Global value chains - The Habari Network

Workers on a factory floor in Africa adapting imported machinery—symbolizing the shift toward learning, adaptation, and endogenous industrial capability.

Learning by Doing: The Real Reason Asia Industrialized Faster Than Africa

By Danilo Desiderio A useful lens for understanding why some regions industrialized faster than others is to look past what they produced and examine instead how...

Factory workers producing apparel for export under AGOA in Kenya, highlighting reliance on duty-free access to the United States market amid comparisons with industrial growth in Bangladesh.

Opinion2 months ago

AGOA’s Renewal: Why Kenya’s Celebration May Be Premature

By Sheena Raikundalia US President Trump’s decision to extend the African Growth and Opportunity Act through December 2026 has sparked jubilation in Nairobi. But beneath the...

African shift from foreign aid to trade and investment driving industrial growth and economic independence

Opinion3 months ago

From Aid to Trade: Why Capital Is Replacing Charity in Africa

By Michele Moscaritoli For decades, Africa occupied a singular role in the global imagination: the perpetual recipient. Aid packages, charitable donations, development programs – always framed...

Visual representation of China’s $1 trillion trade surplus contrasted with Africa’s reliance on exporting raw materials and importing finished goods, emphasizing Africa’s opportunity to build industrial capacity and economic independence.

Opinion4 months ago

China’s Trillion-Dollar Trade Surplus – and Africa’s Defining Choice

By Gregory September China has crossed a historic threshold: a US$1 trillion trade surplus. Even as exports to the United States decline sharply, the world’s second-largest...

African factories and ports representing growth in regional and global value chains.

Opinion6 months ago

Amid Trade Wars, Fractured Trade: Africa’s Future Lies in the AfCFTA

By Danilo Desiderio As global trade grows increasingly fragmented, Africa stands at a crossroads. According to UNCTAD, average tariffs imposed by major economies – including the...

Africa’s Moment Has Arrived: From Potential to Performance

Opinion7 months ago

Africa’s Moment Has Arrived: From Potential to Performance

By Danilo Desiderio For decades, Africa has been described in the same breath: a “continent of potential.” It’s a phrase often delivered with optimism – but...

New UNIDO Report Highlights Africa's Industrialization Progress, Though Insufficient

Opinion1 year ago

New UNIDO Report Highlights Africa’s Industrialization Progress, Though Insufficient

By Danilo Desiderio Despite significant strides in infrastructure development, energy efficiency, and resource utilization, Africa’s industrialization remains insufficient to meet the continent’s growing needs, according to...