This year's edition of the ABCDE will take place in Cape Town (South Africa) on 9-11 June 2008. Under the overarching theme of 'People, Politics & Globalization', it will focus on three broad themes:
Globalization, Investment and Growth
Human Development for Equitable Growth
The Political Economy of Shared Growth
The World Bank's Africa Development Indicators (ADI 2007), launched yesterday in Johannesburg, would indicate that there is in fact reason to be optimistic.
During the last decade many African countries have achieved steady economic growth, much needed to reduce the levels of poverty in the continent. In the words of Obiageli Ezekwesili, World Bank Vice President for the Africa Region.
This World Bank initiative will, through a competitive process, award grants and technical assistance to innovative entrepreneurial projects that are designed by Africans, to support the development of Africa.
Elegible participants to the competition can be individuals or organizations emanating from the Sub-Saharan African diaspora, currently living in Europe and active in Africa. Applicants can be entrepreneurs, private investors, NGOs, civil society organizations, foundations, etc.
Literally ... and win up to $200,000 to do it.
The World Bank's Development Marketplace has recently launched the Lighting Africa Grant Competition.
The ECA and the African Development Bank are organizing the 2007 African Economic Conference on the theme “Opportunities and Challenges of Development for Africa in the Global Arena”, which will take place in Addis Ababa on 15-17 November. The program committee invites submission of abstracts (or papers) by interested participants on any economic issues of relevance to African economies.
According to UNECA's latest edition of the Economic Report on Africa (ERA 2007), African economies are forecast to grow by an average of 5.8% in 2007.
From the press release:
The December issue of Finance and Development is dedicated to Africa.
'Africa: Making Its Move' explores some of the obstacles facing sub-Saharan Africa as it attempts to capitalize on changes that offer fresh opportunities for growth and poverty reduction.
... in the film "Bamako".
"Bamako", featuring a mock trial of the Fund and World Bank, will headline this year's New African Films Festival, opening today at the AFI Silver Theater in Silver Spring, Maryland.
Infrastructure, Investment, Innovation and Institutional Capacity, according to a new World Bank Study: Facing the Challenges of African Growth: Opportunities, Constraints, and Strategic Directions.
