By Emily Sims
SEOUL, South Korea – In a compelling address, respected labor market specialist and public policy professional Jones N. Williams has urged African governments to fundamentally re-evaluate their development strategies, emphasizing that inclusive and prioritized engagement with the private sector and national chambers of commerce is not merely an option, but a critical imperative for sustainable economic growth and job creation.
Williams, speaking at the Seoul Smart City Life Week in South Korea a few days ago, articulated a clear vision where the private sector is recognized and empowered as the primary engine driving prosperity across the continent. “For too long, development plans have been conceived and executed in silos, often overlooking the immense potential and practical expertise residing within our businesses and their representative bodies,” Williams stated. “The private sector is the true engine of economic growth and job creation. Governments must actively harness this power.”
A cornerstone of Williams’ proposal is the direct inclusion of private sector leaders and members of national chambers of commerce in high-level international engagements. He specifically highlighted the need for their participation in significant forums such as the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and foreign investment trips. “When our leaders engage on the global stage, they should be accompanied by the very individuals who are making deals, creating jobs, and innovating on the ground. This provides invaluable real-time insights and fosters greater opportunities for partnerships,” he explained.
Furthermore, Williams stressed the importance of establishing robust and regular consultation mechanisms between governments and the business community. These dialogues, he argued, should cover a broad spectrum of economic issues crucial for national development. “We need consistent, open, and honest conversations about wealth and job creation, taxation policies, import and export strategies, tariff structures, and other critical economic matters,” he urged. “This collaborative approach ensures that policies are not only well-intentioned but also practical, effective, and conducive to business growth.”
The labor market specialist also called for deeper involvement of chambers of commerce and business leaders in shaping and implementing policies related to free trade agreements and regional economic cooperation. According to Williams, the private sector’s understanding of market dynamics and cross-border trade is essential for unlocking the full benefits of these initiatives, fostering intra-African trade, and realizing the ambitions of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“The private sector is uniquely positioned to identify market opportunities, navigate logistical challenges, and drive the competitiveness of African economies,” Williams concluded. “By actively involving them in policy formulation and implementation, and by recognizing them as indispensable partners in national development, African governments can significantly accelerate progress, create the jobs our youth desperately need, and build a more prosperous future for all.”
The call to action from Williams is expected to resonate with policymakers and business leaders across the continent, potentially marking a turning point in how African nations approach economic development in the years to come.
Williams added that economists, business leaders, and representatives of National Chambers of Commerce across Africa are intensifying calls for a fundamental shift in how governments approach national development, urging state bodies to formally integrate the private sector as a primary partner rather than a secondary stakeholder.
The consensus emerging from recent continental economic forums is that sustainable economic transformation, rapid job creation, and effective wealth generation cannot be achieved unless governments grant immediate and formal priority to the insights and expertise housed within the National Chambers of Commerce.
The demands focus on three critical areas: high-level foreign policy inclusion, structured domestic consultation, and partnership on regional trade integration.
1. Business Diplomacy: Elevating the Chamber in Foreign Missions
A cornerstone of the proposed policy shift is the mandatory inclusion of Chamber of Commerce executives and leading businesspeople in high-level government delegations, particularly those focused on investment, trade negotiations, and major international political forums.
This includes securing dedicated seats for private sector leaders on trips to global platforms such as the United Nations General Assembly (UN GA), the World Economic Forum, and specialized trade missions.
As Ms. Amara Nwosu, CEO of a prominent West African National Chamber, once articulated the rationale: “When a President travels abroad, they are selling the nation’s potential. That pitch is infinitely stronger and more credible when accompanied by the CEOs who are actually creating the jobs and managing foreign direct investment on the ground. A Head of State can promise opportunity; the private sector delegation seals the deal.”
Advocates argue that this integration transforms diplomatic visits into concrete commercial opportunities, ensuring that government-to-government agreements translate quickly into private sector investment and market access.
2. Formalizing Consultation on Critical Economic Policy
One of the biggest hurdles cited by African businesses is the lack of consistent, structured consultation before major economic policies are enacted. Business leaders are calling for governments to institutionalize regular, mandatory forums with the Chamber of Commerce on all major fiscal and economic decisions.
Key areas where private sector input is deemed non-negotiable include:
- Wealth and Job Creation Strategies: Designing effective incentives rooted in private sector needs rather than bureaucratic mandates.
- Taxation and Fiscal Policy: Consulting on the real-world impact of value added taxes (VAT), corporate income tax, and compliance requirements before implementation to avoid unintended economic contraction.
- Import and Export Tariffs: Providing expert advice on tariff structures to protect nascent local industries without stifling efficiency or raising costs excessively for essential inputs.
- Regulatory Reform: Identifying and eliminating bureaucratic bottlenecks that hamper small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
“Tax policy cannot be drafted effectively in isolation from those who ultimately bear the burden and drive the revenue base,” once stated by Dr. Kenneth Obika, an economic analyst specializing in regulatory frameworks. “The business community must move past informal engagement and claim a formal, scheduled seat at the table to guarantee policy stability and predictability.”
3. Partnership in Free Trade and Regional Cooperation
With the operationalization of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) promising to unify a market of 1.3 billion people, the role of the private sector in shaping its implementation has become vital.
Business organizations insist that governments must involve the Chamber of Commerce and business leaders directly in the negotiation, domestication, and enforcement of regional cooperation agreements. This involvement ensures that trade protocols are practical, facilitate logistics, and reflect the realities faced by cross-border traders, manufacturers, and service providers.
“The ultimate success of AfCFTA rests not on political will, but on the ability of our local manufacturers and service providers to penetrate new markets,” explained a representative from the Pan-African Chamber of Commerce. “We need direct involvement to shape the rules of origin, streamline customs procedures, and lobby for infrastructure investments that truly move goods, not just papers.”
By co-opting the private sector on trade negotiation teams, governments can leverage market knowledge to secure better terms for their exporters and ensure their national strategic interests are robustly represented.
The Path Forward
The renewed emphasis on public-private partnership comes at a critical time as African nations navigate post-pandemic recovery and global supply chain disruptions. Business leaders assert that this formal inclusion is not merely about asking for favors, but about maximizing government efficiency by tapping into the private sector’s expertise in execution, risk assessment, and market dynamism.
The call is clear: for Africa to realize its economic potential and transition from aid dependency to self-sustaining growth, its governments must immediately recognize and prioritize the National Chamber of Commerce as the indispensable engine of national development.
A number of private sector actors attending the Seoul Smart Life Week
