Report of a training mission to South African public, research and university institutions Pretoria(South Africa) 1 - 13 October, 1996

Abstract

The main objective of the mission was to conduct a series of seminars on topical African development issues and challenges, to a variety of constituencies - ranging from government institutions, universities, to research institutes - with a view to enabling them understand the current socioeconomic predication in the rest of the continent and some of the policy reforms which have been initiated by the African Governments to address the situation. Some of the major African development issues and problems discussed with the various constituents included the impact of the Uruguay Round Agreement and in particular, WTO and changes in the economic environment on the long-term development of the continent, regional integration in Southern Africa and the role of ECA, macroeconomic sectoral planning within a developing integration arrangement, assessment of macroeconomic management policy reforms and the effects of foreign direct investment in Africa. During the seminars, a variety of development issues was raised and concerns expressed by the participants from the different constituencies. The issues and questions were in the areas of SAPs, private direct investment, regional economic cooperation and integration, the changing international economic environment, the globalization of financial, banking and production systems, role of ECA in regional integration in Southern Africa, and the potential leadership role of South Africa in the long-term development of the continent.