A/RES/71/320 New Partnership for Africa’s Development: progress in implementation and international support 19. Underlines the significant potential of regional economic integration and interconnectivity to promote inclusive growth and sustainable development, and reiterates its commitment to strengthening regional cooperation and regional trade agreements; 20. Reiterates that, for all countries, public policies and the mobilization and effective use of domestic resources, underscored by the principle of national ownership, are central to the common pursuit of sustainable development, including achieving the Sustainable Development Goals; 21. Expresses concern at Africa’s disproportionately low share of the volume of international trade, which stands at approximately 2.6 5 per cent for 2016, and further expresses concern at the increased debt burden of some African countries; 22. Also expresses concern that bilateral official development assistance to Africa decreased by 0.5 per cent in 2016 according to preliminary figures, while welcoming the fact that total official development assistance to Africa increased in 2015; 23. Calls upon developing countries and countries with economies in transition to continue their efforts to create a domestic environment conducive to encouraging entrepreneurship and attracting investments by, inter alia, achieving a transparent, stable and predictable investment climate with proper contract enforcement and respect for property rights, embedded in sound macroeconomic policies and institutions; 24. Notes that foreign direct investment is a major source of financing for development, that it has a critical role in achieving inclusive economic growth and sustainable development, including through the promotion of job creation and the eradication of poverty and hunger, and that it contributes to the active participation of the African economies in the global economy and facilitates regional economic cooperation and integration, and in this regard calls upon, as appropriate, developed countries to continue to devise source-country measures to encourage and facilitate the flow of foreign direct investment through, inter alia, the provision of export credits and other lending instruments, risk guarantees and business development services; 25. Also notes the importance of promoting the formalization of informal sector activities in Africa; 26. Emphasizes that economic development, including inclusive industrial development, and policies which seek to enhance productive capacities in Africa can generate employment and income for the poor and, therefore, be an engine for poverty eradication and for achieving internationally agreed development goals, including the Sustainable Development Goals; 27. Recalls its commitment to broadening and strengthening the voice and participation of developing countries, including African countries, in international economic decision-making, norm-setting and global economic governance; I Actions by African countries and organizations 28. Welcomes the progress made by African countries in fulfilling their commitments in the implementation of the New Partnership to deepen democracy, human rights, good governance and sound economic management, and encourages African countries, with the participation of stakeholders, including civil society and 6/13