PREVIEW PROGRAMME MANAGING RISK IN AFRICA: RESPONDING TO POLITICAL, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CHALLENGES

Thursday 23 – Sunday 26 July 2009
989th WILTON PARK CONFERENCE in co-operation with the Africa Directorate, Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Synopsis
How severely will Africa suffer from Western excess? What is the likely impact on plans to achieve the Millennium Development Goals? What risks does climate change bring for African societies? How accurately can these risks be predicted? How can fragile states become “developmental states”? How are prospects for prosperous and stable societies in Africa impacted by perceptions of risk among international investors? How can risk in the economic, social and political fields be reduced? How can a stable investment climate be created to attract inward investment in sub-Saharan Africa? What risk, such as consequences of elections and competition for power, need to be taken into account? How far can regional policies mitigate economic risks through market integration? How can public finance management be improved? How does the private sector assess financial risk in Africa? How can elections contribute to social cohesion rather than conflict and violence? What are the key factors in good governance and political stability?
Speakers invited and themes proposed (*to be confirmed)
THURSDAY 23 JULY
1500 - 1515
Welcome to Conference and Introduction to Wilton Park
Roger WILLIAMSON
Programme Director, Sustainable Development, Wilton Park, Steyning
1515 – 1645
1
ADDRESSING RISK IN AFRICA
UK POLICY
Adam WOOD
Director, Africa, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, London
US POLICY
Phillip CARTER III
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Department of African Affairs, US State Department, Washington DC
1645 - 1730
Conference Photograph followed by Tea/Coffee
1730 - 1900
2
WILL AFRICA SUFFER FROM WESTERN EXCESSES?: THE CREDIT CRUNCH AND AFRICA’S DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES
Donald KABERUKA
President, African Development Bank, Tunis
Jose BRITO
Foreign Minister, Cape Verde
1930
Reception followed by Dinner
FRIDAY 24 JULY – ECONOMIC RISKS
0900 – 1000
4
WILL CLIMATE CHANGE DERAIL THE DRIVE TO ACHIEVE THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS?
Youba SOKONA
Sahara and Sahel Observatory, Tunis
Batilda BURIAN
Minister of State for the Environment, Dar es Salaam
*Donald DUKE
Former Governor, Cross Rivers State, Nigeria
1000 - 1100
5
TOWARDS THE DEVELOPMENTAL STATE - BEYOND CONFLICT TO ECONOMIC PROGRESS
*John RWANGOMBWA
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Kigali
*Samura KAMARA
Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Freetown
1100 - 1130
Tea / Coffee
1130 – 1245
6
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVES – PRESENTED BY SENIOR AFRICAN FIGURES
NAMIBIA
Peter KATJAVIVI
Director General of the National Planning Commission, Windhoek
SOUTH AFRICA
Moletsi MBEKI
Chairman, Endemol South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Bryanston
NIGERIA
Remi BABALOLA
Minister of State, Ministry of Finance, Abuja
1300 – 1430
Lunch
1430 – 1530
7
CONFLICT OR COHESION? MULTICULTURAL STATES AND THE FAULTLINES OF STATE FRAGILITY
Halifa SALLAH
Member of the Pan-African Parliament, Spokesperson for the Opposition Alliance, Gambia
FINANCING DEVELOPMENT IN A POST-CONFLICT STATE
Robert LUZOLANU
Minister of Planning, Kinshasa
1530-1630
8
INFRASTRUCTURE AND INVESTMENT
JAPANESE POLICY TOWARDS INFRASTRUCTURE AND INVESTMENT IN AFRICA
Yoshitaka AKIMOTO
Director-General, Sub-Saharan Africa, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tokyo
Andrew REICHER
Programme Manager, Private Infrastructure Development Group
1630 – 1700
Tea / Coffee
1700 – 1745
9
PARALLEL WORKING GROUPS – INITIAL PRESENTATION OF THEMES IN PLENARY
SECURITY ISSUES – GREAT LAKES REGION
Jean-Mari BOMANGA
Analyst, SCIRS
BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS
Clive CARPENTER
West Africa Business Association
CAPACITY-BUILDING IN PUBLIC FINANCE
Kojo ODURO
Crown Agents, Worthing
1745-1930
10
PARALLEL WORKING GROUPS (3)
2000
Dinner
SATURDAY 25 JULY – POLITICAL RISKS
0900 – 1030
11
AFRICAN INSTITUTIONS AND REGIONAL POLICY – REPRESENTATIVES OF CONTINENTAL AND REGIONAL INSTITUTIONS
Ahmedou OULD-ABDALLAH
Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Somalia
A PERSPECTIVE FROM THE AFRICAN UNION PRESIDENCY – AFRICAN INTEGRATION AND RISK MITIGATION
Libyan speaker to be announced
1030 - 1100
Coffee/Tea
1100 - 1200
12
DEMOCRACY AND INCLUSIVENESS – WHAT PROGRESS?
DEMOCRATIC CULTURE
Richard DOWDEN
Director, Royal Africa Society, London
ELECTIONS
Kwadwo AFARI-GYAN
Association of African Election Authorities, Accra
AFRICAN PEER REVIEW MECHANISM
Arlete Patel ALVES
African Peer Review Mechanism Panel
1200-1245
13
PARALLEL WORKING GROUPS – INITIAL PRESENTATION OF THEMES IN PLENARY
Geographically based groups
1.
Speaker to be announced
2.
GREAT LAKES
*Dumisani KUMALO
Special Envoy to the Great Lakes, Department of Foreign Affairs, Pretoria
3. DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
Gabriel BANZA MALALE
Public International Law, University of Lubumbashi, DRC
4. MOBILISING THE DIASPORA
Lola BANJOKO
Africa Recruit, London
Lunch
1430 - 1600
14
PARALLEL WORKING GROUPS (4)
1600 – 1630
Tea/coffee
1630 – 1730
15
GOOD GOVERNANCE AND POLITICAL STABILITY AS A BASIS FOR ECONOMIC PROGRESS
*Amama MBABAZI
Minister for Security, The Republic of Uganda
Michela WRONG
Author of ”It’s Our Turn to Eat”
SOUND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
Colin SEELIG
Associate Director, Public Finance Management, Crown Agents
1730 – 1830
16
MACROECONOMIC POLICY AND FINANCIAL RISK IN AFRICA
Emmanuel TUMUSIIME-MUTEBILE
Governor, Bank of Uganda
2000
Conference Dinner
SUNDAY 26 JULY
0915-1030
17
BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC PROSPECTS IN THE CURRENT SITUATION
AFRICA’S ABILITY TO COPE WITH ECONOMIC VULNERABILITY IN THE CURRENT CRISIS
Axel GASTAMBIDE
Fiscal Policies Support Team, Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Paris
1030-1100
Coffee/Tea
1100-1230
18
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
1245-1400
Lunch
1400
Conference participants depart
This is a preview programme and as such may be subject to change.
This conference is open to those with expertise to share or an interest in the theme; our aim is to have a broad spread of nationalities and institutions represented. The full cost of participation is £1425. This covers all accommodation and meals, attendance at all sessions, and transport from and to Gatwick airport at the beginning and end of the conference. Special rates may be available for those from non-OECD countries, Central, and SE Europe, and also academics and NGO representatives.
Enquiries about participation and local travel to: Sandry Koo, Wilton Park, Wiston House, Steyning, West Sussex. BN44 3DZ Telephone: +44 (0)1903 817765 Fax: +44 (0)1903 817162 Email: sandry.koo@wiltonpark.org.uk
Enquiries about the programme to: Dr Roger Williamson, Programme Director, Sustainable Development, Wilton Park, Wiston House, Steyning, West Sussex. BN44 3DZ Telephone: +44 (0)1903 817737 Fax: +44 (0)1903 879231 Email: roger.williamson@wiltonpark.org.uk