.356,"end":1536.898,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"WTO","start":1526.356,"end":1526.814},{"text":"rules","start":1526.814,"end":1527.273},{"text":"for","start":1527.273,"end":1527.731},{"text":"health","start":1527.731,"end":1528.189},{"text":"and","start":1528.189,"end":1528.648},{"text":"safety","start":1528.648,"end":1529.106},{"text":"standards,","start":1529.106,"end":1529.565},{"text":"technical","start":1529.565,"end":1530.023},{"text":"regulations,","start":1530.023,"end":1530.481},{"text":"customs","start":1530.481,"end":1530.94},{"text":"valuations,","start":1530.94,"end":1531.398},{"text":"and","start":1531.398,"end":1531.856},{"text":"intellectual","start":1531.856,"end":1532.315},{"text":"property","start":1532.315,"end":1532.773},{"text":"continue","start":1532.773,"end":1533.231},{"text":"to","start":1533.231,"end":1533.69},{"text":"provide","start":1533.69,"end":1534.148},{"text":"the","start":1534.148,"end":1534.607},{"text":"shared","start":1534.607,"end":1535.065},{"text":"software","start":1535.065,"end":1535.523},{"text":"for","start":1535.523,"end":1535.982},{"text":"cross-border","start":1535.982,"end":1536.44},{"text":"trade.","start":1536.44,"end":1536.898}]},{"text":"This resilience of the global trading system has contributed to wider resilience in the global economy.","start":1536.898,"end":1544.232,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"This","start":1536.898,"end":1537.357},{"text":"resilience","start":1537.357,"end":1537.815},{"text":"of","start":1537.815,"end":1538.273},{"text":"the","start":1538.273,"end":1538.732},{"text":"global","start":1538.732,"end":1539.19},{"text":"trading","start":1539.19,"end":1539.649},{"text":"system","start":1539.649,"end":1540.107},{"text":"has","start":1540.107,"end":1540.565},{"text":"contributed","start":1540.565,"end":1541.024},{"text":"to","start":1541.024,"end":1541.482},{"text":"wider","start":1541.482,"end":1541.94},{"text":"resilience","start":1541.94,"end":1542.399},{"text":"in","start":1542.399,"end":1542.857},{"text":"the","start":1542.857,"end":1543.316},{"text":"global","start":1543.316,"end":1543.774},{"text":"economy.","start":1543.774,"end":1544.232}]},{"text":"Global goods trade in 2023 moved by 4.6% in volume terms, with the dampening effect of tariffs and uncertainty more than offset by front-loading of goods, favorable macroeconomic conditions, and the AI investment boom.","start":1544.232,"end":1559.817,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"Global","start":1544.232,"end":1544.691},{"text":"goods","start":1544.691,"end":1545.149},{"text":"trade","start":1545.149,"end":1545.607},{"text":"in","start":1545.607,"end":1546.066},{"text":"2023","start":1546.066,"end":1546.524},{"text":"moved","start":1546.524,"end":1546.982},{"text":"by","start":1546.982,"end":1547.441},{"text":"4.6%","start":1547.441,"end":1547.899},{"text":"in","start":1547.899,"end":1548.358},{"text":"volume","start":1548.358,"end":1548.816},{"text":"terms,","start":1548.816,"end":1549.274},{"text":"with","start":1549.274,"end":1549.733},{"text":"the","start":1549.733,"end":1550.191},{"text":"dampening","start":1550.191,"end":1550.649},{"text":"effect","start":1550.649,"end":1551.108},{"text":"of","start":1551.108,"end":1551.566},{"text":"tariffs","start":1551.566,"end":1552.024},{"text":"and","start":1552.024,"end":1552.483},{"text":"uncertainty","start":1552.483,"end":1552.941},{"text":"more","start":1552.941,"end":1553.4},{"text":"than","start":1553.4,"end":1553.858},{"text":"offset","start":1553.858,"end":1554.316},{"text":"by","start":1554.316,"end":1554.775},{"text":"front-loading","start":1554.775,"end":1555.233},{"text":"of","start":1555.233,"end":1555.691},{"text":"goods,","start":1555.691,"end":1556.15},{"text":"favorable","start":1556.15,"end":1556.608},{"text":"macroeconomic","start":1556.608,"end":1557.066},{"text":"conditions,","start":1557.066,"end":1557.525},{"text":"and","start":1557.525,"end":1557.983},{"text":"the","start":1557.983,"end":1558.442},{"text":"AI","start":1558.442,"end":1558.9},{"text":"investment","start":1558.9,"end":1559.358},{"text":"boom.","start":1559.358,"end":1559.817}]},{"text":"AI-related trade contributed 40% of the growth in trade last year.","start":1559.817,"end":1564.859,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"AI-related","start":1559.817,"end":1560.275},{"text":"trade","start":1560.275,"end":1560.733},{"text":"contributed","start":1560.733,"end":1561.192},{"text":"40%","start":1561.192,"end":1561.65},{"text":"of","start":1561.65,"end":1562.108},{"text":"the","start":1562.108,"end":1562.567},{"text":"growth","start":1562.567,"end":1563.025},{"text":"in","start":1563.025,"end":1563.484},{"text":"trade","start":1563.484,"end":1563.942},{"text":"last","start":1563.942,"end":1564.4},{"text":"year.","start":1564.4,"end":1564.859}]},{"text":"Services trade was another bright spot last year, growing at 5.3% in volume terms.","start":1564.859,"end":1571.276,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"Services","start":1564.859,"end":1565.317},{"text":"trade","start":1565.317,"end":1565.775},{"text":"was","start":1565.775,"end":1566.234},{"text":"another","start":1566.234,"end":1566.692},{"text":"bright","start":1566.692,"end":1567.15},{"text":"spot","start":1567.15,"end":1567.609},{"text":"last","start":1567.609,"end":1568.067},{"text":"year,","start":1568.067,"end":1568.526},{"text":"growing","start":1568.526,"end":1568.984},{"text":"at","start":1568.984,"end":1569.442},{"text":"5.3%","start":1569.442,"end":1569.901},{"text":"in","start":1569.901,"end":1570.359},{"text":"volume","start":1570.359,"end":1570.817},{"text":"terms.","start":1570.817,"end":1571.276}]},{"text":"Africa outpaced these numbers across the board.","start":1571.276,"end":1574.484,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"Africa","start":1571.276,"end":1571.734},{"text":"outpaced","start":1571.734,"end":1572.193},{"text":"these","start":1572.193,"end":1572.651},{"text":"numbers","start":1572.651,"end":1573.109},{"text":"across","start":1573.109,"end":1573.568},{"text":"the","start":1573.568,"end":1574.026},{"text":"board.","start":1574.026,"end":1574.484}]},{"text":"The continent's export volumes last year grew by 10.2%, goods exports by 7.7%, and meanwhile, Africa's services exports expanded by almost 16%.","start":1574.484,"end":1584.568,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"The","start":1574.484,"end":1574.943},{"text":"continent's","start":1574.943,"end":1575.401},{"text":"export","start":1575.401,"end":1575.859},{"text":"volumes","start":1575.859,"end":1576.318},{"text":"last","start":1576.318,"end":1576.776},{"text":"year","start":1576.776,"end":1577.235},{"text":"grew","start":1577.235,"end":1577.693},{"text":"by","start":1577.693,"end":1578.151},{"text":"10.2%,","start":1578.151,"end":1578.61},{"text":"goods","start":1578.61,"end":1579.068},{"text":"exports","start":1579.068,"end":1579.526},{"text":"by","start":1579.526,"end":1579.985},{"text":"7.7%,","start":1579.985,"end":1580.443},{"text":"and","start":1580.443,"end":1580.901},{"text":"meanwhile,","start":1580.901,"end":1581.36},{"text":"Africa's","start":1581.36,"end":1581.818},{"text":"services","start":1581.818,"end":1582.277},{"text":"exports","start":1582.277,"end":1582.735},{"text":"expanded","start":1582.735,"end":1583.193},{"text":"by","start":1583.193,"end":1583.652},{"text":"almost","start":1583.652,"end":1584.11},{"text":"16%.","start":1584.11,"end":1584.568}]},{"text":"For 2024, economists forecast 1.9% growth of global goods trade, and with continued uncertainty and front-loading gone, we see a drop in the projected growth for goods 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with the uncertainty also surrounding energy prices with the rise of oil, this number could drop from 1.9 to 1.4%.","start":1597.403,"end":1607.028,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"And","start":1597.403,"end":1597.861},{"text":"with","start":1597.861,"end":1598.319},{"text":"the","start":1598.319,"end":1598.778},{"text":"uncertainty","start":1598.778,"end":1599.236},{"text":"also","start":1599.236,"end":1599.694},{"text":"surrounding","start":1599.694,"end":1600.153},{"text":"energy","start":1600.153,"end":1600.611},{"text":"prices","start":1600.611,"end":1601.07},{"text":"with","start":1601.07,"end":1601.528},{"text":"the","start":1601.528,"end":1601.986},{"text":"rise","start":1601.986,"end":1602.445},{"text":"of","start":1602.445,"end":1602.903},{"text":"oil,","start":1602.903,"end":1603.361},{"text":"this","start":1603.361,"end":1603.82},{"text":"number","start":1603.82,"end":1604.278},{"text":"could","start":1604.278,"end":1604.736},{"text":"drop","start":1604.736,"end":1605.195},{"text":"from","start":1605.195,"end":1605.653},{"text":"1.9","start":1605.653,"end":1606.112},{"text":"to","start":1606.112,"end":1606.57},{"text":"1.4%.","start":1606.57,"end":1607.028}]},{"text":"Meanwhile, the projection for services trade is 4.8%, which could drop to 4.1% if the war in Iran 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whilst the system is resilient, it's not robust, and that is why reform is so necessary.","start":1615.737,"end":1623.529,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"But","start":1615.737,"end":1616.196},{"text":"whilst","start":1616.196,"end":1616.654},{"text":"the","start":1616.654,"end":1617.112},{"text":"system","start":1617.112,"end":1617.571},{"text":"is","start":1617.571,"end":1618.029},{"text":"resilient,","start":1618.029,"end":1618.487},{"text":"it's","start":1618.487,"end":1618.946},{"text":"not","start":1618.946,"end":1619.404},{"text":"robust,","start":1619.404,"end":1619.862},{"text":"and","start":1619.862,"end":1620.321},{"text":"that","start":1620.321,"end":1620.779},{"text":"is","start":1620.779,"end":1621.238},{"text":"why","start":1621.238,"end":1621.696},{"text":"reform","start":1621.696,"end":1622.154},{"text":"is","start":1622.154,"end":1622.613},{"text":"so","start":1622.613,"end":1623.071},{"text":"necessary.","start":1623.071,"end":1623.529}]},{"text":"So what does all this mean for Africa?","start":1623.529,"end":1627.196,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"So","start":1623.529,"end":1623.988},{"text":"what","start":1623.988,"end":1624.446},{"text":"does","start":1624.446,"end":1624.905},{"text":"all","start":1624.905,"end":1625.363},{"text":"this","start":1625.363,"end":1625.821},{"text":"mean","start":1625.821,"end":1626.28},{"text":"for","start":1626.28,"end":1626.738},{"text":"Africa?","start":1626.738,"end":1627.196}]},{"text":"On the disruption side, the US started imposing tariffs on virtually all trading partners last year, but our analysis suggests that these have not had a major impact on African trade and GDP, apart from a handful of countries like South Africa, Lesotho, Côte d'Ivoire, and Madagascar.","start":1627.196,"end":1648.739,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"On","start":1627.196,"end":1627.655},{"text":"the","start":1627.655,"end":1628.113},{"text":"disruption","start":1628.113,"end":1628.571},{"text":"side,","start":1628.571,"end":1629.03},{"text":"the","start":1629.03,"end":1629.488},{"text":"US","start":1629.488,"end":1629.947},{"text":"started","start":1629.947,"end":1630.405},{"text":"imposing","start":1630.405,"end":1630.863},{"text":"tariffs","start":1630.863,"end":1631.322},{"text":"on","start":1631.322,"end":1631.78},{"text":"virtually","start":1631.78,"end":1632.238},{"text":"all","start":1632.238,"end":1632.697},{"text":"trading","start":1632.697,"end":1633.155},{"text":"partners","start":1633.155,"end":1633.613},{"text":"last","start":1633.613,"end":1634.072},{"text":"year,","start":1634.072,"end":1634.53},{"text":"but","start":1634.53,"end":1634.989},{"text":"our","start":1634.989,"end":1635.447},{"text":"analysis","start":1635.447,"end":1635.905},{"text":"suggests","start":1635.905,"end":1636.364},{"text":"that","start":1636.364,"end":1636.822},{"text":"these","start":1636.822,"end":1637.28},{"text":"have","start":1637.28,"end":1637.739},{"text":"not","start":1637.739,"end":1638.197},{"text":"had","start":1638.197,"end":1638.655},{"text":"a","start":1638.655,"end":1639.114},{"text":"major","start":1639.114,"end":1639.572},{"text":"impact","start":1639.572,"end":1640.031},{"text":"on","start":1640.031,"end":1640.489},{"text":"African","start":1640.489,"end":1640.947},{"text":"trade","start":1640.947,"end":1641.406},{"text":"and","start":1641.406,"end":1641.864},{"text":"GDP,","start":1641.864,"end":1642.322},{"text":"apart","start":1642.322,"end":1642.781},{"text":"from","start":1642.781,"end":1643.239},{"text":"a","start":1643.239,"end":1643.697},{"text":"handful","start":1643.697,"end":1644.156},{"text":"of","start":1644.156,"end":1644.614},{"text":"countries","start":1644.614,"end":1645.073},{"text":"like","start":1645.073,"end":1645.531},{"text":"South","start":1645.531,"end":1645.989},{"text":"Africa,","start":1645.989,"end":1646.448},{"text":"Lesotho,","start":1646.448,"end":1646.906},{"text":"Côte","start":1646.906,"end":1647.364},{"text":"d'Ivoire,","start":1647.364,"end":1647.823},{"text":"and","start":1647.823,"end":1648.281},{"text":"Madagascar.","start":1648.281,"end":1648.739}]},{"text":"Continent-wide, we project that the duties the US introduced last year would lower Africa's GDP by about 0.2 percentage points and the continent's merchandise exports by almost 1 percentage point.","start":1648.739,"end":1662.49,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"Continent-wide,","start":1648.739,"end":1649.198},{"text":"we","start":1649.198,"end":1649.656},{"text":"project","start":1649.656,"end":1650.115},{"text":"that","start":1650.115,"end":1650.573},{"text":"the","start":1650.573,"end":1651.031},{"text":"duties","start":1651.031,"end":1651.49},{"text":"the","start":1651.49,"end":1651.948},{"text":"US","start":1651.948,"end":1652.406},{"text":"introduced","start":1652.406,"end":1652.865},{"text":"last","start":1652.865,"end":1653.323},{"text":"year","start":1653.323,"end":1653.782},{"text":"would","start":1653.782,"end":1654.24},{"text":"lower","start":1654.24,"end":1654.698},{"text":"Africa's","start":1654.698,"end":1655.157},{"text":"GDP","start":1655.157,"end":1655.615},{"text":"by","start":1655.615,"end":1656.073},{"text":"about","start":1656.073,"end":1656.532},{"text":"0.2","start":1656.532,"end":1656.99},{"text":"percentage","start":1656.99,"end":1657.448},{"text":"points","start":1657.448,"end":1657.907},{"text":"and","start":1657.907,"end":1658.365},{"text":"the","start":1658.365,"end":1658.824},{"text":"continent's","start":1658.824,"end":1659.282},{"text":"merchandise","start":1659.282,"end":1659.74},{"text":"exports","start":1659.74,"end":1660.199},{"text":"by","start":1660.199,"end":1660.657},{"text":"almost","start":1660.657,"end":1661.115},{"text":"1","start":1661.115,"end":1661.574},{"text":"percentage","start":1661.574,"end":1662.032},{"text":"point.","start":1662.032,"end":1662.49}]},{"text":"But this minimal damage is not actually as positive as it sounds.","start":1662.49,"end":1667.991,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"But","start":1662.49,"end":1662.949},{"text":"this","start":1662.949,"end":1663.407},{"text":"minimal","start":1663.407,"end":1663.866},{"text":"damage","start":1663.866,"end":1664.324},{"text":"is","start":1664.324,"end":1664.782},{"text":"not","start":1664.782,"end":1665.241},{"text":"actually","start":1665.241,"end":1665.699},{"text":"as","start":1665.699,"end":1666.157},{"text":"positive","start":1666.157,"end":1666.616},{"text":"as","start":1666.616,"end":1667.074},{"text":"it","start":1667.074,"end":1667.532},{"text":"sounds.","start":1667.532,"end":1667.991}]},{"text":"So allow me to be the doomsday economist for a moment.","start":1667.991,"end":1673.033,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"So","start":1667.991,"end":1668.449},{"text":"allow","start":1668.449,"end":1668.908},{"text":"me","start":1668.908,"end":1669.366},{"text":"to","start":1669.366,"end":1669.824},{"text":"be","start":1669.824,"end":1670.283},{"text":"the","start":1670.283,"end":1670.741},{"text":"doomsday","start":1670.741,"end":1671.199},{"text":"economist","start":1671.199,"end":1671.658},{"text":"for","start":1671.658,"end":1672.116},{"text":"a","start":1672.116,"end":1672.574},{"text":"moment.","start":1672.574,"end":1673.033}]},{"text":"On the one hand, it's true the continent is not looking at a big economic shock from the tariffs.","start":1673.033,"end":1681.742,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"On","start":1673.033,"end":1673.491},{"text":"the","start":1673.491,"end":1673.95},{"text":"one","start":1673.95,"end":1674.408},{"text":"hand,","start":1674.408,"end":1674.866},{"text":"it's","start":1674.866,"end":1675.325},{"text":"true","start":1675.325,"end":1675.783},{"text":"the","start":1675.783,"end":1676.241},{"text":"continent","start":1676.241,"end":1676.7},{"text":"is","start":1676.7,"end":1677.158},{"text":"not","start":1677.158,"end":1677.617},{"text":"looking","start":1677.617,"end":1678.075},{"text":"at","start":1678.075,"end":1678.533},{"text":"a","start":1678.533,"end":1678.992},{"text":"big","start":1678.992,"end":1679.45},{"text":"economic","start":1679.45,"end":1679.908},{"text":"shock","start":1679.908,"end":1680.367},{"text":"from","start":1680.367,"end":1680.825},{"text":"the","start":1680.825,"end":1681.283},{"text":"tariffs.","start":1681.283,"end":1681.742}]},{"text":"But on the other, the small size of the impact is a function of Africa's low level of trade integration with the US and the world economy more broadly.","start":1681.742,"end":1695.034,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"But","start":1681.742,"end":1682.2},{"text":"on","start":1682.2,"end":1682.659},{"text":"the","start":1682.659,"end":1683.117},{"text":"other,","start":1683.117,"end":1683.575},{"text":"the","start":1683.575,"end":1684.034},{"text":"small","start":1684.034,"end":1684.492},{"text":"size","start":1684.492,"end":1684.95},{"text":"of","start":1684.95,"end":1685.409},{"text":"the","start":1685.409,"end":1685.867},{"text":"impact","start":1685.867,"end":1686.325},{"text":"is","start":1686.325,"end":1686.784},{"text":"a","start":1686.784,"end":1687.242},{"text":"function","start":1687.242,"end":1687.701},{"text":"of","start":1687.701,"end":1688.159},{"text":"Africa's","start":1688.159,"end":1688.617},{"text":"low","start":1688.617,"end":1689.076},{"text":"level","start":1689.076,"end":1689.534},{"text":"of","start":1689.534,"end":1689.992},{"text":"trade","start":1689.992,"end":1690.451},{"text":"integration","start":1690.451,"end":1690.909},{"text":"with","start":1690.909,"end":1691.367},{"text":"the","start":1691.367,"end":1691.826},{"text":"US","start":1691.826,"end":1692.284},{"text":"and","start":1692.284,"end":1692.743},{"text":"the","start":1692.743,"end":1693.201},{"text":"world","start":1693.201,"end":1693.659},{"text":"economy","start":1693.659,"end":1694.118},{"text":"more","start":1694.118,"end":1694.576},{"text":"broadly.","start":1694.576,"end":1695.034}]},{"text":"Only 6% of our exports go to the US and 4% of our imports come from them, and most of these exports are processed raw materials like crude oil, which are tariff-exempt.","start":1695.034,"end":1709.702,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"Only","start":1695.034,"end":1695.493},{"text":"6%","start":1695.493,"end":1695.951},{"text":"of","start":1695.951,"end":1696.409},{"text":"our","start":1696.409,"end":1696.868},{"text":"exports","start":1696.868,"end":1697.326},{"text":"go","start":1697.326,"end":1697.785},{"text":"to","start":1697.785,"end":1698.243},{"text":"the","start":1698.243,"end":1698.701},{"text":"US","start":1698.701,"end":1699.16},{"text":"and","start":1699.16,"end":1699.618},{"text":"4%","start":1699.618,"end":1700.076},{"text":"of","start":1700.076,"end":1700.535},{"text":"our","start":1700.535,"end":1700.993},{"text":"imports","start":1700.993,"end":1701.451},{"text":"come","start":1701.451,"end":1701.91},{"text":"from","start":1701.91,"end":1702.368},{"text":"them,","start":1702.368,"end":1702.827},{"text":"and","start":1702.827,"end":1703.285},{"text":"most","start":1703.285,"end":1703.743},{"text":"of","start":1703.743,"end":1704.202},{"text":"these","start":1704.202,"end":1704.66},{"text":"exports","start":1704.66,"end":1705.118},{"text":"are","start":1705.118,"end":1705.577},{"text":"processed","start":1705.577,"end":1706.035},{"text":"raw","start":1706.035,"end":1706.494},{"text":"materials","start":1706.494,"end":1706.952},{"text":"like","start":1706.952,"end":1707.41},{"text":"crude","start":1707.41,"end":1707.869},{"text":"oil,","start":1707.869,"end":1708.327},{"text":"which","start":1708.327,"end":1708.785},{"text":"are","start":1708.785,"end":1709.244},{"text":"tariff-exempt.","start":1709.244,"end":1709.702}]},{"text":"Africa accounts for less than 3% of world trade, despite the existence of preferential access to key markets like the US through AGOA and the EU through EPAs and everything but arms initiative.","start":1709.702,"end":1724.828,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"Africa","start":1709.702,"end":1710.16},{"text":"accounts","start":1710.16,"end":1710.619},{"text":"for","start":1710.619,"end":1711.077},{"text":"less","start":1711.077,"end":1711.536},{"text":"than","start":1711.536,"end":1711.994},{"text":"3%","start":1711.994,"end":1712.452},{"text":"of","start":1712.452,"end":1712.911},{"text":"world","start":1712.911,"end":1713.369},{"text":"trade,","start":1713.369,"end":1713.827},{"text":"despite","start":1713.827,"end":1714.286},{"text":"the","start":1714.286,"end":1714.744},{"text":"existence","start":1714.744,"end":1715.202},{"text":"of","start":1715.202,"end":1715.661},{"text":"preferential","start":1715.661,"end":1716.119},{"text":"access","start":1716.119,"end":1716.578},{"text":"to","start":1716.578,"end":1717.036},{"text":"key","start":1717.036,"end":1717.494},{"text":"markets","start":1717.494,"end":1717.953},{"text":"like","start":1717.953,"end":1718.411},{"text":"the","start":1718.411,"end":1718.869},{"text":"US","start":1718.869,"end":1719.328},{"text":"through","start":1719.328,"end":1719.786},{"text":"AGOA","start":1719.786,"end":1720.244},{"text":"and","start":1720.244,"end":1720.703},{"text":"the","start":1720.703,"end":1721.161},{"text":"EU","start":1721.161,"end":1721.62},{"text":"through","start":1721.62,"end":1722.078},{"text":"EPAs","start":1722.078,"end":1722.536},{"text":"and","start":1722.536,"end":1722.995},{"text":"everything","start":1722.995,"end":1723.453},{"text":"but","start":1723.453,"end":1723.911},{"text":"arms","start":1723.911,"end":1724.37},{"text":"initiative.","start":1724.37,"end":1724.828}]},{"text":"And now we are increasingly also have preferential access to China's markets.","start":1724.828,"end":1730.328,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"And","start":1724.828,"end":1725.286},{"text":"now","start":1725.286,"end":1725.745},{"text":"we","start":1725.745,"end":1726.203},{"text":"are","start":1726.203,"end":1726.662},{"text":"increasingly","start":1726.662,"end":1727.12},{"text":"also","start":1727.12,"end":1727.578},{"text":"have","start":1727.578,"end":1728.037},{"text":"preferential","start":1728.037,"end":1728.495},{"text":"access","start":1728.495,"end":1728.953},{"text":"to","start":1728.953,"end":1729.412},{"text":"China's","start":1729.412,"end":1729.87},{"text":"markets.","start":1729.87,"end":1730.328}]},{"text":"Our limited integration into world markets and global value chains has sheltered us from certain shocks, but I'm not sure it's a good thing because we've also missed out on the growth and development gains that come from such integration.","start":1730.328,"end":1748.663,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"Our","start":1730.328,"end":1730.787},{"text":"limited","start":1730.787,"end":1731.245},{"text":"integration","start":1731.245,"end":1731.704},{"text":"into","start":1731.704,"end":1732.162},{"text":"world","start":1732.162,"end":1732.62},{"text":"markets","start":1732.62,"end":1733.079},{"text":"and","start":1733.079,"end":1733.537},{"text":"global","start":1733.537,"end":1733.995},{"text":"value","start":1733.995,"end":1734.454},{"text":"chains","start":1734.454,"end":1734.912},{"text":"has","start":1734.912,"end":1735.371},{"text":"sheltered","start":1735.371,"end":1735.829},{"text":"us","start":1735.829,"end":1736.287},{"text":"from","start":1736.287,"end":1736.746},{"text":"certain","start":1736.746,"end":1737.204},{"text":"shocks,","start":1737.204,"end":1737.662},{"text":"but","start":1737.662,"end":1738.121},{"text":"I'm","start":1738.121,"end":1738.579},{"text":"not","start":1738.579,"end":1739.037},{"text":"sure","start":1739.037,"end":1739.496},{"text":"it's","start":1739.496,"end":1739.954},{"text":"a","start":1739.954,"end":1740.413},{"text":"good","start":1740.413,"end":1740.871},{"text":"thing","start":1740.871,"end":1741.329},{"text":"because","start":1741.329,"end":1741.788},{"text":"we've","start":1741.788,"end":1742.246},{"text":"also","start":1742.246,"end":1742.704},{"text":"missed","start":1742.704,"end":1743.163},{"text":"out","start":1743.163,"end":1743.621},{"text":"on","start":1743.621,"end":1744.079},{"text":"the","start":1744.079,"end":1744.538},{"text":"growth","start":1744.538,"end":1744.996},{"text":"and","start":1744.996,"end":1745.455},{"text":"development","start":1745.455,"end":1745.913},{"text":"gains","start":1745.913,"end":1746.371},{"text":"that","start":1746.371,"end":1746.83},{"text":"come","start":1746.83,"end":1747.288},{"text":"from","start":1747.288,"end":1747.746},{"text":"such","start":1747.746,"end":1748.205},{"text":"integration.","start":1748.205,"end":1748.663}]},{"text":"We need to ask ourselves how the continent can increase its integration into the global trading framework and make better use of trade preferences.","start":1748.663,"end":1759.664,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"We","start":1748.663,"end":1749.121},{"text":"need","start":1749.121,"end":1749.58},{"text":"to","start":1749.58,"end":1750.038},{"text":"ask","start":1750.038,"end":1750.497},{"text":"ourselves","start":1750.497,"end":1750.955},{"text":"how","start":1750.955,"end":1751.413},{"text":"the","start":1751.413,"end":1751.872},{"text":"continent","start":1751.872,"end":1752.33},{"text":"can","start":1752.33,"end":1752.788},{"text":"increase","start":1752.788,"end":1753.247},{"text":"its","start":1753.247,"end":1753.705},{"text":"integration","start":1753.705,"end":1754.163},{"text":"into","start":1754.163,"end":1754.622},{"text":"the","start":1754.622,"end":1755.08},{"text":"global","start":1755.08,"end":1755.539},{"text":"trading","start":1755.539,"end":1755.997},{"text":"framework","start":1755.997,"end":1756.455},{"text":"and","start":1756.455,"end":1756.914},{"text":"make","start":1756.914,"end":1757.372},{"text":"better","start":1757.372,"end":1757.83},{"text":"use","start":1757.83,"end":1758.289},{"text":"of","start":1758.289,"end":1758.747},{"text":"trade","start":1758.747,"end":1759.206},{"text":"preferences.","start":1759.206,"end":1759.664}]},{"text":"A second aspect of the ongoing disruption that we need to look out for is trade diversion.","start":1759.664,"end":1767.456,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"A","start":1759.664,"end":1760.122},{"text":"second","start":1760.122,"end":1760.581},{"text":"aspect","start":1760.581,"end":1761.039},{"text":"of","start":1761.039,"end":1761.497},{"text":"the","start":1761.497,"end":1761.956},{"text":"ongoing","start":1761.956,"end":1762.414},{"text":"disruption","start":1762.414,"end":1762.872},{"text":"that","start":1762.872,"end":1763.331},{"text":"we","start":1763.331,"end":1763.789},{"text":"need","start":1763.789,"end":1764.248},{"text":"to","start":1764.248,"end":1764.706},{"text":"look","start":1764.706,"end":1765.164},{"text":"out","start":1765.164,"end":1765.623},{"text":"for","start":1765.623,"end":1766.081},{"text":"is","start":1766.081,"end":1766.539},{"text":"trade","start":1766.539,"end":1766.998},{"text":"diversion.","start":1766.998,"end":1767.456}]},{"text":"While the direct impact of Africa-US trade looks modest, we are already seeing significant indirect effects.","start":1767.456,"end":1774.79,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"While","start":1767.456,"end":1767.914},{"text":"the","start":1767.914,"end":1768.373},{"text":"direct","start":1768.373,"end":1768.831},{"text":"impact","start":1768.831,"end":1769.29},{"text":"of","start":1769.29,"end":1769.748},{"text":"Africa-US","start":1769.748,"end":1770.206},{"text":"trade","start":1770.206,"end":1770.665},{"text":"looks","start":1770.665,"end":1771.123},{"text":"modest,","start":1771.123,"end":1771.581},{"text":"we","start":1771.581,"end":1772.04},{"text":"are","start":1772.04,"end":1772.498},{"text":"already","start":1772.498,"end":1772.956},{"text":"seeing","start":1772.956,"end":1773.415},{"text":"significant","start":1773.415,"end":1773.873},{"text":"indirect","start":1773.873,"end":1774.332},{"text":"effects.","start":1774.332,"end":1774.79}]},{"text":"As China's exports to the US have fallen, its exports to the rest of the world have increased.","start":1774.79,"end":1783.04,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"As","start":1774.79,"end":1775.248},{"text":"China's","start":1775.248,"end":1775.707},{"text":"exports","start":1775.707,"end":1776.165},{"text":"to","start":1776.165,"end":1776.623},{"text":"the","start":1776.623,"end":1777.082},{"text":"US","start":1777.082,"end":1777.54},{"text":"have","start":1777.54,"end":1777.998},{"text":"fallen,","start":1777.998,"end":1778.457},{"text":"its","start":1778.457,"end":1778.915},{"text":"exports","start":1778.915,"end":1779.374},{"text":"to","start":1779.374,"end":1779.832},{"text":"the","start":1779.832,"end":1780.29},{"text":"rest","start":1780.29,"end":1780.749},{"text":"of","start":1780.749,"end":1781.207},{"text":"the","start":1781.207,"end":1781.665},{"text":"world","start":1781.665,"end":1782.124},{"text":"have","start":1782.124,"end":1782.582},{"text":"increased.","start":1782.582,"end":1783.04}]},{"text":"China's exports to Africa grew by 26% in 2023, faster than to any other region.","start":1783.04,"end":1789.916,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"China's","start":1783.04,"end":1783.499},{"text":"exports","start":1783.499,"end":1783.957},{"text":"to","start":1783.957,"end":1784.416},{"text":"Africa","start":1784.416,"end":1784.874},{"text":"grew","start":1784.874,"end":1785.332},{"text":"by","start":1785.332,"end":1785.791},{"text":"26%","start":1785.791,"end":1786.249},{"text":"in","start":1786.249,"end":1786.707},{"text":"2023,","start":1786.707,"end":1787.166},{"text":"faster","start":1787.166,"end":1787.624},{"text":"than","start":1787.624,"end":1788.083},{"text":"to","start":1788.083,"end":1788.541},{"text":"any","start":1788.541,"end":1788.999},{"text":"other","start":1788.999,"end":1789.458},{"text":"region.","start":1789.458,"end":1789.916}]},{"text":"Low-cost solar panels are driving welcome green electrification across the continent, but at the same time, import-competing industries are having trouble.","start":1789.916,"end":1799.542,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"Low-cost","start":1789.916,"end":1790.374},{"text":"solar","start":1790.374,"end":1790.833},{"text":"panels","start":1790.833,"end":1791.291},{"text":"are","start":1791.291,"end":1791.749},{"text":"driving","start":1791.749,"end":1792.208},{"text":"welcome","start":1792.208,"end":1792.666},{"text":"green","start":1792.666,"end":1793.125},{"text":"electrification","start":1793.125,"end":1793.583},{"text":"across","start":1793.583,"end":1794.041},{"text":"the","start":1794.041,"end":1794.5},{"text":"continent,","start":1794.5,"end":1794.958},{"text":"but","start":1794.958,"end":1795.416},{"text":"at","start":1795.416,"end":1795.875},{"text":"the","start":1795.875,"end":1796.333},{"text":"same","start":1796.333,"end":1796.791},{"text":"time,","start":1796.791,"end":1797.25},{"text":"import-competing","start":1797.25,"end":1797.708},{"text":"industries","start":1797.708,"end":1798.167},{"text":"are","start":1798.167,"end":1798.625},{"text":"having","start":1798.625,"end":1799.083},{"text":"trouble.","start":1799.083,"end":1799.542}]},{"text":"Even","start":1799.542,"end":1800,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"Even","start":1799.542,"end":1800}]}]}],"speaker":{"name":"Brian Wallace","affiliation":"IAHWG","affiliation_full":"IAHWG","group":null,"function":"Co-Chair"}},{"statement_number":8,"paragraphs":[{"sentences":[{"text":"Chinese exports of products like batteries and EVs have coupled with competition from imported or smuggled Chinese cloth into the country.","start":1800,"end":1809.258,"topics":[{"key":"trade-competitiveness-supply-chains","label":"Trade Competitiveness & Supply Chains","description":"Responding to global trade disruptions by reducing trade costs, using WTO instruments, and positioning Africa within diversified, resilient supply chains. Focuses on value addition, industrial upgrading, and mitigation of geopolitical shocks."}],"words":[{"text":"Chinese","start":1800,"end":1800.441},{"text":"exports","start":1800.441,"end":1800.882},{"text":"of","start":1800.882,"end":1801.323},{"text":"products","start":1801.323,"end":1801.763},{"text":"like","start":1801.763,"end":1802.204},{"text":"batteries","start":1802.204,"end":1802.645},{"text":"and","start":1802.645,"end":1803.086},{"text":"EVs","start":1803.086,"end":1803.527},{"text":"have","start":1803.527,"end":1803.968},{"text":"coupled","start":1803.968,"end":1804.408},{"text":"with","start":1804.408,"end":1804.849},{"text":"competition","start":1804.849,"end":1805.29},{"text":"from","start":1805.29,"end":1805.731},{"text":"imported","start":1805.731,"end":1806.172},{"text":"or","start":1806.172,"end":1806.613},{"text":"smuggled","start":1806.613,"end":1807.054},{"text":"Chinese","start":1807.054,"end":1807.494},{"text":"cloth","start":1807.494,"end":1807.935},{"text":"into","start":1807.935,"end":1808.376},{"text":"the","start":1808.376,"end":1808.817},{"text":"country.","start":1808.817,"end":1809.258}]},{"text":"The WTO rulebook offers various tools, what we call trade remedies, to manage the impact of dumping, subsidies, and import surges that may harm domestic industry.","start":1809.258,"end":1820.72,"topics":[{"key":"trade-competitiveness-supply-chains","label":"Trade Competitiveness & Supply Chains","description":"Responding to global trade disruptions by reducing trade costs, using WTO instruments, and positioning Africa within diversified, resilient supply chains. Focuses on value addition, industrial upgrading, and mitigation of geopolitical shocks."}],"words":[{"text":"The","start":1809.258,"end":1809.699},{"text":"WTO","start":1809.699,"end":1810.139},{"text":"rulebook","start":1810.139,"end":1810.58},{"text":"offers","start":1810.58,"end":1811.021},{"text":"various","start":1811.021,"end":1811.462},{"text":"tools,","start":1811.462,"end":1811.903},{"text":"what","start":1811.903,"end":1812.344},{"text":"we","start":1812.344,"end":1812.784},{"text":"call","start":1812.784,"end":1813.225},{"text":"trade","start":1813.225,"end":1813.666},{"text":"remedies,","start":1813.666,"end":1814.107},{"text":"to","start":1814.107,"end":1814.548},{"text":"manage","start":1814.548,"end":1814.989},{"text":"the","start":1814.989,"end":1815.43},{"text":"impact","start":1815.43,"end":1815.87},{"text":"of","start":1815.87,"end":1816.311},{"text":"dumping,","start":1816.311,"end":1816.752},{"text":"subsidies,","start":1816.752,"end":1817.193},{"text":"and","start":1817.193,"end":1817.634},{"text":"import","start":1817.634,"end":1818.075},{"text":"surges","start":1818.075,"end":1818.515},{"text":"that","start":1818.515,"end":1818.956},{"text":"may","start":1818.956,"end":1819.397},{"text":"harm","start":1819.397,"end":1819.838},{"text":"domestic","start":1819.838,"end":1820.279},{"text":"industry.","start":1820.279,"end":1820.72}]},{"text":"Deploying these tools requires domestic trade remedy legislation and standing up investigating authorities, something most African countries do not currently have.","start":1820.72,"end":1829.977,"topics":[{"key":"trade-competitiveness-supply-chains","label":"Trade Competitiveness & Supply Chains","description":"Responding to global trade disruptions by reducing trade costs, using WTO instruments, and positioning Africa within diversified, resilient supply chains. Focuses on value addition, industrial upgrading, and mitigation of geopolitical shocks."}],"words":[{"text":"Deploying","start":1820.72,"end":1821.161},{"text":"these","start":1821.161,"end":1821.601},{"text":"tools","start":1821.601,"end":1822.042},{"text":"requires","start":1822.042,"end":1822.483},{"text":"domestic","start":1822.483,"end":1822.924},{"text":"trade","start":1822.924,"end":1823.365},{"text":"remedy","start":1823.365,"end":1823.806},{"text":"legislation","start":1823.806,"end":1824.246},{"text":"and","start":1824.246,"end":1824.687},{"text":"standing","start":1824.687,"end":1825.128},{"text":"up","start":1825.128,"end":1825.569},{"text":"investigating","start":1825.569,"end":1826.01},{"text":"authorities,","start":1826.01,"end":1826.451},{"text":"something","start":1826.451,"end":1826.891},{"text":"most","start":1826.891,"end":1827.332},{"text":"African","start":1827.332,"end":1827.773},{"text":"countries","start":1827.773,"end":1828.214},{"text":"do","start":1828.214,"end":1828.655},{"text":"not","start":1828.655,"end":1829.096},{"text":"currently","start":1829.096,"end":1829.537},{"text":"have.","start":1829.537,"end":1829.977}]},{"text":"The WTO Secretariat can provide technical assistance in this respect.","start":1829.977,"end":1834.386,"topics":[{"key":"trade-competitiveness-supply-chains","label":"Trade Competitiveness & Supply Chains","description":"Responding to global trade disruptions by reducing trade costs, using WTO instruments, and positioning Africa within diversified, resilient supply chains. Focuses on value addition, industrial upgrading, and mitigation of geopolitical shocks."}],"words":[{"text":"The","start":1829.977,"end":1830.418},{"text":"WTO","start":1830.418,"end":1830.859},{"text":"Secretariat","start":1830.859,"end":1831.3},{"text":"can","start":1831.3,"end":1831.741},{"text":"provide","start":1831.741,"end":1832.182},{"text":"technical","start":1832.182,"end":1832.622},{"text":"assistance","start":1832.622,"end":1833.063},{"text":"in","start":1833.063,"end":1833.504},{"text":"this","start":1833.504,"end":1833.945},{"text":"respect.","start":1833.945,"end":1834.386}]},{"text":"But while the current global juncture undoubtedly presents risks to the continent, it also offers Africa some significant opportunities to use trade to drive growth, drive value addition, job creation, and development.","start":1834.386,"end":1848.493,"topics":[{"key":"trade-competitiveness-supply-chains","label":"Trade Competitiveness & Supply Chains","description":"Responding to global trade disruptions by reducing trade costs, using WTO instruments, and positioning Africa within diversified, resilient supply chains. Focuses on value addition, industrial upgrading, and mitigation of geopolitical shocks."}],"words":[{"text":"But","start":1834.386,"end":1834.827},{"text":"while","start":1834.827,"end":1835.268},{"text":"the","start":1835.268,"end":1835.708},{"text":"current","start":1835.708,"end":1836.149},{"text":"global","start":1836.149,"end":1836.59},{"text":"juncture","start":1836.59,"end":1837.031},{"text":"undoubtedly","start":1837.031,"end":1837.472},{"text":"presents","start":1837.472,"end":1837.913},{"text":"risks","start":1837.913,"end":1838.353},{"text":"to","start":1838.353,"end":1838.794},{"text":"the","start":1838.794,"end":1839.235},{"text":"continent,","start":1839.235,"end":1839.676},{"text":"it","start":1839.676,"end":1840.117},{"text":"also","start":1840.117,"end":1840.558},{"text":"offers","start":1840.558,"end":1840.998},{"text":"Africa","start":1840.998,"end":1841.439},{"text":"some","start":1841.439,"end":1841.88},{"text":"significant","start":1841.88,"end":1842.321},{"text":"opportunities","start":1842.321,"end":1842.762},{"text":"to","start":1842.762,"end":1843.203},{"text":"use","start":1843.203,"end":1843.644},{"text":"trade","start":1843.644,"end":1844.084},{"text":"to","start":1844.084,"end":1844.525},{"text":"drive","start":1844.525,"end":1844.966},{"text":"growth,","start":1844.966,"end":1845.407},{"text":"drive","start":1845.407,"end":1845.848},{"text":"value","start":1845.848,"end":1846.289},{"text":"addition,","start":1846.289,"end":1846.729},{"text":"job","start":1846.729,"end":1847.17},{"text":"creation,","start":1847.17,"end":1847.611},{"text":"and","start":1847.611,"end":1848.052},{"text":"development.","start":1848.052,"end":1848.493}]},{"text":"So permit me to talk about the opportunities we have, because I like to describe Africa as the continent of opportunity.","start":1848.493,"end":1857.751,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"So","start":1848.493,"end":1848.934},{"text":"permit","start":1848.934,"end":1849.375},{"text":"me","start":1849.375,"end":1849.815},{"text":"to","start":1849.815,"end":1850.256},{"text":"talk","start":1850.256,"end":1850.697},{"text":"about","start":1850.697,"end":1851.138},{"text":"the","start":1851.138,"end":1851.579},{"text":"opportunities","start":1851.579,"end":1852.02},{"text":"we","start":1852.02,"end":1852.46},{"text":"have,","start":1852.46,"end":1852.901},{"text":"because","start":1852.901,"end":1853.342},{"text":"I","start":1853.342,"end":1853.783},{"text":"like","start":1853.783,"end":1854.224},{"text":"to","start":1854.224,"end":1854.665},{"text":"describe","start":1854.665,"end":1855.106},{"text":"Africa","start":1855.106,"end":1855.546},{"text":"as","start":1855.546,"end":1855.987},{"text":"the","start":1855.987,"end":1856.428},{"text":"continent","start":1856.428,"end":1856.869},{"text":"of","start":1856.869,"end":1857.31},{"text":"opportunity.","start":1857.31,"end":1857.751}]},{"text":"Yes, we have many challenges, but the opportunities on the continent are many, and they were reflected in the video played at the beginning of this conference.","start":1857.751,"end":1869.653,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"Yes,","start":1857.751,"end":1858.191},{"text":"we","start":1858.191,"end":1858.632},{"text":"have","start":1858.632,"end":1859.073},{"text":"many","start":1859.073,"end":1859.514},{"text":"challenges,","start":1859.514,"end":1859.955},{"text":"but","start":1859.955,"end":1860.396},{"text":"the","start":1860.396,"end":1860.836},{"text":"opportunities","start":1860.836,"end":1861.277},{"text":"on","start":1861.277,"end":1861.718},{"text":"the","start":1861.718,"end":1862.159},{"text":"continent","start":1862.159,"end":1862.6},{"text":"are","start":1862.6,"end":1863.041},{"text":"many,","start":1863.041,"end":1863.482},{"text":"and","start":1863.482,"end":1863.922},{"text":"they","start":1863.922,"end":1864.363},{"text":"were","start":1864.363,"end":1864.804},{"text":"reflected","start":1864.804,"end":1865.245},{"text":"in","start":1865.245,"end":1865.686},{"text":"the","start":1865.686,"end":1866.127},{"text":"video","start":1866.127,"end":1866.567},{"text":"played","start":1866.567,"end":1867.008},{"text":"at","start":1867.008,"end":1867.449},{"text":"the","start":1867.449,"end":1867.89},{"text":"beginning","start":1867.89,"end":1868.331},{"text":"of","start":1868.331,"end":1868.772},{"text":"this","start":1868.772,"end":1869.213},{"text":"conference.","start":1869.213,"end":1869.653}]},{"text":"A young, dynamic workforce, a market of the future with a large and increasingly integrated regional market of 1.4 billion, a middle class on track to reach 340 million people by 2040, 60% of the world's solar energy potential, 60% of its uncultivated arable land, and 30% of its known mineral reserves, including rare earths.","start":1869.653,"end":1893.9,"topics":[{"key":"regional-integration-afcfta","label":"Regional Integration & AfCFTA","description":"Leveraging the African Continental Free Trade Area to create a unified market that supports scale for innovators, enables digital trade and payments, and reduces intra-African trade frictions. 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Addresses closing the digital divide to expand participation in new jobs and opportunities."}],"words":[{"text":"To","start":2250.543,"end":2250.983},{"text":"make","start":2250.983,"end":2251.424},{"text":"the","start":2251.424,"end":2251.865},{"text":"most","start":2251.865,"end":2252.306},{"text":"of","start":2252.306,"end":2252.747},{"text":"this","start":2252.747,"end":2253.188},{"text":"as","start":2253.188,"end":2253.628},{"text":"drivers","start":2253.628,"end":2254.069},{"text":"of","start":2254.069,"end":2254.51},{"text":"growth","start":2254.51,"end":2254.951},{"text":"and","start":2254.951,"end":2255.392},{"text":"job","start":2255.392,"end":2255.833},{"text":"creation,","start":2255.833,"end":2256.274},{"text":"it's","start":2256.274,"end":2256.714},{"text":"of","start":2256.714,"end":2257.155},{"text":"course","start":2257.155,"end":2257.596},{"text":"essential","start":2257.596,"end":2258.037},{"text":"to","start":2258.037,"end":2258.478},{"text":"close","start":2258.478,"end":2258.919},{"text":"the","start":2258.919,"end":2259.359},{"text":"digital","start":2259.359,"end":2259.8},{"text":"divide.","start":2259.8,"end":2260.241}]},{"text":"But thanks to technological innovations, satellite internet means that we can compete better than we would have if we depended on laying down cables.","start":2260.241,"end":2270.821,"topics":[{"key":"digital-infrastructure-investment","label":"Digital Infrastructure Investment","description":"Building reliable energy systems, robust connectivity, and data infrastructure to enable innovation, e‑government, and the digital economy across Africa. 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Emphasizes participation in WTO e-commerce initiatives and improving regulatory and physical 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members.","start":2315.787,"end":2321.078,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"We","start":2315.787,"end":2316.228},{"text":"have","start":2316.228,"end":2316.669},{"text":"Benin,","start":2316.669,"end":2317.11},{"text":"Burkina","start":2317.11,"end":2317.551},{"text":"Faso,","start":2317.551,"end":2317.992},{"text":"the","start":2317.992,"end":2318.433},{"text":"Gambia,","start":2318.433,"end":2318.873},{"text":"and","start":2318.873,"end":2319.314},{"text":"Cabo","start":2319.314,"end":2319.755},{"text":"Verde","start":2319.755,"end":2320.196},{"text":"are","start":2320.196,"end":2320.637},{"text":"members.","start":2320.637,"end":2321.078}]},{"text":"I would urge all of you to try to join this initiative.","start":2321.078,"end":2326.368,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"I","start":2321.078,"end":2321.518},{"text":"would","start":2321.518,"end":2321.959},{"text":"urge","start":2321.959,"end":2322.4},{"text":"all","start":2322.4,"end":2322.841},{"text":"of","start":2322.841,"end":2323.282},{"text":"you","start":2323.282,"end":2323.723},{"text":"to","start":2323.723,"end":2324.164},{"text":"try","start":2324.164,"end":2324.604},{"text":"to","start":2324.604,"end":2325.045},{"text":"join","start":2325.045,"end":2325.486},{"text":"this","start":2325.486,"end":2325.927},{"text":"initiative.","start":2325.927,"end":2326.368}]},{"text":"If you're not at the table, then you won't have any input, and I think it would be good for us.","start":2326.368,"end":2335.625,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"If","start":2326.368,"end":2326.809},{"text":"you're","start":2326.809,"end":2327.249},{"text":"not","start":2327.249,"end":2327.69},{"text":"at","start":2327.69,"end":2328.131},{"text":"the","start":2328.131,"end":2328.572},{"text":"table,","start":2328.572,"end":2329.013},{"text":"then","start":2329.013,"end":2329.454},{"text":"you","start":2329.454,"end":2329.894},{"text":"won't","start":2329.894,"end":2330.335},{"text":"have","start":2330.335,"end":2330.776},{"text":"any","start":2330.776,"end":2331.217},{"text":"input,","start":2331.217,"end":2331.658},{"text":"and","start":2331.658,"end":2332.099},{"text":"I","start":2332.099,"end":2332.54},{"text":"think","start":2332.54,"end":2332.98},{"text":"it","start":2332.98,"end":2333.421},{"text":"would","start":2333.421,"end":2333.862},{"text":"be","start":2333.862,"end":2334.303},{"text":"good","start":2334.303,"end":2334.744},{"text":"for","start":2334.744,"end":2335.185},{"text":"us.","start":2335.185,"end":2335.625}]},{"text":"So let me conclude, Excellencies.","start":2335.625,"end":2337.83,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"So","start":2335.625,"end":2336.066},{"text":"let","start":2336.066,"end":2336.507},{"text":"me","start":2336.507,"end":2336.948},{"text":"conclude,","start":2336.948,"end":2337.389},{"text":"Excellencies.","start":2337.389,"end":2337.83}]},{"text":"I'm very hopeful that trade can do much to help Africa improve its economic performance and raise people's living 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Excellency Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission.","start":2709.757,"end":2715.187,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"Your","start":2709.757,"end":2710.251},{"text":"Excellency","start":2710.251,"end":2710.744},{"text":"Moussa","start":2710.744,"end":2711.238},{"text":"Faki","start":2711.238,"end":2711.732},{"text":"Mahamat,","start":2711.732,"end":2712.225},{"text":"Chairperson","start":2712.225,"end":2712.719},{"text":"of","start":2712.719,"end":2713.212},{"text":"the","start":2713.212,"end":2713.706},{"text":"African","start":2713.706,"end":2714.2},{"text":"Union","start":2714.2,"end":2714.693},{"text":"Commission.","start":2714.693,"end":2715.187}]},{"text":"Honorable ministers here present, heads of delegations, distinguished ladies and gentlemen.","start":2715.187,"end":2720.617,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"Honorable","start":2715.187,"end":2715.681},{"text":"ministers","start":2715.681,"end":2716.174},{"text":"here","start":2716.174,"end":2716.668},{"text":"present,","start":2716.668,"end":2717.161},{"text":"heads","start":2717.161,"end":2717.655},{"text":"of","start":2717.655,"end":2718.149},{"text":"delegations,","start":2718.149,"end":2718.642},{"text":"distinguished","start":2718.642,"end":2719.136},{"text":"ladies","start":2719.136,"end":2719.629},{"text":"and","start":2719.629,"end":2720.123},{"text":"gentlemen.","start":2720.123,"end":2720.617}]},{"text":"It is a great honor to welcome you all to the ECA's 58th session of the Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, convened here in Tangier under the theme: Growth through Innovation: Harnessing Data and Frontier Technologies for Economic Transformation of 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me to begin by conveying our deep appreciation to His Majesty King Mohammed VI for his continued leadership and commitment to Africa's development and regional 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extend sincere thanks to the government and people of Morocco for their warm hospitality and Her Excellency Nadia Fettah, chair of the outgoing bureau, for her commendable leadership over the past 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also acknowledge the strong partnership of the African Union Commission, the United Nations system, and the development partners whose collaboration continues to reinforce the importance of this 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today's context is particularly concerning.","start":2814.896,"end":2817.858,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"But","start":2814.896,"end":2815.39},{"text":"today's","start":2815.39,"end":2815.883},{"text":"context","start":2815.883,"end":2816.377},{"text":"is","start":2816.377,"end":2816.871},{"text":"particularly","start":2816.871,"end":2817.364},{"text":"concerning.","start":2817.364,"end":2817.858}]},{"text":"The evolving conflict in the Middle East is already affecting energy markets and trade flows, with implications that may even be that may be even more far-reaching.","start":2817.858,"end":2831.185,"topics":[{"key":"trade-competitiveness-supply-chains","label":"Trade Competitiveness & Supply Chains","description":"Responding to global trade disruptions by reducing trade costs, using WTO instruments, and positioning Africa within diversified, resilient supply chains. 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question then is not whether Africa can transform, but how fast and how deliberately we are prepared to act.","start":3097.574,"end":3107.685,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"The","start":3097.574,"end":3098.079},{"text":"question","start":3098.079,"end":3098.585},{"text":"then","start":3098.585,"end":3099.091},{"text":"is","start":3099.091,"end":3099.596},{"text":"not","start":3099.596,"end":3100.102},{"text":"whether","start":3100.102,"end":3100.607},{"text":"Africa","start":3100.607,"end":3101.113},{"text":"can","start":3101.113,"end":3101.618},{"text":"transform,","start":3101.618,"end":3102.124},{"text":"but","start":3102.124,"end":3102.63},{"text":"how","start":3102.63,"end":3103.135},{"text":"fast","start":3103.135,"end":3103.641},{"text":"and","start":3103.641,"end":3104.146},{"text":"how","start":3104.146,"end":3104.652},{"text":"deliberately","start":3104.652,"end":3105.157},{"text":"we","start":3105.157,"end":3105.663},{"text":"are","start":3105.663,"end":3106.169},{"text":"prepared","start":3106.169,"end":3106.674},{"text":"to","start":3106.674,"end":3107.18},{"text":"act.","start":3107.18,"end":3107.685}]},{"text":"Allow me therefore to highlight four interlinked priorities that can help Africa to harness innovation and frontier technologies for lasting economic transformation.","start":3107.685,"end":3118.808,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"Allow","start":3107.685,"end":3108.191},{"text":"me","start":3108.191,"end":3108.696},{"text":"therefore","start":3108.696,"end":3109.202},{"text":"to","start":3109.202,"end":3109.707},{"text":"highlight","start":3109.707,"end":3110.213},{"text":"four","start":3110.213,"end":3110.719},{"text":"interlinked","start":3110.719,"end":3111.224},{"text":"priorities","start":3111.224,"end":3111.73},{"text":"that","start":3111.73,"end":3112.235},{"text":"can","start":3112.235,"end":3112.741},{"text":"help","start":3112.741,"end":3113.246},{"text":"Africa","start":3113.246,"end":3113.752},{"text":"to","start":3113.752,"end":3114.258},{"text":"harness","start":3114.258,"end":3114.763},{"text":"innovation","start":3114.763,"end":3115.269},{"text":"and","start":3115.269,"end":3115.774},{"text":"frontier","start":3115.774,"end":3116.28},{"text":"technologies","start":3116.28,"end":3116.785},{"text":"for","start":3116.785,"end":3117.291},{"text":"lasting","start":3117.291,"end":3117.797},{"text":"economic","start":3117.797,"end":3118.302},{"text":"transformation.","start":3118.302,"end":3118.808}]},{"text":"First, Africa must invest in the foundations of a modern economy.","start":3118.808,"end":3124.369,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"First,","start":3118.808,"end":3119.313},{"text":"Africa","start":3119.313,"end":3119.819},{"text":"must","start":3119.819,"end":3120.324},{"text":"invest","start":3120.324,"end":3120.83},{"text":"in","start":3120.83,"end":3121.335},{"text":"the","start":3121.335,"end":3121.841},{"text":"foundations","start":3121.841,"end":3122.347},{"text":"of","start":3122.347,"end":3122.852},{"text":"a","start":3122.852,"end":3123.358},{"text":"modern","start":3123.358,"end":3123.863},{"text":"economy.","start":3123.863,"end":3124.369}]},{"text":"Without reliable energy, robust digital connectivity and strong data infrastructure, innovation will be constrained and transformation, no matter how well envisioned, will remain out of reach.","start":3124.369,"end":3137.514,"topics":[{"key":"digital-infrastructure-investment","label":"Digital Infrastructure 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Addresses closing the digital divide to expand participation in new jobs and opportunities."}],"words":[{"text":"They","start":3186.048,"end":3186.553},{"text":"must","start":3186.553,"end":3187.059},{"text":"be","start":3187.059,"end":3187.564},{"text":"equipped","start":3187.564,"end":3188.07},{"text":"to","start":3188.07,"end":3188.576},{"text":"design,","start":3188.576,"end":3189.081},{"text":"adapt,","start":3189.081,"end":3189.587},{"text":"produce","start":3189.587,"end":3190.092},{"text":"and","start":3190.092,"end":3190.598},{"text":"scale","start":3190.598,"end":3191.103},{"text":"solutions","start":3191.103,"end":3191.609},{"text":"that","start":3191.609,"end":3192.114},{"text":"respond","start":3192.114,"end":3192.62},{"text":"to","start":3192.62,"end":3193.126},{"text":"Africa's","start":3193.126,"end":3193.631},{"text":"realities.","start":3193.631,"end":3194.137}]},{"text":"Third, no country can transform in isolation.","start":3194.137,"end":3197.676,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"Third,","start":3194.137,"end":3194.642},{"text":"no","start":3194.642,"end":3195.148},{"text":"country","start":3195.148,"end":3195.653},{"text":"can","start":3195.653,"end":3196.159},{"text":"transform","start":3196.159,"end":3196.665},{"text":"in","start":3196.665,"end":3197.17},{"text":"isolation.","start":3197.17,"end":3197.676}]},{"text":"Africa must therefore act collectively through the effective implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area.","start":3197.676,"end":3205.765,"topics":[{"key":"regional-integration-afcfta","label":"Regional Integration & AfCFTA","description":"Leveraging the African Continental Free Trade Area to create a unified market that supports scale for innovators, enables digital trade and payments, and reduces intra-African trade frictions. Aims to boost competitiveness and accelerate diffusion of technology across borders."}],"words":[{"text":"Africa","start":3197.676,"end":3198.181},{"text":"must","start":3198.181,"end":3198.687},{"text":"therefore","start":3198.687,"end":3199.192},{"text":"act","start":3199.192,"end":3199.698},{"text":"collectively","start":3199.698,"end":3200.203},{"text":"through","start":3200.203,"end":3200.709},{"text":"the","start":3200.709,"end":3201.215},{"text":"effective","start":3201.215,"end":3201.72},{"text":"implementation","start":3201.72,"end":3202.226},{"text":"of","start":3202.226,"end":3202.731},{"text":"the","start":3202.731,"end":3203.237},{"text":"African","start":3203.237,"end":3203.742},{"text":"Continental","start":3203.742,"end":3204.248},{"text":"Free","start":3204.248,"end":3204.754},{"text":"Trade","start":3204.754,"end":3205.259},{"text":"Area.","start":3205.259,"end":3205.765}]},{"text":"Scale matters.","start":3205.765,"end":3206.776,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"Scale","start":3205.765,"end":3206.27},{"text":"matters.","start":3206.27,"end":3206.776}]},{"text":"In this respect, the African Continental Free Trade Area provides a platform to expand markets, enable firms to operate across borders, leverage systems such as the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System for cross-border payments in local currencies, and accelerate the diffusion of innovation across our continent.","start":3206.776,"end":3230.032,"topics":[{"key":"regional-integration-afcfta","label":"Regional Integration & AfCFTA","description":"Leveraging the African Continental Free Trade Area to create a unified market that supports scale for innovators, enables digital trade and payments, and reduces intra-African trade frictions. 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thank you very much for your kind attention.","start":3313.45,"end":3318,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"I","start":3313.45,"end":3313.955},{"text":"thank","start":3313.955,"end":3314.461},{"text":"you","start":3314.461,"end":3314.967},{"text":"very","start":3314.967,"end":3315.472},{"text":"much","start":3315.472,"end":3315.978},{"text":"for","start":3315.978,"end":3316.483},{"text":"your","start":3316.483,"end":3316.989},{"text":"kind","start":3316.989,"end":3317.494},{"text":"attention.","start":3317.494,"end":3318}]}]}],"speaker":{"name":"Claver Gatete","affiliation":"ECA","affiliation_full":"ECA","group":null,"function":"Executive Secretary"}},{"statement_number":14,"paragraphs":[{"sentences":[{"text":"Thank you, Secretary.","start":3318,"end":3320.5,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"Thank","start":3318,"end":3318.833},{"text":"you,","start":3318.833,"end":3319.667},{"text":"Secretary.","start":3319.667,"end":3320.5}]},{"text":"And now, to deliver the official address on behalf of the head of the government of the Kingdom of Morocco, please welcome back Her Excellency Nadia Fettah Alaoui, Minister of Economy and 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compassionate, most merciful.","start":3472.478,"end":3542.498,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"In","start":3472.478,"end":3480.258},{"text":"the","start":3480.258,"end":3488.038},{"text":"name","start":3488.038,"end":3495.818},{"text":"of","start":3495.818,"end":3503.598},{"text":"Allah,","start":3503.598,"end":3511.378},{"text":"most","start":3511.378,"end":3519.158},{"text":"compassionate,","start":3519.158,"end":3526.938},{"text":"most","start":3526.938,"end":3534.718},{"text":"merciful.","start":3534.718,"end":3542.498}]},{"text":"Excellency, Executive Secretary of ECA, Secretary-General of African Union, Excellencies, Ministers, Excellencies, Ambassadors, Excellencies, representatives of international organizations, ladies and gentlemen.","start":3542.498,"end":3705.876,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"Excellency,","start":3542.498,"end":3550.278},{"text":"Executive","start":3550.278,"end":3558.057},{"text":"Secretary","start":3558.057,"end":3565.837},{"text":"of","start":3565.837,"end":3573.617},{"text":"ECA,","start":3573.617,"end":3581.397},{"text":"Secretary-General","start":3581.397,"end":3589.177},{"text":"of","start":3589.177,"end":3596.957},{"text":"African","start":3596.957,"end":3604.737},{"text":"Union,","start":3604.737,"end":3612.517},{"text":"Excellencies,","start":3612.517,"end":3620.297},{"text":"Ministers,","start":3620.297,"end":3628.077},{"text":"Excellencies,","start":3628.077,"end":3635.856},{"text":"Ambassadors,","start":3635.856,"end":3643.636},{"text":"Excellencies,","start":3643.636,"end":3651.416},{"text":"representatives","start":3651.416,"end":3659.196},{"text":"of","start":3659.196,"end":3666.976},{"text":"international","start":3666.976,"end":3674.756},{"text":"organizations,","start":3674.756,"end":3682.536},{"text":"ladies","start":3682.536,"end":3690.316},{"text":"and","start":3690.316,"end":3698.096},{"text":"gentlemen.","start":3698.096,"end":3705.876}]},{"text":"Allow me at the outset to reiterate on behalf of the Kingdom of Morocco our delight and honor as to hosting you here in Tangier while you are taking part to the 58th session of the Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development under the aegis of 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the successful edition of the that took place in Marrakech, it is the honor of the Kingdom of Morocco to be hosting once again this meeting as a distinguished platform to discuss the global challenges encountered by our 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choice of the city of Tangier to host the proceedings of this meeting while commemorating the 66th meeting that took place in the same city in 1960 reflecting Morocco's commitment as to the initiatives that converge towards the development of our 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by virtue of its strategic position at the crossroads between Africa and Europe, with its secular historical heritage, which has made of it a hub for various exchanges and global 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ladies and gentlemen, let me congratulate UNECA for the wise choice of the theme of this edition, namely growth through innovation, that is of paramount importance when it comes to the drastic mutations that global economies have been experiencing over the past years.","start":4974,"end":5316.316,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"Excellencies,","start":4974,"end":4981.78},{"text":"ladies","start":4981.78,"end":4989.56},{"text":"and","start":4989.56,"end":4997.34},{"text":"gentlemen,","start":4997.34,"end":5005.12},{"text":"let","start":5005.12,"end":5012.9},{"text":"me","start":5012.9,"end":5020.679},{"text":"congratulate","start":5020.679,"end":5028.459},{"text":"UNECA","start":5028.459,"end":5036.239},{"text":"for","start":5036.239,"end":5044.019},{"text":"the","start":5044.019,"end":5051.799},{"text":"wise","start":5051.799,"end":5059.579},{"text":"choice","start":5059.579,"end":5067.359},{"text":"of","start":5067.359,"end":5075.139},{"text":"the","start":5075.139,"end":5082.919},{"text":"theme","start":5082.919,"end":5090.699},{"text":"of","start":5090.699,"end":5098.478},{"text":"this","start":5098.478,"end":5106.258},{"text":"edition,","start":5106.258,"end":5114.038},{"text":"namely","start":5114.038,"end":5121.818},{"text":"growth","start":5121.818,"end":5129.598},{"text":"through","start":5129.598,"end":5137.378},{"text":"innovation,","start":5137.378,"end":5145.158},{"text":"that","start":5145.158,"end":5152.938},{"text":"is","start":5152.938,"end":5160.718},{"text":"of","start":5160.718,"end":5168.498},{"text":"paramount","start":5168.498,"end":5176.278},{"text":"importance","start":5176.278,"end":5184.057},{"text":"when","start":5184.057,"end":5191.837},{"text":"it","start":5191.837,"end":5199.617},{"text":"comes","start":5199.617,"end":5207.397},{"text":"to","start":5207.397,"end":5215.177},{"text":"the","start":5215.177,"end":5222.957},{"text":"drastic","start":5222.957,"end":5230.737},{"text":"mutations","start":5230.737,"end":5238.517},{"text":"that","start":5238.517,"end":5246.297},{"text":"global","start":5246.297,"end":5254.077},{"text":"economies","start":5254.077,"end":5261.856},{"text":"have","start":5261.856,"end":5269.636},{"text":"been","start":5269.636,"end":5277.416},{"text":"experiencing","start":5277.416,"end":5285.196},{"text":"over","start":5285.196,"end":5292.976},{"text":"the","start":5292.976,"end":5300.756},{"text":"past","start":5300.756,"end":5308.536},{"text":"years.","start":5308.536,"end":5316.316}]},{"text":"In an era where innovation is the main source of productivity, competitiveness and the geopolitical stakes that have created major changes in global economies while redistributing the geopolitical stakes and opening up new horizons, particularly for the African continent.","start":5316.316,"end":5619.732,"topics":[{"key":"innovation-ecosystems-startups","label":"Innovation Ecosystems & Startups","description":"Developing local innovation ecosystems, hubs, and entrepreneurship environments to incubate and scale home-grown digital solutions. Seeks policies and incentives that diffuse innovation into productive sectors across the economy."}],"words":[{"text":"In","start":5316.316,"end":5324.096},{"text":"an","start":5324.096,"end":5331.876},{"text":"era","start":5331.876,"end":5339.656},{"text":"where","start":5339.656,"end":5347.435},{"text":"innovation","start":5347.435,"end":5355.215},{"text":"is","start":5355.215,"end":5362.995},{"text":"the","start":5362.995,"end":5370.775},{"text":"main","start":5370.775,"end":5378.555},{"text":"source","start":5378.555,"end":5386.335},{"text":"of","start":5386.335,"end":5394.115},{"text":"productivity,","start":5394.115,"end":5401.895},{"text":"competitiveness","start":5401.895,"end":5409.675},{"text":"and","start":5409.675,"end":5417.455},{"text":"the","start":5417.455,"end":5425.234},{"text":"geopolitical","start":5425.234,"end":5433.014},{"text":"stakes","start":5433.014,"end":5440.794},{"text":"that","start":5440.794,"end":5448.574},{"text":"have","start":5448.574,"end":5456.354},{"text":"created","start":5456.354,"end":5464.134},{"text":"major","start":5464.134,"end":5471.914},{"text":"changes","start":5471.914,"end":5479.694},{"text":"in","start":5479.694,"end":5487.474},{"text":"global","start":5487.474,"end":5495.254},{"text":"economies","start":5495.254,"end":5503.033},{"text":"while","start":5503.033,"end":5510.813},{"text":"redistributing","start":5510.813,"end":5518.593},{"text":"the","start":5518.593,"end":5526.373},{"text":"geopolitical","start":5526.373,"end":5534.153},{"text":"stakes","start":5534.153,"end":5541.933},{"text":"and","start":5541.933,"end":5549.713},{"text":"opening","start":5549.713,"end":5557.493},{"text":"up","start":5557.493,"end":5565.273},{"text":"new","start":5565.273,"end":5573.053},{"text":"horizons,","start":5573.053,"end":5580.833},{"text":"particularly","start":5580.833,"end":5588.612},{"text":"for","start":5588.612,"end":5596.392},{"text":"the","start":5596.392,"end":5604.172},{"text":"African","start":5604.172,"end":5611.952},{"text":"continent.","start":5611.952,"end":5619.732}]},{"text":"With its economic impact, those mutations have had in-depth impacts on our societies, communities, living conditions, be it regarding the working remotely, the consumption styles and trends with e-commerce and an increasing number of e-commerce platforms and communication means and ways.","start":5619.732,"end":5938.708,"topics":[{"key":"digital-trade-services","label":"Digital Trade & Services","description":"Expanding Africa’s role in fast-growing digitally delivered services and shaping e-commerce rules to enable cross-border data flows and business growth. Emphasizes participation in WTO e-commerce initiatives and improving regulatory and physical 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and gentlemen, Africa is deeply impacted by the mutations that the unprecedented technological leap has been conducive to, which makes it an imperative to reconsider our models of productivity and reviewing our traditional models that have to do with the exploitation of natural resources traditionally and that are no longer sufficient in order to guarantee sustainable inclusive development, particularly that the countries of the continent is facing various structural hindrances that we need to face, just like we are facing those climate changes and...","start":5938.708,"end":6600,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"Ladies","start":5938.708,"end":5946.488},{"text":"and","start":5946.488,"end":5954.268},{"text":"gentlemen,","start":5954.268,"end":5962.048},{"text":"Africa","start":5962.048,"end":5969.828},{"text":"is","start":5969.828,"end":5977.608},{"text":"deeply","start":5977.608,"end":5985.388},{"text":"impacted","start":5985.388,"end":5993.167},{"text":"by","start":5993.167,"end":6000.947},{"text":"the","start":6000.947,"end":6008.727},{"text":"mutations","start":6008.727,"end":6016.507},{"text":"that","start":6016.507,"end":6024.287},{"text":"the","start":6024.287,"end":6032.067},{"text":"unprecedented","start":6032.067,"end":6039.847},{"text":"technological","start":6039.847,"end":6047.627},{"text":"leap","start":6047.627,"end":6055.407},{"text":"has","start":6055.407,"end":6063.187},{"text":"been","start":6063.187,"end":6070.967},{"text":"conducive","start":6070.967,"end":6078.746},{"text":"to,","start":6078.746,"end":6086.526},{"text":"which","start":6086.526,"end":6094.306},{"text":"makes","start":6094.306,"end":6102.086},{"text":"it","start":6102.086,"end":6109.866},{"text":"an","start":6109.866,"end":6117.646},{"text":"imperative","start":6117.646,"end":6125.426},{"text":"to","start":6125.426,"end":6133.206},{"text":"reconsider","start":6133.206,"end":6140.986},{"text":"our","start":6140.986,"end":6148.766},{"text":"models","start":6148.766,"end":6156.545},{"text":"of","start":6156.545,"end":6164.325},{"text":"productivity","start":6164.325,"end":6172.105},{"text":"and","start":6172.105,"end":6179.885},{"text":"reviewing","start":6179.885,"end":6187.665},{"text":"our","start":6187.665,"end":6195.445},{"text":"traditional","start":6195.445,"end":6203.225},{"text":"models","start":6203.225,"end":6211.005},{"text":"that","start":6211.005,"end":6218.785},{"text":"have","start":6218.785,"end":6226.565},{"text":"to","start":6226.565,"end":6234.344},{"text":"do","start":6234.344,"end":6242.124},{"text":"with","start":6242.124,"end":6249.904},{"text":"the","start":6249.904,"end":6257.684},{"text":"exploitation","start":6257.684,"end":6265.464},{"text":"of","start":6265.464,"end":6273.244},{"text":"natural","start":6273.244,"end":6281.024},{"text":"resources","start":6281.024,"end":6288.804},{"text":"traditionally","start":6288.804,"end":6296.584},{"text":"and","start":6296.584,"end":6304.364},{"text":"that","start":6304.364,"end":6312.144},{"text":"are","start":6312.144,"end":6319.923},{"text":"no","start":6319.923,"end":6327.703},{"text":"longer","start":6327.703,"end":6335.483},{"text":"sufficient","start":6335.483,"end":6343.263},{"text":"in","start":6343.263,"end":6351.043},{"text":"order","start":6351.043,"end":6358.823},{"text":"to","start":6358.823,"end":6366.603},{"text":"guarantee","start":6366.603,"end":6374.383},{"text":"sustainable","start":6374.383,"end":6382.163},{"text":"inclusive","start":6382.163,"end":6389.943},{"text":"development,","start":6389.943,"end":6397.722},{"text":"particularly","start":6397.722,"end":6405.502},{"text":"that","start":6405.502,"end":6413.282},{"text":"the","start":6413.282,"end":6421.062},{"text":"countries","start":6421.062,"end":6428.842},{"text":"of","start":6428.842,"end":6436.622},{"text":"the","start":6436.622,"end":6444.402},{"text":"continent","start":6444.402,"end":6452.182},{"text":"is","start":6452.182,"end":6459.962},{"text":"facing","start":6459.962,"end":6467.742},{"text":"various","start":6467.742,"end":6475.522},{"text":"structural","start":6475.522,"end":6483.301},{"text":"hindrances","start":6483.301,"end":6491.081},{"text":"that","start":6491.081,"end":6498.861},{"text":"we","start":6498.861,"end":6506.641},{"text":"need","start":6506.641,"end":6514.421},{"text":"to","start":6514.421,"end":6522.201},{"text":"face,","start":6522.201,"end":6529.981},{"text":"just","start":6529.981,"end":6537.761},{"text":"like","start":6537.761,"end":6545.541},{"text":"we","start":6545.541,"end":6553.321},{"text":"are","start":6553.321,"end":6561.1},{"text":"facing","start":6561.1,"end":6568.88},{"text":"those","start":6568.88,"end":6576.66},{"text":"climate","start":6576.66,"end":6584.44},{"text":"changes","start":6584.44,"end":6592.22},{"text":"and...","start":6592.22,"end":6600}]}]}],"speaker":{"name":"Nadia Fettah Alaoui","affiliation":"MAR","affiliation_full":"Morocco","group":null,"function":"Minister of Economy and Finance"}},{"statement_number":16,"paragraphs":[{"sentences":[{"text":"An energy one, starting with this innovation that makes room for the modernization of our productivity styles in order to respond better to the needs of our co-citizens when it comes to accessing basic services and while allowing for the full potential of our countries to make of innovation and technology a key lever when it comes to improving our productivity, increasing our competitiveness, be it at the national level or the international one, while investing in the infrastructures, in building the capacities of our human capital and creating dynamic environments for entrepreneurship and innovation that could harness the existing domestic talents all along with the solutions that respond to the needs of the African economies while taking into consideration the various modes of production but also consumption and taking into consideration this technology that could be an engine to actually reduce the existing inequalities that prevail within our societies.","start":3600,"end":3685.182,"topics":[{"key":"digital-infrastructure-investment","label":"Digital Infrastructure Investment","description":"Building reliable energy systems, robust connectivity, and data infrastructure to enable innovation, e‑government, and the digital economy across Africa. Emphasizes cross-border connectivity and scalable systems to support inclusive growth."},{"key":"digital-skills-inclusion","label":"Digital Skills & Inclusion","description":"Investing in education and training—especially for youth and women—to build the human capital needed for a tech-driven economy. Addresses closing the digital divide to expand participation in new jobs and opportunities."},{"key":"innovation-ecosystems-startups","label":"Innovation Ecosystems & Startups","description":"Developing local innovation ecosystems, hubs, and entrepreneurship environments to incubate and scale home-grown digital solutions. 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ladies and gentlemen, given the drastic technological mutations we've been experiencing over the past years, the existing approaches domestically are no longer sufficient in order to better face the huge challenges imposed by those transitions on our respective economies, societies and communities.","start":3685.182,"end":3709.601,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"Excellencies,","start":3685.182,"end":3685.75},{"text":"ladies","start":3685.75,"end":3686.318},{"text":"and","start":3686.318,"end":3686.886},{"text":"gentlemen,","start":3686.886,"end":3687.454},{"text":"given","start":3687.454,"end":3688.022},{"text":"the","start":3688.022,"end":3688.59},{"text":"drastic","start":3688.59,"end":3689.158},{"text":"technological","start":3689.158,"end":3689.726},{"text":"mutations","start":3689.726,"end":3690.293},{"text":"we've","start":3690.293,"end":3690.861},{"text":"been","start":3690.861,"end":3691.429},{"text":"experiencing","start":3691.429,"end":3691.997},{"text":"over","start":3691.997,"end":3692.565},{"text":"the","start":3692.565,"end":3693.133},{"text":"past","start":3693.133,"end":3693.701},{"text":"years,","start":3693.701,"end":3694.269},{"text":"the","start":3694.269,"end":3694.836},{"text":"existing","start":3694.836,"end":3695.404},{"text":"approaches","start":3695.404,"end":3695.972},{"text":"domestically","start":3695.972,"end":3696.54},{"text":"are","start":3696.54,"end":3697.108},{"text":"no","start":3697.108,"end":3697.676},{"text":"longer","start":3697.676,"end":3698.244},{"text":"sufficient","start":3698.244,"end":3698.812},{"text":"in","start":3698.812,"end":3699.38},{"text":"order","start":3699.38,"end":3699.947},{"text":"to","start":3699.947,"end":3700.515},{"text":"better","start":3700.515,"end":3701.083},{"text":"face","start":3701.083,"end":3701.651},{"text":"the","start":3701.651,"end":3702.219},{"text":"huge","start":3702.219,"end":3702.787},{"text":"challenges","start":3702.787,"end":3703.355},{"text":"imposed","start":3703.355,"end":3703.923},{"text":"by","start":3703.923,"end":3704.491},{"text":"those","start":3704.491,"end":3705.058},{"text":"transitions","start":3705.058,"end":3705.626},{"text":"on","start":3705.626,"end":3706.194},{"text":"our","start":3706.194,"end":3706.762},{"text":"respective","start":3706.762,"end":3707.33},{"text":"economies,","start":3707.33,"end":3707.898},{"text":"societies","start":3707.898,"end":3708.466},{"text":"and","start":3708.466,"end":3709.034},{"text":"communities.","start":3709.034,"end":3709.601}]},{"text":"It is a must then to enhance continental cooperation in order for us to achieve our common ambitions while optimizing the existing potential of both state-of-the-art technologies and innovation through regional complementarity and only then could we mobilize our resources, share the existing human experiences and expertise while creating grand-scale markets that are better connected and that are in complementarity with one another, which could be conducive to the emergence of major regional and continental stakeholders that are up to global competitiveness.","start":3709.601,"end":3756.168,"topics":[{"key":"regional-integration-afcfta","label":"Regional Integration & AfCFTA","description":"Leveraging the African Continental Free Trade Area to create a unified market that supports scale for innovators, enables digital trade and payments, and reduces intra-African trade frictions. 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Seeks policies and incentives that diffuse innovation into productive sectors across the economy."}],"words":[{"text":"It","start":3709.601,"end":3710.169},{"text":"is","start":3710.169,"end":3710.737},{"text":"a","start":3710.737,"end":3711.305},{"text":"must","start":3711.305,"end":3711.873},{"text":"then","start":3711.873,"end":3712.441},{"text":"to","start":3712.441,"end":3713.009},{"text":"enhance","start":3713.009,"end":3713.577},{"text":"continental","start":3713.577,"end":3714.145},{"text":"cooperation","start":3714.145,"end":3714.712},{"text":"in","start":3714.712,"end":3715.28},{"text":"order","start":3715.28,"end":3715.848},{"text":"for","start":3715.848,"end":3716.416},{"text":"us","start":3716.416,"end":3716.984},{"text":"to","start":3716.984,"end":3717.552},{"text":"achieve","start":3717.552,"end":3718.12},{"text":"our","start":3718.12,"end":3718.688},{"text":"common","start":3718.688,"end":3719.255},{"text":"ambitions","start":3719.255,"end":3719.823},{"text":"while","start":3719.823,"end":3720.391},{"text":"optimizing","start":3720.391,"end":3720.959},{"text":"the","start":3720.959,"end":3721.527},{"text":"existing","start":3721.527,"end":3722.095},{"text":"potential","start":3722.095,"end":3722.663},{"text":"of","start":3722.663,"end":3723.231},{"text":"both","start":3723.231,"end":3723.799},{"text":"state-of-the-art","start":3723.799,"end":3724.366},{"text":"technologies","start":3724.366,"end":3724.934},{"text":"and","start":3724.934,"end":3725.502},{"text":"innovation","start":3725.502,"end":3726.07},{"text":"through","start":3726.07,"end":3726.638},{"text":"regional","start":3726.638,"end":3727.206},{"text":"complementarity","start":3727.206,"end":3727.774},{"text":"and","start":3727.774,"end":3728.342},{"text":"only","start":3728.342,"end":3728.909},{"text":"then","start":3728.909,"end":3729.477},{"text":"could","start":3729.477,"end":3730.045},{"text":"we","start":3730.045,"end":3730.613},{"text":"mobilize","start":3730.613,"end":3731.181},{"text":"our","start":3731.181,"end":3731.749},{"text":"resources,","start":3731.749,"end":3732.317},{"text":"share","start":3732.317,"end":3732.885},{"text":"the","start":3732.885,"end":3733.453},{"text":"existing","start":3733.453,"end":3734.02},{"text":"human","start":3734.02,"end":3734.588},{"text":"experiences","start":3734.588,"end":3735.156},{"text":"and","start":3735.156,"end":3735.724},{"text":"expertise","start":3735.724,"end":3736.292},{"text":"while","start":3736.292,"end":3736.86},{"text":"creating","start":3736.86,"end":3737.428},{"text":"grand-scale","start":3737.428,"end":3737.996},{"text":"markets","start":3737.996,"end":3738.564},{"text":"that","start":3738.564,"end":3739.131},{"text":"are","start":3739.131,"end":3739.699},{"text":"better","start":3739.699,"end":3740.267},{"text":"connected","start":3740.267,"end":3740.835},{"text":"and","start":3740.835,"end":3741.403},{"text":"that","start":3741.403,"end":3741.971},{"text":"are","start":3741.971,"end":3742.539},{"text":"in","start":3742.539,"end":3743.107},{"text":"complementarity","start":3743.107,"end":3743.674},{"text":"with","start":3743.674,"end":3744.242},{"text":"one","start":3744.242,"end":3744.81},{"text":"another,","start":3744.81,"end":3745.378},{"text":"which","start":3745.378,"end":3745.946},{"text":"could","start":3745.946,"end":3746.514},{"text":"be","start":3746.514,"end":3747.082},{"text":"conducive","start":3747.082,"end":3747.65},{"text":"to","start":3747.65,"end":3748.218},{"text":"the","start":3748.218,"end":3748.785},{"text":"emergence","start":3748.785,"end":3749.353},{"text":"of","start":3749.353,"end":3749.921},{"text":"major","start":3749.921,"end":3750.489},{"text":"regional","start":3750.489,"end":3751.057},{"text":"and","start":3751.057,"end":3751.625},{"text":"continental","start":3751.625,"end":3752.193},{"text":"stakeholders","start":3752.193,"end":3752.761},{"text":"that","start":3752.761,"end":3753.328},{"text":"are","start":3753.328,"end":3753.896},{"text":"up","start":3753.896,"end":3754.464},{"text":"to","start":3754.464,"end":3755.032},{"text":"global","start":3755.032,"end":3755.6},{"text":"competitiveness.","start":3755.6,"end":3756.168}]},{"text":"Mobilizing resources is another key factor for allowing the existing financial institutions within Africa but globally also, inasmuch as they play a pivotal role not only in mobilizing financial resources but this should also include creating and promoting inclusive financial and economic environments.","start":3756.168,"end":3780.587,"topics":[{"key":"financing-transformation-resources","label":"Financing Transformation & Domestic Resources","description":"Mobilizing and aligning finance at scale for digital and structural transformation through domestic resource mobilization and innovative instruments. Includes broadening tax bases, curbing illicit financial flows, lowering the cost of capital, and reforming the global financial architecture."}],"words":[{"text":"Mobilizing","start":3756.168,"end":3756.736},{"text":"resources","start":3756.736,"end":3757.304},{"text":"is","start":3757.304,"end":3757.872},{"text":"another","start":3757.872,"end":3758.439},{"text":"key","start":3758.439,"end":3759.007},{"text":"factor","start":3759.007,"end":3759.575},{"text":"for","start":3759.575,"end":3760.143},{"text":"allowing","start":3760.143,"end":3760.711},{"text":"the","start":3760.711,"end":3761.279},{"text":"existing","start":3761.279,"end":3761.847},{"text":"financial","start":3761.847,"end":3762.415},{"text":"institutions","start":3762.415,"end":3762.982},{"text":"within","start":3762.982,"end":3763.55},{"text":"Africa","start":3763.55,"end":3764.118},{"text":"but","start":3764.118,"end":3764.686},{"text":"globally","start":3764.686,"end":3765.254},{"text":"also,","start":3765.254,"end":3765.822},{"text":"inasmuch","start":3765.822,"end":3766.39},{"text":"as","start":3766.39,"end":3766.958},{"text":"they","start":3766.958,"end":3767.526},{"text":"play","start":3767.526,"end":3768.093},{"text":"a","start":3768.093,"end":3768.661},{"text":"pivotal","start":3768.661,"end":3769.229},{"text":"role","start":3769.229,"end":3769.797},{"text":"not","start":3769.797,"end":3770.365},{"text":"only","start":3770.365,"end":3770.933},{"text":"in","start":3770.933,"end":3771.501},{"text":"mobilizing","start":3771.501,"end":3772.069},{"text":"financial","start":3772.069,"end":3772.636},{"text":"resources","start":3772.636,"end":3773.204},{"text":"but","start":3773.204,"end":3773.772},{"text":"this","start":3773.772,"end":3774.34},{"text":"should","start":3774.34,"end":3774.908},{"text":"also","start":3774.908,"end":3775.476},{"text":"include","start":3775.476,"end":3776.044},{"text":"creating","start":3776.044,"end":3776.612},{"text":"and","start":3776.612,"end":3777.18},{"text":"promoting","start":3777.18,"end":3777.747},{"text":"inclusive","start":3777.747,"end":3778.315},{"text":"financial","start":3778.315,"end":3778.883},{"text":"and","start":3778.883,"end":3779.451},{"text":"economic","start":3779.451,"end":3780.019},{"text":"environments.","start":3780.019,"end":3780.587}]},{"text":"In this context and under the enlightened leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may Allah assist him, we have made a strategic choice making of innovation a major lever in our development through a steady developed march that is resting on innovation and top-notch technologies, hence our huge investment in digital infrastructures and the launch of various initiatives that fully unleash our potential through high-speed internet, the promotion of e-administration, harnessing the youth job opportunities while allowing for dynamic digital environments to crop up to make of Morocco a major digital hub when it comes to AI and top-notch technologies all along with various industrial poles and Tangier, which is hosting the proceedings of your meeting, testifies to this.","start":3780.587,"end":3848.733,"topics":[{"key":"digital-infrastructure-investment","label":"Digital Infrastructure Investment","description":"Building reliable energy systems, robust connectivity, and data infrastructure to enable innovation, e‑government, and the digital economy across Africa. 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is my belief that the proceedings of this ministerial meeting will be conducive to articulate and practical recommendations that will allow us to translate our common ambitions into effective action plans that could be operationalized and made concrete for the benefit of our 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me reiterate by way of conclusion our firm commitment as the Kingdom of Morocco to steadily move in this regard with your support and 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you for your kind listening.","start":3985.593,"end":3989,"topics":[],"words":[{"text":"Thank","start":3985.593,"end":3986.161},{"text":"you","start":3986.161,"end":3986.728},{"text":"for","start":3986.728,"end":3987.296},{"text":"your","start":3987.296,"end":3987.864},{"text":"kind","start":3987.864,"end":3988.432},{"text":"listening.","start":3988.432,"end":3989}]}]}],"speaker":{"name":"Nizar Baraka","affiliation":"MAR","affiliation_full":"Morocco","group":null,"function":"Minister of Equipment and Water"}},{"statement_number":17,"paragraphs":[{"sentences":[{"text":"Thank you very much, Excellency, for launching our work here and to the Kingdom of Morocco for hosting us in this hub of African 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