Announcing The African Union Commission's Second Congress of African Economists

For nearly fifty years the African Union (AU)- previously known as the Organization Of African Unity (OAU)- has been dedicated to the independence and empowerment of all African people through the promotion of cooperation, solidarity and coordinated unity among nation-states, regional communities, civil society, and grassroots organizations.

To learn more about the history of the African Union please visit its official website at:

http://www.africa-union.org/

A key activity towards the aims and objectives of the African Union is the convergence of all of its nations, toward a common economic market. As established in the historic 1991 Abuja Treaty, the establishment of strong regional economic communities (East, West, North, South, Central) in Africa, and their proper integration, has been agreed upon as the approach best suited to achieving this goal.

To learn more about this objective and methodology, one can read the Treaty Establishing The African Economic Community at:

http://www.africa-union.org/root/au/Documents/Treaties/Text/AEC_Treaty_1991.pdf

To fulfill this vision, the African Union Commission organizes the Congress Of African Economists, which seeks to gather the very best researchers, academicians and practitioners to analyze and propose solutions to economic problems impeding the development of Africa. These solutions are then to be advocated and popularized among the masses and civil society and serve as the basis for advice to African heads of state, their leading economic advisers, and government officials.

As a Member of The Bureau Of The First Congress of African Economists and Rapporteur To The Diaspora in the United States of America it gives me great pleasure to announce the theme and general date for the Second Congress Of African Economists.

The next Congress of African Economists will take place in March of 2010 in a location on the African continent to be announced in the future, under the theme of "How To Achieve A Strong and Sustainable Economic Growth In Africa..."

The theme of the First Congress of African Economists was 'Towards The Creation Of A Single African Currency...' It was held in Nairobi, Kenya from March 2nd to March 5th.

You can learn more about the First Congress from an official AU release on its opening day:

http://www.africa-union.org/root/ua/actualites/2009/fev/1st%20congress%20of%20african%20economist%2002-03-09.doc

More updates on the work of the First Congress are forthcoming.

It is my great honor and privilege to encourage and invite all researchers, academicians and practitioners in the field of economics based in the African Diaspora in the United States of America, who are concerned about economic development and growth in Africa, to seriously consider participating in this Second Congress.

Below for your review and further guidance, you will find the official advertisement for this historic next step.

May each of us play a positive role in contributing to the realization and fulfillment of the vision for a truly independent and economically strong Africa.

Your Colleague and Servant,

Cedric Muhammad

Member, First Congress of African Economists
&
Rapporteur To The Diaspora (United States of America)




AFRICAN UNION
UNION AFRICAINE
UNIÃO AFRICANA


Call for paper

SECOND CONGRESS
OF AFRICAN ECONOMISTS

The African Union Commission is organizing the 2nd Congress of African Economists, which aims to analyze and propose an appropriate and extensive solution to the economic problems impeding the development of the African Continent. The main theme of this 2nd Congress of African Economists is:

"How to achieve a strong and sustainable economic growth in Africa, in order to curb unemployment and sustain regional and continental integration dynamics?"

Sub-themes can be: (i) Growth factors in Africa; (ii) The basis of the fight against unemployment: Unemployment-growth relationship; (iii) Employment policies and unemployment in Africa; (iv) Why are savings rates low in Africa? Which economic policy for high and sustainable savings rates? ; (v) Fiscal policies, savings and development financing; (vi) Integration, job mobility and unemployment; (vii) Endogenous growth factors ; (viii) Instability of economic growth; (ix) Engines of growth; (x) Understanding business cycles ; and (xi) The effects of Investment on employment.

Articles on this main theme are being solicited from African Scholars in the continent and the Diaspora, and from all parties interested in solving the African economic problems. Articles should not exceed 10000 words (or 30 pages), should include an executive summary of two pages including sound recommendations and be submitted by October, 2, 2009. The cost of participation to this congress of authors of articles will be covered by the African Union Commission.

All African economists (those in the continent and the Diaspora), all economists of the rest of the world, interested in the problems of the African economy, as well as partner institutions to the development of Africa are invited to take part in this important congress which will take place in the first week of March 2010.

For further detail please contact:

Mr Yeo Dossina: DossinaY(at)africa-union.org
Mr Thiekoro Doumbia: DoumbiaT(at)africa-union.org
Ms Fetun Getahun: gfetun(at)yahoo.fr
Department of Economic Affairs

African Union Commission
Tel.: + 251115519287
Ext.: + 251115517700 Ext. 192
Fax: +251115510249
www.africa-union.org