Media Advisory: 2018 African Economic Conference 'Regional and Continental Integration for Africa's Development'

2018-11-28 06:31:25

(MENAFN- African Press Organization) ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, November 28, 2018/APO Group/ -- What: The 2018 African Economic Conference (AEC) will take place in Kigali, Rwanda, under the theme 'Regional and Continental Integration for Africa's Development. The Conference is jointly organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) (www.AfDB.org).

Who:

H.E. Paul Kagame, President, Republic of Rwanda (TBC)

H.E. Saulos Chilima, Vice-President, Republic of Malawi

H.E. Prof. Victor Harison, Commissioner for Economic Affairs, African Union Commission

Ms. Ahunna Eziakonwa, UN Assistant Secretary-General and Regional Director for Africa, UNDP

Ms. Giovannie Biha, Deputy Executive Secretary, UNECA

Mr. Gabriel Negatu, Director General, East Africa Regional Development and Business Delivery Office, AfDB

When: Monday 3 December 2016 Wednesday 7 December 2018

The Opening Ceremony will start on Monday 3 December 2018 at 09:30AM, Kigali time, 7:30AM Abidjan/GMT, 2:30 AM New York.

Where: Marriott Hotel, Kigali

Following the launch of the Continental Free Trade Area for Africa in March 2018, the Conference objective will be advocate for and provide clear policy guidance based on research and best practices for a stronger partnership for faster integration in all its dimensions. It will offer a unique avenue for researchers, policymakers and development practitioners to debate and build knowledge on solutions for continental integration. The debates would focus on using four pillars (Conceptual underpinning of Africa's integration; Infrastructure and institution for Africa's integration; Leveraging private sector for Africa's integration; Partnerships for effective integration) to propel innovative solutions to impediments of Africa's regional and continental integration.

The Conference will include the following special events:

Accelerating Inclusive Regional Integration (UNDP) on Monday 3 December 2018 (Marriott Hotel, Kigali/Kilimanjaro Ballroom, 6:00 PM 7:00 PM Kigali time.

What Next After the Launch: Implementing the AfCFTA? (Launch of the 2018 Visa Openness Index) on Tuesday 4 December 2018 (Marriott Hotel, Kigali/Kilimanjaro Ballroom, 2:30 PM 3:30 PM Kigali time.

Launch of the 2018 Africa Sustainable Development Report (AfDB, ECA, UNDP) and the African Governance Report (ECA) on Tuesday 4 December 2018 (Marriott Hotel, Kigali/Kilimanjaro Ballroom, 2:30 PM 3:30 PM Kigali time.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

Media Contacts:

UNDP (Kigali): Lamine Bal, +1 646-242-3253

UNDP (Kigali): Gisele Nyampinga, +250 788802595

AfDB (Kigali): Alkassoum Diallo, +225 56 72 55 82

UNECA (Kigali): Ernest Chi, +251 92 990 7768

UNECA (Addis Ababa): Sandra Nyaira, +251 92 911 7895

For more information on the 2018 African Economic Conference, please visit: www.AEC2018.org

Official hashtags: #AEC2018

About UNDP:

UNDP (www.UNDP.org) partners with people at all levels of society to help build nations that can withstand crisis, and drive and sustain the kind of growth that improves the quality of life for everyone. On the ground in 170 countries and territories, we offer global perspectives and local insights to help empower lives and build resilient nations.

About the African Development Bank Group:

The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) (www.AfDB.org) is Africa's premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 38 African countries with an external office in Japan, the AfDB contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states.

About ECA:

Headquartered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (www.UNECA.org) was established in 1958 with the mandate of promoting the economic and social development of its member States, fostering intra-regional integration, and promoting international cooperation for Africa's development.

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