Malabo 1st November 2017: The Fifth Congress of African Economists 2017 officially kicked off today, Wednesday 1st November 2017 at the Sipopo Conference Center in Malabo, Republic of Equatorial Guinee, to brainstorm on ways to enhance growth, employment and inequality with the view to strengthen economic growth in Africa.

Organized by the Department of Economic Affairs of the African Union Commission (AUC) in collaboration with the Government of Equatorial Guinea, the African economists will brainstorm and adopt a learning-by-doing approach during their congress, by promoting knowledge management as the main engine of policy dialogue, good policies planning and implementation. Addressing the congress participants H.E Prof Victor Harison, Commissioner for Economic Affairs of the African Union (AU), on behalf of the Chairperson of the AUC, H.E Moussa Faki Mahamat, thanked the Government of Equatorial Guinea for accepting to host the 5th Congress of African Economists. He urged the participants to ensure that the Decisions of the African Heads of State during previous summits of the AU are fully implemented particularly those related to economic growth and industrial development through the promotion of value chains with the view to create employment in Africa. (See complete speech of Commissioner Victor Harison on the AU website: www.au.int. )

On his part, the Minister of Economy, Planification and Public Investment of Equatorial Guinea, H.E Eucario Bakale Angue Oyana, conveyed the appreciation of the President of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, H.E Theodoros Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, to the AU Commission, for choosing his country to host this important congress. He hoped that the outcome of the congress will help to create jobs and reduce inequalities within and between countries and Regions in Africa. He further called on the economists to device means to strengthen the economy in Africa.

For days (1- 4 November 2017), participants at the Congress of African Economists 2017 will present their selected papers, analyze, discuss and share best practices on a number of sub-thematic areas including: sources of growth; distribution of the fruits of growth; growth and exogenous shocks; financing growth; problem of unemployment in Africa; growth and integration in Africa; reduce unemployment in Africa; partnership and growth; coordination experience of monetary and fiscal policies in times of crisis; and monetary and fiscal policy-options to boost growth and create employment.
Holding under the theme: “Growth, Employment and Inequalities”, the objective of the 5th Congress of African Economists 2017 is to integrate capacity building in wider efforts to achieve sustainable development and encourage dialogue between researchers, African economic policy makers and the Diaspora in a track favorable to the maturation of the debate on the optimal policies for inclusive growth, full employment and inequality reduction;
It will also strengthen and encourage research on economic and policy issues related to the main theme, sub-themes and the development of the African continent; while providing opportunities for African researchers and African Diaspora to share the results of their research on theme and formulate operational recommendations to African policy makers. In addition, the economists are expected to emphasize on skill retention and use by providing a unique platform to young African Economists in Africa and in the Diaspora to circulate their research findings as well as share information with African policymakers on the issues of growth, employment and inequalities in Africa.
The opening session and overall Congress deliberations was moderated by Dr. Rene N’Guetia Kouassi, Director of Economic Affairs of the AUC.
In line with the ongoing Congress of African Economists, the AU Commissioner for Economic Affairs, H.E. Victor Harison was received in audience by The President of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, H.E Theodoros Obiang Nguema Mbasogo.
Worth noting that, since its implementation in 2009, the Congress of African Economists has served as a framework for exchanges between academics, researchers and practitioners of the economy.

For more information about the Congress, kindly contact:
Dr. Ligane Massamba Sene and Ms Djeinaba Kane; E-mail: LiganeS@africa-union.org ; KaneD@africa-union.org ; Tel: + 251-11-552 6373; Fax: + 251-11-551 0249, 
African Union Commission, P.O. Box: 3243Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

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Directorate of Information and Communication | African Union Commission I E-mail: DIC@african-union.org I Website: www.au.int I Addis Ababa | Ethiopia
For further information: Directorate of Information and Communication | African Union Commission I E-mail: DIC@african-union.org I Website: www.au.int I Addis Ababa | Ethiopia
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