New ITC handbooks guide Chinese investors through sustainable investment in Africa
The International Trade Centre’s sustainable investment handbooks for Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique and Zambia help Chinese investors embed sustainability in all stages of business operations.
With more than 10,000 Chinese-owned firms now operating in Africa and an estimated 12% of Africa’s industrial production (valued at $500 billion a year) handled by Chinese firms, China has become a major investor in Africa.
To maximize sustainable growth for Chinese-owned businesses in Africa, the International Trade Centre (ITC) has launched four sustainable investment handbooks at the China International Import Expo in Shanghai.
These country-specific handbooks on Sustainable investment in agroprocessing and light manufacturing guide Chinese investors through compliance with environmental and social sustainability requirements and voluntary standards in Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique and Zambia.
“Foreign investment in agroprocessing and light manufacturing can unlock opportunities to increase exports to regional and global markets, while contributing to the country’s development agenda” said ITC Executive Director Arancha González. “To do so, investors need to implement more sustainable environmental and labour practices, aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.”
The handbooks show investors how to embed sustainability in all stages of business operations, and how this can translate into a triple win for productivity, environmental protection and local livelihood improvements. The findings stem from extensive research in Kenya, Mozambique, Zambia, and in China, joining the insights of various ministries, investors, and other stakeholders with trade expertise.
ITC developed the handbooks as part of its Partnership for Investment and Growth in Africa (PIGA) programme. PIGA works in Kenya, Mozambique and Zambia to attract foreign direct investment with high developmental impact in agroprocessing and light manufacturing, to contribute to job and growth creation and spillover benefits for the local economy.
The handbooks are available in English, and are available in Mandarin Chinese, as well as Portuguese for the Mozambique edition.
Download here the country handbook:
Ethiopia: Sustainable investment in agroprocessing and light manufacturing
Kenya: Sustainable investment in agroprocessing and light manufacturing
Mozambique: Sustainable investment in agroprocessing and light manufacturing
Zambia: Sustainable investment in agroprocessing and light manufacturing
About PIGA: The Partnership for Investment and Growth in Africa (PIGA) is part of Invest Africa (IA), a flagship programme of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland’s Department for International Development (DfID) facilitating foreign direct investment with high development impact into selected African countries.
Under IA, PIGA aims to contribute to job creation and sustainable growth in Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique and Zambia by supporting these countries to attract foreign direct investment, specifically Chinese investment, in the agroprocessing and light manufacturing sectors. PIGA is also designed to enhance the capacity of these countries for effective investment promotion.
PIGA is implemented by the International Trade Centre (ITC) in cooperation with the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) and the China–Africa Development Fund (CADFund).
