E-Commerce Forum in Africa (Challenges & Opportunities)

African Health & Challenges for the Future of African Economy

H.E Newton Kambala

GOOD NEWS:

His H.E. Newton Kambala – Representative of the National Construction Industry Council Of Malawi (NCIC) , member of the executive bureau of the African Federation for construction contractors associations (AFCCA) has been appointed Minister of Energy in the new Malawi government. The President, General Secretariat, and all members of AFCCA have the pleasure to congratulate him for the position, hoping great success in serving Malawi People.

1- The German Government invited leaders of Africa for a summit in Berlin from 18 to 20 November 2019. The initiative aimed at unifying efforts to support development in the continent and the process of economical reforms of the African countries, and supporting efforts for the reforms of the competitive,  and business environment  , for improving investment atmosphere and to attract the foreign investments in the African countries.

2- The Government of Germany asked two institutions “ Zafrei” and “Africa Fraien” to coordinate with the African countries members of the initiative , to select projects for each country. The two institutions will work to facilitate connection between businessmen in Germany and Africa through organizing b2b meetings and forums in different economic sectors, Arrange mutual visits for economic delegations and promotion of investment opportunities.

3- Available funding from the German party to support implementation of the initiative is represented in “ Development and investment fund in Africa” to support the German investments in African countries , the capital of this fund is 1 Billion Euro , the German Government is working to finish activating the fund , and providing its capital through secondary funds:

a- Africa Grow Fund: the Capital: of this Fund is 400 Million Euro, it is considered a fund for financing other funds ( fund of funds ) that means financing Capitals and shares for project in Africa.

b- Africa Connect : The capital of this fund is 400 Million Euro , the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development is supervising this fund through the German investment insinuation (DEG) specialized is supporting German and European companies aiming at implementing projects with medium and small companies in Africa , this institution belongs to German Developing Bank. This fund aiming at presenting financial and technical support to the German and European companies to invest in Africa , either by offering information about the African markets or soft loans in Euro or Dollar from 750 , 000 to 4 million Euro for a period from 3 to 7 years , and also presenting support concerning environment and social standards and also Governance standards , and this will be upon request of this companies to benefit of this available funding – through the electronic site of this fund.

c- Business Net Work for Africa: the capital of this fund is 200 million euro, this fund aims at offering information and advice,  and other services similar for German companies willing to invest in Africa.

  First:

1-  Eng. Hassan Abdel EL Aziz President of the African  Federation for construction contractors  Associations and the General Secretary  of AFCCA  visited ADDIS ABABA to have meeting with Dr. Amany Abo Zeid commissioner – commission of Infrastructure and Energy of the African Union, on 10-3-2020 and they discussed some matters about the construction industry of AFCCA.

2- Eng. Hassan Abdel Aziz explained that AFCCA has been established to work for the interest of the African contractors, and the promotion of the construction industry and also fabrication of construction materials and machines.

3- The proposals presented by AFCCA and adopted by the African Union: giving local companies preference percentage to enable them to compete with foreign companies in tenders, participation of percentage of local workers in the executing the construction works , and also using construction materials and machines fabricated locally – will push the African construction companies to look for raising their capability of administration , manpower , and also the technology of construction of materials and machines.

4- He pointed that Egypt and Morocco are presenting chances for training for all construction sector.

5- He presented a note concerning the importance of (FIDIC) – the international construction contract- and a complete copy of that contract in English and Arabic ,  and asking that the commission study it and ways of applying, pointing that this contract is for the benefit of the construction business men and contractors. 

   Second:

 1- The commissioner promised that the commission will study the FIDIC issue and the possibility of applying it.

2- The commissioner explained that she noted that the contracts and tenders are not written according to the right rules, that is why it is needed to arrange special courses for the responsibles to explain to them the right formula of contracts and tenders.

3- Announcing Africa a free trade zone , will give chance for workers and techniques  and also construction materials and machines , will be possible , and this will give the Africa chance depend on itself.

4- She mentioned that the African Development Bank has raised the preference percentage giving to the African companies to 7% instead of 5%.

5- She mentioned also that the number of the African countries that give entry Visa upon arrival to the airport became 18 states, and this will facilitate the contractor’s movement.

6- She explained that it is very important to use modern methods such as: smart corridors and smart technology, and traffic safety, to avoid traffic accidents, and the new buildings must have the system of resistance against climate changes.

7- She explained that the African Union has adopted a resolution that all African Countries have to work to apply a percentage of participation of women in all direction councils of companies – Federations … , knotless than 40% and asked AFCCA to contact all African Construction Federations to work for that ( kindly inform the General Secretariat of AFCCA about composition of administration council of Construction Federations: (All MEMBERS NUMBER , AND NUMBER OF WOMAN).

In 2003, the Egyptian Federation of Construction and Building Contractors invited the International Contracting Confederation (CICA) to convene in Cairo under the auspices of the Egyptian Federation.
Where the Egyptian Federation of Construction and Building Contractors is a member of the Sika Confederation through its membership in the Federation of Arab Contractors (FAC)
Then the urgent need for the existence of a continental entity that expresses business organizations in the African continent emerged
The Egyptian Federation took it upon itself to invite contracting organizations in the countries of the African continent to hold a founding conference to establish a continental union that would be representative of African companies.
Engineer / Ahmed El-Sayed formed a committee to undertake the work of calling and preparing for the conference in 2005
The committee was composed of Messrs
Founding Engineer/ Hassan Abdulaziz Hassan
Ambassador/ Ibrahim Abdullatif Al-Shwaimi
Eng. Darwish Ahmed Hassanein
Dr. Ali Amin Dergham
Eng. Muhammad Abdulaziz Al-Hayatami
Engineer/ Mohamed Awad Al-Toukhi
Engineer/ Mohamed Yousry Hussein
Mr. George Zarif Musa

Statement of the countries that agreed to participate in the founding conference of the African Union of Contractors’ Organizations
1) Tanzania (Dar es Salaam)
2) Senegal (Dakar)
3) Chad (N’Djamena)
4) Zimbabwe (Harare)
5) Mali (Bamako)
6) Ghana (Accra)
7) Angola (Luanda)
8) Togo (Lom)
9) Uganda (Kampala)
10) Congo (Brazzaville)
11) Kenya (Nairobi)
12) Malawi (Lilongwe)
13) Central Africa (Bangui)
14) Sudan (Khartoum)
15) Namibia (Windhoek)
16) Gabon (Libreville)
17) Zambia (Lusaka)
18) Ethiopia (Addis Ababa)
19) Benin (Cotonou)
20) Burundi (Bujumbura)
21) Morocco (Rabat)
22) Nigeria (Abuja)
23) Niger (Niamey)
24) Djibouti (Djibouti)
25) Mauritius (Port Louis)
26) South Africa (Pretoria)
27) Rwanda (Kigali)
28) Burkina Faso (Ouagadougou)
29) Eritrea (Asmara)
30) Algeria (Algeria)
31 Tunisia (Younes)

The Constitutive Conference of the African Union of Construction Contractors’ Organizations
Cairo – 7-8 March 2006
The Egyptian Federation of Construction and Building Contractors invited organizations, federations and associations of contractors in the African continent to participate in a conference to be held in Cairo on March 7-8, 2006, where the conferees from twenty-five countries discussed their ideas and vision, approved the establishment of the African Confederation of Contractors of Construction Organizations, and chose Cairo as the headquarters of the Federation .
The Egyptian Federation of Contractors undertakes to achieve the objectives of the conference
Mr. Eng. Ahmed El-Sayed formed a committee headed by Mr. Eng. Hassan Abdulaziz Hassan, (the Secretary General of the African Union at that time).
It undertakes all necessary actions to implement the objectives stipulated in the memorandum of call for the establishment of the African Union, as well as the implementation of the decisions and recommendations of the General Assembly and the Executive Office of the Union.
Resolutions of the Constitutive Conference of the African Union of Construction Contractors’ Organizations
The founding members of the African Union of Construction Contractors Organizations meeting in Cairo from 7 to 8 March 2006 unanimously approved the following resolutions:
First: Announcing the establishment of the Federation as an independent legal personality
Second: Approval in principle on the statute signed between the founding members to work on it until the date of the next session of the next general assembly.
Third: Choosing Cairo, the capital of the Arab Republic of Egypt, as the official seat of the Union
Fourth: Eng. Ahmed Mohamed, president of the Egyptian Federation of Construction and Building Contractors, was elected unanimously as the president of the federation for the first round.
Fifth: To elect the members of the Executive Office and the Vice-Presidents of the Federation, including the President of the Federation, in the light of what is stated in Article 10 of the statute as follows:
1- Mr . Baadelhaq Al-Areshi / Morocco
Vice President and Member of the Executive Office
2- Mr. Abdel Rahman Brecht – Djibouti
Vice President and Member of the Executive Office
3- Mr. Shane Moffat – South Africa
Vice President and Member of the Executive Office
4- Mr. Ismaila Diallo – Mali
Vice President and Member of the Executive Office
5- Mr. Ahmed Diamato – Chad
Vice President and Member of the Executive Office
6- Mr. Youssef Ahmed Youssef – Sudan
Vice President and Member of the Executive Office
7- Mr. Jayant Bunrama – Kenya
Member of the Executive Office
8- Mr. Bento Gilberto – Angola
Member of the Executive Office
9- Mr. Babacar Diop – Senegal
Member of the Executive Office
19- Mr. Dangbe Barambi – Central Africa
Member of the Executive Office

The African Federation for Construction Contractors Associations convened its 25th meeting in Morocco on 22-2-2020 with participation of Egypt , Morocco, Ethiopia , Zambia , Malawi , Ghana, Benin ,Tunis under the Presidency Of Eng. Hassan Abdel el Aziz. Also attended the meeting Mr. Ali Al Sanafi President of Arab Federation for Construction.
Tunisia joined AFCCA as member, and it was welcomed by all members of the executive Bureau.
The meeting agreed to convene the general assembly on 6-6-2020 .

They appreciated efforts exerted by president of AFCCA to ask the Commission of Infrastructure and energy of African union to apply FIDIC for all African construction Contracts.
President of AFFCA and first vice president confirmed the necessity of training explaining that Egypt and Morocco are offering training ,for AFCCA members to enable the African companies for competing with foreign companies ,and also they assured the importance of the partnership between African Companies.

First:

The African Federation for construction contractors associations had convened its 24^th Executive Bureau and the 14^th meeting of the General Assembly in its headquarters in Cairo – Egypt , on 15-6-2019.

Eng. Hassan Abdel Aziz , President of AFCCA welcomed the members and he pointed that there are some indicators for plans in all African countries to have modern infrastructure to help building long high ways , services buildings and power stations etc ,and that will help increasing the entre- action commerce among the African countries . and all this will need big activities from the African contractors and he asked the members to adopt the idea of developing the African companies to compete with foreign construction companies .

The General Secretary of AFCCA presented report about the activities of AFCCA :

Eng. Hassan Abdel Aziz President of AFCCA and the General Secretary visited Republic of Mauritius according to an invitation from the ARFRICAN UNION OF ARCHITECTS CONGRESS – MAUIRITIUS which was held on 26-27 June 2018 , where the Congress discussed the role of the architects in helping the construction Industry in Africa and its relations with the local companies to enable them competing with foreign companies. They met also President of the Mauritian association for construction and some responsible of the Government, and discussed the projects and works in the plan of development of the country. Eng. Hassan Abdel Aziz invited the minister of Infrastructure and land transport to visit Egypt , and he came to Cairo and visited some of the national projects in Egypt and he expressed his admiration of the modern Technical methods which proved that the African local companies can do all the construction works themselves.

Eng. Hassan Abdel Aziz received an invitation from the Portuguese Construction Association to visit Portugal. He visited the Portuguese capital with the General Secretary of AFCCA and some Egyptian construction companies on 26 to 30 September 2018  , they discussed the ways of cooperation between the Egyptian and African companies with the Portuguese side and they signed a Memorandum of understanding between them , to take advantage of the European experience.