Made in Africa: Learning to compete in industry - Book launch and panel discussion

The Brookings Africa Growth Initiative, African Development Bank, and UNU-WIDER will co-host a conversation on the new book Made in Africa: Learning to Compete in Industry on 12 April 2016 at Brookings Institution in Washington D.C. The book presents the main results of Learning to Compete (L2C), a multi-year, comparative research program investigating the seemingly simple, but frustratingly puzzling question: Why is there so little industry in Africa?

Since 1995, Africa’s explosive economic growth has taken place without the changes in economic structure that normally occur as incomes per person rise. The slow pace of industrialization is responsible for the region’s low performance in translating growth into good jobs and poverty reduction. As commodity prices decline and global growth slows, Africa’s failure to industrialize has also raised questions about the durability of the African growth.

At the event, panelists will discuss why industry matters for Africa, whether it is realistic for Africa to attempt to break into global markets in manufacturing, and policy options available to African governments to promote industrial development. The discussion will also explore the role of Africa’s 'development partners' in supporting a new agenda for industrialization.

See more on Brooking's event page

Programme