CGD's Todd Moss will participate on a panel for this event hosted by the Michael S. Ansari Africa Center, Brookings Africa Growth Initiative, and the African Development Bank
2012 African Economic Outlook Report
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
9:30am - 11:00pm
Featuring
Todd Moss
Vice President, Programs and Senior Fellow
Center for Global Development
Mthuli Ncube
Chief Economist and Vice President
African Development Bank
Mwangi Kimenyi
Director, Africa Growth Initiative
Brookings Institution
John Simon
Founding Partner
Total Impact Advisors
Moderated by
J. Peter Pham
Director, Michael S. Ansari Africa Center
Atlantic Council
The Atlantic Council’s Michael S. Ansari Africa Center and the Africa Growth Initiative at the Brookings Institution are pleased to invite you to a panel discussion on the findings of the 2012 African Economic Outlook (AEO) report. The AEO is a collaborative effort of the African Development Bank, the Development Centre of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, the United Nations Development Program, and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. The annual report surveys and analyzes the economic performance of fifty-three African countries, including, for the first time, Eritrea and newly independent South Sudan.
This year’s report focuses on a critical area of the continent’s socio-economic development: youth unemployment and education. Youth unemployment has been a persistent problem for a majority of African countries and a formidable obstacle to economic growth and stability. Youth dissatisfaction played a major role in the escalation of political unrest in North Africa in the past year, which resulted in a significant decrease in economic growth in the region. Given Africa’s rapidly growing population, the demographic pressure on labor markets in African countries will continue to increase. If African countries commit to education and skills training, however, Africa’s youth bulge could become a significant competitive advantage in a rapidly aging world.
Mthuli Ncube, chief economist and vice president of the African Development Bank, will provide brief remarks on the reports’ findings and broader implications for Africa’s future, followed by a panel discussion. Panelists will discuss the many unpredictable factors threatening the continent’s economic growth offer brief remarks and policy recommendations for African nations before opening the floor to a question and answer session.
