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| NEPAD: Taiwanese official stresses importance of SMEs
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Dakar, Senegal (PANA) -
A Taiwanese delegate to the ongoing
Dakar conference on the New Partnership for Africa's
Development (NEPAD), says small and medium enterprises
should be a launching pad for Africa's economic renaissance.
Speaking to PANA, Yang Cheng-ta, African Affairs Deputy
Director-General at the Foreign Ministry of the Republic
of China, suggested that African governments build from
small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that require little
capital, to establish an attractive business environment.
From that base, the economy would grow, providing the needed
resources from which to invest in infrastructure, he added.
Cheng-ta also urged Africa to improve on communication
and information, to correct the distorted picture painted
of the region.
He stressed the need to guard against over-optimism "when
it comes to (NEPAD's) implementation."
Cheng-ta hailed the objectives of the development plan,
noting, however, that African economies were still very
weak to meet the ambitions of NEPAD.
"Investors are unlikely to take interest in an environment
where they would not find the necessary infrastructure for
doing business," he said.
On practical assistance to Africa from the Taipei government,
Cheng-ta cited among others, a rice project in Burkina
Faso, where Taiwan is providing local farmers with credit
and technical know-how.
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| Dakar - 16/04/2002 |
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