Work Programme
- Susan Ngongi, UN Resident Coordinator, Eritrea
- Hon. Uzziel Ndagijimana, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning of the Republic of Rwanda (Outgoing Chair of the 22nd ICSOE Bureau)
- Vera Songwe, Executive Secretary, UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA)
- Hon. Osman Saleh, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Eritrea
Andrew Mold, Officer-In-Charge, ECA Office for Eastern Africa
This session reviews recent progress and challenges to regional development in the economic and social spheres.
Moderator: Prof. Abraham Kidane, Economic Advisor, Ministry of National Development, Eritrea
- Hon. Acacia Bandubola Mbongo, Minister of Economy, Democratic
Republic of Congo - Vera Songwe, Executive Secretary, Economic Commission for Africa
- Belay Begashaw, Director General, Sustainable Development Goals
Centre for Africa (SDGC/A) - Kenneth Racombo, Principal Secretary, the Blue Economy Department,Seychelles
- Gabriel Negatu, former Director General for Eastern Africa, African
Development Bank; Managing Partner, Invest Afrique
Stephen Karingi, Director, Regional Integration, Infrastructure and Trade Division, ECA
Panel discussion:
Moderator: Arnold Segawa, News Reporter, NTV Uganda
- Amb. Peter Mathuki, CEO, East Africa Business Council
- Million Habte Begna, Senior Expert on Trade in Services, AfCFTA Unit, African Union Commission (AUC)
- Marcellin Henry Ndong Ntah, Lead Economist, East Africa, African
Development Bank (AfDB)
Geoffrey Manyara, Tourism Expert, ECA Office for Eastern Africa
Panel discussion:
Moderator: Christabel Ligami, News Reporter, The East African
- Hon. Hirut Kassaw, Minister for Culture and Tourism, Ethiopia
- Richard Rugimabana, Executive Secretary, Tourism Confederation of Tanzania
- Osman Abdi Mohamed, Chief Executive Officer, National Tourism Office, Djibouti
- Jacinta Nzioka, Chief Executive Officer, Kenya Convention Bureau
Yohannes Hailu, Energy Expert, UNECA
Panel discussion:
Moderator: Frederick Golooba-Mutebi, Independent Researcher
- Alem Kibreab, Director General, Mining Department, Ministry of Mining and Energy, Eritrea
- Yagouba Traore, Chief of Infrastructure Information Unit, Department of Infrastructure and Energy, AUC
- Amb. Elkanah Odembo, Senior Advisor to the AU High Representative on Infrastructure
- Peter Thobora, Assistant Director of Renewable Energy, Ministry of Energy, Kenya
- Beatrice Florah, Vice Chair of the Bureau of the Working Party of the UNECE for PPPs, Co-President of Africa PPP Network, Uganda
- Leonhard Braun, Energy Analyst, RES4Africa Foundation, Italy
Panel Discussion:
Moderator: Amb. Peter Gabriel Robleh, the Horn of Africa Economic and Policy Institute
- Representative of the Ministry of National Development, Eritrea
- Susan Ngongi, UN Resident Coordinator, Eritrea
- Enock Nyorekwa Twinoburyo, Senior Economist, SDGs Centre for Africa
- Godfrey Kabera, Director General for National Planning, Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, Rwanda
The Ad Hoc Expert Group Meetings (AEGMs) will facilitate brainstorming by regional experts in smaller groups. In each case, studies will be presented and presentations made by regional experts. Subsequently, participants will debate, with the objective of defining some actionable policy recommendations. Each group will select a rapporteur, who will present the findings to the ICSOE on Day 3 of the meeting.
Parallel Session I: “Promoting Regional Trade for Faster Job Creation”
Eastern African countries have made significant progress in economic development in the last decade. However, employment creation has remained a persistent challenge. The regional workforce is expanding by more than 8 million people per year This session will discuss this major social and economic challenge and put forward proposals to tackle the problem particularly in the context of the AfCFTA. Several key questions will be addressed:
a) How has the pattern of economic growth in Eastern Africa shaped job creation?
b) What do studies reveal about the impact of regional trade on employment creation?
c) What policy measures can be implemented to maximise the job creation potential of the
AfCFTA?
Presenters:
- Weldeyesus Elisa, D.G., Ministry of Labour and Human Welfare, Eritrea
- Jessica Atsin, Research fellow, UNECA Office for Eastern Africa
- Mike Okumu, School of Economics, Makerere University
- Maureen Were, Research Fellow, UNU-WIDER
- Vincent Leyaro, Economics lecturer, University of Dar es Salaam
Parallel Session II: “The State of Social Cohesion in Eastern Africa”
This session will present findings from a forthcoming ECA report assessing the state of social cohesion in Eastern Africa. The session will discuss the benefits of greater social cohesion at the national and regional levels, drawing on examples of best practice both from within the region and elsewhere. The session will consider the following questions:
a. What do studies reveal about the impact of social cohesion on national/regional development?
b. How can stakeholders partner to support social cohesion policy initiatives?
c. What examples of good practice can be scaled up?
d. How can we strengthen awareness about the importance of social cohesion?
Presenters:
- Emelang Leteane, Social Affairs Expert, ECA Office for Eastern Africa
- Timothy Murithi, ECA Consultant on Social Cohesion
- Christopher Louise, Senior Adviser, Centre for Sustainable Peace and Democratic Development (SeeD)
- Paul Kamau, Senior Research Fellow, Institute for Development Studies, University of Nairobi
- Lanoi Maloiy, Researcher and Lecturer, African Women Studies Centre, University of Nairobi
- George Mukundi, CEO, Maendeleo Group.
Parallel Session III: “Harnessing the Blue Economy for Regional Integration”
The session will showcase continental, regional and national initiatives to harness the Blue Economy, highlighting challenges, lessons learnt, good practices and achievements. It will also discuss options for further alignment between policy frameworks and development agendas. Participants will be invited to provide inputs to the discussion and to discuss the following questions:
e. How can we strengthen awareness of the pivotal role of the Blue Economy?
f. What are existing examples of best practice in Blue Economy initiatives that could be replicated and upscaled?
g. How can we improve the alignment of Blue Economy policies with the Agendas 2030 and 2063?
h. How can stakeholders partner to support Blue Economy policy implementation?
Presenters:
- Daya Bragante, Blue Economy expert, UNECA
- Amb. Tewelde Weldemichael, D.G., Department of Marine Development, Ministry of Marine Resources, Eritrea
- Ministry of Mining and Energy, Eritrea
- Fatime Kanté, Economist, Department of the Blue Economy, Seychelles
- Ahmed Ouledi, Research and Training, Blue Economy Committee, Comoros
- Andriantsilavo Jean Michel Rabary, Blue Economy expert, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Madagascar
- Gilles Ribouet, Head of Communications, Indian Ocean Commission (IOC)
- Eshete Dejen, Blue Economy Unit Coordinator, Intergovernmental Authority on Development(IGAD)
- Mohamed Seisay, Senior Fisheries Officer, African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR)
- Dave Muli, Regional Coordinator, Eastern and Southern Africa, International Maritime Organization (IMO)
- Joseph Chisasa, Professor, University of South Africa
Moderator:Jenerali Ulimwengu, Board Chairman, Raia Mwema Newspaper and Advocate of the High Court in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania
Presentation by Justice Isaac Lenaola, Judge of the Supreme Court of Kenya, Retired Deputy Principal Judge of the Court of First Instance, East African Court of Justice, Arusha