First Congress of African Economists

(Press Release)--Call for papers. The First Congress of African Economists is organised by the Economic Affairs Department in collaboration with the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and the Association of African Universities (AAU).

I. INTRODUCTION

The building of the African Economic Community is currently one of the major concerns of the African Union Commission (AUC). In order to succeed in this noble and historic enterprise, the authorities of the Pan-African organisation have set many initiatives in motion, among which are: the rationalisation and consolidation of the Regional Economic Communities (RECs); the acceleration of the establishment of the institutions provided for in the Constitutive Act of the African Union, including the African Central Bank with the mission of minting the single African currency, the African Monetary Fund and the African Investment Bank. To this end, the AUC assigned specific mandates to departments, divisions and regional offices, to enable it to acquire the necessary dynamism and efficiency for the building of the African Union. It is in this context that to provide your contribution to the achievement of this gargantuan task, the Economic Affairs Department intends to organise, in collaboration with the RECs and the Association of African Universities, a Congress of African Economists (those of the Continent and the Diaspora), in order to consider, analyse and propose an appropriate and extensive solution to the economic problems impeding the development of these RECs, the pillars of African integration.

II. OBJECTIVES

This Congress, composed essentially of economists, professionals or researchers from research centres and institutes, and African economic operators, has, inter alia, the following objectives:

To carry out a sectoral analysis of the economic and social activities of RECs;

To highlight the contribution of major sectors of activity to the economic development of each country, and take stock of these contributions in terms of results, difficulties and future prospects;

To conduct a comparative analysis of macro-economic and social indicators between the countries of each REC;

To highlight the most efficient sector(s) in each country; to take stock of community projects for basic infrastructure and other projects in each REC and initiate new avenues for making these projects effective;

To review the economic (monetary and budgetary) policies practised in each REC within the framework of the harmonisation of economic policies;

To highlight the advantages and inconveniences of the use of a single currency within each REC;

To indicate the advantages and inconveniences of the practice of complete free trade within each area, and of a similar tariff policy between each REC and the rest of the world;

To show the theoretical and practical outlines of the agricultural policy that should be applicable in each REC according to the natural and agricultural potentials of each of their member countries;

To propose appropriate strategies and policies to enable the private sector to play its role as a driving force of economic growth in Africa and a catalyst in the regional and continental integration process;

To determine the sources for sustainable financing of the regional and continental integration process; and to contribute to enlightening African leaders about the strategic partnerships established between Africa and the rest of the world.

III. THE THEME OF THE FIRST CONGRESS

• GENERAL THEME

The main theme of the First Congress will be: Towards the Creation of a Single African Currency: Review of the Creation of Single Currencies in the RECs. Which optimal approach to be adopted to accelerate the creation of the unique continental currency?

• SUB-THEMES

- The consequences of the choice of an exchange rate system and implication of the choice of an African model;

- The determinants of the choice of an exchange rate system in African economies context;

- The economic foundations of integration of markets lessons learned for the establishment of an African Common Market;

- Monetary Union and its implications for African countries: advantages, inconveniences and modalities;

- Monetary policies implemented in the RECs: case of ECOWAS, COMESA, SADC and the ECA)

- Should African economies necessarily converge before the adoption of a single African currency?

- Assessment of progress made in the harmonization of nsectoral policies in the RECs;

- Economic convergence, multilateral monitoring and statistical harmonisation in Africa: challenges, status and way forward.

IV. SUBMISSION AND COMMUNICATIONS FORMAT

Researchers and Officers, who would like to submit an article, should pay attention to the scientific and the quality aspects of article. All articles submitted should be on the aforementioned sub-themes of the Congress. Their length should not exceed 10,000 bits and they should include an abstract of two pages, which is an overview of the article, the main results and conclusion and recommendations. The first page should show the them of the article, the name or the institution of the author and contact addresses (e-mail, fax and telephone).

V. ORGANISATION OF THE CONGRESS

The Congress will focus essentially on the above-mentioned studies. Participants will therefore work in four groups (depending on their area of interest) to consider, analyse and make proposals, chapter by chapter, on the different issues and avenues mentioned in the study they will be called upon to consider. A drafting committee will be established, set up in a separate room, comprising at least two members of each of the teams that carried out studies and the AUC, with a view to incorporating in the studies, as deliberations progress, the amendments made by participants. Finally, when the groups have completed their deliberations, a plenary session will be held for a whole day to enable each group to present its conclusions and reflections. This plenary will be followed by the closing ceremony. After the closing ceremony, the secretariat and the teams that carried out the studies will have two additional days to finalise the different reports. This will enable representatives of the AUC to return to Addis Ababa with all the finalised proceedings of the Congress.

VI. RESPONSIBILITES OF THE COMMISSION

The Commission shall bear full responsibility for the Congress in terms of:

• Financing the participation of members of the teams that carried out the studies and those of a few participants whose presence could prove to be enriching;

• Providing and financing all the logistics (interpreters, translators, printing and binding, secretariat, etc) connected with the smooth functioning of the Congress. However, part of the above-mentioned costs could be borne by partners who agree to provide their assistance.

VII. EXPECTED OUTCOMES

The recommendations of the Congress will be submitted to the Conference of African Ministers of Economy and Finance for consideration and adoption. Subsequently, they will be submitted to the Assembly of Heads of State and Government for consideration and adoption of political decisions for implementation. Thereafter, the Congress shall constitute a preparatory activity for CAMEF.

VIII. PARTICIPANTS

Participants will comprise essentially economists, researchers, Member States (Ministries of Economy and Finance, assisted by the relevant technical ministries according to the theme), Regional Economic Communities, the African Union Commission, as well as development partners, namely, EU, UNDP, AfDB, ECA, ACBF, BADEA, etc).

IX. DATE AND VENUE

All articles should be submitted by 31 October 2008. The authors of selected articles will be informed on 15 November 2008. The venue of the Congress will be decided at a later date.

X. SECRETARIAT CONTACTS

Economic Affairs Department African Union Commission P.O. Box 3243, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Tel: +251-11-551 92 87 Fax: +251-11-551 02 49 Email:

*To read the full document, please go to: Calls_for_Contribution_EA.pdf

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