Day 1 – MONDAY, 19 OCTOBER 2020

The Annual Book Launch

Discussant: Dr Martha Mutisi, Senior Programme Officer, International Development Research Centre (IDRC)

Moderator: Prof. Kenneth Omeje, Director, Manifold Crown Consulting Services

 “Africa First” Igniting a Growth Revolution by Jakkie Cilliers

• Presented and explored 11 factors and their impact and contribution towards a sustainable and sustainable improvement in African livelihoods.
• Africa’s growth trajectory is different to that of the rest of the world because of slow onboarding of the “manufacturing escalator”
• Africa is 50 years away from reaping the benefits of its demographic dividend and must grow 3 times the current rate in order to maximize the potential of its young population.
• Invest in an enabling environment for a manufacturing sector that will engage young people and unleash a growth revolution.
• Education, Health, Good Governance, Food Security, Export-Orientation, Value-Addition for Agricultural Commodities and Diversification from Agricultural to Service-Driven Economies

Annual Book Launch – Quotes 

“The implementation of the AfCFTA can make a substantive difference in Africa, but I am somehow reluctant to put in place these kinds of superstructures without fulfilling the basics.”

“As Africans, we should focus on getting the basics right (education, health, water, sanitation, sustainable energy to grassroots

communities) first and foremost to impulse its growth.”

“An infrastructure project on its own is not an issue, but in the African context, it comes with a lot of debt that challenges our economies. Which could in turn, negatively influence the successful implementation of the AfCFTA.”

MELES ZENAWI LECTURE

Speaker:  Dr. Adebayo Olukoshi, Director, Africa and West Asia IDEA.

Discussant:  Mr Brian Kagoro, Programme Director.

Moderator:  Ms. Hannah Tsadik, Director of Global Policy, Life & Peace Institute (LPI)

– Side Event 1

Rebuilding After COVID-19: Lessons for Effective Governance and Sustainable Peace and Development in Africa

Panellists:

H.E. Dr Workneh Gebeyehu, Executive Secretary, IGAD

Professor Eddy Maloka, CEO, African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM)

Dr. Raji Tajudeen, Head, Division of Public Health Institutes and Research, Africa CDC                           

Reverend Dr. Fidon Mwombeki, General Secretary, AACC

Dr. Gilles Yabi, Founder, WATHI Citizen Think Tank, Senegal 

Moderator: H.E. Abdirahman Yusuf Ali Aynte, Former Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, Somalia

Key Takeaways

1. COVID-19 has exacerbated the existing inequalities
2. COVID-19 has increased Food Insecurity: Disrupted agricultural supply and value chains, Curtailed response to desert locust threat
3. COVID-19 poses a threat to Governance and Human Rights: disruption of the electoral calendar, limitations on right to assembly, the right to education, right to healthcare have been grossly affected.
4. COVID-19 is set to increase Poverty: With lockdowns, those in the informal sector have found it difficult to put food on the table. Access to Immunisation, Sexual and Reproductive Health (SHRH) services have also been affected
5. COVID-19 has inspired African Ingenuity – Local Manufacturing, use of technology
6. There has been an escalation in the conflict, and recruitment by violent extremist groups during the lockdown period. This remains unpredictable.
7. Migration and displacement is set to increase as the economic and ecological effects of COVID start to be felt
8. Multilateralism is under siege but it works. Multilateral platforms enable countries to respond effectively to transnational threats. It is therefore important to strengthen regional capacities for crises and disaster response.
9. Focus on preventative diplomacy and peacebuilding in anticipation of higher levels of social unrest
10. Debt cancellation is essential for African Counties to have sufficient resources needed to survive the economic and social winter post -COVID-19