Africa’s Private Sector: What’s Wrong with the Business Environment and What to Do About It

Center for Global Development presents a book launch and discussion of 
Africa's Private Sector: What's Wrong with the Business Environment and What to Do About It 

Watch the video of the event

 

featuring
Vijaya Ramachandran 
Senior Fellow, Center for Global Development 

With remarks by 
The Honorable James A. Harmon 
Chairman, Harmon and Company, LLC 

and 
Ambassador Ombeni Y. Sefue 
Embassy of the United Republic of Tanzania 

Moderated by 
Todd Moss 
Senior Fellow, Center for Global Development 

Thursday, March 26, 2009 
4:30pm—6:00pm
 Reception to follow 

at 
Peter G. Peterson Institute for International Economics 
C. Fred Bergsten Conference Center 
1750 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC

Why is the private sector yet to take off in much of sub-Saharan Africa? In Africa’s Private Sector, Vijaya Ramachandran and her co-authors identify the biggest obstacles: inadequate infrastructure (especially unreliable electricity and crumbling roads) and burdensome regulations. The authors suggest investing in infrastructure and reforming regulations to lower the cost of doing business, and increasing the access to education for would-be entrepreneurs to help foster the emergence of a broader-based business class that crosses ethnic divides. Join us for a discussion of how foreign donors can help African businesses by supporting better roads and renewable energy systems.

REGISTER ONLINE

Complimentary copies of Africa’s Private Sector will be provided.