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ABOUT
THE GFVC AFRICA ECOSYSTEM
LEGAL PERSONALITY
Driving the growth and development of the fashion value chain across Africa, the Global Fashion Value Chain Federation of Africa (GFVC AFRICA) plays a vital role in promoting economic integration, sustainability, and competitiveness.
GFVC AFRICA is a registered not-for-profit civil society organization (240-048 NPO), duly established in the Republic of South Africa under the Non-Profit Organization Act of 1997.
As a politically independent continental ecosystem, GFVC AFRICA amplifies the voices of 54 African member states and 8 regional economic communities, recognized by the African Union. We foster collaborative efforts among key stakeholders to develop and implement a unified fashion value chain economy across Africa, advancing AUDA-NEPAD's efforts, AfCFTA, and global SDGs through our visionary approach.
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Our Overarching Objective is to:
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Decolonize, Safeguard, and Cultivate a Single and Diverse Competitive Economy, that promotes sustainable transformation throughout the fashion value chain.
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Boost Africa's Global Manufacturing Output beyond the 1.5% estimate set by UNIDO in 2020, while promoting inclusive social, environmental, and digital economic development.
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Represent all African stakeholders' interests globally through a united voice.
āMembership of the Assembly:
The GFVC AFRICA Assembly membership is exclusive to Regional Economic Clusters (RECs), which comprise a diverse range of stakeholders, including:
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Pan African Governments: representing the interests of African nations
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Industry Experts: providing technical knowledge and guidance
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Private Sector: contributing to economic growth and development
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Traditional Leaders: Championing community welfare and social justice
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Labor Unions: Advocating for members' interests and fostering a fair and safe work environment.
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Industry Associations: Enhancing competitiveness of their member businesses, Influence policy and regulatory frameworks, and contribute to the GFVC AFRICA Economy development.
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Academic Institutions: providing cutting-edge research, intellectual capital, technical expertise, capacity building initiatives, and visionary thought leadership to support GFVC AFRICA's innovative programs and initiatives, represent interests of their students.
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Permanent Founding Members: serving as guardians of GFVC AFRICA's legacy, providing visionary leadership, and fostering a culture of continuity, stability, and innovation to secure the compact's long-term impact and success.
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International Donors: Driving sustainable development and shared prosperity through strategic funding, technical expertise, and collaborative leadership.ā
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Our Constituency:
Collaborating, Developing, and Empowering a Vibrant and Inclusive Fashion Value Chain Ecosystem, where Everyone Thrives:
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Unorganized Industry Players
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Rural and Peri-Urban Communities
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Youth, Women, and People with Disabilities
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Industry Labor Unions
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Organized Businesses/Associations
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Government Agencies
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Private Sector Entities
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Academic Institutions
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international Donors
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GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
The GFVC Africa Assembly and the Commission of GFVC Africa are two integral components of the organization's governance structure. The Assembly is the supreme decision-making body, while the Commission is responsible for implementing decisions and policies.
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Key Functions of the Commission:
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Executing the Budget: The Commission oversees the financial aspects of the organization, ensuring effective allocation and utilization of resources.
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Managing Programs: It develops, implements, and monitors programs aligned with GFVC Africa's objectives, promoting the interests of the organization and its members.
The Commission operates under the authority of the 54 member countries of the GFVC Africa Assembly, performing coordinating, executive, and management functions.
Governance Framework:
The Act of GFVC Africa serves as the primary reference and source of authority, outlining the organization's objectives, organs, bodies, and leadership responsibilities . This framework ensures transparency, accountability, and adherence to established protocols.
Constitutional Supremacy:
The Constitutive Act holds supreme authority and is binding, with no individual or entity authorized to repeal or alter its provisions. This ensures stability and consistency in the organization's governance and operations.
GFVC AFRICA INSTITUTIONS
Institutional Framework
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The GFVC Africa shall establish a robust institutional framework designed to:
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Uphold its values and advance its objectives
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Serve the interests of its diverse stakeholders, including members, communities, regions, states, and municipalities
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Ensure consistency, effectiveness, and continuity of its harmonized policies and actions, thereby fostering a cohesive and responsive organization that better serves its members and stakeholders.
Our Institutions
The GFVC Africa shall comprise the following institutions:
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GFVC Africa Assembly: The supreme decision-making body, comprising representatives of member states.
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GFVC Africa Commission (Secretariat): Executes decisions and policies, advocates for GFVC Africa's interests, and initiates necessary actions.
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Regional Commission Member and Council: Provides regional representation and guidance.
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Country Coordinators/National Offices and their Council: Coordinates national activities and provides country-specific guidance.
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Municipal Offices and their Council: Coordinates municipal activities and provides local guidance.
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International Policy and Advocacy Agencies: Provides international policy guidance and advocacy support.
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The High-Road Growth Finance Institution of the GFVC AFRICA: Provides financial support and guidance for high-growth initiatives.
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SMART GFVC AFRICA: The Commission's permanent flagship programme implementation partner, focusing on sustainable high-tech solutions and value chain industrialization development.
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Independent Auditors of the GFVC Africa: Provides independent audit and assurance services.
OVERVIEW
The Federal GFVC AFRICA is an uncompromisingly politically independent continental ecosystem and the global voice of 54 member states and eight regional economic communities recognized by the African Union. It was inspired by a visionary South African woman, namely Ms. Ntombikayise Patricia Nkosi, who began working on the concept in 2016 with a clear mission: to bring Africa together to establish an ecosystem of fashion that accelerates innovation across the value chain, small enterprises, regional communities, and countries. This ecosystem will exploit the untapped opportunities presented by the industrialization of the fashion ecosystem, including agriculture, mining, technology, film, and manufacturing.
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The Federal GFVC Africa is unwavering in its commitment to defeat youth unemployment and rural poverty through the full industrialization development of the fashion value chain. It is determined to address the continent's structural inequality challenge and provide a global political voice that enables and gives voice to youth and women, regardless of their socio-economic strata, rural-urban divides, race, gender, ability, and age groups. It is also relentlessly focused on empowering black rural manufacturing, mining, and agricultural "left-behinds" and small enterprises.
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The organization is driven by its common vision of building a high-road industrial future economy that unites, transforms, and improves the welfare and well-being of Africans while respecting its ecological limits. It is wholly dedicated to achieving this vision through partnerships, economic integration, and industry and people advancement to maximize industry 4.0 and circular economy benefits for all.
GFVC AFRICA EMBLEM
The flag of GFVC AFRICA is designed with two overlapping circles in grey, silver, emerald, and white, set against a shadow grey and white background.
At the core of the design is a circle of stars, which represents the ideals of unity, solidarity, and harmony, as well as the diverse qualities of the African continent in relation to fashion value chain development. Central to this circle is the wheel of the 4th Industrial Revolution, symbolizing our commitment to maximizing manufacturing advancements and benefits for all communities, thereby promoting shared growth.
Additionally, a globe featuring a borderless connected of Africa is positioned at the center, representing the last frontier in the global economy. Our emphasis is on integrating the Pan-African smart global fashion value chain into this globe to collaborative research, knowledge transfer, and trade.
The intersection of the two circles creates an infinity symbol, signifying the Earth's connection to all that is sacred and our dedication to initiating a new era of prosperity for Africa as a whole.
Displayed below or to the right of the symbol is the full name of the organization, with the GFVC letters highlighted in white, grey, or emerald.
- Concept and design by the founder of the organization.