Lessons for Africa from Small Island Developing States

The combined economic transformation successes of Seychelles, Mauritius and Cape Verde offer solid lessons for mainland Africa. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Chief Economist for Africa, Dr Ayodele Odusola said this at the sidelines of the ninth African Economic Conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

“There are solid lessons on governance, social protection and structural transformation that the mainland Africa can borrow from the island nations of Cape Verde, Seychelles and Mauritius,” Odusola told journalists at an international press conference.

“We need to be honest and acknowledge that the structural transformation that has been experienced in these small island developing states in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans is not by default,” said Odusola.

“There has been strong political commitment and will backed by knowledgeable reforms which has seen them making deliberate structural transformation decisions which have led them to diversify their economic models.”

Odusola’s admission that the continent needs to turn to their island counterparts to learn more on knowledge driven economy coincided with this year’s theme for the African Economic Conference which is “knowledge and innovation for Africa’s transformation”.  The conference is being hosted by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and brings together various stakeholders to deliberate on

In the recent past UNECA which is positioning itself to become Africa’s premier think tank has made deliberate efforts to study the various economic and governance models that have defined the successes of the continent’s small island states.

http://www.seychellesnewsagency.com/articles/1700/Lessons+for+Africa+from+Small+Island+Developing+States