Social and economic growth and development are fundamental to addressing poverty alleviation and eradication. The African private sector recognizes the important role that it plays in fighting poverty through job creation and providing decent work opportunities for all Africans, in particular women and youth. The UN Global Compact is working with business in Africa to share best practices and promote collective action on how the private sector can both employ and empower the next generation of workers on the continent.

Infrastructure is crucial for Africa’s social and economic development. Through the Africa Strategy, the UN Global Compact is collaborating with the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) to better involve the private sector in effectively responding to the huge challenge of financing the infrastructure development needed in Africa.

The UN Global Compact is also working to more deeply engage African companies in our existing work in anti-corruption and education.

With support from the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and UN Development Programme (UNDP), the UN Global Compact was first introduced in Angola in 2013. Following a CSR workshop on responsible business in the country, Angolan businesses have been engaged in the UN Global Compact through our anti-corruption and child labour initiatives.

The UN Global Compact was first introduced in Cotonou, Benin, as part of the High-Level Ministerial Meeting on the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) in 2014. Since then, businesses in the country rallied around the idea of shared responsibility in contributing to poverty alleviation through economic growth and development in the small West African nation.

Working with the Botswana Confederation of Commerce Industry & Manpower (BOCCIM), the UN Global Compact is empowering small businesses in the country through advocacy in the area of anti-corruption.

Since 2013, the UN Global Compact has held several events in Ethiopia to engage government, UN agencies and the Ethiopian business sector on issues like education, women’s empowerment and anti-corruption. Although private sector participants vary in scope and size, they all prioritize the needs of business to invest in human capital of the country to further development. Capital investment in infrastructure and to support private sector development is also a key topic among businesses.

Highlighting the unique needs of landlocked developing countries in Africa, the UN Global Compact has engaged with companies in Zimbabwe on how the private sector can support job growth in the country.