News

SIDE -EVENT 

📍 Radisson Blu, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
🗓 May 28, 2025 | 10:30–12:45 Hrs

As African countries grapple with rising debt burdens, fiscal uncertainty, and mounting social pressures, the need for smarter, more resilient macro-fiscal policies has never been more urgent. This high-level roundtable—organized as a side event during the African Development Bank (AfDB) Annual Meetings—will bring together senior policymakers and leading researchers to explore the institutional, technical, and political economy challenges influencing macro-fiscal policymaking across the continent.

Co-hosted by the African Economic Research Consortium (AERC) and CAPEC-CIRES, with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the event will highlight country experiences from Kenya, Ethiopia, Liberia, and Zambia, as well as insights from the eight member states of the West African Monetary Union (WAMU), represented by the Banque Centrale des États de l’Afrique de l’Ouest (BCEAO): Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, and Togo.

Key discussions will focus on the importance of robust fiscal frameworks in driving inclusive growth, the evolving skillsets required for effective macro-fiscal management, and the critical role of researchers and think tanks in bridging the gap between evidence and policy. This roundtable also aims to set the stage for a continent-wide initiative to embed long-term technical support within ministries of finance, economic planning, and central banks. The roundtable will feature senior officials from finance ministries, central banks, and leading academic institutions. Notable participants who confirmed participation include:

• H.E. Boima S. Kamara – Director General, West African Monetary Agency (WAMA), Sierra Leone, and former Minister of Finance, Liberia
• Dr. Musa Dukuly – Deputy Governor for Economic Policy, Central Bank of Liberia
• Dr. Daniel M’Amanja – Chair of the Board, Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS); former Principal Economist at the National Treasury and Economic Planning, and former Deputy Director of Research at the Central Bank of Kenya
• Dr. Sékou Camara – Director of Research and Partnerships, Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO), Senegal
• Dr. Tewodros Mekonnen – Senior Country Economist for Ethiopia, International Growth Centre; former advisor to the National Bank of Ethiopia
• Dr. Jonathan M. Chipili – Director of Research, Bank of Zambia
• Dr. Ahmad Hassan Ahmad – Associate Professor of Macroeconomics and Director of Doctoral Research Experience, Loughborough University, UK
• Dr. Mark Miller – Senior Researcher, ODI; former Director of Global Strategy, Development and Public Finance Programme, and the ODI Fellowship Scheme

Join us in shaping the future of Africa’s macroeconomic policy-making for impact and improved well-being for all Africans.