The COMESA Business Council CEO Mr Teddy Soobramanien says CBC is working towards establishing a connecting between the needs of the private sector and the content of the skills trainings and education programs taking into consideration the fast-evolving work environment and fast changing needs of the industrial sector.
Speaking during the panel discussion on how to develop African skills to support the continent’s Industrialisation, Mr Soobramanien emphasised the need for to strengthen private sector institutions at regional and continental level as well as to improve the eco-system for partnership and corporation.
He stated that through CBC is implementing the current digital needs through platforms such as the e-academy, having sector workgroups on technology and trainings of SMEs in digital payment systems through the Digital Financial Inclusion project.
“The use of technological services is essential in the development of skills needed for industrialisation in Africa,” He noted.
Mr Soobramanien added that Tunisia will benefit from the upcoming training of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement training that will be held in Tunisia
CBC also hosted a side event themed, Digital Cross Border Payments: A catalyst for Sustainable and Inclusive Development in COMESA, the CBC President Mr James Chimwaza highlighted that COMESA has a huge regional market for investors and the private sector can take advantage of the opportunities.
The Chief Operations Officer under the DFI project, Dr Jonathan Pinifolo said the Digital retail payment scheme aims to directly respond to the intra-trade deficit in the region.
Dr Pinifolo added that the scheme targeting MSMEs will increase their participation in formal regional trade, to increase the volume of cross border transactions and enhance digital financial inclusion.
Meanwhile, the CBC team also engaged on B2B meetings with different stakeholders at the forum.
CBC is participating is this year’s Financial and Investment Forum in Africa (FITA) organised by the Tunisia Africa Business Council (TABC) which has attracted over 1,000 participants from 65 countries.