Foro Económico Internacional sobre África de la OCDE

The worldwide economic recession provoked by COVID-19 has hit African countries hard. In 2020, 41 African economies experienced a decrease in their gross national product (GNP). The moment has come to take audacious, ambitious and co-ordinated measures.

Although the situation is different around the continent, this crisis has undeniably made it clear that the post-COVID strategies must tackle the two main obstacles to sustainable growth in Africa in the long term: dependence on external markets and the incapacity of the formal economic sectors to create enough quality jobs.

The African Continent Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), now open to trade exchange, provides a platform for precisely this. More specifically, to accelerate productive transformation, create regional value chains and encourage continental integration. Its effective application, however, depends on the capacity of African economies to create a fiscal area and encourage private investment in quality infrastructures and sustainable projects.

What are the main priorities for applying the AfCFTA and accelerating the productive transformation in Africa? How can African governments reinforce their debt capacity and improve the control of this debt? How can bilateral and multilateral co-operation facilitate the process?

To respond to these and other questions, on 22^nd February, 2021 the 20^th edition of this forum will host all the key actors and permit them to share their points of view and solutions for action.

OCDE International Economic Forum on Africa is the leading event in Europe dedicated to this continent. Each year, African politicians, representatives of the private sector, the academic world and civilian society, as well as representatives from top level international organisations meet to analyse the main transformations taking place on the continent and discuss how public policies can have a greater impact on the region.

This prestigious institution organises this forum on Africa every year in collaboration with the African Union and this year includes the Government of Senegal Casa África is a habitual collaborator at this forum and this time is working on obtaining the presence of a representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Spain.

The meeting, which last year took place in Madrid, for reasons we are all aware of is this year being held online. It will be a virtual meeting via the platform Zoom. The subject of the forum will be: Invest for a sustainable recovery in Africa and will be based on two round tables:

• Acceleration of productive transformation and regional integration in order to achieve the Agenda 2063
• Rethinking how to finance sustainable and integrated growth in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic

For further information and registration, visit the forum website.