When: 12 September 2019

Who: African Development Bank, Macroeconomics Policy, Forecasting and Research Department

Location: Babacar N’Diaye Auditorium, African Development Bank Group Head Office, Abidjan Cote d’Ivoire

Time: 11.30 am to 13.00 pm

The African Development Bank (AfDB.org) will present its latest report: Creating decent jobs: strategies, policies and instruments on Thursday, 12 September 2019 at 11.30 am.

Africa will become the youngest and most populous continent in the next few decades. Its labour force will rise from 620 million in 2013 to nearly 2 billion in 2063. To accommodate its high rate of population growth, it will have to generate between 12 million and 15 million jobs annually. That means 1.7 million jobs should be added monthly across the continent. Africa is nowhere near that number.

This report brings together some of the world’s leading labour and development economists to provide specific policy recommendations for creating decent jobs. The report highlights that manufacturing provides more long-term economic benefits than other activities. It generates economies of scale, encourages industrial and technological upgrading, fosters innovation, and has big multiplier effects. The report also sheds light on the role of prudent macroeconomic policies and shows how best to use special economic zones, industrial parks, agro-processing zones, skill enhancement zones, and apprenticeship and incubation programmes.

The event will feature a presentation of the report, a panel discussion on key themes of the report, and a Q&A session.