“By Africa, for Africa?” Industrialisation and Integration for Inclusive Growth14TH International Economic Forum on Africa 6 October 2014 – OECD Conference Centre

PARIS, France, September 19, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- Reaching an average growth rate of about 4% in 2013, compared to the 3% growth of the global economy, Africa proved again its dynamism and resilience to regional and international turmoil. Africa´s average growth is projected to accelerate to close to 5% in 2014 and 5%-6% in 2015, particularly enhanced by the vitality of West and East African economies. A fabulous window of opportunity, this solid growth must be more inclusive to achieve Africa's economic transformation as well as political and social stability, better using the regional and global value chains to its benefits, and addressing future challenges such as the fast pace of urbanisation bringing along necessary changes in territorial policies.

The Africa Forum is the annual gathering where OECD and African policy-makers meet private sector representatives, academics and civil society leaders working on and with Africa to discuss the region's main challenges and opportunities. Organised by the OECD development Centre in partnership with the African Union Commission, the 2014 edition will focus on the achievements and limits of the current transformation of African economies, notably through Africa's insertion into the global and regional value chains, as well as the new challenges that territorial development policies and the growing discrepancy between rural and urban areas represent, in Africa

With the participation of:

• Macky Sall, President, Senegal

• Moussa Mara, Prime Minister, Mali

• Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Chairperson, African Union Commission (AU)

• Angel Gurría, Secretary General, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

• Sufian Ahmed, Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Ethiopia

• Kordje Bedoumra, Minister of Finance and Budget, Chad

• Mo Ibrahim, Founder and President, Mo Ibrahim Foundation

• Carlos Lopes, Executive Secretary, Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)

• Aboulaye Mar Dieye, Director of the Regional Bureau for Africa, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

• Mario Pezzini, Director, OECD Development Centre

• Romano Prodi, Former UN Special Envoy for Sahel

This debates will benefit from the 2014 African Economic Outlook jointly produced by the African Development Bank, the OECD Development Centre and the United Nations Development Programme.

Media are requested to register here by 3 October. A press card will requested to enter the Forum.