About 150 economists on Wednesday began the third conference of African economists in Dakar on the theme “Industrialization and economic emergence in Africa”.
The biennial meeting, initiated by the African Union Commission and the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), brings together African economists in the Diaspora and the continent from international universities and institutions.
The objective of the meeting is to identify and analyse the economic problems facing African countries and propose efficient and sustainable solutions.
During this third conference, participants will look into several themes related to factors hindering industrialization in Africa, technology transfer, agro-industry and industrialization; the role of the industry in the emergence of African economies.
In a speech, Dr René Kouassi, representing the AU Commission chairwoman, said the resolution of the issues of industrialization and economic emergence in Africa remained extremely important for Africa and the African Union which celebrates the 50th anniversary of African integration in May.
“Taking responses to those issues on the eve of that celebration is to contribute to make rich the debate on the assessment of Africa’s economic situation in the past 50 years and the industrial policy envisaged for the next 50 years.
During the first conference held in March 2009 in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, economists looked into the creation of a single African currency.
The second meeting, held in 2011 in Ivory Coast, focused on how to achieve strong and sustainable economic growth in Africa, in a bid to tackle unemployment and support the regional and continental integration process.
