News

Let me begin with a brief but essential chronology of events that led to this conference:

• Gero initiated the conversation with AERC and also attended our November/December 2023 biannual meeting in Nairobi.
• This partnership and the co-organisation of this conference have therefore been in the making for much longer than it may appear.
• The African Growth and Opportunity: Research in Action Palermo conference in November 2025 with a focus on “unlocking Africa’s growth and job potential” helped to advance the discussions further which our Director of Research attended.
• As the conversations deepened into meaningful collaboration and concrete planning, he brought together his World Bank colleagues—Nancy, Francesca, Tristan, Ana, and Indermit (Chief Economist)—as well as other partners and distinguished scholars such as Doug Gollin of STEG/CEPR and Eliot Faron of LSE/IGC.
• These fruitful discussions culminated in this important conference convened here.

Activities achieved so far include (i.e. in addition to the fantastic logistical support of our colleagues such as Natalie and Pamela):

• AERC has been an active participant of the Scientific Committee of the conference.
• We participated in Abstract shortlisting that carefully balanced academic rigor with encouragement of early-career researchers.
• We also provided comments on the “Industrial Policy for Development” report the process of which was ably led by Indermit Gill, the Chief Economist of the World Bank Group.

This week’s event clearly demonstrates that:

• Industrial policy has re-emerged globally as a central tool for advancing national security, climate action, and job creation – yet much of the evidence and debate remains centred on large economies outside Africa.
• As Africa’s economic landscape evolves, with growth increasingly driven by dynamic service sectors and complex informal labour markets, critical questions arise about how industrial policy can best support structural transformation, poverty reduction, and employment creation on the continent.
• This conference brings together leading global and regional thinkers/researchers to generate fresh, perspectives to inform a more context-specific and forward-looking industrial policy agenda.
• We hope the discussions will stimulate further policy-relevant inquiry and research, particularly given the limited availability of high-quality industrial policy research across Africa compared to other global regions.

At AERC, we have a new strategy covering the period 2025-2035. Over the next ten years, we have a strong lineup of research programmes focused on core issues of Africa’s economic development, including “Industrial policy and growth strategies as a key research programme, with several work streams covering trade and investment, firm productivity, and related themes”.

I wish you all productive deliberations, and if time permits, I encourage you to visit the National Park and experience the unique opportunity to see wildlife within the vicinity of our vibrant city.