Africa needs a green, clean industrialization that leapfrogs outdated, polluting processes and platforms and benefits from new technologies, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on 20 November 2014 as the world body marked Africa Industrialization Day.

In a statement, Mr. Ban explained this that year’s theme, ‘Inclusive and Sustainable Industrial Development: Agro Industrial Development for Food Security’, focuses on the links between agriculture and development.

“Agriculture still accounts for the major share of rural household income and employs over 60 percent of Africa’s labour force, particularly women,” the UN chief said.

Low agricultural productivity continues to threaten food security in Africa as a whole. And while many African economies have shown impressive growth rates in recent years, increased prosperity does not always translated into inclusive wealth creation.

“Far too often, economic development depends on the extraction of natural resources and on low-skilled labour, which has resulted in a weak manufacturing base and uneven distribution of wealth,” the Secretary-General said.

Inclusive and sustainable industrialization is a “key stepping stone” towards sustained economic growth, food security and poverty eradication in Africa, he added.

“I reaffirm the commitment of the United Nations to promote Africa’s inclusive and sustainable industrial development to help ensure an economically prosperous and socially integrated continent,” he pledged.

Within the framework of the Second Industrial Development Decade for Africa (1991-2000), the UN General Assembly, in 1989, proclaimed 20 November Africa Industrialization Day (resolution 44/237).

Commemorating the Day, the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) will host a symposium in Vienna on 24 November to showcase relevant actions and success stories that promote Africa’s industrial development.

The event will bring together representatives from the diplomatic corps, the private sector, non-governmental organizations and other relevant stakeholders.