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Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, colleagues and friends, I'm pleased to launch the 2023 edition of the Africa Dialogue Series under the theme "Market and Scale: Unlocking Industrialization through Intra-African Trade."

Industrialization has become a must for Africa's economic transformation. The African Continental Free Trade Area is the only way to deliver it by providing market and scale for a revamp of Intra-Africa trade. And both are the most relevant tools African countries have to advance towards the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the African Union Agenda 2063.

The ongoing global crises have highlighted the risks faced by a continent that does not have its own productive capacity. From vaccine and medicine production to agricultural fertilizers, Africa's dependance on external sources increases its vulnerability and constrains African countries' capacities to build sustainability.

Realizing the promise of Africa's industrialization is key to putting an end to the continent's direct crises. 

It will bring the agricultural revolution needed to ensure food security in Africa. 

It will provide policymakers with options to face health challenges.

It will enable African countries to move from exporting raw materials to added value products.

It will create the 12 million jobs the continent needs every year to ensure that our youth do not have to leave Africa.

It will lift millions out of poverty, consolidate a growing middle class that is indispensable for Africa's future.

All in all, it will deliver prosperity. And by improving the socioeconomic conditions of the population, it will bring durable peace.

To leverage the opportunities of industrialization. There are four steps African countries need to take.

First, we need a greater focus on science, technology and innovation. STEM needs to be mainstreamed in all educational curricula to ensure that our youth, especially girls, can benefit from the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Second, we need increased access to reliable energy sources. Industrialization will not happen if African countries are not able to multiply the production and the distribution of energy.

Third, we need regional integration. The African Continental Free Trade Area is essential to create the scale economies and regional value chains that will increase the competitiveness of African products and lead African countries to play a fairer role in global value chains. It is also fundamental to promote the "Made in Africa" and ensure that the growing African middle class invests in African products that support the establishment of an industrial culture in the continent.

Fourth, we need effective institutions to steer the way and leverage the flows generated by industrialization and free trade to achieve sustainable financing for Africa's development needs.

As we build towards the SDG Summit in September, let's work together to keep the promise of the SDGs alive in Africa.

Thank you, and have a successful Africa Dialogue Series.