Out of Africa – for the moment!
24 January 2011
We live in uncertain times. I do not mean economically, although that is true as well of course, I mean politically.
Stability seems to be in short supply, wherever you are. The most recent demonstration of that came in Tunisia. For all that it has fallen out of the daily headlines, a quick glimpse at the BBC’s world news shows that there was still tear gas being directed at curfew-breakers this weekend in Tunis, as calls for further government resignations continue.
It is no surprise in this environment that NEW Events has taken the decision this week to postpone their National Electronics Week North Africa event until June 2011. The exhibition that was due to take place during March was a collaboration between NEW Events and Italian based organisation Tecnoimprese and the FORTRONIC conference brand. The event would have seen a one day dedicated conference programme on the topic of energy efficiency through Tecnoimprese, followed by a one day conference programme from NEW Events focusing on electronic manufacturing processes and standards, together with a two day International Exhibition. The whole event will now take place sometime in early June.
Rob Saunders, Director for NEW Events, commented: “It is disappointing that we have decided to postpone the nearly sold out event, however, NEW Events and our partners Tecnoimprese are committed to providing a quality electronics event in North Africa and we both believe that it would be better for exhibitors and visitors if we were to wait until later in the year to host the Exhibition and Conference.”
Hosting the event in Tunisia reflects the country’s importance in a small but growing region from an electronics standpoint. NEW Events claim that ‘Tunisia is currently ranked number one in North Africa for innovation with this region hosting over 120 specific manufacturing companies’. Last year NEW Events launched a similar event in South Africa, which made a promising debut.
However, such is the perversity of human nature that there are few places that can truly claim to be free from the possibility of civil unrest, terrorist disruption or even national conflict. There always seem to be people who feel the need to take control and another band of people who feel the need to exercise their human rights – and the two, at some point, will come to blows. As a broad generalisation those places with undemocratic, authoritarian governments tend to be the poorest. They therefore have the lowest cost workforce which consequently makes them possible locations for those EMS providers whose profit margins are defined by such things. It is one thing, however, to hide a manufacturing plant away, as it will benefit the company, its employees and the economy of that country. It is another matter to try and build a proper supply chain and infrastructure that are the foundations for proper growth in a country’s electronics industry. And this is where the Tunisian event has come unstuck.
Personally I hope that stability is restored in Tunis and also that the NEW North Africa event can go ahead. I have seen the work the NEW team put into their events and it would be a shame for that to go to waste. More importantly, having an event provides a great focal point for a country or region, so the event would be a great statement of intent for the North African electronics industry.
Contact Details and Archive...
Most Viewed Articles...