The document outlines the draft programme for the African Economic Conference 2014 on the topic of knowledge and innovation for Africa's transformation. The three-day conference in Addis Ababa includes opening and closing ceremonies, five plenary sessions on related topics, concurrent morning and afternoon sessions on the second day with various presenters, and a number of special events including a conference lunch and dinner. Knowledge generation, structural transformation, skills development, technology, innovation, and education are some of the key issues to be addressed.

1. African Economic Conference 2014
Knowledge and innovation for Africa’s transformation
Addis Ababa, 1 - 3 November 2014
Draft programme
Day one: Saturday, 1 November 2014
8.30 - 9.30 a.m.
Registration of participants
9.30 - 10.30 a.m.
Opening ceremony
Moderator: TBC
Welcome remarks:
 Carlos Lopes, Executive Secretary, Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)
 Steve Kayizzi-Mugerwa, Acting Chief Economist and Vice-President, African Development Bank (AfDB)
 Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Chairperson, African Union Commission (AUC)
 Eugene Owusu, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative in Ethiopia
Keynote address:
Demitu Hambisa, Minister of Science and Technology, Ethiopia
10.30 - 10.45 a.m.
Coffee break
10.45 a.m - 12.30 p.m.
Plenary session 1: Knowledge and innovation for Africa’s transformation
Moderator: TBC
Panellists:
 Steve Kayizzi-Mugerwa, Acting Chief Economist and Vice-President, AfDB
 Adebayo Olukoshi, Director, African Institute for Economic Development and Planning (IDEP)
 Ayodele Odusola, Regional Bureau for Africa, UNDP
 Lemma Senbet, Executive Director, African Economic Research Consortium (AERC)
 Anthony Maruping, Commissioner for Economic Affairs, AUC
12.30 - 1 p.m.
Press conference
1 - 2 p.m.
Lunch break

2. 2
2 - 3.30 p.m.
Plenary session 2: Knowledge generation for structural transformation
Moderator: Steve Kayizzi-Mugerwa, Acting Chief Economist and Vice-President, AfDB
Panellists:
 Nkosana Moyo, Executive Chair, Mandela Institute for Development Studies
 Gunilla Carlsson, former Minister for International Development Cooperation, Sweden
 TBC
3.30 - 3.45 p.m.
Coffee break
3.45 - 5.15 p.m.
Plenary session 3: Adapting skills to 21st century industry requirements
Moderator: Ayodele Odusola, Regional Bureau for Africa, UNDP
Panellists:
 Takyiwaa Manuh, Director, Social Development Policy Division, ECA
 Hamid Temmar, Minister of Industry, Algeria  Hudson Mtegha, Senior Lecturer, School of Mining Engineering, University of Witwatersrand
 David Noko, Executive Vice President, AngloGold Ashanti
5.15 - 6.30 p.m.
Launch of the 2014 Report on the Millennium Development Goals
Chair: Jimmy Ocitti, Director, Public Information and Knowledge Management Division, ECA
Presentation of the report: Adam Elhiraika, Director, Macroeconomic Policy Division, ECA
Panellists:
 Adam Elhiraika, Director, Macroeconomic Policy Division, ECA
 Anthony Maruping, Commissioner for Economic Affairs, AUC
 Josephine Ngure, Resident Representative of the AfDB in Ethiopia
 Ayodele Odusola, Regional Bureau for Africa, UNDP
Discussion

3. 3
Day two: Sunday, 2 November 2014
9 - 11 a.m.
Plenary session 4: Role of research and innovation in enhancing productivity and competitiveness in Africa
Moderator: Antonio Pedro, Director of the Subregional Office for East Africa, ECA
Panellists:
 Abebe Shimeles, Research Division Manager, AfDB
 Kasirim Nwuke, Chief, New Technologies and Innovation Section, ECA
 Assefa Admassie, Executive Director, Ethiopian Economic Policy Research Institute
 Professor Ruth Oniang’o, Tufts University
11 - 11.15 a.m.
Coffee break
11.15 a.m. - 1.30 p.m.
Concurrent sessions (morning)
Session 1: Knowledge generation for structural transformation
Room:
Chair: Gabriel Negatu, Director, East Africa Regional Resource Centre, AfDB
Presenters:
1. Joseph Atta-Mensah “Towards the economic transformation of Africa”
2. Hilary Nwokeabia “Inclusive industrial growth in Africa: the role of institutions for local knowledge”
3. Taoufik Rajhi “Endogenous structural change”
4. Didier Alia “Institutional change, industrialization and structural change out of agriculture”
Session 2: Addressing the skills deficit
Room:
Chair: Samuel Bwalya, Country Director, UNDP Ethiopia
Presenters:
1. Zuzana Brixiova “Skills, gender and productive entrepreneurship in Africa”
2. Manitra Rakotoariso “Accumulation and allocation of the investment in human capital for manufacturing growth: evidence from manufacturing industries in selected African countries”
3. Patrick Nga Ndjobo “Education, composition de la main d’oeuvre et productivité des entreprises industrielles au Cameroun”

4. 4
Session 3: Technology for Africa’s transformation
Room:
Chair: Kasirim Nwuke, Chief, New Technologies and Innovation Section, ECA
Presenters:
1. Abdoulaye Seck “Has economic growth in WAEMU countries benefited from world technology diffusion?”
2. Eugene Bempong Nyantakyi “Technology gap, imported capital goods and productivity of manufacturing plants in sub-Saharan Africa”
3. Ebaidalla Mahjoub Ebaidalla “Effect of ICTs on youth unemployment in sub-Saharan Africa: a panel data analysis”
4. Houdou Ndambendia “Exports diversification and knowledge sharing from South-South and South- North economic cooperation: evidence from Central and West Africa”
1.30 - 3 p.m.
Conference lunch hosted by ECA: Digital Africa
This working lunch will showcase Africa’s emerging digital entrepreneurs.
Moderator: Jimmy Ocitti, Director, Public Information and Knowledge Management Division, ECA
Keynote address: Anne Githuku-Shongwe, African social entrepreneur
Discussants:
 Dorothy Gordon, Director-General, Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT Confirmed
 Dayo Ogunyemi, CEO, 234 Media
3 - 6 p.m.
Concurrent sessions (afternoon)
Session 1: Innovation for Africa’s transformation
Room:
Chair: Victor Konde, New Technologies and Innovation Section, ECA
Presenters:
1. Sassire Napo “La protection des droits de propriété intellectuelle est-elle source de croissance économique dans les pays africains?”
2. Jonathan Munemo “Competitive and innovative behaviour of firms in sub-Saharan Africa”
3. Rajlakshmi De “Optimal conditions for innovation: firm-level evidence from Kenya and Uganda”
4. Martin Ndzana Eloundou “Les determinants de l’innovation dans les petites et moyennes entreprises au Cameroun”

5. 5
Session 2: Knowledge generation for structural transformation
Room:
Chair: Angela Lusigi, Policy Advisor, Regional Bureau for Africa, UNDP
Presenters:
1. Alassane Drabo Ferdi “Primary agricultural commodity trade and labour market outcomes”
2. Senakpon Dedehouanou “Diversification towards high-value export production, farm household productivity and efficiency in Senegal”
3. Harcel Nana Tomen “Chaînes de valeur agricole et opportunités de développement pour la promotion de la sécurité alimentaire en Afrique de l’Ouest”
4. Arbia Chatmi “Globalisation des firmes, délocalisation des activités de service et effets-pays spécifiques”
Session 3: Innovation for structural transformation
Room:
Chair: Bernadette Kamgnia-Dia, Acting Director, African Development Institute, AfDB
Presenters:
1. Chidozie Anyiro “Adoption of cassava value-added innovation and its implication for rural livelihoods: the case of rural women in Abia State, Nigeria”
2. Nembot Ndeffo Luc “Les principaux obstacles à l'innovation en Afrique subsaharienne”
3. Akplogan Dagbégnon Marc Luc “Savoir et innovation au service de la transformation structurelle”
Session 4: Education
Room:
Chair: Said Adejumobi, Director, Sub-regional Office for Southern Africa, ECA
Presenters:
1. Esther Kimani “The effects of pupil-teacher ratio and expenditure per pupil on educational attainment in South Africa”
2. Bohmer Bianca “Testing numeric: evidence from a randomized controlled trial of computer- based mathematics intervention in Cape Town”
3. Gbetonmasse Somasse “Public provision of education and educational outcomes – evidence from Benin’s free primary education policy”
4. Jennifer Okonkwo “Financing education reforms in Francophone West African countries”
4 - 4.15 p.m.
Coffee break

6. 6
7 - 9.30 p.m.
Conference dinner hosted by AfDB: African universities as agents of innovation and development
Venue: Sheraton Hotel Addis Ababa
This round table will be dedicated to the role of African universities in development and innovation. It will be lead exclusively by Vice-Chancellors of African universities.
Moderator: Professor Admasu Tsegae, President of Addis Ababa University
Discussants:
 Professor George Yobe Kanyama-Phiri, Malawi
 Professor Abdelkader Derbal, Algeria
 Professor Angelo Antonio Macuacua, Mozambique
DAY THREE: Monday, 3 November 2014
9 - 11 a.m.
Plenary session 5: Knowledge and innovation in Africa – scenarios for the future Moderator: Adeyemi Dipeolu, Director, Capacity Development Division, ECA
Panellists:
 Gabriel Negatu, Director, East Africa Regional Resource Centre, AfDB
 Angela Arnott, Working Group Coordinator, Association for the Development of Education in Africa
 Patrick Noak, Senior Advisor, UNAIDS
11 - 11.15 a.m.
Coffee break
11.15 a.m. - 12.15 p.m.
Closing remarks
Moderator: TBC
Adam Elhiraika, Director, Macroeconomic Policy Division, ECA
 Ayodele Odusola, UNDP Regional Bureau for Africa
 Abebe Shimeles, Director, Development Research Department, AfDB
Presentation of the Award for Best Paper
1 - 2.30 p.m.
Lunch break