Panel Discussion: “The Global Race to Build Africa’s Infrastructure” (July 12)

Categories: Event
Date: 12/07/2019
Time: 10 h 00 - 12 h 30
Location: Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung EU Office
Links: iCal - Google Calendar

Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, EU Office and Alliance Manchester Business School are pleased to invite you to a panel discussion on

The Global Race to Build Africa’s Infrastructure

Brussels, 12 July 10.00 am – 12.30 pm (registration from 9.30 pm)

Venue: Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung EU Office, Rue du Taciturne 38, Brussels

Basic infrastructure is a pillar to ensure prosperity and equip societies to tackle major challenges including climate change, social inequality, population growth, and rampant urbanization. And yet, despite decades of western development assistance, Africa’s infrastructure gap continues to widen to such an extent that it poses a real threat to the stability of the global order. But, as China ramps up its assistance through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), many Western actors have raised warnings of a debt trap and neo-colonialism. However, Africa’s rapid population growth, and its proximity to Europe, makes it urgent for the EU to search for innovative forms of organising and financing infrastructure in Africa.

Are ideal solutions a combination of Chinese agility with Western-style efforts of institution-building and good governance? Such solutions could accelerate infrastructure development whilst putting a curb on cronyism, kickbacks, and inflated project costs. The aim of this event is to foster discussion on how to build Africa’s infrastructure and to inform on new models capable of harnessing the strengths of both approaches whilst mitigating their weaknesses.

We would like to invite you to a panel discussion with the following guests:

– Nuno GIL, Professor of New Infrastructure Development, The University of Manchester; lead editor of the book Duality by Design: The Global Race to Build Africa´s Infrastructure, Cambridge U Press
– FU Jun, Professor of Political Economy and Public Policy, Academic Dean of the Institute of South-South Cooperation and Development (ISSCAD), Peking University
– Tom GODFREY, Estates and Infrastructure Exchange
– Crecentia MOFOKENG, Regional Representative, Building & Wood Worker’s International Africa & MENA
– Representative of the EU, tbc

Please register by Tuesday, 9 July 2019.

We look forward to welcoming you.