Optimierung der Geldpolitik in Schwellenländern/Afrikanische Entwicklungsperspektiven

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15.08.2017
“Science, Technology and Innovation Policies for Inclusive Growth in Africa" – this is the title of two forthcoming volumes of the African Development Perspectives Yearbook

“Science, Technology and Innovation Policies for Inclusive Growth in Africa" – this is the title of two forthcoming volumes of the African Development Perspectives Yearbook which are prepared now by a group of international experts. The Editorial Committee of the African Development Perspectives Yearbook has decided to split the scheduled volume 20 (for 2018) into two volumes, the volume 20 (for 2018) and the volume 21 (for 2019). This was considered as advisable because of the great number of high quality submissions of manuscripts to the Editors. While Volume 20 will consider Basic Issues of STI (Science, Technology and Innovation) policies in Africa and Country Cases for Sub-Saharan Africa, the Volume 21 will present Issues of Human Resources Development in the Digital Age, Country Cases for North Africa, and Book Reviews and Book Notes.

In Volume 20 of the African Development Perspectives Yearbook essays on the linkages of inclusive growth, sustainable development and STI policies will be presented in the Introductory Unit. Also successful cases of STI development in Africa and STI systemic issues will be analysed. Focus countries are Sudan and Nigeria. Professor Samia Satti Nour, Khartoum University, Sudan and Professor Reuben A. Alabi, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Nigeria and currently Guest Researcher at IWIM/University of Bremen, were nominated as co-editors of the Units on Sudan and Nigeria and as Volume Editors; both have accepted the invitation. UNESCO Regional Science Policy Adviser Hassan Nazar, UNESCO Cairo Office, Egypt will be the co-editor of the Unit on Basic Issues of STI policies in Africa.

For Volume 21 (2019) essays are prepared for a Unit on Human Resources Development in Africa in the Digital Age, based on case studies for Cameroon and Nigeria. Country cases in North Africa are Egypt, Tunisia and Algeria. As usual, a strong Unit on Book Reviews and Book Notes rounds up the Volume 21. Again, UNESCO Regional Science Policy Adviser Hassan Nazar, UNESCO Office Cairo, Egypt will be the co-editor of the Unit on North Africa. Professor Achim Gutowski is again responsible for the Unit with Book Reviews and Book Notes. Professor Tobias Knedlik as the Managing Editor and Professor Karl Wohlmuth as the Scientific Co-ordinator are the other volume editors for the two forthcoming issues.

The African Development Perspectives Yearbook has over the decades - the first volume has appeared in 1989 – become the major English-language publication on Africa in Germany. The response to the  annual International Calls for Papers is huge, with an increasing interest on the side of African experts and experts from international and regional African organisations. UNCTAD/ Geneva, UNESCO/ Cairo, and the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF)/Nairobi, Kenya are the institutional cooperation partners for these two volumes. UNECA in Kigali, Rwanda has organized the book launch for the volumes 18 and 19 of the African Development  Perspectives Yearbook in October 2016. This was a great event, with TV appearances in 48 African countries. The Research Group on African Development Perspectives Bremen, which is editing the Yearbook, is also involved in researches, advisory work, and training activities. In 2019 the Research Group will celebrate the “30 years birthday ceremony” of the African Development Perspectives Yearbook.

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15.08.2017
Advising on African and Global Studies: Research Projects, International Guest Researchers, Global Conferences, Evaluations, Publications

Professor Karl Wohlmuth was in recent months active as an adviser to research projects, conferences and publications (see some projects below):

Professor Wohlmuth was invited by the President of the UN Economic and Social Council to participate at the Global ECOSOC Conference in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe as a speaker on “Industrialization based on Agricultural Development”. Global Meetings in Dakar, Victoria Falls and New York City emphasize the role of Sustainable Development Goal Nine (SDG 9) on Sustainable Industrialization, Infrastructure Development and Innovation. This will be an  ongoing task of ECOSOC. ECOSOC has the lead in implementing the 17 SDGs.

Guest researcher Professor Reuben A. Alabi extends his research stay in Bremen for three more years. The new Research Programme for 2018-2020 was recently presented as a Letter of Intentions and discussed with Professor Wohlmuth.  It has three major components, comprising major policy issues of agroindustry development in Nigeria (Crop productivity, Public expenditure for agriculture at state level, and Combatting youth unemployment through agriculture development).

Professor Alabi was appointed in March 2017 as a Full Professor of Agricultural Economics at Ambrose Alli University in Ekpoma, Edo State, Nigeria. The Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Business Studies of the  University of Bremen, Professor Jochen Zimmermann, had extended the invitation. Professor Wohlmuth is working as a consultant and senior project adviser in these projects.

Preparations are ongoing for the research visit of Professor Chunji Yun, Faculty of Economics, Seinan Gakuin University, Fukuoka-City, Japan. He will work for a year in Bremen on the research topic of “Production Integration and Labour Market Interdependencies in the European Union.” This is his second research visit at IWIM for a period of one year. The Dean has extended an invitation to him for a year.

Further on, Professor Wohlmuth has advised the research project of Yves Bagna who has constructed a new “Porter Competitiveness Index”, based on Porter’s Diamond Theory. Throughout the research period Professor Wohlmuth was the main adviser to the project. The book is now published by the Research Institute of IWVWW e. V. at Berlin, and further essays on the methodology are forthcoming. Yves Bagna has also compared the new “Porter Competitiveness Index” with the long-established “Global Competitiveness Index” of the Word Economic Forum. Yves Bagna, an engineer and economist from Cameroon, has during his research also visited the Institute of Professor Michael Porter at the Harvard Business School.

Also, Professor Wohlmuth was active to review a chapter for a new UNIDO book about Industrialization in Africa, in his function as the lead author of the chapter. He has also revised and extended a background paper on the issues for UNIDO.

In addition, Professor Wohlmuth has peer-reviewed articles for international and African journals, such as the prestigious journal Comparative Economic Studies. As the number of African refereed journals increases, the demand for evaluations rises. Members of the Research Group on African Development Perspectives Bremen are invited to support such activities.

Work on the volumes 20 and 21 of the African Development Perspectives Yearbook is progressing. On Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Policies in Sudan, a cooperation is under way with Professor Samia Satti Nour from the University of Khartoum, a leading international expert on STI policies. The Cooperation, which is targeting on issues of “Science, Technology and Innovation Policies for Sudan”, is advancing towards a separate Unit (a collection of papers) in Volume 20. A Unit on “STI Frameworks for Africa” is prepared in Cooperation with Patrick N. Osakwe, UNCTAD, Geneva and Nazar Hassan, UNESCO, Cairo. A Unit on STI Policies in Nigeria is done in cooperation with Professor Alabi. Other Units will be prepared on issues of Human Resources Development and STI, on STI Policies in North Africa, and on Publications on STI Policies: Book Reviews and Book Notes.

The Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES) Tunisia has published four language versions (English, French, Arabic, German) of a study on “Elements of an Employment Strategy for Tunisia”. Professor Wohlmuth is one of the three authors, a joint work of three development economists working on Africa since decades.

Various publications were released by Professor Wohlmuth on the middle class in Africa, on deindustrialization and reindustrialization in Tunisia, on transformative regional integration in Africa, and on guidelines for policymakers in Africa to promote global and regional value chains.

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14.08.2017
Global Value Chains in African Development – A Guide for Policymakers

The debate about the role of global value chains (GVCs) in African development is still ongoing. All international and regional development organizations have something to say on these issues, and there are proposals and demands addressed to African policymakers how they could use the integration into GVCs for income growth, productivity growth, employment creation, poverty reduction, and trade diversification. GVCs are now considered as a major tool to reach inclusive growth in Africa. World Bank and OECD refer to inclusive GVCs; the African Economic Outlook for 2014 (by OECD, African Development Bank, and UNDP) links GVCs with successful industrialization in Africa; the World Economic Forum refers to policies which allow for tapping the potential of GVCs for African development; ILO investigates the employment opportunities being associated with a deeper integration into GVCs; OECD, WTO and World Bank analyse the challenges, opportunities, and policy implications of GVCs; OECD addresses those instruments which may help policymakers in developing countries to pursue their GVC agenda; UNCTAD outlines policies to integrate developing countries’ SMEs (small and medium enterprises) into GVCs; WTO addresses the tasks of policymakers to manage GVCs in a changing world economy; UN’s Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN-ESA) looks at ways to strengthen capacities of policymakers to develop competitive value chains; the African Development Bank considers the options of policymakers for climbing value chains; UNIDO relates GVCs to agroindustry development; and UNECA looks at policy implications for promoting global value chains (GVCs) and regional value chains (RVCs).The list could be continued, as there is a rich collection of guidelines available now for promoting integration of local enterprises into GVCs.

Professor  Karl Wohlmuth has published a report in the journal “Berichte” to synthesize some of these views. The report is done in the form of a Guide for Policymakers enabling them to exploit by coherent policies the opportunities for African Development of integrating local enterprises into GVCs. The report draws on recommendations of international organizations and on lessons from case studies which were written for the volumes 18 and 19 of the African Development Perspectives Yearbook.

 

Bibliographic Information:

Wohlmuth, Karl, 2016, Global Value Chains and African Development – Key Issues addressed to Policymakers, pages 4-30, “Berichte”, 2016, Volume 26, Number 210, ISSN 1022-3258, Berlin, IWVWW e. V.

The report has two parts. In part one basic issues of global value chains (GVCs) when interacting with African local economies are discussed. Major questions are: How can Africa develop capabilities and preconditions for a beneficial integration of its producers into global value chains? What do we know about the depth and the forms of Africa’s integration into regional and global value chains? Are the sub-regional and local development impacts of Africa’s participation in regional and global value chains gainful? In order to guide the policymakers on GVCs it is necessary to collect information on these issues first.

In part two some strategic implications of the analysis are presented, with the purpose to formulate the core elements of the guideline. Five priority areas for action emerge and have to be considered by policymakers so that the African country and its enterprises can gain from global value chains (GVCs): First priority is, Developing the Key Capabilities for GVC Participation; second priority is, Identifying the Power Structures within the GVCs; third priority is, Assessing the Relevance of the Various Transmission Channels; fourth priority is, Using more fully the GVC Anchors and GVC Hubs in Africa; and fifth priority is, Making Regional Integration work for deeper GVC Participation. Important is the way how these five elements are bundled together in a comprehensive strategy by the policymakers.

All these five strategic imperatives have high cost in terms of administrative burden, manpower needs, leadership, and visionary power. So, it can be envisaged that for many African countries integration into global value chains (GVCs) will remain a dream, not becoming reality in the next few years. Other countries are developing and exploiting such potentials to integrate their enterprises into GVCs, like some North African and South African countries, and some few West African and East African countries, but this will be a select list of countries. However, even the successful countries in Africa will make progress in regard of GVCs only with regard of some product niches, some tasks, specific sectors and sub-regions, and a select group of enterprises. It will be necessary for all of them to learn from small successes and not to be discouraged.

Volumes 18 and 19 of the African Development Perspectives Yearbook with case studies on Global Value Chains:

 

 


The report benefitted from the lessons of several case studies in volumes 18 and 19 of the African Development Perspectives Yearbook (see above, and see the link to the Publisher and to the Editor of the Yearbook volumes: http://www.lit-verlag.de/reihe/adpy and http://www.karl-wohlmuth.de/african_development_perspectives_yearbook/). Country cases for Sudan, The Gambia, Ghana, Tunisia, and Botswana highlight the preconditions for a successful integration into GVCs, in terms of macroeconomic policy formation, human resources development, trade and industry policy formation, spatial development policies, and technology and innovation policy formation.

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14.08.2017
2017 South Africa Edition of: The Rise of Africa’s Middle Class - Myths, Realities and Critical Engagements

Because of the great international interest in the topic WITS UNIVERSITY PRESS at UNIVERSITY OF THE WITWATERSRAND, JOHANNESBURG has published a South Africa edition in 2017. The University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg has an outstanding reputation as a leading university in Africa.

 

Professor Oluyele Akinkugbe, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa and Professor Karl Wohlmuth, University of Bremen have contributed to this book with a chapter on “Africa's Middle Class, Africa's Entrepreneurs and the Missing Middle”. This study is based on researches about the growth of Africa’s Middle Class and the impacts on the development of Africa’s Entrepreneurship. Specifically, the chapter investigates the role of Africa’s Middle Class for closing the “Missing Middle”, the gap between the few large and the many small and informal enterprises in Africa. The question is raised if the growth of Africa’s Middle Class will contribute to the growth of African enterprises so that the “Missing Middle” development trap can be overcome. An analysis of African enterprises and entrepreneurs is presented, by type of economic characteristics (survival versus growth-oriented enterprises) and by type of economic motivation (necessity-driven versus opportunity-driven entrepreneurs). The purpose of the analysis is to assess if the growth of Africa’s Middle Class will create a viable entrepreneurship sector and a dynamic class of entrepreneurs. Also the role of development policy is investigated in this context; it is asked if and how public development policies can support the growth of African enterprises and of a dynamic African entrepreneurial class. It is also asked to what extent these new African enterprises and African entrepreneurs are rooted in the growing African middle class.

The book, which was edited by Professor Henning Melber, a lead expert on Southern Africa, with the title “The Rise of Africa’s Middle Class – Myths, Realities and Critical Engagements” was first published 2016 at Zed Publishers: https://www.zedbooks.net/shop/book/the-rise-of-africas-middle-class/ and is distributed by The University of Chicago Press Books: http://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/distributed/R/bo25073345.html. The book is a critical analysis of the Africa Rising/Rise of Africa’s Middle Class Paradigm.

First book reviews are coming in (see: http://witspress.bookslive.co.za/blog/2017/04/26/roger-southall-reviews-the-rise-of-africa%E2%80%99s-middle-classes-myths-realities-and-critical-engagements/ and https://www.pambazuka.org/economics/understanding-africa%E2%80%99s-middle-classes-book-review and http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/africaatlse/2017/04/07/book-review-the-rise-of-africas-middle-class-myths-realities-and-critical-engagements-by-henning-melbered/).

See also the related report by Editor Henning Melber on Africa’s rising middle class: time to sort out fact from fiction in The Conversation (of May 24, 2016). The report (Link: https://theconversation.com/africas-rising-middle-class-time-to-sort-out-fact-from-fiction-59797)  gives an assessment of the issues, but also outlines the interdisciplinary approaches needed to analyse the subject properly..

 

Bibliographic Details of the South Africa Edition (see the Link: http://witspress.co.za/catalogue/the-rise-of-africas-middle-class/):

 

Editor(s): Henning Melber
Publication Date: March 2017
Dimensions and Pages: 234 x 156 mm; 288 pp; Softcover
Paperback EAN: 978-1-77614-082-4
Rights: Southern Africa
Recommended Price (ZAR): 350.00

Professor Karl Wohlmuth has presented in 2014 the study “African Lions, African Tigers, and Emerging African Middle Classes – A Very Sceptical Note Extended” (Link: http://www.iwim.uni-bremen.de/files/dateien/1401_african_lions_sceptical.pdf). In this study the “Africa Rising” story is critically examined and is also related to the debate about the growth of Africa’s Middle Class. The study was published in the journal “Berichte” of the Research Institute of the IWVWW in Berlin in the Number 205, October-December 2014, Volume 24. See the bibliographic details below:

Wohlmuth, Karl, 2014, African Lions, African Tigers, and Emerging African Middle Classes – A Very Sceptical Note Extended, pp. 4-32, in: Berichte, Oktober - Dezember 2014, 24. Jahrgang, Nr. 205, Schwerpunktthema des Heftes: Diskussionswert: sich differenzierendes Afrika, Geopolitik und Menschenrechte, internationales Krisenmanagement und das wesentlich Unsichtbare, Berlin: Forschungsinstitut der IWVWW e. V.

An extended version of the essay “Africa's Middle Class, Africa's Entrepreneurs and the Missing Middle” was published in November 2016 in an IWIM Publication Series (see for bibliographic details): Wohlmuth, Karl/ Oluyele Akinkugbe, 2016, Middle Class Growth and Entrepreneurship Development in Africa – Measurement, Causality, Interactions and Policy Implications, November 2016, 36 S., "Weiße Reihe" des IWIM, Andreas Knorr, Alfons Lemper, Axel Sell, Karl Wohlmuth (Hrsg.): Materialien des Wissenschaftsschwerpunktes "Globalisierung der Weltwirtschaft", Bd. 43, November 2016, ISSN 0948-3837 (ehemals: Materialien des Universitätsschwerpunktes "Internationale Wirtschaftsbeziehungen und Internationales Management"). PDF and Download are available at: PDF and Link to the  IWIM Publication Series: http://www.karl-wohlmuth.de/weisse_reihe/.

This extended contribution is accepted for publication in the journal “Berichte” for Number 1, 2017. It is a forthcoming publication.

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14.08.2017
Professor Reuben A. Alabi continues his Research Programme at the University of Bremen until 2020: Cooperation with Professor Karl Wohlmuth on Economic Developments in Rural and Semi-Urban Areas of Nigeria

Professor Reuben A. Alabi, Full Professor of Agricultural  Economics since March 2017 at the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State, Nigeria, will continue his researches in Bremen for three more years (2018 - 2020). He is already in Bremen since 2015, at the invitation of Professor Karl Wohlmuth who is also consultant and senior project adviser to these research projects. He will undertake in the coming years researches on various issues of development in Nigeria:

Research Project One: ‘Cassava Production, Processing, Fortification and Acceptability in Nigeria’, a publication for Volume 20 of the African Development Perspectives Yearbook. He is also one of the Volume Editors and Unit Co-Editor for the Unit on Nigeria in Volume 20. Volume 20 will appear for 2018, while Volume 21 will  be ready for 2019. Professor Alabi will also assist in the work for Volume 21.

Research Project Two: He will conduct researches on ‘Impact of State Government Public Expenditures on Yam Productivity and its Implications on Food Security in Nigeria’. In this context he will also organize a Policy Workshop in Nigeria. The intention is to inform the policymakers, the civil society, and academia about the policy implications of these researches. Focus is on the role of state level public finances in contrast to analyses of the federal level public expenditures.

Research Project Three: He will also conduct researches on ‘How to Address Youth Unemployment in Nigeria by Using Agricultural and Business Technologies’. Also this project will lead to a Policy Workshop in Nigeria. The intention is to inform the policymakers, the civil society and academia about these researches. As growth has not contributed to employment creation in Nigeria, this project will link directly employment policies for the youth and agricultural development policies to enable young entrepreneurs.

 

Recent researches by Professor Alabi in Bremen have led to important international publications (a full list of publications is contained in the Letter of Intentions submitted for the Research Programme 2018-2020):

International Publication One: AGRODEP

No. 0036 - Does an Inorganic Fertilizer Subsidy Promote the Use of Organic Fertilizers in Nigeria?

AGRODEP Author:
Alabi, Reuben Adeolu 
Abu, Godwin Anjeinu 
Authors:
Reuben Adeolu Alabi, Oshobugie Ojor Adams, Godwin Abu 
Publisher:
AGRODEP 

Abstract:
This study examines the crowding-out or -in effect of organic fertilizers as a result of the inorganic fertilizer subsidy program in Nigeria. The study made use of the Nigeria General Household Survey (GHS) dataset from 2010-2011, which contains 5,000 farmers. We estimate the probability and intensity of organic and inorganic fertilizer use conditioned on the amount of fertilizer subsidy accessed by the farmers using Probit and Tobit IV methodologies. The results reveal that organic fertilizer is being used as an alternative to inorganic fertilizer and that the farmers who are not able to access the fertilizer subsidy rely on organic fertilizer. Apart from revealing the crowding-out effect of the fertilizer subsidy on the use of organic fertilizers, our findings also bring to the fore the role that transportation and regional constraints play in stimulating inorganic fertilizer application among farmers outside the fertilizer subsidy scheme. We conclude with some recommendations on how to increase organic fertilizer use and promote integrated soil fertility management among farmers in Nigeria.

The full paper is available at:

http://www.agrodep.org/resource/no-0036-does-inorganic-fertilizer-subsidy-promote-use-organic-fertilizers-nigeria

International Publication Two: AFRICAN ECONOMIC RESEARCH CONSORTIUM (AERC), NAIROBI, KENYA

 

Title: THE PRO-POORNESS OF FERTILIZER SUBSIDY AND ITS IMPLICATIONS ON FOOD SECURITY IN NIGERIA  Authors: ALABI, Reuben Adeolu  Department of Agricultural Economics, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma Edo State, Nigeria, e-mail: bayobimb@yahoo.com and
ADAMS, Oshobugie Ojor Department of Agricultural Economics, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma Edo State, Nigeria, e-mail: bugieadams@yahoo.com
FINAL REPORT SUBMITTED TO The AFRICAN ECONOMIC RESEARCH CONSORTIUM (AERC), NAIROBI, KENYA

Abstract:

We examined the pro-poorness of the newly introduced e-wallet fertilizer scheme in Nigeria. The study made use of the Nigeria General Household Survey (GHS)-Panel Datasets of 2010/2011 and 2012/2013 which contain 5000 farmers in each the panel and supplemented it with Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) data on fertilizer subsidy. We determined the pro-poorness of the scheme by estimating its benefit incidence and concentration index, and estimated the impact of the scheme on fertilizer use,  output and yield of the participating farmers using the propensity score matching (PSM) methodology. We found that the e-wallet scheme was able to register about 70% of the expected number of registered farmers, while the roll-out and redemption rates stood at 79% and 69% respectively. The proportion of farmers who used fertilizer in Nigeria declined from about 39% in the pre-wallet scheme to 38% during the e-wallet scheme. The percentage of farmers that used subsidized fertilizer also decreased from 13% in the pre-wallet era to 12%  during  the e-wallet scheme. We indicated that the concentration indices of fertilizer subsidy before and during the e-wallet schemes were  0.0328  and 0.0168 respectively. Since they were positive, it means that their distributions are not pro-poor, but fertilizer subsidy with the e-wallet scheme is more pro-poor than the pre e-wallet scheme because it has a lower concentration index. While the largest-scale farmers shared 23% in the fertilizer subsidy before and during the e-wallet schemes, the share of the smallest-scale farmers were 18% and 19% in the fertilizer subsidy before and during the e-wallet scheme respectively.

This may explain the relative pro-poorness of e-wallet over the pre-e-wallet scheme. However, the e-wallet scheme was not pro-poor in absolute terms because the share of the largest farm size group of farmers was higher than the share of the smallest farm size group during the e-wallet scheme. The study showed further that the share of the rural area in the fertilizer subsidy was about 39% and 41% before and during the e-wallet scheme respectively. The study demonstrated  that the fertilizer subsidy distribution is not pro-poor in the rural area and in the South-South, North-West and North-Central regions of Nigeria. The study revealed further  that the participating farmers in the e-wallet fertilizer scheme used more fertilizer than non-participating farmers in the range of 278kg to 293kg per farmer. The output of the participating farmers was significantly higher by 827kg but there were not significant differences in their farm productivities. The study revealed that the small and the smallest farm holders who contributed about 70% of the total yield of all the farmers shared only 39% of the subsidized fertilizer during the e-wallet fertilizer scheme. This non-pro-poor distribution of subsidized fertilizer has been implicated for non-significant differences in the farm productivities of participating and non-participating farmers in the scheme. The study concluded that, though the e-wallet scheme is more innovative and transparent than the previous fertilizer subsidy scheme, some factors that limited the pro-poorness of the past fertilizer subsidy scheme are still inherent in the e-wallet scheme. In order to improve the impact of the scheme on food crop productivity and on food security, the study recommended how the pro-poorness of the e-wallet scheme can be addressed with special reference to the rural area,  the South-South, the North-West and the North-Central regions.
See the Final Report to AERC by the Authors: PDF AERC Contribution

Competing Successfully for International Research Awards
Professor Alabi holds various research awards and international scholarships: Research Grant from Bilateral Cooperation in Education and Research (Internationales Büro des BMBF, Bonn, Germany; Georg Forster Research Fellowship Award of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (AvH Foundation), Bonn, Germany; Innovative Research Grant from African Growth & Development Policy Modelling Consortium (AGRODEP-IFPRI), Washington D. C., USA; Research Grant from the African Economic Research Consortium (AERC), Nairobi, Kenya; Research Grant by the Partnership for Economic Policy (PEP) Research Network, Quebec Canada; and Excellence in Publication Grant from African Growth & Development Policy Modelling Consortium (AGRODEP-IFPRI), Washington D. C., USA). He also has applied for funding for the projects in the new research period in Bremen (2018 – 2020). Professor Karl Wohlmuth is advising the research activities of Professor Alabi now since 2004. In this year the cooperation started between the universities in Ekpoma, Nigeria and in Bremen, Germany at the occasion of a Research Workshop on African Development.

Professor Alabi has published in most of the publication series of IWIM (Book Series, African Development Perspectives Yearbook Series, Blue Discussion Paper Series, and White Discussion Paper Series).

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14.08.2017
ECOSOC and Sustainable Development Goal 9: „Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation“

Professor Karl Wohlmuth is invited as a speaker to the Victoria Falls Global Conference of ECOSOC in preparation of the 2017 Special Meeting to be held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. ECOSOC is intensively working now on the global implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As SDG 9 has great relevance for poverty eradication, the complex issues are discussed in various Global Conferences. Professor Karl Wohlmuth is one of the speakers at the Global Conference in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.

The 2017 Special Meeting of ECOSOC on “Innovations in Infrastructure Development and Promoting Sustainable Industrialization” will highlight the following issues (see the link: https://www.un.org/ecosoc/en/events/2017/2017-special-meeting-ecosoc-%E2%80%9Cinnovations-infrastructure-development-and-promoting):

WHAT? The 2017 Special Meeting of ECOSOC will address the theme “Innovations in Infrastructure Development and Promoting Sustainable Industrialization”, putting the spotlight on the relevance of Sustainable Development Goal 9 (SDG-9) and its inter-linkages with other Goals and targets. Two preparatory events – in Dakar, Senegal (26 March) and in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe (24-26 April) – were organised in the lead-up to the Special Meeting.

WHEN? The 2017 Special Meeting will be held on 31 May 2017, in the ECOSOC Chamber at UN Headquarters, New York.

WHY? Resilient infrastructure and sustainable industrialization are key enablers of poverty eradication and can promote inclusion, connectivity and equality within societies. However, these sectors can be complex and expensive to develop, especially in countries in Africa and countries in special situations. The Special Meeting will aim to bring the challenges involved to the attention of national, regional and international actors, and to forge solutions to bridge the gaps in infrastructure, industrialization and innovation across countries.

WHO? The 2017 Special Meeting will bring together high-level representatives of Member States, representatives of the United Nations system, international organizations, civil society and other non-governmental organizations, academia and the private sector. The overall initiative is supported by a range of UN entities including FAO, OHRLLS (UN Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States), OSAA (Office of the Special Adviser on Africa), UNCTAD, UNDP, UNECA, UNHABITAT, UNIDO and WIPO, and engaging other organizations such as the African Development Bank, the African Union, NEPAD and representatives from academia, civil society and the private sector.

Invitation: Professor Karl Wohlmuth was invited by His Excellency, Mr. Frederick Musiwa Makamure Shava, President of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) to speak at the „Global Expert Meeting on Agriculture and Agro-industries Development towards Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems“ in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe about “Strategies towards Industrialization based on Agricultural Development - Lessons learned from the 3ADI model and moving beyond 3ADI”. The Conference is held on 24-26 April 2017, arranged by ECOSOC, FAO, UNIDO, and other UN organizations.

Further Information:

See the Programme of the Victoria Falls Global Conference of ECOSOC: PDF ECOSOC-Draft Programme

See the Press Release of IWIM at the occasion of this Event: PDF Press Release of IWIM on ECOSOC

See the Link to the ECOSOC working programme on SDG 9 with meetings in Dakar, Victoria Falls and New York City (United Nations Headquarters): https://www.un.org/ecosoc/en/events/2017/2017-special-meeting-ecosoc-%E2%80%9Cinnovations-infrastructure-development-and-promoting

See the Link to the Special Meeting of ECOSOC on “Innovations in Infrastructure Development and Promoting Sustainable Industrialization” at: https://www.un.org/ecosoc/en/events/2017/2017-special-meeting-ecosoc-%E2%80%9Cinnovations-infrastructure-development-and-promoting

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14.08.2017
Standortwahl bei Markteintritten von kleinen und mittelständischen Unternehmen in Afrika: Yves Bagna entwickelt einen „Porter Competitiveness Index“

Der Ingenieur und Ökonom Diplom-Ingenieur und MBA Yves Bagna aus Kamerun hat einen „Porter Competitiveness Index“ zur Bewertung der wirtschaftlichen Attraktivität afrikanischer Länder erarbeitet. Die Ergebnisse wurden mit dem „Global Competitiveness Index“ des World Economic Forum (WEF) abgeglichen. An diesem Projekt hat Professor Karl Wohlmuth als Berater mitgewirkt. Die Studie ist jetzt im Forschungsinstitut der Internationalen Wissenschaftlichen Vereinigung Weltwirtschaft und Weltpolitik e. V. Berlin (IWVWW) als Buch erschienen. Im nächsten Heft der Institutszeitschrift „Berichte“ (Nummer 1, 2017) wird eine prägnante Kurzfassung der Studie unter dem Titel „Zielmärkte in Afrika, Eine Untersuchung der wirtschaftlich attraktiven Länder in Afrika“ erscheinen. Yves Bagna hat seinen Ansatz dem Team von Professor Michael Porter an der Harvard Business School, Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness (ISC), vorgestellt (Link: http://www.isc.hbs.edu/Pages/default.aspx).


Vgl. zu den Kurzfassungen und bibliographischen in Deutsch, Französisch und Englisch die folgenden Einträge:

 

Zukunftsmarkt Afrika: Welche Länder sind für eine Geschäftsanbahnung besonders interessant?

Yves Bagna legt eine neue Studie zu afrikanischen Zukunftsmärkten vor und entwickelt einen „Porter Competitiveness Index“. In diesem faktenreichen Buch werden wichtige theoretische Ansätze genutzt, um Aussagen über die Attraktivität afrikanischer Länder für kleine und mittelständische deutsche und andere europäische Unternehmen zu treffen. Unternehmen, die in Afrika investieren wollen bzw. einen Kooperationspartner vor Ort suchen, können den Analyserahmen und die Ergebnisse gut für eigene Bewertungen nutzen. Yves Bagna wurde von Prof. Dr. Karl Wohlmuth, IWIM, Universität Bremen, während der Erstellung der Studie beraten. Die Studie wurde 2017 vom Forschungsinstitut der IWVWW e. V. in Berlin veröffentlicht und kann von dort bezogen werden. Ausführliche Kurzfassungen in Deutsch, Englisch und Französisch geben dem Leser einen kompakten Überblick.

Deutsche Kurzfassung und bibliographische Information (PDF Deutsch)

L‘Afrique marché d’avenir: Quels sont les pays lucratifs pour des activités commerciales?

Yves Bagna présente une nouvelle étude sur les marchés d’avenir en Afrique et développe pour ce but un « Porter Competitiveness Index ». Dans ce livre riche en faits, des instruments théoriques remarquables sont employés dans le but de déterminer les pays attractifs en Afrique pour les petites et moyennes entreprises en Allemagne et dans les autres pays européens. Les entreprises qui veulent investir en Afrique ou qui cherchent des partenaires d’affaires sur place peuvent évidemment utiliser ce cadre analytique pour leurs propres estimations. Yves Bagna a été consulté pendant cette étude par le Prof. Dr. Karl Wohlmuth, IWIM, de l’Université de Breme. L’étude a été publiée en 2017 par l’institut de recherche IWVWW e. V. de Berlin et peut donc être obtenue dans cette institution. Un résumé minutieux du contenu en allemand, en anglais et en français permet au lecteur d’avoir un aperçu succinct.

Französische Kurzfassung und bibliographische Information (PDF Französisch)

Future Markets in Africa: Which countries are particularly interesting for initiating business?

Yves Bagna presents a new study on African future markets and develops a "Porter Competitiveness Index". In this fact-rich book, important theoretical approaches are used to make statements about the attractiveness of African countries to small and medium-sized German (and other European) companies. Companies wishing to invest in Africa or to establish a co-operation with a local partner can use the analysis framework and the results for their own evaluations. Yves Bagna was advised by Prof. Dr. Karl Wohlmuth, IWIM, University of Bremen, during the elaboration of the study. The study was published in 2017 by the Forschungsinstitut of the IWVWW e. V. in Berlin and can be obtained from there. Detailed abstracts in German, English, and French give the reader a compact overview.

Englische Kurzfassung und bibliographische Information (PDF Englisch)

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13.08.2017
Thirty Experts work on Regional Integration In Africa: Professor Karl Wohlmuth discusses the turn from a linear to a transformative regional integration model

Professor Karl Wohlmuth has contributed to this project with an essay “Towards Transformative Regional Integration and Measuring Integration Progress”, covering the following issues: The Linear Regional Integration Model and the Reality of African Regionalism and Towards a Transformative Regional Integration Model and the Perspectives of Structural Transformation in Africa (see for the Download of a  PDF: https://interventionseconomiques.revues.org/3152). This essay is part of the chapter on Regional Experiences, while there are also chapters on African Regionalism and on Economic Policy of Regionalism. The essay by Professor Wohlmuth covers some issues of Volume 18 of the African Development Perspectives Yearbook for 2015/16 with the title Africa's Progress in Regional and Global Economic Integration – Towards Transformative Regional Integration (see the Link: http://www.karl-wohlmuth.de/african_development_perspectives_yearbook/).


About the Journal (from the journal website):

La revue Interventions économiques / Papers in Political Economy est une revue scientifique qui s'intéresse aux débats théoriques en économie politique et en socio-économie, à l’évolution et aux transformations socio-économiques des sociétés actuelles et aux résultats de recherche menés dans ces divers domaines.

About the new Publication (from the introduction by the co-ordinators of the edition):

“Y faisant face, l’UA a adopté l’Agenda 2063, lequel retient l’intégration du continent comme sa deuxième aspiration majeure : un continent « politiquement uni ». Au-delà de cette perspective cinquantenaire, les trajectoires antérieures et les évolutions récentes de l’intégration régionale africaine méritent un temps d’arrêt pour jeter un regard rétrospectif sur les acquis et se projeter sur l’avenir, à la lumière d’un état des lieux.

C’est l’objet du présent numéro thématique de la Revue Interventions Économiques. Le numéro « spécial Afriques» entend faire le point sur l’intégration régionale en Afrique, cinq décennies après la création de l’Organisation de l’Unité Africaine (OUA) et 15 années après la naissance de l’Union africaine (UA). Il a vocation à contribuer à améliorer la connaissance sur l'intégration régionale en Afrique. Ce faisant, les experts s’y prononcent sur l’impact des régionalismes sur la compétitivité du continent, tout en essayant de situer les économies africaines au sein de l’économie mondiale. De plus, les lecteurs trouveront dans ce numéro des réflexions qui tentent de faire le suivi des efforts en matière d’intégration africaine, de repérer les opportunités et les menaces inhérentes tant aux contextes national (aspirations au statut d’émergence) et régional qu’à l’environnement mondial. Une place importante est également faite non seulement à l’évaluation des acquis en termes de bien-être et de qualité de vie des populations,  à l'identification de quelques pratiques exemplaires, mais aussi à une projection sur l’avenir dans des perspectives à moyen ou long terme pour l’émergence et l’intégration africaines.”

Charlie Mballa et Issiaka Mandé

Major Issues (see about regular current issues of the journal: https://interventionseconomiques.revues.org/3152):

The journal has published on relevant political economy themes (on the organization of the global economy and on regional and national political and economic issues)-



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16.12.2016
Die Vereinten Nationen präsentieren die zwei aktuellen Ausgaben des Bremer Afrika-Jahrbuchs in Kigali, Ruanda zum Thema „Fortschritte Afrikas bei der regionalen und globalen ökonomischen Integration“

Seit 1989 wird von der Forschungsgruppe Afrikanische Entwicklungsperspektiven an der Universität Bremen, geleitet von Professor Dr. Karl Wohlmuth, das African Development Perspectives Yearbook herausgegeben. Nun hat die UN-Wirtschaftskommission für Afrika in Kigali, Ruanda die beiden Ausgaben des Jahrbuchs für 2015/2016 und 2017 der afrikanischen Öffentlichkeit vorgestellt. Das Launch Event fand vom 25.- 27. Oktober 2016 auf Einladung des UNECA-Direktors Andrew Mold im Kigali Convention Centre (KCC) statt (Programme Kigali). Es ging darum, wichtige Multiplikatoren aus Politik, Wissenschaft, Entwicklungszusammenarbeit und Medien über die zentralen Inhalte der beiden Bände zu informieren. Eingeladen waren die Presse, Botschafter aus den Ländern der Ostafrikanischen Gemeinschaft, Politiker und Beamte der ruandischen Regierung, Experten von UN-Organisationen, die Chefökonomen der Regierung und der Zentralbank, Vertreter von Universitäten und Experten von Organisationen der Entwicklungszusammenarbeit. Professor Karl Wohlmuth legte Pressetexte zu den beiden Bänden (Press Release Volume 18 und Press Release Volume 19), die Eröffnungsrede (Opening Speech) und einen Überblick zur entwicklungspolitischen Bedeutung des Jahrbuch-Projektes für Afrika vor (Wohlmuth-Panel Discussion 3). Die Politikrelevanz der bisherigen 19 Bände wurde in der Präsentation analysiert.

Der Inhalt des Bandes für 2015/2016 „Towards Transformative Regional Integration in Africa“ wurde mit großem Interesse aufgenommen, da auch in Ostafrika effektivere Wege einer regionalen Zusammenarbeit gesucht werden. Die regionale Integration in Afrika ist in den letzten Jahren zu einem Schwerpunktthema im Rahmen der Afrikanischen Union (AU) geworden; die UN-Wirtschaftskommission für Afrika arbeitet über diese Fragen sehr intensiv und thematisiert die Strukturprobleme der regionalen Integration für ganz Afrika. Im Band für 2015/2016 wird auf jene strukturverändernden Interventionen eingegangen, die den regionalen Integrationsprozess in Afrika unumkehrbar machen könnten und insgesamt zu mehr Wachstum, Beschäftigung und sozialem Ausgleich führen. An dem Band 18 waren u. a. Experten der UNCTAD/Genf, der FAO/Rom, der UNECA/Kigali, von TRALAC, Stellenbosch, vom ECDPM/Maastricht und Forscher aus afrikanischen Ländern (Sudan, Botswana, Ghana) sowie von der Bremer Forschungsgruppe beteiligt. In mehreren grundlegenden Abhandlungen wurde verdeutlicht, dass die regionale Integration in Afrika nicht nach dem Modell der EU funktioniert, sondern zunächst bei den Strukturdefiziten ansetzen muss, die innerhalb des regionalen Integrationsraums den Handel, die Investitionen, die Arbeitskräftewanderungen, die Kapitalbewegungen und die makroökonomische Koordination erschweren. Das Ministerium von Ruanda für die Ostafrikanische Gemeinschaft unter der Leitung von Frau Ministerin Valentine Rugwabiza und andere Behörden von Ruanda haben das Vorhaben von Anfang an aktiv mit unterstützt.

 
Eine Arbeitsgruppensitzung des Launch Events in  Kigali, Rwanda, im Kigali Convention Centre.

Links im Bild: Dr. Thomas Kigabo, Chefökonom der National Bank of Rwanda bei seiner Ansprache;
zweiter von rechts: der Managing Editor des African Development Perspectives Yearbook, Prof. Dr. Tobias Knedlik
Quelle: The New Times, Kigali, Rwanda

Im Band für 2017 zum Thema „New Trade and Investment Policies for Africa“ wird darauf aufbauend analysiert, wie eine neue Handels- und Investitionspolitik in Afrika durchgesetzt werden kann, um global wettbewerbsfähig zu werden. Es geht dabei um Themen, die lange in Afrika vernachlässigt wurden: Wie kann eine Handels- und Investitionspolitik so weiterentwickelt werden, dass es zu mehr Wachstum, zu höherer Beschäftigung und zu schnelleren Strukturveränderungen kommt?; welche Rolle spielen neue Politiken bei der dringend notwendigen Exportdiversifizierung in Afrika?; wie können die Öl exportierenden Länder in Afrika ihre Handels- und Investitionspolitik so steuern, dass Landwirtschaft und Industrie Entwicklungschancen haben?; und, wie können durch neue Politiken auch international konkurrenzfähige internationale Unternehmen in Afrika gefördert werden? Federführend waren bei diesem Band neben den Experten der Bremer Forschungsgruppe dänische, tunesische, gambische und nigerianische Ökonomen und Ökonominnen beteiligt. Dieser Band ist für Ruanda wie auch für andere Länder der Ostafrikanischen Gemeinschaft von großem Interesse, weil Ruanda als kleines Land ohne direkten Zugang zu Häfen auf offene Märkte und große Integrationsräume angewiesen ist.

Im Mittelpunkt der Diskussionen standen aus aktuellen Gründen auch die Themen des Brexit und einer Afrikanischen Währungsunion. Die Wirkungen des Brexit auf die Ostafrikanische Gemeinschaft (EAC-East African Community) haben mit der Bedeutung von Großbritannien für die meisten Länder der Ostafrikanischen Gemeinschaft zu tun, aber der Brexit beeinflusst auch die Zukunft des EPA (Economic Partnership Agreement) zwischen EU und EAC. Diese Themen haben beim Launch-Event daher eine besondere Rolle gespielt. Präsentationen von UNECA-Direktor Andrew Mold und von Professor Tobias Knedlik bezogen sich daher direkt auf die Perspektiven einer vertieften Integration in Ostafrika nach dem Brexit und einer Afrikanischen Währungsunion. Aber auch die weitergehenden Integrationspläne wie TFTA (Tripartite Free Trade Area) und CFTA (Continental Free Trade Area) wurden intensiv diskutiert. Der Band 18 des Jahrbuchs war für alle diese Fragen der vertieften regionalen Integration eine gute Grundlage. Neben den monetären Aspekten der regionalen Integration standen auch die Strategien zur Verbesserung der Wettbewerbsfähigkeit von Ländern und Unternehmen in Ostafrika im Fokus. Der Beitrag von neuen Handels- und Investitionspolitiken zur Lösung von Problemen in Ostafrika wurde mit Bezug auf den Band 19 des Jahrbuchs diskutiert.

Die Präsentation der beiden Jahrbuch-Ausgaben in Kigali wurde in Form eines Politikdialogs zwischen Wissenschaft, Politik und Medien durchgeführt. Die Politikrelevanz der wissenschaftlichen Ergebnisse der Jahrbücher wurde an Beispielen dargestellt. Die Fernsehinterviews zum Launch Event mit Professor Tobias Knedlik, dem Managing Editor des Jahrbuchs, und mit UNECA-Direktor Andrew Mold wurden in 48 afrikanischen Ländern gesendet. Der UNESCO-Direktor Nazar Hassan, Kairo, gab einen Überblick zum Thema des Bandes 20 für 2018 über „Science, Technology and Innovation Policies for Inclusive Growth in Africa“. Diese Thematik ist für eine vertiefte regionale und globale ökonomische Integration der afrikanischen Länder überaus wichtig (Hassan STI Policy und Hassan Yearbook Kigali). Professor Reuben A. Alabi, Ekpoma, Nigeria, derzeit Universität Bremen, hat ein Statement zu den Instrumenten einer vertieften Handelsförderung für Sub-Sahara-Länder vorgelegt; die Initiativen der „Trade Facilitation“ und von „Aid for Trade“ wurden von der nigerianischen Forschergruppe im Band 19 kritisch beleuchtet (Alabi-Kigali-Statement). Professor Karl Wohlmuth wird eine Dokumentation über das Launch Event in Kigali erstellen. 

Bibliographische Daten zu den Afrika-Jahrbüchern:

Wohlmuth, Karl/Achim Gutowski/Tobias Knedlik/Patrick N. Osakwe/Isabelle Ramdoo (Editors), 2016, African Development Perspectives Yearbook 2015/16, Volume 18, Theme: Africa's Progress in Regional and Global Economic Integration – Towards Transformative Regional Integration, Wien/Zürich/Münster: LIT Publishers, 456 Seiten, ISBN 978-3-643-90523-9 (Web Information: http://www.lit-verlag.de/reihe/adpy )

Wohlmuth, Karl/Reuben A. Alabi/Achim Gutowski/Tobias Knedlik/Oyebanke Oyelaran-Oyeyinka, 2016, African Development Perspectives Yearbook 2017, Volume 19, Theme: Africa's Progress in Regional and Global Economic Integration – Towards New Trade and Investment Policies, Wien/Zürich/Münster: LIT Publishers, 486 Seiten, ISBN 978-3-643-90785-1 (Web Information: http://www.lit-verlag.de/reihe/adpy )

Vgl. auch die Flyer zu den beiden Bänden: Wohlmuth Cover Band 18 und ADPY-Cover Volume 19

 

Fernsehinterviews anlässlich des Launch Events:

Details from CNBC Africa about the Interviews during the Launch Event:
TV Interview with UNECA Director Andrew Mold: “EAC's challenges toward a Monetary Union”

Thu, 27 Oct 2016 10:10:51 GMT 8 views

http://www.cnbcafrica.com/video/?bctid=5187023778001

Text from CNBC Africa: “As the East African Community gears to become a Monetary Union, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa in partnership with the University of Bremen organised a Policy dialogue on regional integration aimed at drawing lessons from the experiences of other regional blocs. CNBC Africa spoke to Andrew Mold, Acting Director at UNECA on challenges of the EAC's journey.“

TV Interview with Managing Editor Professor Tobias Knedlik: “EAC deliberate on challenges, solutions to monetary union”

Fri, 28 Oct 2016 14:44:28 GMT 9 views

http://www.cnbcafrica.com/video/?bctid=5188797459001

Text from CNBC Africa: “The East African Community is edging closer to an economic union and policy makers are keen on evading mistakes of other regional blocs across the globe. CNBC Africa spoke to Professor Doctor Tobias Knedlik of Fulda University and began by asking him whether smaller economies relinquish their competitiveness amid the looming integration.“

Die Bremer Universität veröffentlichte aus Anlass des Launch-Events eine Pressemitteilung: Pressemitteilung Kigali

Weitere Infos zu den Afrika-Jahrbüchern und zum Launch-Event sind zu erhalten über:

Prof. Dr. Karl Wohlmuth
Forschungsgruppe Afrikanische Entwicklungsperspektiven
FB 7, Universität Bremen
Telefon: 218-66517
Email: wohlmuth@uni-bremen.de

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16.12.2016
Launch of the Volumes 18 and 19 of the African Development Perspectives Yearbook in Kigali, Rwanda: Editions “Towards Transformative Regional Integration in Africa” and “Towards New Trade and Investment Policies in Africa” are presented by UNECA

During a Launch Meeting at 25-27 October 2016 organized by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the University of Bremen (Research Group on African Development Perspectives Bremen) the volumes 18 (for 2015/16) and 19 (for 2017) of the African Development  Perspectives Yearbook (see the Flyers: PDF Wohlmuth-Cover Band 18 and PDF ADPY-Cover Volume 19) were presented in the Kigali Convention Centre (KCC) to an audience of African and international experts. The participants, speakers and discussants were from Politics and Government in Rwanda, Central Bank of Rwanda, UN Agencies, Ambassadors from the East African Community to Rwanda, International and Local Media, Development Cooperation Agencies, and Universities. The three-days-programme started with a Press conference (Day 1), followed by the Launch Event and a Policy Dialogue (Day 2), and  a visit to the Universities (Day 3) to present the two editions of the Yearbook. The programme (see the original programme: PDF Programme Kigali 8-2016) was drafted by UNECA Director Andrew Mold, UNECA/Eastern Africa Office, Kigali and Professor Karl Wohlmuth, Director of the Research Group on African Development Perspectives Bremen.

For the Press Conference on Day 1 of the Launch Meeting Press Releases were prepared (see PDF Press release Volume 18 and PDF Press Release Volume 19). Professor Wohlmuth submitted for Day 2 the Opening Speech (PDF Opening Speech Kigali) and a Presentation for the Launch Event on the Policy Implications and Policy Recommendations of the Yearbook editions and especially of Volumes 18 and 19 (see PDF Wohlmuth Panel Discussion 3). Further presentations for Day 2 were prepared by Professor Tobias Knedlik on “Lessons from Europa for the African Monetary Union” and by Dr. Nazar Hassan, UNESCO on “Highlights of Volume 20: STI Policies for Inclusive Growth in Africa” (PDF Presentation Hassan STI Policy and PDF Synopsis Hassan Yearbook). Beside of discussing the themes of Volume 18 “Towards Transformative Regional Integration in Africa” and Volume 19 “Towards New Trade and Investment Policies in Africa” information was given on the highlights of forthcoming Volume 20 on “STI Policies for Inclusive Growth in Africa”.

Day 2 started with Opening Remarks. In the Session on “Transformative Regional Integration in Eastern Africa” new developments in the East African Community (EAC) had an impact, just to mention the implications of the Brexit, the differences between members about the EPA negotiations, and the entry of South Sudan as a new member. The situation of the EAC after the Brexit vote in UK was of great interest for the participants from Rwanda and from the other countries of the EAC. Therefore, UNECA Director Andrew Mold gave an introductory presentation on “The implications of Brexit for the East African Community”, followed by the presentation of Professor Tobias Knedlik on the “Lessons from Europa for the African Monetary Union”. The most important issues and messages of Volume 18 on “Transformative Regional Integration in Africa” were then confronted with the current discussions in the EAC on the future of the relations between EAC and Europe after the Brexit. The discussion after these presentations about “Transformative Regional Integration in Africa” has invited remarks by Dr. Thomas Kigabo, Chief Economist at the National Bank of Rwanda. His contribution centred on the consequences of the Brexit vote for the EAC and the EPA negotiations. Because of differences among EAC member countries about the implications of the Brexit vote and with regard of the EPA agreement the directions of the integration process in the East African Community (EAC) are under review (see the link to the article by James Karuhanga about the speech of Dr. Kigabo: http://www.newtimes.co.rw/section/article/2016-10-27/204808/ ).

Day 2 was continued with the Session on “New Trade and Investment Policies in Eastern Africa”. UNECA Director Mold presented the main messages from his article in the Yearbook with the theme “Building Productive Capacities for Regional and Global Competitiveness: The Case of the East African Community”. Mr. Rodgers Mukwaya, Economic Affairs Officer, UNECA widened the picture by looking at “Patterns of African Regional Integration - The Tripartite and Continental Free Trade Areas”. The discussion on new trade and investment policies centred first, on ways and instruments of building productive capacities as prerequisites for regional and global competitiveness; and second, on opening regional economic communities (RECs) like EAC further towards tripartite and continental free trade areas. Rwanda is looking with great interest and ambition to such further steps of integrating regionally and globally. Emphasizing the case of the East African Community (EAC) was seen by the participants as a valuable application of the main messages from the presented Yearbook editions. Relevant issues of the two volumes were brought to the point by the speakers and discussants. A written statement was presented to the audience by Professor Reuben A. Alabi from Nigeria and currently being a Guest Researcher at the University in Bremen. His statement was about his contribution to Volume 19 in which he and the co-author had assessed the relevance of the “trade facilitation” and “aid for trade” tools for trade promotion of Sub-Saharan Africa (PDF Statement Professor Alabi). Nazar Hassan, Director, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), brought in the theme of “Innovation for Inclusive Growth in Africa”. Rwanda and other countries in the region see science, technology and innovation (STI) as key factors for a successful regional and global economic integration. It was argued that such a theme for the next volume 20 of the African Development Perspectives Yearbook is of utmost importance. Day 2 ended with Closing Remarks.

Day 3 of the Launch Event was used for Talks with Professors from Rwandan Universities on the issues of the two volumes, but also to discuss about university and research partnerships between Rwandan and German universities. There is great interest in Rwanda to cooperate with the Research Group on African Development Perspectives at the University of Bremen, according to Professor Tobias Knedlik, the Managing Editor of the African Development Perspectives Yearbook. Also UNECA expressed its interest to further cooperate with our universities and research groups.


Venue of the Launch Event: Kigali Convention Centre, Rwanda

UNECA has issued a statement on the event which is titled Collaboration, not competition, is key to a successful regional integration  (see the link: http://www.uneca.org/stories/collaboration-not-competition-key-successful-regional-integration ). The international press has taken up the issues (see the links for the report by AllAfrica: http://allafrica.com/stories/201610311186.html , and by TRALAC: https://www.tralac.org/news/article/10727-collaboration-key-to-successful-regional-integration-experts-say.html , and by BigNewsNetwork: http://www.dolphnsix.com/news/1645154/collaboration-competition-successful-regional-integration , and also by the major Rwandan daily journal The New Times under the title “Collaboration key to successful regional integration, experts say”: http://www.newtimes.co.rw/section/article/2016-10-27/204808/

 

In Television Interviews by CNBC Africa, which were broadcasted in 48 African countries, Professor Tobias Knedlik and Director Andrew Mold were interviewed on the importance of the issues discussed during the Launch Event for the policymakers in the East African Community (see the interview with Professor Tobias Knedlik in the video under: http://www.cnbcafrica.com/video/?bctid=5188797459001 , and the interview with Director Andrew Mold in the video under: http://www.cnbcafrica.com/video/?bctid=5187023778001 ).

Details from CNBC Africa about the Interviews during the Launch Event:
TV Interview with UNECA Director Andrew Mold: “EAC's challenges toward a Monetary Union”

Thu, 27 Oct 2016 10:10:51 GMT 8 views

http://www.cnbcafrica.com/video/?bctid=5187023778001

Text from CNBC Africa: “As the East African Community gears to become a Monetary Union, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa in partnership with the University of Bremen organised a Policy dialogue on regional integration aimed at drawing lessons from the experiences of other regional blocs. CNBC Africa spoke to Andrew Mold, Acting Director at UNECA on challenges of the EAC's journey.“

 

TV Interview with Managing Editor Professor Tobias Knedlik: “EAC deliberate on challenges, solutions to monetary union”

Fri, 28 Oct 2016 14:44:28 GMT 9 views

http://www.cnbcafrica.com/video/?bctid=5188797459001

Text from CNBC Africa: “The East African Community is edging closer to an economic union and policy makers are keen on evading mistakes of other regional blocs across the globe. CNBC Africa spoke to Professor Doctor Tobias Knedlik of Fulda University and began by asking him whether smaller economies relinquish their competitiveness amid the looming integration.“

 

Statement by the University of Bremen: The University of Bremen released at  the occasion of the Launch Meeting in Kigali a Press Statement (see the PDF Pressemitteilung Kigali and the Link: http://www.uni-bremen.de/universitaet/presseservice/pressemitteilungen/einzelanzeige/news/detail/News/vereinte-nationen-praesentieren-bremer-afrika-jahrbuecher-in-ruanda.html?cHash=f5d90784f2a1ed199696cbd8ab5f57d1 ). A full documentation about the Launch Meeting will be submitted by Professor Karl Wohlmuth, University of Bremen, Director, Research Group on African Development Perspectives Bremen.

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