Leaders vow to make Africa a region of competitiveness and increased well-being

Abstract

The eighth annual African Economic Conference concluded today,calling on development and business leaders to turn Africa into a hub of business and development excellence. The conference, jointly organized each year by the African Development Bank (AfDB), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), brought together 500 decision-makers and development practitioners. Over the three-day forum, intense discussions were held on issues including the facilitation of trade; the mobility of people, goods and services; political will and government leadership in harmonizing macroeconomic policies; and the role of the private sector in the continent’s regional integration. On the closing day of the conference, the AfDB Chief Economist and Vice-President, Mthuli Ncube, focused on knowledge and capacities, saying knowledge, strong institutions and the management of skills and talents should be at the core of the integration agenda.