Access to Healthcare and Competition Policy - 4 December 2020 (online event)
ABOUT THE EVENT
World’s struggle with the COVID-19 pandemic continues, particularly in preventing its further spread and ensuring access to affordable medical products, such as diagnostic kits, personal protective equipment (PPEs), ventilators and also upcoming vaccines and medicines, which can prevent and cure the disease. In order to enhance such access to healthcare, ex ante competition policy can be used as a viable tool, in addition to competition law enforcement.
Competition policy, here denotes, pro-competition government policies, including industrial policy. In the context of access to medical products through competition, a pro-competition intellectual property (IP) policy becomes crucial. For instance, domestic IP laws incorporating flexibilities enshrined in the Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs) of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) is more likely to engender generic competition in pharmaceutical markets. India’s example can be cited here, which, inter alia, deals with the anti-competitive menace of ‘evergreening’ by having a narrow patentability criteria allowed under TRIPs.
CCA's U.S.-Africa Health Security and Resilience Launch Event, Lessons Learned from COVID-19 in Africa - 15 December 2020 ( hybrid event)
Health security is no longer a single country agenda. It is now clear that to be effective, sustainable and more progressive in strengthening global health security and building resilience – particularly in Africa – there needs to be more collaboration, connectivity and deliberate information exchange.
This high-level virtual event will serve as the launch of CCA's new Health Security and Resilience Initiative, which will bring together U.S. and African business executives and senior government officials including Ministers of Health, as well as leaders from multilateral institutions. This event will showcase CCA's vision for the initiative and explore the policy lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and inform a path forward for U.S.-Africa collaboration on health security and resilience on the continent.
Speakers will look both behind and ahead at lessons learned, best practices and policies that support enhanced healthcare financing and strengthening service delivery for improved disease response and management preparedness, implementation of Universal Health Coverage and increased trade and investment in Africa's health sector.
Attendees will include CCA members and non-members, African Dip Corps, USG, African Govts, Africa health sector stakeholders including multilateral institutions and multi-donor initiatives.
"U.S.-AU Commission Business Forum on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)" - 8 December 2020 (online event)
- Session I is a high-level panel of U.S. and African public and private sector leaders. Session II covers technical issues related to Phase I trade.
- Speakers: Albert Muchanga, AU Commissioner for Trade and Industry; Constance Hamilton, Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Africa.
- Speakers: Jessye Lapenn, U.S. Ambassador to the AU; Scott Eisner, President, U.S.-Africa Business Center; Florie Liser, President, Corporate Council on Africa.
- Speakers: Camille Richardson, Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Middle East and Africa, International Trade Administration; and the AfCFTA Secretariat Staff.
Digital Matchmaking: Opportunities in Agritech in Africa including Renewable Energy - 15/16 December 2020 (online event)
This event will focus on technology transfer, knowledge exchange, investment opportunities and sustainable development between norwegian and african businesses. The aim is to create an enabling environment for technology seekers and technology providers to come together and do business.
Agriculture remains a dominant sector of the economy contributing to a much extent in the East African gross domestic product. Food production is especially critical in Africa, where over 70% of the population rely on agriculture for their livelihoods. However, a fair share of challenges hit the sector including post-harvest losses, strained resources (land, labour, farm inputs, water), climate change, market access, pest and diseases, to mention a few. Technology could drive greater engagement in agriculture from women and young people and support employment opportunities along the agricultural value chain. Renewable energy is a key part of the infrastructure required to successfully roll out the much-needed disruptive technology.
Building sustainable partnerships between Europe and Africa: Growth and development opportunities in Sub-Saharan Africa - 3 December 2020 (online event)
The Ambassadorial Roundtable, a global organisation focused on connecting business leaders, investment capital, academia, cybersecurity, IT, and economic resources to international governments, is organising an interactive discussion panel on the Europe-Africa partnership focusing on development opportunities in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The panel discussion will develop various topics such as Covid Pandemic, Climate Change, Renewable Energies, Sustainable Development, Employment and Job Creation, Security and Conflict Resolution, Educational Cooperation.
ETTG/ECDPM MFF workshop: Programming the NDICI in a post-COVID era - 8 December 2020 (online event)
On 8 December, 16:00-17:30 CET, ECDPM and ETTG are organising the workshop ‘Programming the NDICI in a post-COVID era’. The main objective of the event is to take stock of the progress made with regard to the negotiations of the NDICI and outstanding issues to be solved, as well as to discuss key principles for the programming of the instrument for the period 2021-2027. We would like to use this as an opportunity to facilitate an open discussion between representatives of the EU institutions, think tanks and civil society organisations.
Potsdam Winter Dialogues 2020: Building sustainability into African free trade - 14/ 15 December 2020 ( online event)
On Tuesday 15th December, ECDPM’s Sean Woolfrey will participate in the roundtable discussion on ‘The African Free Trade Area and the Role of External Partners’ during Potsdam Winter Dialogues 2020.
African and European experts from government, business, academia and civil society will join in the discussions at the two-day international conference, with a particular focus on the following:
• How can the African Continental Free Trade Area help to strengthen recovery and build more economic resilience in Africa?
• What can be done to create a coherent African continental trade regime that benefits as many countries and communities as possible?
• Which specific policy measures and regulatory strategies can avert negative impacts, e.g. on employment and food security, in lower-income countries?
• How can international partners, meaning the EU first and foremost, facilitate and support these efforts?
Tech-Skills for Sustainable Water Management and Youth Employment in Africa - 8 December 2020 (online event)
WTO to host first Trade for Peace Week - 30 November to 4 December 2020 (online event)
The WTO will host the first edition of the Trade for Peace Week from 30 November to 4 December 2020. Ten virtual panel sessions will explore the nexus between trade and peace, with the focus on fragile and conflict-affected countries in accession which want to use trade and economic integration to promote sustainable and inclusive peace.
In announcing the Trade for Peace Week, Deputy Director-General Alan Wolff noted: “The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development recognizes international trade as an engine for inclusive economic growth and poverty reduction that contributes to the promotion of sustainable development. This in turn can facilitate building and maintaining peace. The connection between trade and peace is the raison d'être for the creation of the rules-based multilateral trading system that led to economic recovery and prosperity after the devastation from World War II.”
Tour de France pour l'entrepreneuriat de la diversité et des diasporas - 17 décembre 2020 (online event)
Après les événements de Bordeaux, Lyon et Marseille, le Conseil Présidentiel pour l'Afrique vous invite à sa 4ème conférence-débat sur l’entrepreneuriat de la diversité et des diasporas. Cette édition permettra de présenter les recommandations qui seront remises à l’Élysée pour soutenir les entrepreneurs.
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