African Union chair Jean Ping, others for ACBF forum in Paris

23 September 2010, Afrique en ligne
URL: http://www.afriquejet.com/news/africa-news/african-union-chair-jean-ping,-others-for-acbf-forum-in-paris-2010092356768.html

Lagos, Nigeria - African Union Chairman Jean Ping and former Ghana's Pres ident John Kufuor will be among the dignitaries expected to attend a a High Level Forum in Paris, France, 28 September to 1 October.

The forum is being organised by the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) as part of the build-up to the celebration of its 20th anniversary on 9 February 2011, the organisers said in a statement obtained by PANA here Wednesday.

Ping will speak on '50 years of Independence in Africa: Looking Back and Looking Forward,' while President Kufuor will speak on the broader theme of Good Governance and Leadership, according to the ACBF Executive Secretary, Frannie Leautier.

ACBF is a continental body with a mission to build sustainable human and institutional capacity for sustainable growth and poverty reduction in Africa.

It is also part of its vision to ensure that Africa is recognized for its socio-political and economic capabilities and endowments.

The four-day event will focus on 'Repositioning Africa for the 21st Century: Progress, Prospects and Challenges.'

It will also shed light on the implications of the emerging world order for capacity development in Africa, especially new finance regulation issues, new international competition, crisis exit strategies and future technologies.

'This high level discussion forum brings together key players from the public and private sector, which has an increasingly important role to play, as well as leading development experts and delegates from ACBF partner organizations. Transforming Africa certainly requires a mix of policies, strategies and institutional steps and a real paradigm shift in how we approach the development agenda.

'For instance, we have a lot to learn from the BRICs (Brazil, Russia, India and China). These countries really matter to Africa, because of their economic weight. They are the four largest economies outside the OECD and they have their ownstories to tell. As Africans, we can learn from their experiences, as well as tapping into their financial pool,' the ACBF Executive Secretary explained.

The Forum in Paris will be the third of such event in 2010. The first was held in Accra, Ghana, in February, and the second in March in Tunis.